NBA offseason grades: Atlantic Division

The NBA offseason is drawing to a close. Teams around the league have re-tooled, upgraded or tweaked their rosters as they prepare for another grueling campaign.

With just a few weeks remaining until the start of preseason, now is the perfect time to start assigning grades to each team's offseason. Today, we'll be looking at the Atlantic Division.

Boston Celtics | Grade: A

Players in: Baylor Scheierman (G/F), Anton Watson (F/C) | Players out: Svi Mykhailiuk (F), Oshae Brissett (F)

Brad Stevens has prioritized continuity this summer as he moved to re-sign or extend multiple members of the 2024 championship-winning roster. Boston's championship window is firmly open and should remain at least for the next four or five years. The only new faces in the Celtics locker room will be Scheierman and Watson, who join the team via the draft.

The Celtics steamrolled their way through the NBA last year. They set the tone for the rest of the league and have doubled down on the roster that took them all the way just a few months ago. The Celtics get an "A" grade here because keeping an entire core together when multiple players are entering the final stages of their respective deals is no easy feat.

New York Knicks | Grade: A

Players in: Mikal Bridges (G/F), Keita Bates-Diop (F), Cameron Payne (G) | Players out: Bojan Bogdanovic (F), Alex Burks (G), Mamadi Diakite (F/C), Isaiah Hartenstein (C), Shake Milton (G)

The Knicks will enter the upcoming season as the most prominent contender to the Celtics' throne atop the Eastern Conference. Mikal Bridges' addition gives Tom Thibodeau a diverse and talented roster capable of producing the type of defensive performances he craves. Everyone in New York's starting five is now a multi-dimensional scoring threat with upside, too.

The addition of Payne has also helped provide depth to the Knicks. He will fill the void left by Immanuel Quickley, who was sent to the Toronto Raptors as part of the OG Anunoby trade last season. Payne will provide perimeter scoring, playmaking and perimeter defense, thus fitting with what Thibodeau asks of his backup guards.

However, Hartenstein's loss and the failure to replace him in the rotation will hurt the Knicks. His exit is the only reason New York isn't receiving an "A+" grade for its summer. Eventually, the front office will need to improve the backup center position. However, it looks unlikely that we will see much movement until closer to the trade deadline.

Philadelphia 76ers | Grade: A+

Players in: Paul George (F), Eric Gordon (G), Reggie Jackson (G), Caleb Martin (F), Andre Drummond (C), Guerschon Yabusele (F) | Players out: Nicolas Batum (F), Mo Bamba (C), Buddy Hield (G/F), De'Anthony Melton (G), Paul Reed (F/C)

Daryl Morey has been busy this summer. The Sixers' addition of Paul George was a massive win , and it gives them a big three capable of challenging for an NBA championship. George is a two-way star who, despite his advancing age, is still one of the best forwards in the league. Martin and Yabusele will provide some depth in the front court and can be relied upon to fulfill their roles with little fuss.

Drummond is also a significant upgrade at the backup center position. He is an excellent backup for Joel Embiid and can help control the glass or provide physicality to the rotation. His lack of perimeter game means the Sixers must get creative when he's on the court.

Nevertheless, Hield and Melton's losses should be tough to swallow. Hield provided the type of spacing and perimeter scoring teams dream of, while there aren't many better perimeter defenders than a healthy Melton. Still, this has been an exceptional summer for the Sixers, who have positioned themselves to be one of the best teams in the NBA next season, health permitting.

Brooklyn Nets | Grade: C+

Players in : Bojan Bogdanovic (F), Killian Hayes (G), Shake Milton (G), Ziaire Williams (F) | Players out: Keita Bates-Diop (F), Mikal Bridges (G/F)

The Nets landed a haul of assets when they agreed to send Bridges to the Knicks. They've quickly become a threat to land any potentially disgruntled star who hits the trade market. The Nets are an intriguing team. Ben Simmons is still waiting to rediscover what made him an All-NBA-level talent during the early part of his career, and Nic Claxton continues to grow into his role as a rim-running big in the league.

Bogdanovic will give Brooklyn a genuine scorer and shot-maker to help lead its offensive system. However, the acquisitions of Hayes and Williams seem like dice rolls rather than calculated moves.

Brooklyn ended last season with a 32-50 record. It will likely lose a few more games than that in the upcoming season. However, the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes make that a very palatable proposition, especially with so many tradable assets. Brooklyn has a long-term plan. The fanbase must remain patient and try to enjoy the ride.

Toronto Raptors | Grade: D-

Players in: Bruno Fernando (C), Davion Mitchell (G) | Players out: Mouhamadou Gueye (F), Jalen McDaniels (F), Gary Trent Jr. (G/F), Sasha Vezenkov (F)

The Raptors don't seem to have a plan for improvement. They want to build around Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett but have traded away all of their primary contributors outside of them. Jakob Poeltl's addition stands as the biggest trade the team has made over the past few years in terms of pursuing talent.

The loss of Trent Jr. could hit the Raptors hard. He's reliable on offense and can create his own shot or score off the catch. There's a reason he's landing with a contending team like the Milwaukee Bucks. It's also hard to see how Davion Mitchell can move the needle. Yes, he's an elite point-of-attack defender, but his offense is negligible, and he failed to earn minutes with the Sacramento Kings even before they improved into a playoff team.

With little foresight, the Raptors get a "D-" grade for this summer. They got worse without adding anything tangible to help them in the future. They may have better luck closer to the trade deadline.