NBA offseason grades: Atlantic Division

Throughout the first part of the NBA offseason, one significant domino had yet to fall.

That domino has now fallen to the City of Brotherly Love, which certainly changes the grades for one team.

Now, in the first of a series of six pieces doling out grades to each and every NBA team for their offseason activities, we start - appropriately – with the Atlantic Division.

Boston Celtics: D+

As much as paying two players 70% of your cap in this environment is akin to self-sabotage, surely Brad Stevens could have waited out the market for a better move than Paul George and a couple of low first rounders?

To be clear, George is still really good, but at age 36 could fall away fast, and soon. Jayson Tatum is a megastar, but is coming off an Achillies rupture. If he can’t be 95% of his old self, the Celtics' ceiling is considerably lower.

Adding Mitchell Robinson solves a need for further frontcourt depth and allows the Knicks to continue to control the possession game. He’s a bit overpriced, but it’s a good move.

Brooklyn Nets: D

The Nets will undoubtedly be better this season, as their phalanx of youngsters continue to develop and the addition of noted floor raiser Julius Randle. Given the lottery changes, that’s not a bad thing in a vacuum, but the Nets don’t control their first round pick this season. To that end, trading for Randle only takes reps away from the youngsters.

That begs the questions: What is the plan? With massive cap space, the Nets signed ... Mo Wagner and Keon Ellis? Why not throw an offer to Peyton Watson or Walker Kessler?

Sean Marks is one of the nicest people in basketball. But how on Earth does he keep his job?

New York Knicks: B

Yes, the Knicks lost elite backup Mitchell Robinson, but that loss has perhaps been overstated. Between injury concerns and that his mere presence on the floor invites "hack-a" tactics, he’s not quite the devastating loss than some have made it out to be. His leaving allowed the Knicks to remain under the second apron, giving them this offseason's buzz word: optionality.

In other moves, the Knicks re-signed Jose Alvarado, Landry Shamet and Mohamed Diawara to value contracts.

Philadelphia 76ers: A+

Even before signing LeBron James, the Sixers were a likely A in these grades. Their previous headline move was to turn a 36-year-old with one of the worst contracts in the league into a 29-year-old All-NBA player for the cost of two likely low first round picks. When you throw in that they drafted LaBaron Philon – a lottery-level talent – at pick 22 and added high-level role players in Dean Wade and Anfernee Simons, it’s an easy A. Even Ariel Hukporti, effectively swapped for Andre Drummond, is better than most NBA observers realize. The Sixers had a gaping hole at power forward, but that was solved in the past 24 hours.

It was already a banner offseason. Now, with the second greatest to ever lace them up in tow? It’s the easiest A+ ever handed out. A spectacular offseason in Philly.

Toronto Raptors: A- 

Last season's Raptors were a lovely story, but clearly had a limited ceiling. Assuming the Kawhi Leonard trade goes through, that ceiling has been raised exponentially. With the ball, Leonard is the finisher this team lacked, and to that end, he should dovetail perfectly with Scottie Barnes, who does everything but finish very well.

Defensively, this team could be hellacious. Leonard, who has a pair of Defensive Player of the Year trophies on his mantle, might be the fourth or fifth best defender on this roster. The fit here is perfect and if the Raptors' goal was to give themselves a better-than-solid chance of making the final four, then mission accomplished.

That said, there is a sizable risk here. Leonard is famously fragile, appearing in about 60% of Clippers games through his tenure there. Going into his age-35 campaign, there is no real reason to believe he’ll suddenly become a 75+ game player. Toronto also surrendered substantial draft capital. At the rate the lottery system is changing, who knows how valuable those 2030s picks could be.

Still, assuming the trade goes through, Toronto is a conference contender. That’s a win.