CLEVELAND, OH - JANUARY 28: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on January 28, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The fuel on the “LeBron James is coming back to Cleveland” fire is seemingly getting gasoline poured on it from every corner. Noted The Athletic columnist Jason Lloyd spoke on 92.3 The Fan and dumped even more lighter fluid on the rumor (or at this point, league-wide assumption) that James will end his tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers and rejoin the Cleveland Cavaliers for one last ride.
"If (LeBron) plays anywhere next year it's gonna be here. He's not going back to LA… I also don't think he's gonna take the league minimum deal so they're gonna have to work through that."
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“If (LeBron) plays anywhere next year, it’s going to be here,” Lloyd said. “He’s not going back to LA.” Lloyd also went on to give his experience as someone who saw the writing on the wall in Cleveland in 2018 when it became apparent that James was leaving the Cavaliers for the second time. “I’ve seen this movie before.”
James and the Lakers have been at odds seemingly for quite some time, whether that be due to the roster or the head coach. With the acquisition of Luka Doncic, who immediately became the face of the franchise in Los Angeles, it further alienated James — who rarely plays second fiddle to anyone. Even to a top-five player in the league like Doncic.
There are two questions that remain in this fairytale. The first one is if James decides to play again, which is not a given. The 41-year-old is still throwing down reverse dunks and nabbing alley-oops, but there is no guarantee that he will take the court after this season. The second question is how much money he will ask for as an unrestricted free agent playing likely his last year in the NBA.
James is an anomaly, an alien of basketball with a physical fitness level unseen in the league before. This isn’t Paul Pierce signing a deal to retire in a Boston Celtics jersey. The Cavs would be leveled up with James on the roster. But that comes at a price, and it won’t be the league minimum value.
“I don’t think he is going to take a league-minimum from Dan [Gilbert],” Lloyd continued. “Find a way to get to the mid-level [exception], have to get under the [second] apron, there’s other conversations that have to be had.”
The Cavs did good work this past week or so to put themselves in a position to get under the dreaded second apron with the trades of De’Andre Hunter and Lonzo Ball, and they have some expiring salary they can shed. It’s worth noting that they would need to get out of more than just the second apron to get full access to the mid-level exception.
That said, if there is a willingness from both sides to make it work out from a salary perspective, there’s a good chance it will in the end.
Smith is the biggest winner of the trade deadline following the trade of Nikola Vucevic to the Boston Celtics for Anfernee Simons. Like a maniacal villain looking to deplete the world’s natural resources, Chicago has stockpiled roughly 80% of the Association’s guards. Smith was starting in double-big lineups alongside Vooch, but his path to increased production has become clear. Smith will get some competition from Nick Richards, but the former has a stranglehold on the starting center job, and he’s a must-add option off the waiver wire.
De’Anthony Melton/Brandin Podziemski — Golden State Warriors
Jimmy Butler is out for the season. Steph Curry is banged up. Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield are gone. Someone’s got to step up for Golden State, and Melton and Podz are the two most likely to answer the call.
Nick Richards — Chicago Bulls
The starting center job is Jalen Smith’s to lose, but there’s no frontcourt depth on this team. Richards emerges from the big man logjam in Phoenix and will have a new opportunity to earn meaningful rotational minutes in Chicago.
Kelly Oubre Jr./Quentin Grimes — Philadelphia 76ers
Jared McCain was beginning to hit his stride before he was traded, and his absence frees up some additional minutes and scoring chances for Oubre Jr. and Grimes.
Walter Clayton Jr. — Memphis Grizzlies
Clayton was stuck behind breakout Keyonte George and stellar backup Isaiah Collier in Utah, but he has a chance to earn some additional run for the Grizzlies down the stretch. Ty Jerome and Cam Spencer have been great, but “silly season” is fast approaching.
Ayo Dosunmu — Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves’ search for a capable backup ball-handler and scorer ended with the deal to acquire Dosunmu, and he should see quality minutes in Minnesota. Moving from a crowded Chicago backcourt is a clear lateral move for Dosunmu’s fantasy value.
Kyshawn George/Bilal Coulibaly — Washington Wizards
Washington was shockingly giving Khris Middleton 24.3 minutes per night despite the team’s terrible record and focus on the future. Middleton’s departure shores up big minutes for George and Coulibaly for the rest of the season.
Garland will move to a team with less depth across the board, and he won’t have to contend for touches with another ball-dominant guard. Expect more scoring and more assists in LA.
Kristaps Porzingis — Golden State Warriors
Availability notwithstanding, KP’s move to Golden State is a good one for his fantasy value. Atlanta’s frontcourt depth features standouts Onyeka Okongwu and Jalen Johnson, but Golden State is bereft of talent and size there. Porzingis should see big minutes and usage with his new team.
Baylor Scheierman — Boston Celtics
Scheierman has started two games with Payton Pritchard shifting to a bench role. Pritchard has still seen big minutes and shot opportunities, but Scheierman has some additional runway now that Anfernee Simons is gone. Scheierman is more of a deep-league guy at this point, but he’s worth keeping an eye on in standard leagues.
Marvin Bagley III — Dallas Mavericks
Dallas’ center rotation is Daniel Gafford and Moussa Cisse. Gafford’s injury history is a long and storied one, and Cisse is on a two-way contract. Bagley III should see backup center minutes right away, and spot starts are surely in his future when Gafford inevitably misses time.
Malik Monk — Sacramento Kings
Sacramento dealt Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis, freeing up more playing time for Monk moving forward. Monk has flashed big upside throughout his career as a microwave scorer and three-point shooter, and he could see increased run during “silly season.”
Tristan Vukcevic — Washington Wizards
With Bagley III gone, Vukcevic is Alex Sarr’s top backup at center. He’s not worth a look in standard leagues yet, but he has streaming appeal if Sarr misses time.
Brook Lopez/Isaiah Jackson — Los Angeles Clippers
Ivica Zubac’s departure should mean more run for both centers in LA, but it’s yet unknown how the minutes will shake out.
Onyeka Okongwu — Atlanta Hawks
He’s been excellent as Atlanta’s starting center, and he’ll no longer have the spectre of Kristaps Porzingis hanging over him.
Santi Aldama — Memphis Grizzlies
Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jock Landale were shipped out of town this week, and Zach Edey is still on the shelf. Memphis’ frontcourt rotation is the thinnest in the Association, so Aldama should see monster minutes once he’s back on the court.
▶ Fantasy Losers
Top-5 Biggest Losers
1. Neemias Queta
2. Jay Huff
3. Jaren Jackson Jr.
4. Dennis Schroder
5. James Harden
Jaren Jackson Jr. — Utah Jazz
JJJ will no longer be the first or even second option on his team, and he’s stuck in a crowded big-man rotation in Utah. He’s still got fantasy value in all formats, but expect a downtick in scoring and rebounding.
Jusuf Nurkic/Kyle Filipowski — Utah Jazz
Both big men will have to relinquish some minutes and production to the newly acquired Jackson Jr. Nurkic is still worth holding, but Filipowski is a drop.
James Harden — Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland’s roster is deeper than LA’s, so Harden won’t be relied on as much for scoring or rebounding. He could see an uptick in assists, but he gets a slight downgrade here.
Neemias Queta/Luka Garza — Boston Celtics
Queta has played some great basketball this season, and he’s been a standard league guy thanks to his rebounding and defense. Garza has soaked up backup minutes and made an impact when inserted into the starting lineup. The arrival of Nikola Vucevic drastically lowers Queta’s value and makes Garza a drop in most formats.
They go from playing behind Russell Westbrook to playing behind James Harden and Donovan Mitchell. That won’t be good for Schroder’s or Ellis’ fantasy value.
Jay Huff — Indiana Pacers
Huff has been an elite shot-blocker this season, and he’s provided solid value for fantasy managers who scooped him up. His run as Indiana’s starting center is over, and his fantasy value takes a massive hit with the arrival of Ivica Zubac.
Chicago Bulls Guards
It’s unclear how this rotation is going to shake out, but the team has all of Jaden Ivey, Anfernee Simons, Tre Jones and Collin Sexton on the roster. All of them get a downgrade until we get some clarity on playing time.
▶ Fantasy Neutral
Nikola Vucevic — Boston Celtics
Vooch saw big minutes in Chicago, leading the center rotation on a team thin on depth at the position. That will be the case in Boston, too. Fantasy managers should expect the durable big man to offer up points, rebounds, assists and triples while staying available.
Trayce Jackson-Davis — Toronto Raptors
TJD will be buried in a busy frontcourt behind Collin Murray-Boyles, Sandro Mamukelashvili and Jakob Poeltl. There’s nothing to see here.
Luke Kennard — Los Angeles Lakers
Kennard will operate as a spot-up three-point shooter in LA, just as he did in Atlanta. His move to the Lakers doesn’t move the needle on his fantasy value.
Khris Middleton — Dallas Mavericks
Middleton won’t be in Dallas next year, and his usage with the team this season will surely be comparable to what it was in Washington. The Mavs have no incentive to give him meaningful run.
Jock Landale — Atlanta Hawks
Landale had a monster game in his Hawks debut, going for 26/11/5 with four blocks and five triples. He won’t make that kind of impact on a nightly basis, especially once Onyeka Onkongwu returns. Still, Landale could have standalone value if he sees 20 minutes per game off the bench.
Jock Landale had a CAREER NIGHT in his debut with the Hawks
Vincent wasn’t on the fantasy radar with the Lakers, and nothing has changed with his move to the Hawks.
Vince Williams Jr. — Utah Jazz
Not much changes for V-Dub in Utah. He’ll still be competing for rotation minutes, and his usage will be heavily dependent on injuries to players ahead of him on the depth chart.
Bennedict Mathurin — Los Angeles Clippers
Mathurin will go from one of the worst teams in the NBA to a team that’s gaining momentum after a rough start. He’ll be asked to operate as a primary bucket-getter and occasional rebounder for the Clippers, in the same way he was asked to do so for Indiana. New location, same responsibilities.
▶ Teams Stock Up
Charlotte Hornets
They’re riding an eight-game win streak, looking to end a 10-year playoff drought and added a strong backup guard to shore up a rotation that has had trouble staying healthy.
Washington Wizards
A starting lineup of Trae Young, Anthony Davis, Kyshawn George, Bilal Coulibaly and Alex Sarr is intriguing to say the least. The Wizards have two superstars surrounded by a young, athletic and defensively-gifted core. This team is going to be fun next season.
Boston Celtics
Brad Stevens’ system and Joe Mazzulla’s coaching have propelled the Jayson Tatum-less Celtics to a top-3 seed in the Eastern Conference, and the C’s traded a backup guard for a reliable, starting center. Big dub.
Oklahoma City Thunder
The rich get richer, as the defending champs add a talented PG in Jared McCain.
Cleveland Cavaliers
The swap of Darius Garland for James Harden should be a good move for the Cavs and the Clippers. Harden is joined by Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis as new additions who shore up Cleveland’s backcourt rotation.
▶ Teams Stock Down
Chicago Bulls
The rebuild is officially in place, but what the heck is this team doing? The guard-heavy Bulls lack an identity, and Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis are the only two guys on the roster around which you can build.
Golden State Warriors
The Dubs are barely treading water, and their season won’t magically turn around by adding a usually-unavailable Kristaps Porzingis.
Sacramento Kings
They’re arguably the worst team in the NBA with no franchise cornerstones, identity or direction. They’re not winning now, and they probably won’t be winning anytime soon.
Miami Heat
They made no moves, and they’ll be lucky to escape the Play-In Tournament.
It will be centered in Milan’s landmark San Siro stadium, featuring the Parade of Athletes and entertainment over the course of the nearly three-hour spectacle that is expected to be the most widely viewed moment of the Games as millions around the world watch on official broadcasters.
How to watch the Milan Cortina Olympics opening ceremony
The opening ceremony begins at 8 p.m. local time (2 p.m. Eastern, 1900 GMT) and will air live on NBC and stream on Peacock and NBC Olympics platforms. Also, NBC will air an enhanced encore in primetime at 8 p.m. ET.
Pop star Mariah Carey and crossover tenor Andrea Bocelli are among the performers. Some 60,000 people are expected to attend the ceremony live in San Siro, including a U.S. delegation led by U.S. Vice President JD Vance.
Because the Games are spread out across Italy, elements of the opening ceremony including the procession of athletes will also be conducted in three other locations. Moments will be beamed to the televised audience from Cortina in the heart of the Dolomite mountains, Livigno in the Italian Alps as well as Predazzo in the autonomous province of Trento.
Who will light the Olympic cauldrons? Yes, plural
There will be two cauldrons — an Olympic first — inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s geometric studies: one in Milan, at the Arco della Pace some 4 kilometers (2½ miles) from San Siro, and the other at Piazza Dibona in Cortina, some five hours and 400 kilometers (250 miles) away. The cauldrons will be lit simultaneously.
Of course, the identities of the final torchbearers won't be revealed to the world until they step into the spotlight Friday night.
What is the theme of the Milan Cortina Olympics opening ceremony?
The theme is “Harmony,’’ an especially potent message with many populations exposed to violence. The concept of an Olympic Truce, originating in ancient Greece and revived by Olympic officials in the 1990s, is even more urgent this year, opening ceremony creative director Marco Balich told The Associated Press recently. The truce aims to promote peace and dialogue through sport by ceasing hostilities for a week before the Olympics and a week after the Paralympics, which close March 15.
Some 1,200 volunteers have been rehearsing since November for Friday's show. Volunteers include Balich’s butcher, the head of his office and an 88-year-old widow.
The ceremony will also include a tribute to the late Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani, who died in September at the age of 91. Armani had long designed the Italian team’s Olympic uniforms, and his legacy as one of the founders of Italian ready-to-wear is tightly tied to Milan.
Balich is the producer of a record 16 Olympic and Paralympic ceremonies, including the 2006 Turin opening ceremony.
Who else will participate in the opening ceremony?
In addition to Carey and Bocelli, mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli, Italian singer Laura Pausini and concert pianist Lang Lang will perform. Italian actors Sabrina Impacciatore, who appeared in the second season of HBO’s “The White Lotus,” and actress Matilda De Angelis will also participate.
Oct 6, 2025; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (left) and guard Kyrie Irving (right) look on during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Oklahoma City Thunder at Dickie's Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
The trade of Anthony Davis, Jaden Hardy, D’Angelo Russell and Dante Exum to the Washington Wizards for Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham, Marvin Bagley III, 2 first-round picks and 3 second-rounders on Wednesday, however, was clearly driven by flexibility and the desire to clear long-term salary.
But according to this report, the Mavericks also believe it will help clear the way for a roster more cleanly oriented around Flagg. And they see Irving as a natural complement, rather than a conflicting presence.
As an experienced 14-year veteran point guard, Kyrie Irving would be expected to regain the reins of the Mavericks offense as soon as he returns from injury. The Mavericks will without a doubt breathe a sigh of relief that their table setter will soon be back on the court – some reports say after the All-Star break, but most realistically, we won’t see Irving in a Dallas Mavericks uniform until next season.
But interestingly, as the organization moves to build a roster around Cooper Flagg, they look to have other plans in mind for Kyrie Irving:
“The Mavericks believe Flagg’s comfort handling the ball and making early reads has validated internal projections made before the draft. Some within the organization now view him as the team’s best passer, even as his scoring responsibility continues to grow,” league sources toldDallasHoopsJournal.com.
“Irving is regarded internally as a score-first guard who is at his best when he doesn’t have to expend energy running the offense. Flagg’s ability to initiate offense, dictate pace, and absorb playmaking duties is seen as a way to create those advantages.”
That sentiment was echoed in co-interim general managers Matt Ricardi and Michael Finley’s press conference Thursday.
When Michael Finley was asked how much Kyrie Irving is part of the future vision for the Dallas Mavericks, he was adamant:
“Kyrie has the ultimate respect for Cooper, he loves the kid’s work ethic, he loves the kid’s love for the game, and I think Kyrie is embracing the role of a mentor to Cooper…I think Cooper can learn a lot from Kyrie.”
“Rather than asking Irving to function as a full-time organizer, the Mavericks envision Flagg handling much of the early offense while Irving attacks gaps, punishes rotations, and takes over late in possessions. Sources described the pairing as complementary, with each player amplifying the other’s strengths.”
That sounds a lot like how the Mavs used Irving next to Luka Doncic, which was a great strategy that allowed the team and both players to get the best out of each other, while using their energy more efficiently.
The difference, however, is that Luka Doncic was a legitimate point guard. But playing Irving next to Flagg in this position could be very interesting to follow, because it would allow Irving to rest and use his skills for reading the game and elite finishing ability as efficiently as possible. In turn, Irving could provide leadership and a calm presence next to Flagg as the ball handler, which he has needed at times.
Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg have yet to play a minute together, however. But their chemistry and relationship have had ample time to develop throughout the season, as Irving has been very active in both mentoring and coaching the younger guys, like Brandon Williams and Cooper Flagg here. And that has the potential to make this combination very interesting.
Im so happy Kyrie Irving took Cooper Flagg under his wing. He’s going to make Cooper Flagg the most skilled player at 6’9🥶🥶 pic.twitter.com/lwB2H36M89
Following an 87-80 upset victory for the Pilots over the Bulldogs on Wednesday, Feb. 4, at the Chiles Center in Portland, fans rushed the court to celebrate the biggest upset victory in program history. The win ended a 30-game losing streak for the Pilots against AP Poll top-10 teams.
The victory came with coach Shantay Legans injured on the sidelines after he sustained an injury days before playing with the scout team to prepare for the matchup against the Bulldogs.
The feel-good story was not enough for Portland to avoid a fine from the conference.
"The safety of our student-athletes, coaches, officials and fans is always our top priority,” West Coast Conference Commissioner Stu Jackson said in a statement. “While we understand the excitement and emotion that come with an exciting victory, our policy is in place to ensure that these celebrations happen safely. We have imposed this fine to reinforce the importance of following these safety measures, and we will continue to work with our membership to uphold a safe environment for every competition."
Portland built up a six-point halftime lead and was able to hold off Gonzaga in the second half for the victory. Joel Foxwell scored a game-high 27 points and added eight assists. They entered the game as 21 1/2-point underdogs.
The fine of $5,000 will be donated to MENTOR, an organization associated with the late Bill Russell. The West Coast Conference policy ― which was adopted in November 2023 ― is to ensure members of the visiting team, coaches, officials and administrative staff have the opportunity to safely leave the playing surface prior to fans entering the court.
A subsequent offense for the Pilots would result in a fine of up to $25,000 (second offense) and up to $50,000 (third offense), in the same season.
In head-to-head fantasy basketball leagues, it all comes down to the weekend. You can have a comfortable lead in multiple categories or by a bunch of points, but if you don’t make the most of the weekend, you can walk out with a loss.
Only 10 teams play twice this weekend, including the Celtics, Pacers, Clippers, Grizzlies, Heat, Timberwolves, Knicks, Trail Blazers, Kings and Wizards. Prioritize those teams if you’re looking to maximize your games played.
Of course, the trade deadline is going to make things whacky. It may not be clear who is and isn’t available for games until close to the start time, which means managers have to check their lineups a little more than usual. Be sure to tune into our player news section for every update.
That’s often what it comes down to in standard points and category leagues, but that’s not always the case. Leagues with some sort of games cap or best ball formats like Yahoo High Score leagues aren’t just looking for volume, though having two chances at a big night is a good strategy in best ball leagues.
Portland has struggled recently, but Clingan has been a beast on the glass despite the team’s six-game losing streak. During that time, he has averaged 10.8 points, 14.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.2 triples per game despite shooting 41.3% from the floor, which is over 10% worse than his season-long percentage.
This weekend, Portland hosts the Grizzlies for a back-to-back on Friday and Saturday. Memphis just traded away Jock Landale and Jaren Jackson Jr., and Santi Aldama has been ruled out for Friday’s game. That means their tallest players will be GG Jackson and Olivier-Maxence Prosper, unless Kyle Anderson and Taylor Hendricks are available for their debut. Basically, this will be a tiny lineup, so Clingan should feast.
Guards
Ryan Rollins, Milwaukee Bucks
Though the Bucks only play one game, Rollins has been hot enough for it to be worth it. He has been on fire recently, averaging 22.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 1.3 steals and 3.3 triples per game over the past two weeks. They take on the Pacers, who have the 22nd best defensive rating over their last 10 games. Milwaukee will also be slightly shorthanded after trading away Cole Anthony and Amir Coffey before the deadline, which may mean a few extra minutes and touches for Rollins.
Aaron Nesmith, Indiana Pacers
Nesmith has been on a heater recently, having scored in double figures in five straight games while shooting 56.1% from the floor during that stretch. They take on the Bucks and Raptors, with Milwaukee ranking 28th in defensive rating over their last 10 games. Plus, with Bennedict Mathurin now in L.A., there should be extra shots for Nesmith.
Bilal Coulibaly, Washington Wizards
As the Wizards wait for the Anthony Davis trade to go through, they will be shorthanded. Washington takes on a subpar Nets defense and a fast-paced Heat team, which should lead to a pair of strong performances for Coulibaly. He played 36 minutes on Thursday and finished with 11 points, five rebounds, four assists, one steal and one block against the Pistons, who have been one of the best defensive teams in the league this season.
Forwards
Jaden McDaniels, Minnesota Timberwolves
McDaniels has been on fire recently, averaging 22.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 3.5 triples per game while shooting 67.3% from the floor. The T-Wolves play the Pelicans and Clippers this weekend, and New Orleans has been one of the worst defenses in the league all season. Plus, Julius Randle (thumb) is questionable, so there could be extra shots available for McDaniels.
GG Jackson, Memphis Grizzlies
With Aldama out on Friday, Jackson will be even more important for Memphis. Aldama may be back for Saturday’s game, but Jackson should start both regardless, and he is averaging 16.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists over his last three games. Memphis is shorthanded after the Jaren Jackson Jr. trade, so GG should be an important part of the rotation for the rest of the season. We may even get Jackson performing like he did at the end of his rookie year.
Will Riley, Washington Wizards
At just 20 years old, it took Riley some time to figure things out in the NBA, but he is starting to come into his own. Over his last four games, he has averaged 17.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.8 steals and 2.8 triples per game. He scored a career-high 20 points against Detroit on Thursday and will carry that into a back-to-back against the Nets and Heat. Expect Riley to stay hot.
Centers
Rudy Gobert, Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota plays the Pelicans and Clippers this weekend. New Orleans has been a bad rebounding team, and the Clippers just traded one of the best rebounders in the league to the Pacers. Without Ivica Zubac, Brook Lopez should continue to start at center. Gobert should have no problems dominating the glass.
Moussa Diabaté, Charlotte Hornets
The red-hot Hornets only play one game this weekend, which comes against the Hawks, one of the worst rebounding teams in the league. Diabaté has averaged 10.3 points and 10.6 rebounds while shooting 70.6% from the floor over the past two weeks. The Hornets will look to push their winning streak to nine games, and Diabaté should be a big part of that.
Jay Huff, Indiana Pacers
Zubac may have a chance to make his debut on Sunday against Toronto, but that isn’t guaranteed. Huff should see extra minutes as the starting center now that Isaiah Jackson is gone. The Bucks have been a bad rebounding team, especially with Giannis Antetokounmpo sidelined, and the Raptors haven’t been much better. Huff hasn’t been a great rebounder, but he may be able to make an impact on the glass this weekend, and he should see more minutes than usual.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is going nowhere … for now.Photograph: Morry Gash/AP
It’s hard to match the absolute insanity that was the 2024-25 NBA trade deadline, and to the majority of the league’s credit, teams didn’t really try. But there was still some notable movement ahead of Thursday’s 3pm EST deadline – to varying degrees of success. Let’s do the early assessment of who came out on top, and who left us scratching our heads.
Winners
Washington Wizards. I’m old enough to remember a season ago, before the blockbuster Luka Dončić trade, when Anthony Davis, bad injury luck and all, was regarded as a top-12 player in the NBA. To start this season, he was even garnering MVP buzz. The Dallas Mavericks were understandably eager to put the dark stain that was one of the most ill-conceived trades in NBA history behind them and focus on their exciting young Rookie of the Year candidate Cooper Flagg, but in doing so, they moved on from Davis at the floor of his trade value. Enter stage left: the Wizards, who acquired both Davis and fun-but-polarizing four-time All-Star Trae Young this deadline. They gave up only two first-round picks in totality for both stars – neither of which will likely end up higher than the No 20s – and the players they shipped out, including veterans Khris Middleton and CJ McCollum, were hardly needle-movers. It’s a very low-risk and potentially high-reward move to embrace the ascent of young upstarts Alex Sarr and Kyshawn George, and raise a middle finger to the bottom dwelling. Add in a potential high lottery pick in a stacked draft, and Washington could be cooking with gas next season.
New York Knicks. It’s often the smaller, less flashy moves at the deadline that end up being the most impactful for teams who fancy themselves contenders. See: the 2024 Mavericks trading for Daniel Gafford and PJ Washington in a series of small but savvy swings that ultimately sent them to the NBA finals. (Yes, they made some, shall we say, questionable deadline moves the following year, but we won’t get into those.) It’s my wager that the Knicks made one such move on Thursday, when they traded two second-round picks for Jose Alvarado, the workhorse guard who’s earned such a reputation for his sneaky on-ball defense that he’s earned the nickname “Grand Theft Alvarado”. The Knicks need his off-the-bench services more than it even initially seemed, as their current reliable bench guard Deuce McBride is sidelined indefinitely after abdominal surgery. But even on a fully healthy roster, Alvarado is a beautiful fit. The native New Yorker is tough and gritty, with a high motor and a flair for the dramatic: in other words, the perfect Knick.
Minnesota Timberwolves. In the summer of 2019, the Los Angeles Lakers struck out on the belle of the free agency ball, Kawhi Leonard. While they were the butt of preseason jokes for missing out on Leonard’s services in favor of the neighboring Clippers, it ended up being the best thing that could have happened to them. They were forced, by necessity, to redirect their attention to assembling depth on the fly, and the result was an NBA championship the ensuing season. I predict a potentially similar fate for the 2026 Timberwolves, who, at least for now, struck out on their pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo. Minnesota made preemptive cap space for the move in the form of a Mike Conley salary dump, but wound up snagging Ayo Dosunmu from the Chicago Bulls to fill a dire need at the guard spot instead. Dosunmu is a sneaky-great get for this Minnesota roster, which is already a bona fide contender. They were served well by not blowing it up.
Honorable mention: Indiana Pacers. It was a cruel twist of fate that separated two potential Pacers timelines: in one, they’re champions after one of the most remarkable Cinderella runs in NBA history. In the other, the one we’re living in, Tyrese Haliburton ruptures his achilles in the first quarter of Game 7 of the NBA finals, and the devastating loss sends them headfirst off a cliff into the tanking abyss. They’re handling that reality about as well as possible, though: they’ve executed a flawless tank in preparation for one of the most talented draft classes in recent memory. While they lost center Myles Turner to the Milwaukee Bucks in free agency, they replaced him at this deadline with stellar center and rebound machine Ivica Zubac, who made the All-Defensive second team just last year. In the trade for Zubac, the Pacers did send the Clippers their aforementioned very valuable first-round pick this coming year, which is a little risky, but they only ship it to Los Angeles if it lands in spots No 5 to No 9. They also parted ways with Bennedict Mathurin and one other future first. Assuming this year’s pick stays in their hands, Indiana could enter next season with a fully healthy Haliburton, a nicely retooled roster, and a blue chip prospect. Not too shabby.
Honorable mention: Los Angeles Clippers. Self awareness is an incredibly valuable, and yet all too rare, front office trait in the NBA. It can be difficult to take a clear-eyed look in the mirror and be honest with yourself about who you really are, and it’s worth commending the Clippers front office for doing that at this trade deadline. The hole they dug themselves to start the season was going to be too big to climb out of, and any aspirations of contention were fool’s gold. They allegedly didn’t know James Harden was going to ask for a trade until quite recently, but as soon as he did, they were willing to pivot, and did a commendable job. While Darius Garland’s nagging foot injury is worrisome, he’s a decade younger than Harden and has serious upside. And in the haul they got for Zubac, they may end up with a 2026 first-round pick in an absolutely stacked draft.
Losers
New Orleans Pelicans. To be fair, the Pelicans sealed their fate as a loser this year way back in the summer when they inexplicably sent an unprotected 2026 first-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks for the rights to *checks notes* move up 10 spots in the 2025 draft. The absolutely incomprehensible miscalculation of their own status in the league and likelihood to be anything more than a bottom-dweller this year proved to be, predictably, too much to overcome. The Pelicans are 14th in the Western Conference, but instead of surrendering to their fate and having a firesale of their hottest commodities – the likes of Trey Murphy III and Herbert Jones – they whimpered out of the deadline only having made one move: sending Alvarado to the Knicks for Dalen Terry and two second-round picks. The Pelicans need a long, hard look in the mirror: they’re going nowhere fast.
Everyone invested in the Giannis sweepstakes. We all have that one friend who talks about how they need to break up with their spouse every time you see them. But, inevitably, if given an exit route from their relationship, this same friend always responds the same way: “Well, I love him, my family is close with his family, we have two years left on our lease …” This is the story of Antetokounmpo and the Bucks. It’s really, really time for them to break up, and for this reason, we all foolishly believed they would. Instead, they pumpfaked, and the Greek Freak is still a Buck. Among the teams left in smouldering ash in the wake of the fake-out: the Golden State Warriors, who had to settle for oft-injured Kristaps Porzingis, and the Miami Heat, who thought they were frontrunners for Antetokounmpo and ended up empty-handed at the deadline. The reward for the roundtable prognostication we collectively endured that resulted in absolutely nothing? Four more months of that, at minimum. We are all losers here.
Honorable mention: 2026 Los Angeles Clippers fans. Their fans, on the other hand? They have my sympathies. They had one good month of happiness and cheer, and it was gone just as quickly as it came. Hang in there, Clippers fans: you still have the NBA’s foremost arborist.
The Milwaukee Bucks welcome the Indiana Pacers to Fiserv Forum this evening, with tip-off set for 8:00 p.m. ET.
Gary Trent Jr. is making his presence felt offensively right now, and I’m eyeing him to hit double digits in scoring in my Pacers vs. Bucks predictions.
Pacers vs Bucks best bet: Gary Trent Jr. Over 9.5 points (+100)
Gary Trent Jr. has been a nice piece for the struggling Milwaukee Bucks this season. He’s averaging 8.5 ppg off the bench, and the veteran has been on a roll lately.
He’s cashed the Over in points in three of his last five games, including back-to-back appearances.
Trent Jr. poured in 13 points on Wednesday in a nail-biter victory over the Pelicans, and he also dropped another 15 points on Tuesday against the Bulls. The 27-year-old is averaging exactly 8.5 ppg at home, but these last two games in which he played well were both at Fiserv Forum.
While Trent is averaging just 8 ppg across two meetings with the Indiana Pacers in 2025-26, I’ll ride his hot hand to do his part in the second unit tonight. Expect another 10+ point performance from Trent Jr.
Pacers vs Bucks same-game parlay
Pascal Siakam is on fire lately, and with Giannis Antetokounmpo still out for the Bucks, I’m eyeing him to ball out tonight.
Siakam has cashed the Over in points in three of his last four outings. He showed out for 27 in Monday’s loss to the Rockets, and he also scored 25 on Saturday evening against the Hawks.
Kevin Porter Jr. has been one of the Bucks’ top playmakers this season alongside Antetokounmpo. He’s averaging 7.5 assists, a career-high for the guard. Porter Jr. has hit the Over in dimes in four of his last five as well.
Pacers vs Bucks SGP
Gary Trent Jr. Over 9.5 points
Pascal Siakam Over 24.5 points
Kevin Porter Jr. Over 6.5 assists
Our "from downtown" SGP: Aaron's not erring from deep
Aaron Nesmith has been red-hot from deep lately, cashing the Over in triples in five straight. He’s drained three treys in each of those games.
Pacers vs Bucks SGP
Gary Trent Jr. Over 9.5 points
Pascal Siakam Over 24.5 points
Kevin Porter Jr. Over 6.5 assists
Aaron Nesmith Over 2.5 threes
Pacers vs Bucks odds
Spread: Pacers -1.5 | Bucks +1.5
Moneyline: Pacers -115 | Bucks -105
Over/Under: Over 223.5 | Under 223.5
Pacers vs Bucks betting trend to know
The Bucks have hit the Under in 23 of their last 35 games (+9.80 Units / 25% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Pacers vs. Bucks.
How to watch Pacers vs Bucks
Location
Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI
Date
Friday, February 6, 2026
Tip-off
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
FDSN Indiana, FDSN Wisconsin
Pacers vs Bucks latest injuries
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DETROIT, MI - FEBRUARY 5: Will Riley #27 of the Washington Wizards drives to the basket during the game against the Detroit Pistons on February 5, 2026 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
In basketball and narrative terms, the Wizards’ 126-117 win over the first place Detroit Pistons was fun. Entertaining game with extended runs for both teams, great plays from guys on both teams, and drama about the outcome to the very end.
In terms of what the win means for the Wizards…not as much fun. I’ll come back to that.
The game followed the pattern of Washington’s last win — two games ago against the Sacramento Kings. The Wizards shot well and played decently on defense while Detroit missed everything. In the first quarter, the Pistons shot 6-21 from the floor and 1-9 from deep. That’s sub-30% overall and 11.1% on threes.
Wizards rookie Will Riley scored a career-high 20 points in the team’s win vs. the Detroit Pistons. | Getty Images
Detroit mostly righted the shooting ship (so to speak) over the final three periods — 52.2% on twos and 33.3% on threes — but the damage was done. Washington ended the first with a 13-point advantage.
It would be inaccurate to say Washington clung to their lead because the Pistons roared back in the second, going on a 17-0 run (which grew to 21-2) to slice a 20-point Wizards lead to as little as one.
Washington re-opened the lead in the third quarter — going up by as much as 19 before the Pistons came back yet again. In the end, Detroit didn’t have enough to pull out a win.
Like the Sacramento victory, head coach Brian Keefe went with the deep bench mob for virtually the entire fourth quarter. The Wizards played just six guys in the final period: — Bilal Coulibaly, Sharife Cooper, Anthony Gill, and Jamir Watkins played all 12 minutes. Tristan Vukcevich played the first minute, and Will Riley went the rest of the way. How’d that work?
Riley — 9 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal in the final period
Watching the diminutive Cooper compete with Cade Cunningham and more ballyhooed Pistons was fun. On consecutive possessions late in the game, he knocked down a three and then made slithery lefty drive and finish in traffic.
The Wizard were helped by the perennial Sixth Man of the Year — luck. I’m not talking about Detroit shooting 27.3% on threes. I’m referring to stuff like Coulibaly’s late shot clock heave with about three minutes left in the fourth quarter that somehow went in. Or Watkins banking in a three earlier in the game. Definitely luck. Also, they count.
As for what the win means…there’s a push-pull. The push is that it complicates The Tank a bit. Washington now has the league’s fifth worst winning percentage, which means they’re most likely to land the sixth or seventh pick in this year’s draft. The Wizards aren’t in danger of losing the pick. Yet. It’s top eight protected, so even at fifth worst, they’re safe. But that margin for safety is getting smaller.
The pull is that the factor complicating The Tank is young guys playing well. And the Wizards pretty much have to play the young guys, because there’s basically no one else left. Trae Young won’t be available for at least a couple more weeks. Anthony Davis might not play this season.
Perhaps D’Angelo Russell and Dante Exum, who came in the Davis trade, could help lose games. If the Wizards don’t just buy them out or release them. At 23-years-old, Jaden Hardy, who was also part of the Davis deal, also qualifies as one of the young guys.
Thoughts & Observations
I watched the Wizards broadcast because Detroit’s is pretty doggone awful. I was hoping to hear improvement. My hopes were not met.
Note to someone running League Pass — stop cutting off the national anthem and timeout entertainment.
The most repeated entry in my notes from this game were about Ausar Thompson’s defense. Coulibaly is a very good defender. Thompson is among the very best defensive players I’ve seen this season. Washington’s first offensive possession is a good example — Sarr got a paint touch and kicked to Justin Champagnie for what looked like a routine wide open three. Thompson blocked it.
A few minutes later, Champagnie accelerated his shot motion in a similar play to make a three over a Thompson closeout.
Champagnie played 16 highly productive minutes — 14 points, 7 rebounds (4 offensive) and a block. The Wizards were +16 on the scoreboard with him in the game.
Riley played his fourth straight very good game. Last night, he scored a career-high 20 points to go with tying his career high in rebounds (6), 5 assists, and 2 steals. He showed patience and craft on the offensive end. Right now, he’s still surprising opponents because there’s no way he’s on scouting reports. That will change (probably after the All-Star break), and it will be fascinating to see how he adapts.
I don’t know if Cooper has an NBA future beyond “fifth guard in a three-guard rotation,” but it’s fun watching him play. He’s quick, skilled, and competitive. Last night: 18 points (on 8-12 shooting), 3 rebounds and 5 assists. Also 5 turnovers, at least a couple of which looked to be of the needs experience variety.
Riley and Cooper did combine for one unacceptable play. In the first quarter, they were positioned at half court for a teammate free throw attempt. The miss got back-tapped, and Detroit’s Marcus Sasser outran both to a) get the ball, and b) get to the rim for a layup.
Early second quarter, I enjoyed seeing Gill drain a no-dip three.
Funniest play of the game was when Riley threw a lob for Gill, who does not have that kind of verticality. Gill somehow tipped it in and got fouled for an and-one.
I probably need to watch more Pistons games. People I respect keep talking about how great Cunningham is, and I do think he’s very good. But when I do see Detroit play, I’m always left with the impression that he’s a bit overrated.
Four Factors
Below are the four factors that decide wins and losses in basketball — shooting (efg), rebounding (offensive rebounds), ball handling (turnovers), fouling (free throws made).
The four factors are measured by:
eFG% (effective field goal percentage, which accounts for the three-point shot)
OREB% (offensive rebound percentage)
TOV% (turnover percentage — turnovers divided by possessions)
FTM/FGA (free throws made divided by field goal attempts)
FOUR FACTORS
WIZARDS
PISTONS
LGAVG
eFG%
63.7%
51.7%
54.3%
OREB%
25.0%
33.3%
26.1%
TOV%
15.7%
14.7%
12.7%
FTM/FGA
0.110
0.295
0.208
PACE
102
99.5
ORTG
123
115
115.5
Stats & Metrics
PPA is my overall production metric, which credits players for things they do that help a team win (scoring, rebounding, playmaking, defending) and dings them for things that hurt (missed shots, turnovers, bad defense, fouls).
PPA is a per possession metric designed for larger data sets. In small sample sizes, the numbers can get weird. In PPA, 100 is average, higher is better and replacement level is 45. For a single game, replacement level isn’t much use, and I reiterate the caution about small samples sometimes producing weird results.
POSS is the number of possessions each player was on the floor in this game.
ORTG = offensive rating, which is points produced per individual possessions x 100. League average so far this season is listed in the Four Factors table above. Points produced is not the same as points scored. It includes the value of assists and offensive rebounds, as well as sharing credit when receiving an assist.
USG = offensive usage rate. Average is 20%.
ORTG and USG are versions of stats created by former Wizards assistant coach Dean Oliver and modified by me. ORTG is an efficiency measure that accounts for the value of shooting, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers. USG includes shooting from the floor and free throw line, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers.
+PTS = “Plus Points” is a measure of the points gained or lost by each player based on their efficiency in this game compared to league average efficiency on the same number of possessions. A player with an offensive rating (points produced per possession x 100) of 100 who uses 20 possessions would produce 20 points. If the league average efficiency is 115, the league — on average — would produced 23.0 points in the same 20 possessions. So, the player in this hypothetical would have a +PTS score of -3.0.
Players are sorted by total production in the game.
Apr 13, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey addresses the media with head coach Nick Nurse after the game against the Chicago Bulls at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
As you all know by now, it was an underwhelming trade deadline for the Sixers.
They traded second-year guard Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder for draft capital and veteran guard Eric Gordon to the Memphis Grizzlies in what amounts to a salary dump. The positive is Dominick Barlow was rewarded for his strong play with a standard contract. They did some roster housekeeping, with some more surely coming.
Here’s a summary of where things stand for the team after the NBA trade deadline:
2028 own (if 1-8 or if 2026 first-round pick is 1-4)
2028 LAC (fully unprotected)
2029 own (rights to pick swap with LAC)
2030 own
2031 own
2032 own
Second-rounders:
2027 own
2027 GSW/PHX (more favorable)
2027 OKC/HOU/IND/MIA (more favorable)
2028 own
2028 DET (protected 31-55)
2028 GSW
2028 MIL
2028 OKC
2029 PHI
2030 PHX/POR (more favorable)
2030 WAS
2031 PHI
2032 PHI/MEM (least favorable)
While ducking the tax doesn’t help all that much with team building, the draft capital the team received for McCain could be very useful as the team looks to build long-term around Maxey and Edgecombe. Overall, the Sixers have a decent amount of draft assets while having a good amount of talent already in place. Again, that does little for the 2025-26 Sixers, but could help Daryl Morey and company take big swings in the future.
What are your thoughts on the deadline? Who would you like to see the team target on the buyout market? Drop your thoughts in the comments.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 07: James Harden #1 of the Los Angeles Clippers and Mikal Bridges #25 of the New York Knicks fight for the loose ball during the first half at Madison Square Garden on January 07, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Pencils down, everyone.
Through Monday night, this was an exceptionally boring trade deadline, but the action heavily increased to a feverish pace beginning on Tuesday morning and through the Thursday afternoon deadline, seeing several all-stars and several intriguing role players change hands, along with a small army of draft picks.
As we know, the Knicks were able to effectively flip Guerschon Yabusele and two second-round picks for Jose Alvarado by using the Chicago Bulls as an intermediary, sending Dalen Terry to New Orleans. The move, while not only adding a rotation player, allows the Knicks to participate in the buyout market immediately.
And, yes, a lot of the action this week involved Western Conference teams, but plenty of moves were made by teams in the East as well. We’ll be checking in on all of the teams in the Eastern Conference playoff picture, plus one or two more that could be relevant for one reason or another.
Detroit Pistons
Added: Kevin Huerter, Dario Saric
Subtracted: Jaden Ivey
Jaden Ivey, at one point a white whale for the Knicks’ front office in the 2022 draft, is in the final year of his rookie contract, and the Pistons did not want to pay him with the several major injuries he’s suffered in the last two seasons. He’s shown flashes, but he was shipped to Chicago in a three-team trade.
What they do add is shooting. With Malik Beasley currently trying to stay out of jail and Tim Hardaway Jr. in Denver, they’ve needed shooting, and they get it with one-time Knick killer Kevin Huerter. The 27-year-old is shooting a career-low from three, but is over 37% for his career. It’s a casual deadline for the East’s top dog.
Boston Celtics
Added: Nikola Vucevic
Subtracted: Anfernee Simons, Chris Boucher, Josh Minott, Xavier Tillman Jr.
The surprisingly stout Bostonians made a big 1-for-1 move with the Bulls, finally replacing Kristaps Porzingis (and Al Horford) by adding a pure stretch five in Vucevic, who should’ve been dealt years ago. Simons was kind of redundant with all the guard talent, and Boston needed an upgrade over Luka Garza and Neemias Queta. If the 35-year-old from Montenegro can show up anywhere, it’s in the Mazzulla system.
Boucher, Minott, and Tillman Jr. were salary dumped to three different teams to duck the luxury tax. Since the offseason, Brad Stevens has saved his new bosses a staggering $350 million in luxury tax penalties and has built a Celtics team that, if Jayson Tatum returns, could come out of the East in a gap year.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Added: James Harden, Keon Ellis, Dennis Schroder
Subtracted: Darius Garland, De’Andre Hunter, Lonzo Ball
The Cavs have steadied the ship after hovering around .500 into January and have solidified themselves in the East’s top six, but they still sit several games behind the Knicks and Celtics, who are tied for the No. 2 seed. The stagnation, especially after flaming out early last year, has caused them to take a sledgehammer to the “Core Four”.
Garland is gone, freeing up future cap flexibility for the NBA’s lone second apron team. In comes future Hall of Famer James Harden, who remains one of the league’s premier scoring threats even past his 36th birthday. Can he and Spida co-exist? Can the Cavs avoid another flameout that will cause Spida to look elsewhere?
They also banished Hunter to Sacramento, accepting defeat from a disappointing trade last February, and Ball to Utah in a pure salary dump. Keon Ellis was a highly coveted pesky guard, and Schroder will play for his *checks notes* 11th team. It’s his 10th different team in eight seasons. They’re absolutely deeper at guard now, but does this move the needle?
Philadelphia 76ers
Added: Some draft picks
Subtracted: Jared McCain, Eric Gordon
For a team with an aging, injury-prone superstar, the Sixers really didn’t have any urgency to go for it this year, even with Paul George on the shelf due to a PED suspension.
They ducked the luxury tax thanks to a tax credit from the suspension and trading away McCain and Gordon. Trading away the second-year guard who showed so much promise as a rookie is baffling to me. Players always play worse right off a severe knee injury. What’s with the impatience? Was the package of three seconds and a late 2026 first-rounder too enticing?
Toronto Raptors
Added: Chris Paul (will be waived), Trayce Jackson-Davis
Subtracted: Ochai Agbaji
The Raptors were very public about wanting an upgrade at center, fishing in the Domantas Sabonis and Anthony Davis markets. They settle for an undersized TJD, but he’s at least a rotation-caliber big in a rotation that is giving center minutes to Collin Murray-Boyles and Sandro Mamukelashvili.
Chris Paul still has never played a game in the East and will likely not do so for the Raptors. This will be the second time he is shipped to an Eastern Conference team and immediately redirected or waived.
Orlando Magic
Added: cap relief
Subtracted: Tyus Jones
It’s not a good look when, in a year where you pushed all your chips to the center of the table, you’re not only a likely play-in team, but you’re only deadline move is a salary dump. They attached two second-round picks to get Jones off their books.
They’ll be players in the buyout market, but they’re going to have a hard time getting on track with the injuries, inconsistent shooting, and regression on defense. This was a year where they had to show some progress, because it’s their last before the bill comes due. As of right now, they’re projected to be a second apron team in 2026-27 with two open roster spots and a quickly dwindling asset pool. It’s bleak in Orlando.
Miami Heat
Crickets
Pat Riley… wake up…
Pat? Are you there?
Despite being in on a star every single offseason and trade deadline, the Heat continue to do nothing. They reportedly wanted Giannis Antetokounmpo and Ja Morant; they got neither. Here is every single player the Heat have traded for since bringing in Jimmy Butler in July 2019:
Jae Crowder, Solomon Hill, Andre Iguodala (February 2020)
Trevor Ariza (March 2021)
Victor Oladipo, Nemanja Bjelica (March 2021)
Kyle Lowry (August 2021)
Terry Rozier (January 2024)
Pelle Larsson (June 2024, draft rights)
Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson, Davion Mitchell (February 2025)
Simone Fontecchio, Norman Powell (July 2025)
He went 2 and a half years without trading for a single player. While there are multiple flashy names on here, aside from Powell, who’s seriously contributed? Complacency and continuity mean something when you’re competing for titles, but the Heat just aren’t anymore, and I don’t understand why every deadline looks like this.
Atlanta Hawks
Added: CJ McCollum, Corey Kispert, Jock Landale, Jonathan Kuminga, Buddy Hield, Gabe Vincent, Duop Reath (waived)
Subtracted: Trae Young, Vit Krejci, Luke Kennard, Kristaps Porzingis
The Hawks are finally conceding. After years of mediocrity and attempts to retool around Trae Young, they’re finally committing to something a bit bigger. They’re not totally bottoming out (mostly because they can’t), but they’ve changed timelines. Jalen Johnson is the future now and they’re going to build around him and whoever they get from the Pelicans’ pick.
Trae and Tingus Pingus are out the door. They get some veteran fliers in McCollum, Hield, and Landale (who had the game of his life Thursday) and some young talent. Can they unlock Kuminga? What about Kispert? One criticism I have of their deadline is getting essentially no draft compensation, but hey, beggars can’t be choosers.
Charlotte Hornets
Added: Coby White, Malaki Branham, Xavier Tillman Sr., Mike Conley (may be waived)
Subtracted: Mason Plumlee, Collin Sexton
What on earth are you doing here?
The Hornets have won eight in a row and are currently in the play-in. After years of what-ifs, they’re finally realizing their potential. They, though, smartly approached this deadline.
Would I have fielded calls for people like Grant Williams? Sure, but they didn’t have to. They also got Coby White for three seconds, which can be an absolute steal if they extend him. They also picked up some seconds along the way, scooping up one from OKC to eventually ship Ousmane Dieng to Chicago (who then went to Milwaukee), while doing something similar with Tyus Jones in redirecting him to Charlotte.
It’s startling how hot they are. How high can they climb?
Chicago Bulls
Added: Anfernee Simons, Jaden Ivey, Collin Sexton, Guerschon Yabusele, Rob Dillingham, Leonard Miller, Nick Richards
Subtracted: Nikola Vucevic, Ayo Dosunmu, Kevin Huerter, Coby White, Dalen Terry, Julian Phillips
Well, it’s three years too late, but the Bulls finally accepted they need to tank. Sure, they got off DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine last year, but they still held onto hope for no real reason.
They have a lot of guards now, so that’ll be interesting. There’s potential in Ivey and Simons, both expiring contracts that now get a 30-game audition. Yabusele is now a pure rental, too, after waiving his player option. They also picked up eight second-round picks, only trading away a pick swap.
Milwaukee Bucks
Added: Nigel Hayes-Davis, Ousmane Dieng
Subtracted: Cole Anthony, Amir Coffey
Giannis is still in Milwaukee, which is the wise move for the Bucks. No matter what the Warriors, Wolves, or Heat offer you now, you will definitely get more in June. Just tell your social media team to stop being delusional for a sec, okay?
As for what they did… essentially nothing. They got no picks, neither player they got moves the needle, and it just felt like they wanted to say they did something.
Subtracted: CJ McCollum, Corey Kispert, Khris Middleton, Malaki Branham, Marvin Bagley III, AJ Johnson
Is this a MyLeague rebuild? Why the hell are the Wizards acquiring two all-stars at the deadline?
Neither Davis nor Young will play a game for the rest of the season, but as long as they keep their pick (please keep winning, we’d appreciate it), they have an interesting foundation.
Trae Young, Anthony Davis, Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly, Kyshawn George, Bub Carrington, a top-five pick.
Just saying, maybe they’re a sleeper next year.
Brooklyn Nets
Added: Josh Minott, Hunter Tyson, Ochai Agbaji
Subtracted: A singular second-round pick
You had one job: selling off Michael Porter Jr. after an all-star caliber first 50 games. You failed.
Maybe one of these three can shine with the opportunity down the stretch. I doubt it. At least you rid yourself of Cam Thomas?
Indiana Pacers
Added: Ivica Zubac, Kobe Brown
Subtracted: Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, potentially a top-10 pick
I really like this move for Indiana, on one condition.
Zubac is a great big man and will feast when Tyrese Haliburton is healthy next season. They’re shaping up to contend for another Finals berth next year with him, and all it cost them was two firsts and an expiring Mathurin, who will get an opportunity out west.
Here’s the thing. They traded their 2026 first-round pick, but heavily protected. If the pick falls between 5 and 9 only, it goes to the Clippers. Even if the Pacers lost out, they’d have only a 52% chance of keeping the pick. Their best odds of keeping the pick would actually involve trying to win down the stretch to get the 10th-best odds, but it would heavily lower their odds of getting a potentially game-breaking talent that the top of this loaded draft class provides.
Is all of this worth potentially losing a top-10 pick in a loaded draft? That’s up to them to decide.
For all the hype and speculation of recent weeks, what the Milwaukee front office was doing in the run-up to the NBA trade deadline was gathering information, league sources told NBC Sports. The team never seemed serious about making a trade. The Bucks listened to offers but didn't really negotiate. They surveyed the market and got a sense of what was out there, but a trade was never likely.
Now what? The core issue remains: Antetokounmpo wants to compete for another title but the Bucks are nowhere near that level. Which is why the trade rumors are just going to roll over into the offseason, not stop. Antetokounmpo has said every summer he re-evaluates where he and the team are in their relationship, so what happens when he does that self-assessment this offseason?
What's next for Antetokounmpo and the Bucks?
Bucks try to keep him
Milwaukee does not want to trade Antetokounmpo — this is the greatest player in franchise history, a guy who remains a top-five player in the world, and he's the guy who drives the economic engine of the franchise (he fills the seats, sponsors flock to them wanting to be near the international superstar).
For his part, Antetokounmpo would like to stay in Milwaukee and win there.
The first thing that will happen is that general manager Jon Horst and the Bucks front office will try to make one or more moves to bolster the roster and turn the team back into a contender. This is what has happened in the past when Antetokounmpo was up for a contract extension as he is next October: One time they traded for Jrue Holiday, another time it was Damian Lillard — and both times Antetokounmpo signed the extension and stayed in Milwaukee.
The challenge is that the best way to do that sets up an internal conflict.
As of the day after the trade deadline, Milwaukee has the ninth-worst record in the NBA — they should tank, increase their NBA Draft Lottery odds, then use that pick either to draft a star or trade it to get a star who can help them win right now. The problem is that, in the wake of the deadline, Antetokounmpo said he planned to return soon from his calf injury and make a playoff push. He does not want to tank, he wants to compete.
After this season, the Bucks will have three first-round picks they can trade (including the 2026 pick) plus movable salaries such as Kyle Kuzma's — could that be enough to land another star player or two, which convinces Antetokounmpo to stay? That's the hope.
On Oct. 1, the Milwaukee Bucks can put a four-year $275M extension in front of Antetokounmpo. After Antetokounmpo reassesses his situation this summer and sees what Horst and the front office can put together, if he tells the Bucks he will not sign that extension, it's the same as demanding a trade (otherwise he could walk as a free agent in the summer of 2027, and teams are lining up to pay him).
At that point, trade talks would get serious — and Antetokounmpo would have more leverage as an expiring contract to direct where he goes.
Who would be suitors?
One of the other key reasons for the Bucks to wait and not trade Antetokounmpo at the deadline is that trade offers for him this offseason will only get better. Milwaukee didn't leave anything on the table. Look at the teams lining up.
• New York Knicks. This summer, the Knicks will be able to trade up to three first-round picks (including drafting and trading their 2026 pick) plus the matching salaries of Karl-Anthony Towns or Mikal Bridges will still be there. Or, the Knicks can loop in a third team, such as Portland, to add young players and picks. The bottom line is the Knicks didn't have the trade assets to make a serious push for Antetokounmpo at the deadline, but this summer they can put together a reasonable offer. If Antetokounmpo puts his thumb on the scale and says he will only sign in New York, a trade can be reached.
• Miami Heat. Much the same as New York, Miami becomes a team that can trade three first-round picks this offseason, as well as have the matching salary of Tyler Herro and maybe Bam Adebayo. Miami also can bring in a third or fourth team to the deal and have options for an improved offer if Antetokounmpo wants to take his talents to South Beach.
• Minnesota Timberwolves. Minnesota made a hard push to try to pair Antetokounmpo with Anthony Edwards at the trade deadline and next summer, but they lacked any first-round picks they could offer. This summer, the Timberwolves will have one of their own they can trade, plus they will be in a better position to involve another team to get more picks and young players in an offer.
• Los Angeles Lakers. Their name comes up whenever a star looks to switch teams, but this summer the Lakers could make a legitimate offer if Antetokounmpo wants to form an international powerhouse with Luka Dončić. The Lakers can offer three first-round picks plus an Austin Reaves sign-and-trade to give the Bucks a young star to go with those picks. Like New York, Antetokounmpo would have to push his way there, but he'd be far from the first star to push his way to the purple and gold.
• Golden State Warriors. Golden State's offer would not change much, but they still would have four first-round picks on the table, plus a young player such as Brandin Podziemski. Does Antetokounmpo want to play with Stephen Curry? If he does, he can force his way there.
• Playoff loser. This might have been the most enticing reason for the Bucks to wait and not make a trade until the summer — some deep, good team is going to flame out earlier than expected in the playoffs, then want to make a big move.
What if Houston or San Antonio in the West lose in the first or second round and don't look like the contender they thought they were? What if Detroit falls way short in the East and decides they need a star next to Cade Cunningham? What if Orlando realizes they are not close to contending and makes Paolo Banchero and a lot of picks available? What if Portland, with all its young talent plus control of future Bucks picks, decides it wants to go all in?
There are a lot more teams that could jump into the mix this summer and make better offers to the Bucks, ones that would jump-start the inevitable rebuild if Antetokounmpo leaves.
Bottom line: The Bucks trade options will be better this summer — and first, they get a chance to keep him in Milwaukee.
Mar 30, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden (1) argues a call with referee Curtis Blair (not pictured) during the first quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Players don’t switch teams in free agency anymore. Instead, they get traded with one year left on their contract to a team that they’re willing to sign an extension with. Based on Koby Altman’s comments to the media on Thursday afternoon, it seems that’s what happened with James Harden’s trade to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Altman was asked if there would be a contract extension beyond this year. He mentioned that it wasn’t appropriate to talk about that at this time and that they can’t negotiate one with him until after the Finals. But then, Altman relayed that this is somewhere Harden wants to be.
“He would love to have a future with the Cavaliers,” Altman said.
“Because…he had a de facto no-trade clause, he waived that to come to Cleveland, and I think that’s something that needs to be spoken about. He had control of where he’d be traded or not traded, and he sought us out as a destination, a basketball destination, leaving lovely Los Angeles and an incredible basketball situation where he was at to where he wants to be to compete for a championship.”
Harden is making $39.4 million this season and has a player option for $42.3 for the following season. The Cavs wouldn’t have traded for him if they knew he didn’t want to be here. And presumably, Harden wouldn’t have waived his no-trade clause if he knew they weren’t going to give him a contract extension.
We’ll see how this plays out next summer. The Cavs giving him another two-year contract with the second year being a player option would seem likely based on Harden’s age and how he’s conducted business the last several seasons.
For now, it’s clear that Harden wants to be in Cleveland, and the Cavs are happy he’s here.
“I’ve been banging this drum for a long time: Cleveland’s a great basketball destination,” Altman said. “You can have some of the best years of your career here, and guys want to play here. One of the best players to ever put on a jersey wants to be here in Cleveland, and I think it’s a privilege. I think it’s a privilege and honor that we’re going to see James surpass a bunch of milestones as he chases this championship ring with us.”
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - DECEMBER 23: Myles Turner #3 of the Milwaukee Bucks dribbles the ball while being guarded by Johnny Furphy #12 of the Indiana Pacers in the fourth quarter at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on December 23, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Thank goodness we can focus solely on the Milwaukee Bucks on the court, not the trade rumors, as they host the Indiana Pacers tonight in a Central Division tank-off. Milwaukee has successfully defeated the Pacers in their previous two games this year.
Where We’re At
Despite Shams Charania’s and Brian Windhorst’s best efforts, the Milwaukee Bucks did not trade Giannis Antetokounmpo. Jon Horst was able to add Ousmane Dieng to the roster, while the team parted ways with Cole Anthony and Amir Coffey. These departures won’t be too upsetting to most fans, but it will be interesting to see what transpires for this team for the remainder of the season. The Bucks have a slim chance of making the play-in with a two-game winning streak this week. Yes, it was against the Chicago Bulls and New Orleans Pelicans, but wins are wins, so you take what you can get.
The Indiana Pacers are just trying to get through the season. Last year’s runner-up, the Pacers sit near the bottom of the standings as they adjust to a season missing their star player, Tyrese Haliburton. Indiana has struggled on the road, only winning three of their 23 games this year. This season might be a lost cause, but the Pacers did make a trade on deadline day, acquiring center Ivica Zubac from the Los Angeles Clippers. They parted ways with Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, two first-round picks (the most juicy being this year’s first, protected both 1–4 and 10–30), along with a second.
Injury Report
The Bucks will be without Taurean Prince (neck) and Giannis (calf), while Gary Harris (hamstring) and Bobby Portis (hip) are listed as questionable. The Pacers will be without Tyrese Haliburton and Obi Toppin, while Micah Potter is listed as questionable.
Player To Watch
Pete Nance has gone from just another two-way player to a likely full-time roster possibility. Nance simply plays hard and has solid basketball IQ to boot. With Coffey traded, Harris potentially out, and Andre Jackson Jr. unlikely to break into the rotation, tonight will give Nance another opportunity to show the Bucks he is worth keeping around.
How To Watch
7:00 p.m. CST on FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin.
It’s a battle at the top of the East tonight, as the No. 1 Detroit Pistons host the surging New York Knicks, who are tied with Boston for the second-best record in the conference.
While New York seeks its ninth straight win, my Knicks vs. Pistons predictions and NBA picks for Friday, February 6 target the total in what should be a high-scoring affair.
Knicks vs Pistons prediction
Knicks vs Pistons best bet: Over 222.5 (-110)
This game features two teams in the Top 8 in scoring in the NBA.
The New York Knicks are averaging 118.2 points per game on the year, but they’ve been even more potent during this win streak. Their 134-127 OT victory over Denver last time out was the third time in the last four games they’ve tallied at least 127 points.
The Detroit Pistons boast a Top 4 defense to go with scoring 117.5 points per game (T-8th), but they’ve been leaking of late. They were just dumped by the Wizards 126-117 Thursday night and have allowed at least 121 points in three of their last four.
Detroit might also be down big man Jalen Duren, who left the Wizards game with a knee injury. He’s listed as day-to-day.
The Pistons will be playing the second half of a back-to-back, and that usually means big points. They have gone Over the total in six of the eight games they’ve played on no rest this season, the best Over success rate in the NBA.
Knicks vs Pistons same-game parlay
Cade Cunningham scored 30 in the loss to Washington, making it three times in the last four games he’s topped the 26.5 scoring line set for Friday.
His counterpart Jalen Brunson dropped 42 in the 2OT win over Denver, and he generally lights up Detroit, going for at least 27 points in seven of the last nine games.
Knicks vs Pistons SGP
Over 222.5
Cade Cunningham Over 26.5 points
Jalen Brunson Over 26.5 points
Our "from downtown" SGP: Anunoby comes up aces
OG Anunoby has quietly slid into New York’s premier secondary scorer behind Brunson. He’s got a 17.5-point scoring line Thursday, a figure he’s crossed five straight games, topping 20+ four times.
Karl-Anthony Towns is the league’s leading rebounder and has been on a tear recently, pulling down at least 12 boards in five straight games, including a pair of 20+ rebound outings.
Knicks vs Pistons SGP
Over 222.5
Cade Cunningham Over 26.5 points
Jalen Brunson Over 26.5 points
OG Anunoby Over 17.5 points
Karl-Anthony Towns Over 11.5 rebounds
Knicks vs Pistons odds
Spread: Knicks -1.5 | Pistons +1.5
Moneyline: Knicks -115 | Pistons -105
Over/Under: Over 222.5 | Under 222.5
Knicks vs Pistons betting trend to know
New York has covered the spread in eight straight games. Find more NBA betting trends for Knicks vs. Pistons.
How to watch Knicks vs Pistons
Location
Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, MI
Date
Friday, February 6, 2026
Tip-off
7:30 p.m. ET
TV
Prime Video
Knicks vs Pistons latest injuries
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