playZach KramSep 22, 2026, 03:41 PM ETCloseZach Kram is a national NBA writer for ESPN.com, specializing in short- and long-term trends across the league’s analytics landscape. He previously worked at The Ringer covering the NBA and MLB. You can follow Zach on X via @zachkram.Multiple AuthorsOpen Extended ReactionsThe NBA offseason is here, and teams across the league have been busy making moves. Free agency officially began June 30.I’m grading every free agent signing and the most impactful extensions this offseason, breaking down the ramifications for all teams and players involved.To determine each grade, I’m looking at multiple factors, including the player’s on-court impact and age, the contract’s financial implications and the context of the team’s short- and long-term outlooks.
How risky or certain is the move? And how much does it help or hurt the team’s chance to win a championship, next season or beyond?Let’s get into the latest moves:Quick links: Trade grades | Latest buzz | Trade machine Depth charts | Trade tracker | More coverageSept. 22: Leonard, Raptors agree to $115 million extensionKawhi Leonard terms: Two years, $115 million, with player option in second yearGrade: B-An extension agreement between Leonard and the Raptors seemed like a fait accompli as early as June, when the Raptors and Clippers first agreed on the terms of Leonard’s eventual trade to Toronto. Leonard was set to enter the final season of his controversial contract, and the Raptors wouldn’t have wanted to trade multiple unprotected picks for a one-year rental.This new deal will pay Leonard about $11 million less than his possible maximum, per ESPN’s Shams Charania, which is capped at two years because of the NBA’s over-38 rule. Leonard, now 35, will turn 38 years old at the end of this extension.Just because an extension was expected, however, doesn’t mean it’s an incredible value for the team involved.
Leonard now projects to have among the dozen highest cap hits in the league during this deal. And while he’s also one of the dozen best players in the NBA if he’s on the court — and you can read about how optimistic I am about his fit in Toronto this upcoming season in my trade grade — that’s a major if for a player with his age and extensive injury history.For comparison, last summer, Kevin Durant signed a new two-year contract with the Rockets, but that $90 million pact came with considerably greater savings for Houston. Leonard’s new contract does give Toronto some extra wiggle room compared to if he had taken the max, but not by nearly the same amount.Instead, Leonard’s new deal seems more akin to the four-year, $273 million extension Donovan Mitchell signed this summer. Both deals were anticipated, given the stature the two stars hold in their respective franchises, but neither deal seems likely to age especially well.
The Raptors and Cavaliers are both hoping that they win now, because these big new contracts could hamper their ability to win in the future.Sept. 21: Thompson gets five-year extension from PistonsAusar Thompson terms: Five years, $155 millionGrade: B-It’s fitting that Thompson agreed to his rookie extension within a few hours of Keyonte George doing the same, because both players signed for nearly identical amounts even though they have polar opposite playing styles.While George, who inked a five-year, $157.5 million extension with the Jazz, is a budding offensive star who might be the worst defensive player in the league, Thompson is an offensive liability who might be the NBA’s best perimeter defender.Thompson finished third in Defensive Player of the Year voting last season, behind only Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren, as he led the league in steals and routinely locked up the opponents’ top scorer. Largely because of his spectacular defensive prowess, the Pistons have been better with Thompson on the floor in every season of his career to date.The concerns about his future come on the other end, because his shooting form, which was never strong to begin with, has gone backward. Last season, Thompson made just seven total 3-pointers on 23% accuracy, counting both regular season and playoffs.Compared to his brother, Amen, who signed a five-year, $208 million extension earlier this offseason, Ausar has demonstrated less offensive potential. Amen isn’t a 3-point marksman, either, but he at least improved to 78% at the free-throw line last season, suggesting untapped shooting potential, while Ausar made just 57% of his free throws.
Amen has also been better than his brother at scoring on drives and handling the ball; there’s a reason he averaged 18.3 PPG last season to Ausar’s mere 9.9.That’s not to say Ausar is completely unproductive; he’s effective in transition and a solid offensive rebounder — a must, given how often he hangs out near the basket — and the Pistons have still been better with him on the court than off, even on the offensive end.Yet that considerable weakness will limit Thompson’s long-term ceiling and potentially complicate Detroit’s roster-building plans, which drops this extension’s grade a couple notches. In the modern NBA, it’s not easy to win with a perimeter player who’s such a non-shooter, and Thompson’s new contract brings into greater question Jalen Duren’s future in Detroit, as the All-Star center lingers in restricted free agency.Sept. 18: Heat give Larsson a new dealPelle Larsson terms: Four years, $60 million, with a mutual option in the fourth yearGrade: BAt summer league in Las Vegas this year, I had a conversation with various NBA folks about the Miami Heat. We were talking about the Heat’s lineup possibilities around Giannis Antetokounmpo and how they might build a winner with depleted depth. One clear conclusion from this conversation was that Pelle Larsson was going to get a lot of minutes because Heat coach Erik Spoelstra adores him.The 25-year-old Swedish guard was a steal at the No. 44 pick in the 2024 draft, and he took a big step forward last season, averaging 11.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists.
The Heat also trust him as a lead defender on the perimeter. He ranked fourth on the team in starts and fifth in total minutes last season.Larsson profiles as a high-floor, low-ceiling player, given his age and skill set. Most prominently, a shaky 3-point shot (33% in his career) means he’s not truly a 3-and-D player but rather a jack of all trades who fits the Heat’s preferred ethos with his hustle and stamina.Still, that high floor means a $15 million average for Larsson is a reasonable value for Miami, and this new deal will carry him through most of his prime years. Larsson must be happy with his new deal, given that his rookie contract was worth only $5.4 million over three years.
Spoelstra must be happy to lock up one of his favorite players for the long term, too.Sept. 18: George, Jazz agree to extensionKeyonte George terms: Five years, $157.5 millionGrade: C+George was one of the breakout players of the 2025-26 season, averaging 23.6 points and 6.1 assists while making 37% of his 3-pointers. He also boosted his efficiency from 7-8% below average in his first two seasons to 5% above average last year, which made him one of the top offensive guards in the sport.On its own, that trajectory — combined with George’s age, as he’ll turn 23 in November — makes him more than worthy of this new rookie extension, which will pay him an average of $31.5 million per year. For context, this contract will pay nearly $100 million less over half a decade compared with the possible 25% max (which Victor Wembanyama, another member of the 2023 draft class, signed earlier this offseason).But the complication with analyzing George’s new deal is uncertainty about his ability on the other end. The Jazz have been worse with George on the floor versus when he’s off in every season of his career to date.
The defensive swing has been particularly problematic: Per Cleaning the Glass, Utah’s defensive rating was 6.7
