Leading up to the NBA trade deadline, there was talk it might be a quiet period compared to previous seasons because teams were concerned about salary and luxury tax payments.
Well, that theory disintegrated when Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis were traded. That was the beginning of a flurry of trades involving big names, All-Stars and NBA champions just before the trade deadline expired Thursday at 3 p.m. ET.
These are some of the players switching teams besides Doncic and Davis: De’Aaron Fox, Jimmy Butler, Zach LaVine, Kyle Kuzma, Brandon Ingram and Khris Middleton.
How it pays off for the teams involved will play out over the remainder of this season and beyond, but it was a stunning and thrilling week for NBA transactions.
Let’s look at the trade deadline winners and losers:
NBA trade deadline winners and losers
Winners
Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers acquired star guard Luka Doncic and center Mark Williams, giving them the ability to win now and prepare for a future without LeBron James. They have an MVP candidate in Doncic, and when healthy, Williams, the replacement for Anthony Davis, is a quality big man who will work nicely with Doncic and James in pick-and-roll sets. It’s not often a team can obtain a star like Doncic, and the Lakers pulled it off in one of the most stunning trades in NBA history.
Luka Doncic
Doncic ends up with a franchise that has a stellar reputation for taking care of its stars, and the deluge of support for Doncic has been overwhelming. Now, Doncic has a responsibility to prove he can provide competent defense, be in great physical condition and limit his complaints about officiating while still providing his elite offense. He gets to do that in the glare of those Hollywood lights and all that comes with that.
San Antonio Spurs/De’Aaron Fox
The Spurs sought a long-term answer at point guard to flourish alongside rising star Victor Wembanyama, and Fox wanted to play for the Spurs. Both got what they desired. Fox had 24 points, 13 assists, five rebounds and three steals in his debut, becoming the first player in franchise history to record at least 20 points and 10 assists in a debut. Wembanyama had 24 points and 12 rebounds. Get used to that double-double combination and defensive pressure.
Jimmy Butler
Butler went toe-to-toe with Miami Heat president and Basketball Hall of Famer Pat Riley and forced his way out. It wasn’t without pain, including financial losses due to three suspensions issued by the team in January, but Butler got to one of two teams for which he wanted to play. He gets to play alongside Steph Curry and for an organization that wants to win another championship while Curry is still an All-Star. Plus, Butler should have an increased offensive role compared to his dwindling responsibility with the Heat. Butler also agreed to an extension with the Warriors that will pay him $121 million over two seasons in 2025-26 and 2026-27.
De’Andre Hunter
De’Andre Hunter goes from the below-.500 Atlanta Hawks to the 41-10 Cleveland Cavaliers – going from nowhere to the best team in the East and title contender.
Losers
Dallas Mavericks
Trading Doncic has been a PR nightmare for the Mavericks, who angered fans of the team and fans of Doncic. Even if this ends up being the right move for Dallas, that’s not the perception today. The vitriol is palpable. Getting Davis, Max Christie and a first-round pick for Doncic may end up working out for the Mavs. But it’s working poorly in the court of public opinion today. No matter how the Mavs try to spin it, the answers have been unsatisfactory to fans.
Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis, in second place in the Western Conference at 35-16, tried to make a move that put it a step closer to first-place Oklahoma City. Nothing of substance materialized despite the Grizzlies’ efforts. They tried to create some roster flexibility by trading Marcus Smart to Washington, but the Grizzlies also had to include a 2025 first-round pick in that trade. Yes, it’s going to be a late pick, however, the Grizzlies have shown an eye for finding talent later in the draft (Desmond Bane, the 30th pick in 2020, and rookie Jaylen Wells, the 39th pick).
Phoenix Suns
The Suns wanted to make a major trade and improve the roster so they could rise in the standings and attempt a deep run in the playoffs with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. They ran into snags. Either Bradley Beal wouldn’t waive his no-trade clause or if he was willing to do that, teams were hesitant to take on the remaining two years and $110.7 million on Beal’s contract. They ended up trading Jusuf Nurkic and another one of their first-round picks to Charlotte for Cody Martin, Vasilije Micic and a second-round pick. Don’t be surprised if Durant gets restless and wants out of Phoenix.
New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans didn’t really do anything wrong at the deadline by trading Brandon Ingram and Daniel Theis. Their objective was to avoid the luxury tax, and they did that with the Theis trade. The franchise decided it wasn’t time to spend big money on a new contract for Ingram. Reasonable decisions. However, the Pelicans haven’t been able to maximize Zion Williamson due to injuries, and injuries prevented New Orleans from seeing what it can do with Williamson, Ingram and Dejounte Murray. They didn’t share the court for one second this season.
Khris Middleton
This has nothing to do with Middleton the player or person. However, he’s the opposite of De’Andre Hunter. Middleton went from a team with championship potential (Milwaukee Bucks) to the worst team in the NBA (Washington Wizards).
Follow NBA reporter Jeff Zillgitt on social media @JeffZillgitt
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