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Grading Every Team's 2026 NBA Trade Deadline
The 2026 NBA trade deadline was full of fireworks, just not the ones we all thought were going to be set off.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Ja Morant stayed in their respective homes while James Harden, Darius Garland, Jaren Jackson Jr., Anthony Davis and others found new ones. We saw players get traded multiple times as rosters were shuffled around, and only now can everyone catch their breath for a few months.
Now that the dust has begun to settle, it's time to grade every NBA team's performance at and leading up to the deadline.
Atlanta Hawks: A-
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After resetting the franchise with the Trae Young trade in January, the Atlanta Hawks stayed busy this week.
Dumping Kristaps Porziņģis (who's played five games since Thanksgiving) for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield was one of the best moves of the entire deadline.
A core of Kuminga, Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels, Onyeka Okongwu and Zaccharie Risacher is young, fast, long and athletic, exactly how modern-day NBA rosters should be built.
Kuminga, 23, has averaged 15.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists on 50.0 percent shooting in 97 career starts and may now finally be able to spread his wings in an organization that believes in him.
Atlanta is trending in the right direction and should be thrilled with how this deadline went for them.
Boston Celtics: B+
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After some massive salary offloading this past offseason, the Boston Celtics used the deadline to get completely out of the luxury tax while still upgrading their weakest position.
Not bad for a team that has shocked the NBA with a third-place spot in the East.
Swapping Anfernee Simons for Nikola Vučević gives the Celtics a real answer at center for a playoff run, as the 35-year-old has still filled up the stat sheet this season (16.9 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 37.6 percent from three). It also saved Boston $6.2 million.
Boston also moved out some veteran minimum players to get below the tax line and dropped their total roster cost to $186.5 million down from $540 million last June.
Brooklyn Nets: D
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The Brooklyn Nets were surprisingly quiet at the deadline, choosing not to trade Michael Porter Jr., Nic Claxton or Cam Thomas.
Instead, they used some of their remaining cap space to take on smaller deals from other teams looking to trim their rosters, with Ochai Agbaji (Toronto Raptors), Hunter Tyson (Denver Nuggets) and Josh Minott (Boston Celtics) all added for second-round picks, swaps and cash.
It was disappointing to see Brooklyn simply waive Thomas, a 24-year-old who averaged 24.0 points per game the season before. Even keeping him now would have kept sign-and-trade possibilities alive in the summer. Obviously, there was no market for Thomas, who couldn't even be used in a swap to take on a bigger contract and a pick.
Now was probably the time to sell high on Porter (career-high 25.5 points per game), a move the Nets will now have to revisit in the offseason.
Charlotte Hornets: B
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A recent seven-game win streak encouraged the Charlotte Hornets to become surprising buyers at the trade deadline, headlined by the addition of 25-year-old guard Coby White.
White is an unrestricted free agent this summer, so he'll get a few months in Charlotte before both sides decide if they want to commit to one another or not. After a disappointing start to his career, White has blossomed the past three seasons by averaging 19.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.8 assists for the Chicago Bulls.
The Hornets' offense is a whopping 13.5 points per 100 possessions worse when LaMelo Ball is off the court (99th percentile, via Cleaning the Glass). Adding White helps keep the floor warm for stretches when Ball needs a break or if more injury concerns arise.
The starting lineup is already full, so we'll see how White performs as a super sixth man. Getting him without giving up a first-round pick was good work by Charlotte.
Chicago Bulls: A-
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There was a ton of guard swapping in Chicago, as the Bulls traded away Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu yet ended up with Jaden Ivey, Anfernee Simons, Collin Sexton and Rob Dillingham to compete for minutes alongside Josh Giddey.
Obviously, not all of these guys can/will stick, although there's a lot to like moving forward.
Getting Ivey, the No. 5 overall pick in the 2022 draft, for just Kevin Huerter and Dario Šarić in a three-team deal flew under the radar yet may end up being one of the best trades of the entire deadline.
Ivey no longer looked like a core piece for a rising Detroit Pistons team, yet he owns career averages of 14.9 points and 4.9 assists a game and is still only 23. He's the early favorite to become the team's shooting guard of the future.
Simons and Sexton are both on expiring deals and will get a chance to audition to be the team's newest sixth man. The Bulls also bought low on Dillingham, who they got (along with four second-round picks) in return for Dosunmu.
If Ivey becomes the long-term starter here and Dillingham develops into a rotation guard, this trade deadline will have been a massive success for the Bulls.
Cleveland Cavaliers: C
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Trading a 26-year-old Darius Garland for a 36-year-old James Harden was an extremely risky move for a Cleveland Cavaliers team clearly feeling the pressure to keep Donovan Mitchell happy.
Harden is a better player than Garland right now, but there's a real chance the former is flirting with retirement in two years while the latter is hitting the prime of his career.
Falling for the Harden trap was a mistake for Cleveland, a team that's now only being judged by its postseason success. Harden's playoff meltdowns are well-documented, making this even more of a head-scratching move.
On the flip side, moving De'Andre Hunter for Dennis Schröder and Keon Ellis gave the Cavs more feistiness, which they desperately needed. It also allowed them to dump Lonzo Ball and move closer to escaping the second apron.
After going from $22 million over the second apron to just $3.8 million, it was a surprise to see the Cavs not make another smaller move to duck it completely. The Cavaliers have a higher ceiling this year, although history tells us that their Harden experiment will not end well.
Dallas Mavericks: D+
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Following the trade deadline the Dallas Mavericks now just have five players remaining from the team that made it to the NBA Finals just 20 months ago.
The return for Anthony Davis was pretty terrible, as both "first-round picks" the Mavs acquired (the Oklahoma City Thunder's 2026 first-round pick and a top-20 protected selection via the Golden State Warriors in 2030) are guaranteed to fall near the second round. This was more of a salary dump than anything, with Khris Middleton's expiring $33.3 million contract serving as the main return.
Dallas did get a $20.8 million trade exception, plenty of breathing room under the second apron and can use their full $15.1 million mid-level exception this summer.
Cooper Flagg has single-handedly saved this franchise from becoming a complete laughingstock from the Luka Dončić trade calamity, and the Mavs should do everything they can to tank the rest of this season and pair him with another high lottery pick.
Denver Nuggets: B
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The Denver Nuggets didn't make any earth-shattering moves at the deadline, although a smart piece of business should make them a team to watch in the buyout market.
Denver sent Hunter Tyson to the Brooklyn Nets along with a 2032 second-round pick in exchange for a 2026 second-round pick from either the Atlanta Hawks or Los Angeles Clippers (less favorable).
The move opened up a roster spot for Denver to pursue a player like Cam Thomas, got the team out of luxury tax, and added a second-round pick in this draft after the Nuggets had previously traded their own away.
Some smart business all around for Denver.
Detroit Pistons: D
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At 37-12 and in first place in the East, the Detroit Pistons were likely hesitant to make any big moves.
Swapping Jaden Ivey for Kevin Huerter was a devastatingly disappointing return for the Pistons, however, especially with only a first-round swap with the Minnesota Timberwolves (currently just seven spots different) as the only draft compensation to show for the former No. 5 overall pick.
This would have been an ideal landing spot for Lauri Markkanen, Michael Porter Jr. or Jaren Jackson Jr. and given Detroit some real muscle for a playoff run. Relying on Tobias Harris to be a third scoring option in the year 2026 is a risky move for a team with title aspirations.
Ivey getting drafted to the Pistons after his mother Niele Ivey spent a season in the WNBA with Detroit Shock was a fun story and seemed like this could have been an ideal home for him alongside Cade Cunningham. Giving up on the 23-year-old this early is going to be a mistake.
Golden State Warriors: D
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The Golden State Warriors entered the trade deadline with aspirations of pairing Giannis Antetokounmpo and got Kristaps Porziņģis instead. There hasn't been a bigger letdown in the Bay Area since Super Bowl LVIII.
Porziņģis has played in just 17 total games this season including four in the past two months. For an aging Warriors team that has already lost Jimmy Butler to a torn ACL, adding another injured forward in his 30s isn't exactly keeping this dynasty alive.
Jonathan Kuminga clearly wasn't going to work out in Golden State, although he was one of the best trade assets this team had. Moving him (and Buddy Hield) for a player who's barely on the floor was a horrible waste of assets.
The idea of Porziņģis has long been better than the actual output. The Warriors will soon find this out as a 38-year-old Stephen Curry may need to play 40 minutes a night down the stretch for his team to even have a chance at the playoffs.
Houston Rockets: C-
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The Houston Rockets were one of only three teams (Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs) to not make a trade at the deadline. For a team fighting for homecourt advantage in the first round of the West playoffs, this was a little disappointing.
Fred VanVleet and now Steven Adams are both out for the season due to injuries. Tari Eason will go into restricted free agency this summer. We don't know how many elite years Kevin Durant, 37, will have left.
There's a lot to be sorted out for Houston both now and this offseason, although the title window is currently open as long as Durant is healthy.
It would have been nice to see the Rockets make some sort of move to bolster a championship-or-bust season, even if they didn't need seismic change.
Indiana Pacers: C+
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We can praise the Indiana Pacers for going out and getting their new franchise center while also pointing out the shockingly-high price they paid for him.
Ivica Zubac, 28, is one of the NBA's most underrated players, or at least he was until the Pacers gave up Bennedict Mathurin and two good first-round picks for his services.
If Indiana's 2026 first-round pick falls between 5 and 9 overall, the Los Angeles Clippers will claim it. That alone would be ridiculous value for Zubac in this draft, who's never even made an All-Star game in his 10 seasons. At worst, Indiana gave up two future unprotected picks and a 23-year-old averaging 17.8 points per game.
Zubac is a top-10-ish center in the NBA, yet the Pacers paid a top-3 price for him.
Los Angeles Clippers: A+
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Just two years ago it looked like the Los Angeles Clippers were headed towards a meltdown with an aging and expensive core of Paul George, James Harden and Kawhi Leonard.
Letting George walk in free agency was obviously the right move and getting a 26-year-old, two-time All-Star point guard in Darius Garland in exchange for a 36-year-old James Harden shooting just 41.9 percent overall this season would have been inconceivable at the start of the year. The fact that the Clippers actually got a second-round pick in this upcoming draft from the Harden-Garland swap without giving up any draft capital is still head-scratching.
Los Angeles probably wasn't planning on trading Ivica Zubac, but they would have been foolish to turn down Bennedict Mathurin and two first-round picks.
A starting backcourt of Garland and Mathurin gives the Clippers a really exciting young pair of guards to build around now and Los Angeles could potentially get the Pacers' lottery pick this summer as well (protected 1-4 and 10-30). At worst, they'll get unprotected picks from Indiana in 2029 and 2031.
This was an insane return of young talent and draft picks for Harden and Zubac and sets the Clippers up extremely well moving forward.
Los Angeles Lakers: B
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Coming off the greatest trade deadline of all time last season, the Los Angeles Lakers were a little more mellow in their approach this time around.
This team needed a 3-and-D wing to place between Luka Dončić, LeBron James and Austin Reaves. They were at least partially successful.
Luke Kennard leads the NBA in three-point shooting (49.7 percent) and is going to see a ton of open looks with this new set of teammates.
Gabe Vincent was never healthy/good since signing in L.A. from the Miami Heat, so swapping him with a single second-round pick for a lights-out shooter in Kennard was a no-brainer.
Memphis Grizzlies: A-
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Roughly seven months after signing Jaren Jackson Jr. to a $240 million renegotiation and extension, the Memphis Grizzlies dealt their star power forward and former Defensive Player of the Year.
This had less to do about the play of Jackson and more about the direction of the franchise after trading Desmond Bane last offseason and testing Ja Morant's market now.
Getting three good first-round picks (including the heralded Phoenix Suns' unprotected 2031 selection) was a really nice return, especially with two players (Walter Clayton Jr, Taylor Hendricks) who were first-rounders themselves in 2025 and 2023, respectively.
The Grizzlies are headed towards a total rebuild and sold high on Jackson at the right time.
Miami Heat: D
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Perhaps the Miami Heat spent too much time celebrating the past this week, as they did nothing to improve their present or future.
With zero moves at the deadline, Miami continues to be linked to stars in trade talks, only for nothing to come to fruition.
The Heat reportedly "went all-in" on Giannis Antetokounmpo, making everyone but Bam Adebayo available. This would have been a fun Ja Morant destination as well, with the asking price likely very reasonable. Alas, nothing.
At 27-25 overall and in the East play-in tournament, Miami is perfectly average, which is one of the worst things in the NBA to be.
Milwaukee Bucks: D
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No one should be cheering for a small-market team to trade a homegrown superstar, but, c'mon, it was time for the Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo to part ways.
The Bucks are 20-29 overall, with their best-case scenario this season grabbing a seven or eight seed in the playoffs before being walloped by the Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers or Boston Celtics in the first round.
The Golden State Warriors reportedly made a "pick-heavy offer" for Antetokounmpo per ESPN's Shams Charania, which could have included a gold mine worth of selections from a team relying on a 37-year-old Stephen Curry. Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski would have been nice building blocks as well.
Instead, the Bucks added Ousmane Dieng and Nigel Hayes-Davis as their big trade deadline acquisitions.
We're just going to go through all of this again this summer when Antetokounmpo trade winds inevitably start blowing again.
Minnesota Timberwolves: B-
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The Minnesota Timberwolves gave up on Rob Dillingham (along with four second-round picks) to acquire Ayo Dosunmu, a player just months away from unrestricted free agency.
It's a risky move, for sure, although Dosunmu is having a terrific season (15.0 points, 3.6 assists, 45.1 percent from three) and is a high-level defender who will help this team immensely.
The Wolves traded Mike Conley Jr. in a cost-cutting move, yet could re-sign him since he was traded to the Chicago Bulls and then to the Charlotte Hornets before being waived. His presence in the locker room is immense.
Minnesota is quickly running out of draft picks and young players to improve the roster around Anthony Edwards with. They need Dosunmu to become a major rotation piece and to re-sign this summer.
New Orleans Pelicans: C-
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Despite owning one of the NBA's worst records at 13-40 overall, the New Orleans Pelicans decided to hold on to Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III, Herbert Jones and the rest of their most coveted veteran players.
Jose Alvarado was sent to the New York Knicks for a pair of second-round picks, cash considerations and Dalen Terry, a 23-year-old guard who's shooting 41.3 percent from three this season.
The value for New Orleans here is solid, although it puts an unusual amount of trust in the rest of this roster moving forward. Already without their first-round pick in 2026 (one that could wind up being No. 1 overall), the Pelicans should have tried to move one of their vets and get back into the top half of the draft.
New York Knicks: A-
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No, a trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo never materialized, but the New York Knicks still had a successful deadline.
Essentially swapping out Guerschon Yabusele for Jose Alvarado was a smart move, especially with Miles McBride set to miss extended time with core muscle surgery.
Alvarado is a New York City native who gave us this wholesome moment four years ago. Knicks fans will love his energy, defense and heart.
At 33-18, the Knicks didn't need to blow up this core. They did the right thing with some insurance at point guard and someone who will represent the city well.
Oklahoma City Thunder: A-
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No one expected the NBA's best team to do much at the trade deadline, so a trade for Jared McCain was a pleasant surprise for an Oklahoma City Thunder team facing some tough financial decisions moving forward.
McCain was on track to win Rookie of the Year last season before injuries cut his time short. He also missed the beginning of 2025-26 and never returned to his former role with VJ Edgecombe locked in as a starter.
OKC can be patient with his production, as the 21-year-old still has two-and-a-half years remaining on his rookie contract, one that won't exceed $6.7 million in any single season. The Thunder also gave the Philadelphia 76ers the Houston Rockets' 2026 first-round pick (currently No. 24 overall) rather than Philly's pick that OKC owns (No. 18).
This was a smart, foresighted move by the Thunder who still have plenty of draft capital moving forward. Swapping Ousmane Dieng for Mason Plumlee kept them out of the luxury tax as well.
Orlando Magic: F
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The Orlando Magic have been knocking on the door to becoming true contenders in the Eastern Conference for years now. This trade deadline proved that they still aren't ready to come inside.
Orlando's only move to "upgrade" a 25-24 overall roster was to offload Tyus Jones and his $7 million salary onto the Charlotte Hornets (who later traded him to the Dallas Mavericks). The move got the Magic out of the luxury tax, yet cost two second-round picks, not ideal for a team that gave up four first-rounders for Desmond Bane last summer.
Jones was dreadful for Orlando this season, although it would have been preferable to send his expiring contract and those picks to a team in exchange for a rotation player who could actually help.
With the East wide open, the Magic looked at the trade deadline and said "no thanks".
Philadelphia 76ers: B+
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It was weird to see Daryl Morey play the role of seller at the trade deadline, although he wasn't wrong in doing so.
Jared McCain became expendable given the play of rookie sensation VJ Edgecombe, and the former's stats this season (6.6 points, 1.7 assists, 38.5 percent shooting overall) didn't exactly scream first-round pick worthy.
Getting a first-rounder this summer (especially with their own going to the Oklahoma City Thunder) helps restock the young talent on this team. Philly also received three second-round picks for McCain.
Keep an eye on the 76ers in the buyout market, as offloading Eric Gordon left Philadelphia with three open roster spots and nearly $5 million below the luxury tax.
Nothing crazy from Morey here, just a smart bit of business.
Phoenix Suns: C
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The Phoenix Suns improved their depth by adding Amir Coffey and Cole Anthony in exchange for Nick Richards and Nigel Hayes-Davis, keeping them in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race.
Both have been rotation players in recent years, Coffey with the Los Angeles Clippers and Anthony during his time with the Orlando Magic. Both failed to make much of an impact for a Milwaukee Bucks team that's been overshadowed with injuries and a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade cloud this season and should be thrilled to join a contender once again.
The Suns are short on draft picks to go out and make any big splash and are instead hoping for a healthy Jalen Green to help carry them to a top-6 seed.
This was a boring trade deadline for Phoenix, but not necessarily a bad one.
Portland Trail Blazers: C-
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Injuries to point guards Scoot Henderson and Jrue Holiday (not to mention Damian Lillard) have hurt the Portland Trail Blazers' ability to run the offense at times, explaining the trade for Atlanta Hawks guard Vít Krejčí.
Krejčí is a big ball-handler at 6'8" who was averaging 9.1 points, 2.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists and shooting 44.9 percent from three off the bench for the Hawks this season.
The price for him was fairly steep, however, as Portland had to attach two second-round picks to Duop Reath's contract (out with season-ending foot surgery).
Losers of six straight and in danger of falling out of the Western Conference play-in race, the Blazers made no major moves, and it's hard to tell what their plan is right now.
Sacramento Kings: D-
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If anyone can figure out what the Sacramento Kings are doing, please let the rest of us know.
A 12-40 record is the worst in the NBA, yet the Kings' big move of the deadline was to trade for De'Andre Hunter and keep veterans like Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Russell Westbrook.
The only positive was getting off of Dennis Schröder's contract, one that should have never been signed in the first place. At the cost of Keon Ellis and a second-round pick, however, was getting Hunter really worth it?
Sacramento should be trying to lose at this point, yet attacked the deadline with no clear plan in place.
San Antonio Spurs: C
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The San Antonio Spurs made no moves at the deadline. Unlike the Houston Rockets and Miami Heat, their passiveness was far more understandable.
At 34-16 and in second place in the West, the Spurs are far ahead of schedule in Victor Wembanyama's third season.
It would have been ideal to see San Antonio find a new home for Jeremy Sochan, who's set to become a restricted free agent this summer and no longer looks like part of the Spurs' core.
Moving him to a team that could take a chance on a young, defensive-minded prospect like the Brooklyn Nets, Sacramento Kings or Memphis Grizzlies following the trade of Jaren Jackson Jr. even for a future second would have shed some salary and created an asset.
After acquiring De'Aaron Fox last year, the Spurs apparently decided to sit out this deadline.
Toronto Raptors: C-
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The Chris Paul era in Toronto was glorious, wasn't it? Very reminiscent of Carmelo Anthony's time with the Atlanta Hawks.
Paul was traded to the Raptors and then waived in a move that cleared salary with Toronto sending out Ochai Agbaji. The Raptors would later add Trayce Jackson-Davis from the Golden State Warriors for a 2026 second-round pick. The 25-year-old started 54 games for the Warriors the past three seasons and gives Toronto some added depth at center.
We really didn't expect the Raptors to take any massive swings at the deadline after acquiring Brandon Ingram a year ago, although Toronto could have done a little more in order to ensure a top-6 seed in the East.
Utah Jazz: B+
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One of the two shocking buyers of the deadline (more on the other in a minute), the Utah Jazz swung for the fences with the addition of Jaren Jackson Jr. from the Memphis Grizzlies while holding on to Lauri Markkanen.
Jackson and Walker Kessler (if he returns as a restricted free agent) are an ideal frontcourt pairing, two powerful rim protectors who complement each other with the former's scoring/floor-spacing and the latter's rebounding.
Given their 2026 first-round pick is only top-8 protected, however, seeing the Jazz get better was surprising. If Jackson and Markkanen lead them on a winning streak, the front office may face pressure to manage minutes and prioritize long‑term development over short‑term wins.
Utah is clearly looking to return to the playoffs in 2027. Let's just hope it doesn't miss out on a top prospect this year in the process.
Washington Wizards: A-
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The other surprise buyer of the trade deadline, the Washington Wizards paid pennies on the dollar for Anthony Davis. Injuries and now age are beginning to become a concern, although it's not like the Wizards had to give up a generational talent at guard to get him.
There's been some other steps along the way, yet Washington has essentially turned Jordan Poole and Kyle Kuzma into Trae Young and Davis. That's some incredible business, even given the weaknesses of their new stars.
The two first-round picks the Wizards gave up for Davis are the Oklahoma City Thunder's 2026 first (almost certainly No. 30 overall) and a 2030 top-20 protected first via the Golden State Warriors that Washington picked up in the Jordan Poole-Chris Paul swap. They gave up no real picks of value while also keeping their entire young core.
The Wizards should let Davis chill for the remainder of the season and only play Young sparingly (to judge a potential new contract) before making a run at the East playoffs in 2027. This was a surprisingly good deadline in the nation's capital.
