San Antonio Spurs and Utah Jazz secure top grades for NBA offseason moves
The San Antonio Spurs and Utah Jazz have emerged as the biggest winners of the NBA offseason following a flurry of high-profile trades and strategic contract extensions.
Most franchises have already finalised the major transactions that will shape the upcoming basketball campaign.
While the league awaits the next move of veteran superstar LeBron James, the busiest period of roster reconstruction is largely complete.
Success is currently being measured by how effectively front offices navigated the free agency market and strict salary cap constraints.
Wembanyama deal boosts Spurs
San Antonio secured their highest marks by negotiating a club-friendly contract extension for their French phenomenon.
Locking Victor Wembanyama into a 25% maximum extension rather than a supermax deal could save the Texan franchise upwards of $50m (£38.6m) over the next five years.
This financial flexibility will be crucial as the organisation builds a championship-calibre squad under the new collective bargaining rules.
Furthermore, the addition of veteran forward Tobias Harris on a two-year contract addresses significant depth issues that plagued the team previously.
Jazz capitalise on Kessler trade
Meanwhile in Salt Lake City, the front office engineered arguably the most lucrative exchange of the summer window.
By sending defensive anchor Walker Kessler to the Los Angeles Lakers, they acquired two unprotected first-round picks and a pair of pick swaps.
The departure of the elite rim protector does represent a short-term setback for their immediate playoff aspirations.
Head coach Will Hardy must now integrate newly acquired big men Jaren Jackson Jr, Jusuf Nurkic and Jaxson Hayes to fill the void in the paint.
Hawks bolster bench depth
The Atlanta Hawks also enjoyed a highly productive recruitment period despite not adding a guaranteed starter to their ranks.
Their immediate success will lean heavily on the continued development of rising star Jalen Johnson alongside newly re-signed veteran CJ McCollum.
However, the Eastern Conference outfit significantly raised their floor by acquiring Luguentz Dort, Aaron Wiggins and Devin Carter through strategic salary dump trades.