The NBA Trade Deadline action started earlier this year, with a slew of huge deals coming days before the deadline. We've already seen stars like James Harden, Darius Garland, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Anthony Davis moved, but the biggest piece — Giannis Antetokounmpo — is still in Milwaukee.
We're grading every deal as it happens and rounding up all the latest rumors and rumblings as we approach the 3 p.m. ET deadline.
Lakers land another shooter on the wings
Lakers get:
- Luke Kennard
Hawks get:
- Gabe Vincent
- Second-round pick
Lakers grade: A-
Analysis: This is a great move for the Lakers. For the cost of a second-round pick, they added one of the best shooters in the league on an expiring contract, preserving flexibility for the offseason. Kennard doesn't do anything to address their defensive challenges but he should be a real offensive boost.
Hawks grade: C-
Gabe Vincent is just filler. They don't need to keep Kennard and did get a second-rounder instead of letting him walk for nothing. But I'm surprised they couldn't get something a bit better.
Timberwolves finally get the backup guard they need
Bulls get:
- Rob Dillingham
- Leonard Miller
- 4 second-round picks
Timberwolves get:
- Ayo Dosunmu
- Julian Phillips
Bulls grade: B
Analysis: The Bulls had to trade Dosunmu or risk losing him for nothing in free agency. They got a big return with four second-rounders plus two talented young wild-cards in Dillingham and Miller. It might not amount to anything, but they gave themselves a lot of chances to get something that matters.
Timberwolves: B
Analysis: The Timberwolves gave up a lot, but Dosunmu is a sure thing for the rest of this season, and if he's willing to re-sign, he could be a key piece for the next few years. He works hard on defense, hits 3s and can help as a secondary creator. This may take the Wolves out of the Giannis sweepstakes, but it's still an important upgrade.
The Warriors give up on Giannis Antetokounmpo and settle for Kristaps Porziņġs
Warriors get:
- Kristaps Porziņġs
Hawks get:
- Jonathan Kuminga
- Buddy Hield
Warriors grade: D
Analysis: This is tough sledding for the Warriors. Porziņġs could help if he's able to play this year, but that's far from a given. And his expiring contract gives them the flexibility to tweak the roster this summer. But it also means they've given up the pursuit of Giannis and sold Kuminga at the absolute nadir of his trade value. They did a decent job with a bad situation, but it was a bad situation that they put themselves in.
Hawks: C
Analysis: The Hawks got something for Porziņġs' expiring contract, but I don't love the fit. Presumably, they're going to re-sign Kuminga and let him explore his upside. But they need reliable shooting from their wings much more than athletic upside, and I'm not sure how viable Jalen Johnson, Kuminga and Dyson Daniels are together. Hield is fun, but he's not the automatic 3-point shooter he used to be and likely won't be around for the long-term.
The Bulls just keep trading
Bulls get:
- Guerschon Yabusele
Knicks get:
- Dalen Terry
Bulls grade: B
Knicks grade: Incomplete
Analysis: The Bulls continue their makeover, having now turned Dalen Terry, Nikola Vucecic, Coby White and Kevin Huerter into Anfernee Simons, Jaden Ivey, Collin Sexton, Ousmane Dieng and Guerschon Yabusele. I'm not sure they're better, but they're definitely different, which is not nothing. The Knicks still desperately need depth, and Terry is a non-factor, so this is presumably a setup for another deal today.
The Magic save some money, yay!
Magic get:
- Cash
Hornets get:
- Tyus Jones
- 2 second-round picks
Hornets grade: B
Magic grade: D
Analysis: Tyus Jones seemed like a perfect pick-up for the Magic, but his 3-point percentage dropped from 41 percent the past two seasons to 29 percent this season. He could be a useful backup for the Hornets, but Orlando shipping him out for nothing but financial flexibility seems a bit like waving the white flag on their dark horse championship hopes this year.
The Lonzo Ball era is over in Cleveland
Hawks get:
- Jock Landale
Jazz get:
- Lonzo Ball
Cavs get:
- 2 second-round picks
Cavs, Jazz, Hawks grades: B
Analysis: This is a pretty minor move but a sign of just how far Lonzo Ball has fallen. The Cavs got off his deal and picked up a pair of second-rounders; the Jazz will reportedly look to buy him out, also looking for flexibility. The Hawks swoop in and get Landale, a reasonable back-up center who can help make up for the loss of Porzingis.
Chris Paul is on the move
Raptors get:
- Chris Paul
Nets get:
- Ochai Agbaji
- Second round pick
Clippers get:
- Draft rights to Vanja Marinkovic
Raptors, Nets, Clippers Grades: Incomplete
Analysis: Just another collection of minor financial moves here, nothing much that will matter from a basketball perspective. Word on the street is that Paul will likely be bought out and can really look for one more team for his final season.
Hornets make a frantic push for the Play-In
Bulls get:
- Ousmane Dieng
- Collin Sexton
- 3 second-round picks
Hornets get:
- Coby White
- Mike Conley
- Second-round pick
Thunder get:
- Mason Plumlee
Bulls grade: B
Analysis: Second-round picks are often transient assets, but considering the expiring nature of White's contract, a first-round pick was probably never in the cards — at least not this season. Perhaps Chicago waited too long to deal White at the end of the day, but given the hand the front office was dealt (by itself), this was a solid, solid move. Sexton should be a fast fan favorite in Chicago. — Chris Kline
Hornets grade: B+
Analysis: Conley is either a third-string point guard or a buyout candidate, but his veteran leadership should pay dividends if the Hornets keep him around. White, meanwhile, is a classic bench guard — a bubbly slasher and shot-maker who can steer the ship when LaMelo sits or play alongside him in closing situations. White has his limits as a defender and a facilitator, but he's 24 with an impressively dynamic scoring repertoire. He's also a UNC product, which is a cherry on top for (some) locals. — Chris Kline
Thunder grade: A
Analysis: The Thunder waived Plumlee but moving Dieng helped clear the cap space for the Jared McCain deal, which was a huge win.
Sixers betray fans — and Joel Embiid — to duck the tax
76ers get:
- First-round pick
- 3 second-round picks
Thunder get:
- Jared McCain
76ers grade: D-
Analysis: The Sixers could, in theory, find a way to win this trade, especially if McCain struggles to crack an even deeper backcourt in OKC. But given McCain's unique traits and not-insubstantial upside, this was a weak sell-low, tax-ducking maneuver from Philly. Morey will attempt to justify it by waxing poetic about financial flexibility, but this was weak sauce from the Sixers all the way. — Chris Kline
Thunder grade: A
Analysis: There is basically zero risk here for OKC considering the wealth of assets at Sam Presti's disposal. If McCain bombs and ends up on a new team in two years, the Thunder can survive no problem. If he reaches even a fraction of the potential he flashed in Philadelphia, OKC just added a long-term staple for pennies on the dollar, all so Philadelphia can balance its cap sheet. — Chris Kline
Mavs, Wizards both lose in the world's most depressing blockbuster
Wizards get:
- Anthony Davis
- Jaden Hardy
- D'Angelo Russell
- Dante Exum
Mavericks get:
- Khris Middleton
- AJ Johnson
- Malaki Branham
- Marvin Bagley
- 2 first-round picks
- 3 second-round picks
Wizards grade: F
Analysis: Davis and Young are not a winning combination. They're also not a pairing that seems like it will help the growth and skill development of the rest of the young players on this roster. To be fair, the Wizards are one of the worst teams in the league right now, and they might be better next year. But the current roster is nowhere close to playoff caliber, even if Young and Davis are mostly healthy. These trades together are a huge waste of resources for marginal gain.
Mavericks grade: D-
Analysis: The first-round picks they've collected are the Thunder's 2026 pick (almost guaranteed to land at No. 30), the Lakers 2029 pick (unprotected) and the Warriors 2030 pick (protected 1-20). That is just unfathomably, catastrophically bad. They gave themselves some financial flexibility for this summer with the expiring contracts of Middleton and Branham but that's a terribly weak silver lining. The Mavericks traded Luka Dončiċ for pennies on the dollar and then traded the shiniest of those pennies for a heavily played Ducklett.
James Harden is on the move again
Cavaliers get:
- James Harden
Clippers get:
- Darius Garland
- Second-round pick
Cavaliers grade: A-
Analysis: At the end of the day, the core the Cavs had in place was not working. They've lost in the second round in each of the last two years and just 30-21, the fifth seed in a very winnable Eastern Conference. Harden shortens their timeline, but makes them bigger threats to win now. With Tyrese Haliburton and potentially Jayson Tatum not playing this season, the Eastern Conference is wide open. The Cavs deserve credit for going for it. I'm not sure I'd pick them to win the conference, but this gets them closer, even with Harden's previous playoff demons in mind. — Zach Rotman
Clippers grade: B+
Analysis: With that being said, I question whether Garland will stay fully healthy. It's a worthwhile risk for them to take on, especially when considering their hands were tied - not only did Harden want out, but he had a full no-trade clause, allowing him to essentially hand-pick his destination - but if Garland can never stay healthy, the Clippers might've been better off taking draft picks if such an offer was at all attainable. It's a risk worth taking, but that doesn't mean it isn't a risk. The Clippers did well, but they don't quite win the deal. — Zach Rotman
Celtics get their big man
Bulls get:
- Anfernee Simons
- Second-round pick
Celtics get:
- Nikola Vucevic
- Second-round pick
Bulls grade: B
Analysis: The worst place in the NBA that you can be in is the middle, and the trades Chicago is making should help them get out of purgatory. Even if the return for Vucevic wasn't all that great, finally moving him after years of refusing to do so gets the Bulls a decent grade. — Zach Rotman
Celtics grade: B+
Analysis: A hidden win in this trade for Boston is that Vucevic ($21.4 million) helps the Celtics save roughly $6 million on their tax bill, which has been a priority of theirs since the summer. Simons was not part of their future, Vucevic can play a bigger role now than Simons was, and they saved money without parting with a first-round pick or even losing any draft pick compensation. What's not to like? — Zach Rotman
Pistons sell low on Jaden Ivey
Bulls get:
- Jaden Ivey
- Mike Conley
Pistons get:
- Kevin Huerter
- Dario Sarić
- 2026 pick swap with Minnesota
Timberwolves get:
- Cash
Bulls grade: A
Analysis: This is a no-brainer for the Bulls. Huerter has helped this year, but he's an expiring and there's no real reason for them to re-sign him. Ivey has struggled this year after missing most of last season with a broken leg, but he was the No. 5 pick and has demonstrated he can be a dynamic scoring threat — averaging 17.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game, shooting 40.9 percent from beyond the arc last season before the injury.
Pistons grade: C-
Analysis: The Pistons needed shooting, and trying to use Ivey to plug some holes makes sense. It's just hard to believe this is the best they could have done. Basically, they got one year of Huerter, some financial flexibility this summer, and a chance to move up eight spots or so spots in this year's draft. Not exactly a home run.
Timberwolves grade: Incomplete
This is just financial wrangling, hopefully in service of another deal down the line.
Grizzlies blow it up in 8-player blockbuster with Jazz
Utah Jazz get:
- Jaren Jackson Jr.
- John Konchar
- Jock Landale
- Vince Williams Jr.
Grizzlies get:
- Kyle Anderson
- Walter Clayton Jr.
- Taylor Hendricks
- Georges Niang
- 3 future first-round picks
Jazz grade: B
Analysis: Most folks expected Utah to keep trudging through this rebuild at a snail's pace, but the front office has made it very clear that the plan was always to contend in the near future. This is the first step in that direction. It's not without risk, and there will always be the question of "is Jaren Jackson the right use of those picks," but this is a fun step in a more competitive direction for the Jazz. — Chris Kline
Grizzlies grade: B+
Analysis: Jackson is an awesome player and a beloved figure in Memphis, so this one undoubtedly stings for the Grizz faithful. It hints at a long road ahead, one that requires great patience, but Memphis is set up as well as any team in basketball to build a contender from the ground up. The Ja Morant-Jaren Jackson era flopped early. It is what it is. Now, the Grizzlies are on to bigger and (hopefully) better things. — Chris Kline