The Athletic Gives 76ers an A+ and Heat an A- in 2026 NBA Offseason Grades

Q: Beyond the A+ grades, which team's quiet moves best set them up for long-term dominance under the new CBA?

The San Antonio Spurs look like the best answer. Their offseason was not flashy, but it was highly aligned with the new CBA’s biggest pressure point: preserving flexibility around a superstar. The key move was getting Victor Wembanyama to sign at the 25 percent max rather than the richer supermax path, a decision projected to save roughly $50 million over five years. In a league now shaped by second-apron penalties, that is a major structural advantage, not a minor bookkeeping win. San Antonio also avoided the kind of overreach that traps contenders. It kept useful veterans such as Harrison Barnes, added Tobias Harris, retained Julian Champagnie on a tradable number, and drafted frontcourt depth. That combination matters because the new CBA rewards teams that can stay deep without locking themselves into inflexible, overpriced middle-tier contracts. Charlotte deserves strong mention. The Hornets quietly built one of the league’s most flexible long-term positions by moving off expensive commitments, stockpiling future picks and swaps, and preserving cap room. Under the new rules, that optionality has real value. Oklahoma City also remains well positioned because Sam Presti has already built a deep, asset-rich contender designed to survive expensive years. But among teams outside the top grades, San Antonio’s blend of elite young talent, contract discipline and roster optionality is the clearest blueprint for sustained dominance under the new CBA.

3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jul 13

The Athletic’s NBA staff rated Philadelphia the top offseason winner at A+ and put Miami close behind at A-, while several teams remained unfinished because LeBron James has not chosen a destination.
Philadelphia’s grade hinged on turning Paul George’s contract into Jaylen Brown and adding Anfernee Simons and Dean Wade, while Miami surged after landing Giannis Antetokounmpo without giving up its best player.
At the other end, Denver drew a D- for worsening depth, Orlando a D for failing to fix shooting and point-guard issues, and New Orleans and Toronto were labeled incomplete amid limited or unresolved moves.
LeBron’s pending decision still clouds Cleveland, Golden State and Minnesota in particular, with staff saying his choice could sharply change those teams’ final outlooks.
The roundup framed Summer League and the largely settled free-agent market as checkpoints, with most teams’ draft, trade and coaching work now clear enough for early judgment.