10 Deals That Absolutely Should Have Happened at the 2026 NBA Trade Deadline
We're now past the 2026 NBA trade deadline. The rumors that were flying all over the league and the internet are grounded. Some turned into real deals. Plenty didn't.
Now, it's time to examine the ones that should have.
The trades below involve some of the most talked about names from the days and weeks leading up to the deadline. And they send them to teams and situations that would have made more sense for the players, strengthened (or created) some contenders and made the entire league more exciting for the rest of this 2025-26 campaign.
Myles Turner to the Hawks
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Bucks Receive: Kristaps Porziņģis and a top-five protected 2031 first-round pick swap
Hawks Receive: Myles Turner
If the Milwaukee Bucks had traded Giannis Antetokounmpo (more on that later), they would have been open to trading every other veteran on the roster.
And although the Bucks have been underwhelming since acquiring Myles Turner, it's hard to fault him for that.
For one thing, he's miscast in his current role. He was never going to be able to replace the raw production of Damian Lillard, but his three-and-D prowess would've fit in immediately with the Atlanta Hawks.
He would've been surrounded by plenty of playmaking from Jalen Johnson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and CJ McCollum. And his rim protection would've made for a nice backdrop to the length and athleticism of Johnson, Dyson Daniels and Zaccharie Risacher.
Of course, Milwaukee wouldn't have been looking for anything, really, from Kristaps Porziņģis. Health issues have once again kept him off the floor for most of this season (which makes it tough to understand the Golden State Warriors' acquisition of him).
This would've been about getting KP's expiring contract and a shot to move up in the draft in a few years.
Daniel Gafford to the Lakers
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Lakers Receive: Daniel Gafford and a 2029 second-round pick from Utah
Mavericks Receive: Gabe Vincent and a top-five protected 2031 first-round pick from L.A.
Jazz Receive: Dalton Knecht and Dante Exum
The idea of the Dallas Mavericks dealing with the Los Angeles Lakers again might be absurd.
L.A. may have had to overpay to close another deal with the team that inexplicably sent it Luka Dončić. And the Lakers probably shouldn't have spent assets unless it knew Giannis was traded elsewhere.
But in this timeline, a Giannis deal went down (again, more on that later), and he signaled a willingness to extend elsewhere, forcing L.A. to look for players who fit better alongside Luka.
Daniel Gafford, one of Dončić's centers in Dallas certainly fits that bill. Rim runners can feast as Luka's lob threats. If they can cover for Dončić's defensive struggles, even better.
For the Mavericks, this deal would've netted them a first-round pick for a center who doesn't fit Cooper Flagg's timeline, gotten them a contract that will come off the books this summer in Gabe Vincent, saved them over $5 million in salary and gotten them to within around $10 million of ducking the tax.
If they could shed even more money in an Anthony Davis trade, great.
Finally, this deal would've required a third team, and the Utah Jazz should've been happy to use some cap space to take a flier on former first-round pick Dalton Knecht for a far-flung second-round pick.
Nic Claxton to the Celtics
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Nets Receive: Anfernee Simons and a top-five protected 2031 first-round pick
Celtics Receive: Nicolas Claxton
The Boston Celtics got a center in Nikola Vučević for Anfernee Simons, and they didn't have to use a first-round pick to do it.
But if they'd been willing to pay a bit more, Anfernee Simons' expiring contract and a pick would've been good value for Nicolas Claxton, one of the more versatile big men potentially on the market.
With Claxton, most of the current cast and Jayson Tatum potentially coming back at some point before the conference finals, the Celtics would've been even more of a threat to win their second title of this era.
For the Nets, this trade is mostly about the draft pick, but replacing Claxton's deal, which ends in 2028, with Simons' expiring contract would've brought them some financial flexibility too.
Michael Porter Jr. to the Clippers
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Nets Receive: John Collins, Bogdan Bogdanović, a 2031 first-round pick swap and a top-10 protected 2032 first-round pick swap
There was always a good argument for the Los Angeles Clippers to cling to whatever's left of their draft assets, wait out the contracts of James Harden and Kawhi Leonard and start a new era whenever they're gone.
And their approach to the deadline, at which they traded both Harden and Ivica Zubac, suggests the organization is looking beyond Kawhi.
But Leonard is playing like an MVP candidate and Harden is still one of the league's best creators and distributors. Over the last several weeks, they helped the Clippers become one of the hottest teams in the NBA, and they may have earned one more win-now move from the front office.
Adding Michael Porter Jr.'s size and shooting would've made L.A. a nightmare to defend. Collapsing on Kawhi's drives would've granted precious extra time to MPJ, who's already one of the game's best perimeter shotmakers. Staying home on MPJ would've made those drives from Leonard and Harden a little less crowded.
The fit between those three is easy to imagine, and L.A. wasn't giving up a ton from this season's rotation to get Porter in this framework.
The outgoing draft picks could've come back to haunt the Clippers, but when you have a talent like Leonard, you can justify being this aggressive.
For the Nets, this deal would've saved the team a ton of money in 2026-27 (because Collins' contract is expiring), made it worse in 2025-26 (which would help with the pursuit of better lottery odds) and added to the asset trove for the future.
Domantas Sabonis to the Wizards
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Wizards Receive: Domantas Sabonis
Kings Receive: Khris Middleton, Cam Whitmore and a top-five protected 2027 first-round pick
The Washington Wizards landed a starting center in Anthony Davis, but they could have gone for a younger and more available 5 in Domantas Sabonis.
Trading Khris Middleton's expiring contract, Cam Whitmore (who's out for the rest of the season) and a pick from a draft that's supposed to be far worse than this one for Domantas Sabonis would've made sense for both sides.
Sabonis would have been a good finisher for Young. He can also create a bit himself, which would have opened the door for more off-ball opportunities for Trae.
Adding Sabonis wouldn't have necessarily stymied the development of Alex Sarr either. Because of Sarr's mobility and outside shooting, he would have been a great frontcourt complement for Sabonis. His shot-blocking could have helped cover for Sabonis' defensive issues, and his shooting could have pulled other 4s or 5s away from the paint.
The Sacramento Kings, meanwhile, should have done all they can to unload Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Sabonis. It's long past time to start over. And after the last few years, it would've been hard to secure a first-round pick for any of them.
If some team had offered, Sacramento should have gone for it.
Zach LaVine to the 76ers
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76ers Receive: Zach LaVine
Kings Receive: Paul George and a top-five protected 2030 first-round pick swap
It wasn't easy to find a realistic suitor for Zach LaVine, who makes $47.5 million this season and $49 million in 2026-27 (assuming he picks up his player option).
He's rarely been a meaningful contributor to winning teams. He's been to the playoffs once, and his Chicago Bulls were on the wrong end of a gentleman's sweep.
But Paul George's recent 25-game suspension for a violation of the league's anti-drug policy made Philadelphia a logical destination.
He was still tradable, and his contract runs one year longer than LaVine's. That means Philadelphia would've gotten a little more cap flexibility out of this deal, while also adding a good three-point shooter, who's available to play games right now.
No, LaVine isn't near the defender that George is, but his outside shooting could've juiced an offense that currently ranks 15th in the league.
This deal is harder to sell from Sacramento's perspective. The Kings, despite what they did Saturday night, should've been trying to shed salary and veterans. This framework does the opposite.
But that pick swap down the road could've become very valuable as Joel Embiid slows down, and George could've rehabbed his trade value on a tanking team before the 2027 deadline.
Anthony Davis to the Raptors
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Raptors Receive: Anthony Davis
Mavericks Receive: RJ Barrett, Jakob Poeltl, Ochai Agbaji and a top-three protected 2027 first-round pick from Toronto
Nets Receive: D'Angelo Russell and a 2027 second-round pick from Toronto
Anthony Davis makes plenty of sense for the Washington Wizards, but the Toronto Raptors could've used him too.
RJ Barrett doesn't exactly fit Cooper Flagg's timeline, but he's still just 25, is on a contract that's a year shorter than AD's and spends more time on the perimeter, which could've opened up the paint a bit for the rookie.
Jakob Poeltl doesn't fit the timeline either, but he's also younger than AD and could be movable as an expiring contract next season. Ochai Agbaji is on one now. So, if he didn't rediscover his three-point shot over the remainder of 2025-26, Dallas could've just let him go this summer.
But of course, the biggest draw for the Mavericks on this one would've been the first-round pick. Given Davis' age (33 in March) and near-constant injury concerns, Dallas should've been happy to get any firsts that aren't highly protected for him.
So, why would the Toronto Raptors be willing to give that up?
For one thing, the 2027 draft is supposed to be a big step down from 2026. And with Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram and AD, Toronto probably wouldn't be on track for a lottery pick anyway.
And with the East seemingly pretty open (with apologies to the Detroit Pistons), an aggressive, win-now move could've put the Raptors (currently fourth in the conference) in the mix for a Finals appearance.
Lauri Markkanen to the Pistons
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Pistons Receive: Lauri Markkanen and Svi Mykhailiuk
Jazz Receive: Tobias Harris, Caris LeVert, Jaden Ivey, a 2027 first-round pick, a top-five protected 2029 first-round pick and a top-five protected 2031 first-round pick
The Detroit Pistons were among the rumored suitors for Michael Porter Jr. and Trey Murphy III, and there were good arguments to prioritize either of them.
But Lauri Markkanen was the best fit alongside the ball-dominant Cade Cunningham, thanks to his incredibly streamlined offensive game.
Markkanen trails only Norman Powell in points per touch, because he almost immediately turns so many of his catches into a dunk or three-point attempt. And playing with Cunningham would've gotten him a lot more high-quality looks than playing with the inexperienced guards he's generally been with in Utah.
This is a lot to give up for Markkanen, but Danny Ainge typically doesn't make trades without getting a lot, and the Pistons could've justified the price. They have a shot to make the Finals. Markkanen would've improved that shot, and Ausar Thompson and Ron Holland were ready to pick up some of the slack that would've been left behind by Caris LeVert and Jaden Ivey.
For the Jazz, this deal would've given them another young guard to take a look at in Ivey. Having his restricted free-agency rights would've made him easier to retain, if they liked what they saw. And Tobias Harris coming off the books this summer would've given the Jazz more flexibility than Markkanen's contract did.
But obviously, this was about the picks. Although Detroit figures to be good for a while, there's no way to know where the Pistons will be in 2031. And even if Ainge wanted to get a little more for Markkanen, three lightly protected firsts would've been a big win in this market.
Ja Morant to the Heat
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Grizzlies Receive: Terry Rozier, Simone Fontecchio and a 2029 first-round pick
Heat Receive:Ja Morant
Ja Morant has not been good this season (at least not relative to his previous standard), but this feels more like a "Vince Carter at the end of his run with the Raptors" situation than it does a "Monstars stole my talent" situation.
On a winning team, surrounded by experienced, winning players like Bam Adebayo and Andrew Wiggins, and with Erik Spoelstra as his coach, Morant would've almost certainly been more focused and more productive.
And although his inconsistent outside shooting would've made the fit with Bam a little wonky, as a pure talent play, this would've made sense for the Heat.
They're giving up two expiring contracts, only one of which is attached to someone who's been in the rotation this season. Presumably, 2029 is close enough that a team with Spo, Bam, Ja and Tyler Herro wouldn't be giving up something terribly valuable either.
From the Memphis Grizzlies' perspective, if anyone would've been willing to surrender a first for Morant, after all his injuries and suspensions over the last several years, they should've taken it.
Prioritize the young(ish) core with Zach Edey, Cedric Coward and Cam Spencer, and move on to the next era of Grizzlies basketball.
Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Warriors
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Warriors Receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kyle Kuzma and Thanasis Antetokounmpo
Bucks Receive: Jimmy Butler, Jonathan Kuminga, Ziaire Williams, a 2026 first-round pick, a 2028 first-round pick, a 2031 first-round pick swap and a top-one protected 2032 first-round pick from Golden State
Nets Receive: Moses Moody
We'll dispense with comparing the Golden State Warriors' pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo to that of his other suitors. There are a handful of teams that would've been realistic title threats this year, even after giving up a boatload to get him, if they'd traded for Giannis.
But the best story of the bunch, and the one that made the most sense from a win-now perspective, was the Warriors. It's the story of Antetokounmpo giving Stephen Curry one or two more legitimate shots to get his fifth championship.
And although it feels a little unseemly to discuss trading Jimmy Butler, who Golden State suggested it wouldn't trade while he recovers from a torn ACL, his injury made the path to Giannis a lot more obvious.
Butler has the exact same salary as Antetokounmpo. Jonathan Kuminga, whom the Warriors desperately needed to unload, is within $100,000 of Kyle Kuzma's 2025-26 salary, and Milwaukee should've been looking to get rid of his contract in any Giannis deal.
A third team still would've had to be wrangled in because neither the Bucks nor Warriors could take in any more salary than they send out in trades, but Brooklyn would've been happy to get 23-year-old Moses Moody out of the deal and almost for free. He's younger and already better than Ziaire Williams.
In the aftermath of this trade, Golden State still might not have been favored against healthy Western Conference powerhouses like the Oklahoma City Thunder or Denver Nuggets, but the combination of Giannis and Curry, whose games almost seem tailor-made for each other, would've given them a shot.
And for all Curry has done for that organization for almost two decades, he earned one last shot.
For Milwaukee, with Giannis being 31, having injury concerns, having a game that may not age beautifully and having some control over this situation by signaling which teams he would or would not extend with after a trade, getting four first-rounders out of any suitor would've been a win.
But those picks are even more valuable coming from the Warriors than they'd be from most other teams. By the 2030s, Curry will almost certainly be retired and Antetokounmpo will be well past his prime. Those selections could rise toward the very top of those drafts.
That should've carried a ton of value with a front office on the verge of a rebuild. And, after Butler gets healthy, the Bucks might've been able to expand the return from this trade by moving him elsewhere in 2027.
Any time you're the team giving up the superstar in a superstar trade, it's going to sting a bit, but there was enough here to make it worthwhile.
