SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 13: Michael Kopech #45 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches against the San Francisco Giants in the bottom of the eighth inning at Oracle Park on September 13, 2025 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As discussed here and here, the Yankees’ bullpen has potential but is still, basically, a work in progress. Between this point and the start of the season, the team is quite likely to add at least one additional impact arm, whether it comes via trade, free agency, or after the spring training cuts have been revealed, à la Ryan Yarbrough last year.
Between a shoulder impingement and surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee, talented right-hander Michael Kopech was limited to just 11 innings last year. Still, if he’s healthy, and the Yankees and other squads —like the Giants, linked to the power righty in early December — seem to believe he is, he could be that impact arm for the late innings that supports Camilo Doval, Fernando Cruz, Tim Hill, and David Bednar.
Of course, it’s important to note that Kopech hasn’t been at his best for longer than a year. The last time that happened was when he landed in LA before the 2024 trade deadline. In 24 games and 24 innings in that stretch run with the Dodgers, the 29-year-old put up a brilliant 1.13 ERA with a 2.54 FIP and 29 strikeouts.
His woes started in January 2025, when it was reported he could miss the first month of the season with forearm inflammation. The fact that he was able to pitch just 11 innings last year tells us he was never quite right physically, and it’s impossible to analyze his performance based on such a limited sample. The walks — 13 in the precious few frames he was able to contribute — were particularly alarming.
If the Yankees bring him in, it would be a complete leap of faith on a pitcher who can be dominant when right, but is a near-lock to spend some time on the injured list every year. At this point, however, their bullpen needs upside, and despite the physical woes, Kopech has plenty of it.
To succeed, Kopech relies on that triple-digit fastball with elite run:
Michael Kopech struck out the side in his first #Dodgers appearance
His 11 fastballs averaged 99.4 mph (up 0.8 mph from his season average) with 8” of drop (-2” from szn avg) and 11” run (+1” from szn avg)
The pitch’s 24.4 percent whiff rate last year in the limited sample was already impressive, but if we take his last full campaign, 2024, it missed bats at an incredible 34 percent rate. That’s insane for a fastball. He also throws a slider and a cutter, and even tossed a couple of changeups last year to lefties.
A healthy Kopech would, of course, look excellent in the Yankees’ bullpen, taking care of jams in the seventh or eighth innings. It will all come down to health, though, and the organization convincing itself to pursue the talented but fragile flamethrower. A few days ago, a report from Jon Heyman of the New York Postlinked the Yankees to Kopech, who is still looking for his next home. There’s interest from New York’s side, so something could potentially happen.
When he’s at his best, Kopech definitely belongs in any bullpen, and that includes the Yankees’. At top form, he can locate that incredible fastball in all quadrants of the plate, and that’s the key to his success. After injuries to multiple body parts in the last few months, however, the team that gets him would need to gamble a bit. The Yankees, at this point, might need to gamble on upside and potential if they want to overtake the Toronto Blue Jays and other emerging forces in the American League. And that certainly can include making a run at Kopech to be one of the anchors of their bullpen. God knows the Yanks can use all the swing-and-miss ability they can get.
Yesterday, I released my preseason top 30 Washington Nationals prospects, which you can find here. The driving focus of my rankings was a combination of prospects’ performances so far in their careers, their underlying numbers for those performances, and the tools they have, which could lead to future success. Here are the 3 biggest takeaways from my list that you should know about.
#1: The Nationals’ farm system is the deepest it’s been in a long time
For the last few years, the Nationals’ farm system has had plenty of top-end talent, with names such as Dylan Crews and James Wood, but lacked the depth that rebuilding teams should be accumulating. Thanks in large part to the 2025 draft, where the Nationals selected Eli Willits first overall and acquired even more talent in the later rounds with the savings from the pick, 1-for-1 deals this offseason such as Jose A. Ferrer for Harry Ford and Jake Bennett for Luis Perales, and the big MacKenzie Gore trade this offseason, the Nationals farm system has depth it hasn’t had perhaps ever, with prospects ranked in the 10 to 20 range who could be plus big leaguers one day.
An important part of building depth in the Nats’ farm system is not only acquiring players in trades, but acquiring the right kind of prospects in those deals. Mike DeBartolo and Paul Toboni have done an excellent job acquiring prospects in deals that have the tools required to succeed at the big league level, such as power potential in hitters and strikeout stuff in pitchers.
Pitchers like Griff McGarry and Eriq Swan, who take up spots at the backend of my top 30, are valuable not because they’re excellent now in the minor leagues, but because they have the stuff and projection to be good MLB players one day. Once you have enough of these high-risk type prospects, over time, a few of them will break out and give you great major league talents.
#2: The MacKenzie Gore trade was a shot of adrenaline for the farm system
Speaking of the MacKenzie Gore trade, the deal is unique because not only did the Nats acquire 5 prospects in the deal, but all 5 prospects have tools that make them more than just throw-ins, with all 5 ranking in my top 15 Nats prospects, and 3 within the top 10.
Fien and Fitz-Gerald could wind up as top 100 prospects by the end of 2026, Rosario was a top 10 pitching prospect in the sport before his injury and could wind up being a steal if he returns fully healthy, and Cabrera and Ortiz have the tools to be solid regulars one day. All in all, while the headlines may say the Nats received 0 top 100 prospects in return for Gore’s services, the truth is they received a package with a high chance of producing 2 or more impactful big leaguers one day.
#3: Marconi German is a name to watch in 2026
The prospect in my top 30 Nationals prospects you are least likely to recognize is Marconi German, a 17-year-old, switch-hitting shortstop, and while my ranking may seem rather high for a player who’s only played in the Dominican Summer League in his career, I have complete faith this ranking will be justified once the 2026 season gets underway.
German was one of the best hitters in the DSL in 2025 while also being one of the younger ones, posting a 159 wRC+ and hitting 8 home runs in 53 games. He showed great plate discipline, posting a 1.02 BB/K ratio, and punished pitchers when he got his pitch, with a .513 slugging percentage. He also has great speed, with 33 stolen bases in those 53 games.
German’s first major test will come in 2026 when he heads stateside to play in the complex league. If he continues to hit well there, he’ll likely get a chance in Low A, his first taste of affiliated minor league play. I’m excited to see how German progresses in 2026, as I believe he has the tools to be a very good shortstop or second baseman in the big leagues one day.
Members of World Baseball Classic 2026 Team USA Cal Raleigh, Corbin Carroll, Mark DeRosa, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Mike Hill pose for a photo during the MLB Awards ceremony. | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The World Baseball Classic (WBC) rosters were announced yesterday on the MLB Network and MLB.com. There is no shortage of talent taking part in this year’s classic led by current and former league MVP’s. But don’t expect just wily veterans to show up because thirty of MLB Pipeline’s top one hundred prospects have made the rosters also and will get the nod in the tournament which runs from March 5-17.
The A’s young arms will be prominent for Chinese Taipei with Top 30 prospects Wei-En Lin (number 19), Tzu-Chen Sha (number 28), and Chen Zhong-Ao Zhuang (number 29) all making the team. The Dominican Republic has two strong arms straight from the team’s 25-man roster Elvis Alvarado and Luis Severino. Other names familiar to A’s fans making international rosters are Denzel Clarke for Team Canada and Darell Hernaiz for team Puerto Rico.
Here’s the full list of A’s players participating in the classic:
For the first time in the tournament’s history, all four reigning MVP Award and Cy Young Award winners are on rosters. Paul Skenes, Tarik Skubal, and Aaron Judge will play for Team USA, and Shohei Ohtani is returning to Team Japan. In all, seventy-eight previous MLB All-Stars will play in the tournament including thirty-six from last year’s game. Twenty-two all-stars will don Team USA’s stars and stripes, the most of any team.
The tournament will begin on March 5 at the Tokyo Dome. The other pools — located at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico; Daikin Park in Houston; and loanDepot Park in Miami — will begin play on March 6. The finals will once again take place at loanDepot Park, home of the Miami Marlins.
Mar 5, 2025; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes (15) drops the ball against the Los Angeles Angels in the first inning at Tempe Diablo Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images
Heading into a baseball season, you have to think about depth, even when it’s not particularly pleasant to do so. Take the signing of veteran Dodgers’ catcher Austin Barnes for example. For Austin Barnes to have a meaningful impact on the 2026 season, something has gone wrong for either Luis Torrens or, more problematically, Francisco Alvarez. That might mean injury, ineffectiveness, or some equally unpleasant option, but nobody really wants to see Barnes in Queens in 2026.
While that may seem unfair, there’s a reason that Barnes was signed to a minor league deal just a few weeks before spring training began. Barnes is 36 years old, playing a position that rarely ages well and is nine seasons past his last meaningfully productive season in the majors. Sure, he’s been essentially league average, give or take, since then, but he’s a glove-first catcher whose playing time has steadily decreased over time. His career slash line of .223/.322/.338 isn’t exactly awe inspiring, but he’s a steady hand behind the dish with veteran experience and still solid defensive metrics who will occasionally turn on one. He’s exactly who every team should have in their back pocket as a third or fourth option.
The question is if Barnes is still willing, at 36, to play in Syracuse for the bulk of the season with the hopes of getting a shot at some more big league time down the road. If recent evidence is to be believed, the Mets will need a third catcher at some point. In fact, 2025 was the only year since 2016 that the Mets used just three, and not four or five, catchers over the course of a year. So if the goal is more MLB at-bats and another cap/jersey to frame for the den, then have at it, Austin.
But for a guy whose knees have to be begging for a breather, it would be totally understandable if this was the end of the road for Barnes as a player. For his sake, I hope we see him in Queens at least once this season. For the team’s sake, let’s hope it’s a short stay.
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.
Sep 15, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jack Leiter (35) throws a fielded ball past first base against the Houston Astros during the first inning at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | Erik Williams-Imagn Images
Last time, we took a look at the outfield and the platoon splits for our various outfield candidates. Today, we will do the same with the infield. I should note a couple of things before we move forward. The first and main thing is that we are looking at career splits for all of these players. Naturally, there are positives and negatives to doing it this way and we should acknowledge those here in the lab. After all, if we fail to acknowledge things that could impact our “experiments” then those experiments become less valid.
The reason why we include career numbers over 2025 numbers is that numbers in general become more valid when we include larger sample sizes. Some players have out of context seasons here and there, but the career numbers will be more relevant when we look at these things. However, some players have out of context numbers overall because they are no longer the player that put up those career numbers. Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, and Christian Walker are not likely going to put up their career numbers this season.
The key point here is not that the player is expected to meet their career numbers, but in the differences on both sides of the plate. The rate of difference will likely hold. The second thing we should note is that Brice Mathews will not be included in the infield for a couple of reasons. The primary reason is that he does not have the sample size to give us a valid entry. Also, he appears to be on the outside looking in in terms of making the 26 man roster.
So, to remind our viewing audience, we are simply looking at career slash numbers (AVG, OBP, SLG). I will include a fourth category which will be OPS. This is just a quick mental guide to bring in a familiar number to break everything down. When it is all said and done, we will look at a common trade that has been bandied about and why it makes sense for the Astros.
Infield Slash numbers
AVG
OBP
SLG
OPS
Yainer Diaz RHP
.283
.308
.463
.771
Yainer Diaz LHP
.265
.299
.430
.729
Carlos Perez RHP
.218
.267
.339
.606
Carlos Perez LHP
.216
.259
.299
.558
Christian Walker RHP
.247
.320
.460
.780
Christian Walker LHP
.249
.339
.443
.782
Isaac Paredes RHP
.228
.330
.425
.755
Isaac Paredes LHP
.264
.360
.444
.804
Jose Altuve RHP
.296
.352
.451
.803
Jose Altuve LHP
.324
.385
.508
.893
Carlos Correa RHP
.271
.342
.458
.800
Carlos Correa LHP
.286
.379
.480
.859
Jeremy Pena RHP
.260
.312
.399
.711
Jeremy Pena LHP
.302
.344
.469
.813
Nick Allen RHP
.202
.251
.245
.496
Nick Allen LHP
.241
.298
.338
.636
The important thing to note is that only one of these players is better against right-handed pitchers than lefties. When the Astros face lefties they will have five players with career OPS scores above .800. When they face righties they will have three. This is one of the many reasons why Dana Brown and Joe Espada have talked at length about adding a better left-handed hitter to the roster.
We often look at players’ overall numbers and forget that the aggregate does not represent what we see on a night to night basis. The truth is that tough right-handed pitchers will lock this team down on a number of nights. Baseball philosophers will tell you that the best thing you can do is as a pitcher is disrupt a hitter’s timing. Many things in baseball appear in a mirror image. If the job of pitchers is to disrupt timing then hitters can get pitchers out of rhythm by disrupting their timing.
If you set your team up with the same kind of hitters that all hit from the same side then it is easier for the pitcher to get into a rhythm. If you throw lefties and righties at them with some being selective and some more aggressive then you will force them to adjust to every single hitter that comes up. It is certainly possible to be successful doing that, but most pitchers would tell you that it is much more difficult.
Two players from the Boston Red Sox have been mentioned in potential deals for Isaac Paredes. Paredes is arguably a better player than one of them, but I want you to notice the breakdown of where they are most successful. Trades are often framed in the lens of who gets the better player, but it is really about making your team better.
AVG
OBP
SLG
OPS
Jarren Duran RHP
.279
.344
.494
.838
Jarren Duran LHP
.232
.284
.336
.620
Wilyer Abreu RHP
.265
.336
.492
.828
Wilyer Abreu LHP
.205
.271
.318
.589
It should be noted that Duran is a Gold Glove level defender in multiple outfield slots, so he carries some value in addition to his hitting. He would likely cost Paredes and considerable other compensation. Abreu is a more realistic target because it is feasible to see a one for one swap in that instance. Paredes might be the superior hitter overall because he doesn’t disappear against righties like Abreu does against lefties. However, we have to look at how this team is set up.
As it stands, we have five hitters with a career OPS over 800 against lefties and only three against righties. It should be noted that approximately 75 percent of the starters in baseball are right-handed. A theoretical swap would net you a balanced lineup against righties and lefties. Abreu would likely take the place currently occupied by Jesus Sanchez, but when you look at the career numbers you’ll notice he is the more dangerous player against right-handed pitching.
The current advantage of the Astros is that they have a number of players capable of playing more than one position. In reality, Christian Walker is the only player on the roster locked into one spot on the diamond. That affords Espada the opportunity to mix and match based on platoon splits. Both Abreu and Sanchez should not face lefties (whichever one would be in Houston), but there are creative options available to cover them up.
Obviously, time is on our side, so when we get into Spring Training we can look at theoretical lineups against righties and lefties to see how it all stacks up. It will difficult getting everyone at bats, but there is an opportunity to set up lineups that take advantage of these splits. Stay tuned.
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.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - MARCH 14: Manny Machado #13 of Team Dominican Republic rounds the bases after hitting a home run against Team Israel during their World Baseball Classic Pool D game at loanDepot park on March 14, 2023 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) | Manny Machado - Getty Images
The rosters for each of the World Baseball Classic teams were announced, Friday and the San Diego Padres were well represented on several teams. Mason Miller will play for the US, Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Wandy Peralta for Dominican Republic, Xander Bogaerts for Netherlands, Yuki Matsui for Japan, Ron Marinaccio and Alek Jacob for Italy, Carter Loewen for Canada, Josh Mallitz for Israel and Miguel Cienfuegos for Panama. It is an honor and in some cases a dream for these players to compete for their country, but with so many players leaving during Spring Training to compete in the WBC, there is concern about how productive they can be for the Padres.
Padres News:
With the bulk of the lawsuit between Sheel Seider and Matt and Bob Seidler being settled, the probability of a new owner in San Diego seems to be growing more possible by the day. A report in The Athleticidentifies potential buyers and adds that the bids for the purchase of the franchise could come by the end of the month.
Machado has been one of if not the de facto leader of the Padres throughout his tenure in San Diego. Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribuneshifts his focus to the All-Star third baseman for his ongoing Padres roster review.
Sanders also contributed a report on the Padres starting rotation as they prepare to open Spring Training next week. The five top arms have been discussed and dissected throughout the offseason. According to Preller he is still looking to add an arm in free agency,
Baseball News:
Detroit Tigers left-hander and back-to-back American League Cy Young Award-winner Tarik Skubal notched a win in arbitration. Skubal will make $32 million in 2026.
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.
