NBA free-agency 2010: Miami Heat scores big with LeBron James, but who else won ... and who lost

The great free-agent gold rush of 2010 is over - mercifully - and now it's time to give out the grades. With all the crazy money that has been thrown around, it doesn't exactly help the owners' argument that they're losing millions and will need to lock the players out next summer so they can get a new economic system. But that's the gameplan. So this is the last big free-agent period we'll be seeing in a long time.

Ranking the teams, from top to bottom:

GRADE A

Heat: Is there any other grade you can give Pat Riley but an A plus? Miami isn't the center of the NBA universe - Los Angeles still is. But it's now a solid second place. It's just too bad that LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh will be teaming up in Miami. The NBA would prefer to have two mega-stars playing on different teams and performing in a larger media market. But we have a feeling that David Stern will get over it.

Lakers: Think they're scared of the Heat? The two-time defending champs get an A after landing the best free agent out there - Phil Jackson. They'll bring back Kobe's guy, Derek Fisher. They opted to let Jordan Farmar walk and brought in Steve Blake (four years, $16 million).

Boston: They're bringing everybody back, for one last shot at a second title with the Big Three. That gets them an A. Paul Pierce's 4-year, $61 million deal is one of the best moves of the offseason.

Oklahoma City: Give 'em an A for getting Kevin Durant's signature on a five-year, $85-million extension, with no opt-out clause after the fourth season. For this kid, it's a steal.

Denver: Once Carmelo Anthony sign his three-year, $65-million extension, they'll get an A.

Atlanta: You might not think Joe Johnson is worth $123 million, but let's remember that the Hawks have had almost no success since the days of Dominique Wilkins. They had to bring Johnson back at top dollar, so they get an A-minus.

GOOD JOB

Washington: They get a B-plus after stealing Hinrich from the Bulls, who were swept up with LeBron Fever and looking to get more cap space when they gave away one of their top players.

Chicago: They never wanted Chris Bosh, which gives them a passing grade automatically. Did anyone come off worse than Bosh? Carlos Boozer gives them a needed post presence. Without Kirk Hinrich, they need a guard who can shoot and they found one in  Kyle Korver (via free agency). They get a B.

Memphis: They get a B for re-signing Rudy Gay. Yeah, they overpaid ($85 million) but it's not as if free agents are running to play on Beale Street. They're candidates to take on Al Jefferson.

Source : http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/2010/07/10/2010-07-10_freeagent_grades_who_won__who_lost.html