Early Free Agency Grades: Lakers, Sixers Ace the Test, Celtics Need a Retake
Free agency barely had time to stretch before the chaos showed up. Between the draft, re-signings, and a few jaw-dropping moves, the 2026 offseason already feels like it’s been running on playoff adrenaline. And when the dust starts to settle this early, you can’t help but hand out grades — even if the final exam is still a long way off.
A lot can change between now and opening night, but some teams have clearly helped themselves. Others? Let’s just say the pen ran out of ink in the wrong places. The biggest winners so far have added talent, kept flexibility, and, in a few cases, made one monster swing that changes the whole vibe of the franchise. Meanwhile, a couple of traditional heavyweights are still trying to figure out whether they’re building something dangerous or just collecting names.
The Lakers came out acting like they had a plan
For once, the Lakers didn’t feel like they were wandering into free agency hoping the basketball gods would send them a lifeline. They looked prepared. They made moves with purpose, filled needs, and gave themselves a roster that actually makes sense around their stars instead of asking one guy to do absolutely everything.
That matters. The Lakers have spent enough recent offseasons chasing urgency over structure, and fans know the difference. Early on, this group looks more balanced, more athletic, and better built to survive the grind of the regular season. They didn’t just chase headlines — they addressed real basketball problems.
That’s why the early grade lands in the A range. It’s not about winning July. It’s about putting together a team that can hold up when the calendar gets ugly. So far, the Lakers have done that.
Philadelphia made the kind of splash that changes everything
The Sixers didn’t tiptoe into free agency. They kicked the door open.
When you land a major name like Jaylen Brown, the entire temperature of your offseason changes. That’s the kind of move that says, “We’re not trying to be interesting — we’re trying to matter.” Philadelphia already had pressure hanging over every decision, and this is the sort of bold swing that can either launch a contender or become the thing everyone debates for the next three years. But in the moment? It’s exactly the kind of move a team with ambition should make.
What helps Philadelphia here is that the move doesn’t look like empty star-chasing. If the rest of the pieces fit, Brown gives them real two-way value and a higher playoff ceiling. He’s the sort of addition that can change the geometry of a postseason series, and that’s what the best front offices are paying for in the first place.
That’s why the Sixers are sitting on an A grade too. It’s not just the splash. It’s the message behind it: this team is trying to win now, and it’s not being shy about it.
Toronto and the surprise factor are already rewriting the map
One of the wildest parts of this early free agency period is how quickly the league has already been rocked by unexpected movement. A move like Kawhi Leonard ending up in Toronto is the kind of thing that makes you blink twice and check your phone before the news fully sinks in. That’s the NBA for you — one moment you’re talking about cap space, the next you’re talking about seismic shifts.
These kinds of deals don’t just change one team’s outlook. They ripple. They force rivals to react, change how contenders build out their rosters, and remind everybody that a single swing can alter the whole conference picture. Even before the opening tip of the next season, there are already teams rethinking what their path should look like.
That’s what makes early grading so fun and so risky at the same time. You’re not just judging transactions — you’re judging the courage to make them. Right now, the boldest teams are being rewarded for acting like they know exactly who they are.
The Celtics are in the awkward part of the assignment
And then there’s Boston, which feels like the student who showed up to class with a decent outline but forgot to finish the paper.
The Celtics are still a dangerous team on paper, no doubt about that. They have enough talent and enough credibility to stay in the contender conversation almost by default. But early free agency is also about seizing momentum, and that’s where the questions start stacking up. If rivals are making sharper, cleaner moves, standing still can start to look a lot like falling behind.
That doesn’t mean the Celtics are suddenly in trouble. It means the margin for error gets thinner when everyone else is swinging big. A contender can survive a quiet offseason — but only if the roster already feels airtight. And in a league where one upgrade can shift the playoff picture, Boston may need to show a little more urgency before this grade gets any kinder.
Early grades are about direction, not just headlines
The fun part of grading free agency this early is that you’re not just reacting to names. You’re reading the direction of a franchise. Are they trying to maximize a title window? Are they protecting flexibility? Are they acting like they know what kind of team they want to be?
That’s why the Lakers and Sixers come out looking sharp. They’ve made moves that feel intentional. They look like teams with a plan, not teams just hoping talent alone will sort everything out. And when you’re trying to build a contender in the NBA, that’s a huge difference.
The Celtics, meanwhile, are the reminder that reputation only carries you so far. In a league this aggressive, the teams that keep moving are usually the teams that keep climbing.
Final buzzer: the offseason is already heating up
We’re still in the early chapters here, which means nothing is fully written yet. But if this first wave is any clue, the Lakers and Sixers are passing the vibe check with flying colors, while the Celtics have some homework to turn in. And with more moves sure to come, the next few days might get even messier — in the best possible way.