CHICAGO BULLS: B+
You have to give it to the Bulls that, at least they're trying, and we have to presume that the additions of Powell, Claxton and Caleb Wilson will make this team better. It's possible that they may even be entertaining, as the roster looks really fast on paper and have some good athletes.
The goal, I would presume, is to at least make the playoffs. And even though the conference has gotten deeper, like if they can't even do that, then maybe it's time to start striving for a young A-lister to bring in.
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS: B-
More than any team this offseason, I would say the Cavs took one step forward, two steps backwards. And somehow, saying that doesn't feel surprising.
The addition of Watson is cool, I guess, maybe. But now, Cleveland has gone from being one of the deepest rosters to having more, perhaps even too much, talent concentrated at the top.
And the bigger concern is still compatibility. I was saying before that these starters need a 3 like Josh Hart. And since then, Dillon Brooks also came to mind (i.e. if he didn't chuck as much). But Peyton Watson? He's a shooter and a board crasher. The more the merrier, I guess. But the goal should have been the type of glue man who could mitigate Harden's overdribbling, and Spider being forced to the 2, even though he'd probably be better at the 1. Oh sh*t - the word Ben Simmons almost came out my mouth.
I think the Cavs are the only team who have three long, skinny dudes starting. I don't know if they're officially the tallest frontline. But either way, that's a sound piece of wembyproofing.
But again, the problem is, damn. I don't even wanna talk about Cleveland anymore. Ultimately, someone on the bench must have an amazing season
DETROIT PISTONS: C
Taking for granted that Duren is going to stick around (at least another year), the Pistons offseason hasn't been that bad because, to reiterate, Collins isn't a slouch.
I also wish Harris had stuck around, at least for another season. So all those years as a pariah and then finally, this postseason, you redeem yourself. I think it would have been better if he stayed on the team where the redemption took place.
The bigger pain, though, is the departure of Isaiah Stewart, who felt a true Piston. The braintrust did a pretty good job of keeping the core together, up until now. Remember that just two seasons ago, they had one of the worst records - in history. In a span of just a year, that same core was then able to earn the number one seed. I'm not quite sure why you would want to devalue an accomplishment like that.
Also, let's be frank. Detroit's record was a lot better last season than in 2024-25. But in 2024-25, they were more intimidating. And who did they most notably lose after that season?
When you talk about a secondary scorer to play alongside Cade, Malik Beasley isn't the type to come to mind. But maybe the moral of the story is that the Pistons don't even need another A-lister. Detroit isn't tall, but they have one of the best frontlines. The lingering issue though is lack of intimidating wings.
Silver and co., you know what I'm saying? Cut your boy some slack. If he's eventually found guilty or whatever, he's going to need the dough to payoff penalties anyway.
INDIANA PACERS: D
As it currently stands, I'm angrier with this braintrust than any other. No, they didn't gut the roster last season. But at the same time, they should have done everything possible to keep it intact (i.e. retaining Turner and/or Mathurin).
First, they would've won more games. And what exactly was the purpose of (intentionally) losing last season? All you were able to get is a second rounder. And there's no way the team would have been that bad if Myles had stayed around. Suck, maybe, but not bottom of the barrel.
If Haliburton is able to come back and reclaims his "Steph of the East" magic, okay. If not, then yeah, you know what I mean? Let the other dudes learn to survive without him, and no, not in that getting-run-off-the-court-every-other-night type of way. The 2024-25 Pacers were the greatest Cinderella story of the last 20 years, despite not winning it all. So even if the star player goes down, why would the braintrust want to reaccustom them to losing?
MILWAUKEE BUCKS: D
This D feels a little low, but then again yeah, if you lose Giannis, you know? And it ain't even about what they could've got in return. Even if they did bring back another superstar, he wouldn't have been homegrown and someone who already led the city to a championship, nor is any player actually more dominant. This one was going to hurt no matter what, and the Bucks were able to come out of it respectfully.
And I'm kinda excited for their future, almost to the point of maybe even watching them again, sometimes. Herro is set to enjoy an undisputed alpha level of freedom and may be the only white American player to lead a team. Also, we now get a chance to see if Kel'el is truly a starter.
Fun Fact: Kyle Kuzma is still on this team, lol.
Also, Myles Turner is lingering around. Please, find a way to get dude back to Indy and fast track the rebuild.
CONCLUSION
This division is unique, in that it's supposed to have two contenders, as well as possibly a third, if Haliburton returns in form. But it damn sure doesn't feel that way, as if the Central is truly formidable. The Cavs aren't afraid to take big swings, but they swing so hard that they miss the ball. The Pistons are still bickering with who is considered to be their second-best player, besides losing who was arguably their emotional leader. And the Pacers were so bad last season that now it feels like they're re-starting from scratch. But there's no way that all three of them can disappoint, right?
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