Will Jonathan Kuminga be traded by the deadline? (1:38)Anthony Slater reports the latest on the Jonathan Kuminga’s future with the Warriors. (1:38)
Lakers add a ‘laser’ for Luka Doncic and LeBron James
Yes, the Atlanta Hawks dealing four-time All-Star guard Trae Young to the Washington Wizards has officially kick-started trade season. But will it spark more moves as the league inches closer to the Feb. 5 deadline? There have been plenty of other rumblings — chief among them, more drama surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future and potential landing spots for Anthony Davis.
As we await the second trade of the season, what else could get done? ESPN’s Zach Kram and Kevin Pelton map out six moves that could bolster contenders and alter the race to the postseason, while NBA Front Office Insider Bobby Marks examines how the deals would impact each franchise’s future.
Let’s get to the trades, starting with the Milwaukee Bucks’ latest attempt to build another championship roster around their two-time MVP.
For Milwaukee, no player is a better deadline addition than Porter, who would fill a role similar to what Khris Middleton once played for the Bucks and make them far more capable of succeeding when Antetokounmpo sits.
Would that result in a deep enough playoff run to justify Milwaukee giving up its lone remaining tradable first-round pick? Probably not, but if the Bucks are committed to fortifying the roster around Antetokounmpo, this deal is tough to top.
From the Nets’ standpoint, this would be an all-time piece of business. In the offseason deal to acquire Porter, Brooklyn also got an unprotected first-round pick from the Denver Nuggets and would add a second future pick from another team that is highly leveraged to win now.
Left unsaid on the trade calls: If the Nets are interested in getting in on an Antetokounmpo deal at some point between now and the 2027 deadline, having Milwaukee’s pick to offer would be an ideal starting point.
The Pistons are involved as a third team solely because they can clear a roster spot and are nowhere near the luxury tax. They’d get cash to cover Anthony’s salary and could waive him immediately, if they want. — Pelton
Unless Antetokounmpo asks for a trade before the deadline, the Bucks will keep doubling down on their roster. While trading their only available first-round pick seems desperate, keep in mind that starting the night of the draft, Milwaukee will be allowed to trade their 2026 and 2033 first-rounders. If Antetokounmpo does ask out, Milwaukee will likely recoup multiple first-round picks in a deal.
Ellis is a natural fit for the Lakers, who rank 23rd in defensive rating and an even worse 29th since the start of December. His 3-point shot has regressed this season (35.5%, versus 42.9% in his career prior), but that lack of offensive oomph is precisely why the hard-nosed defender might be attainable in a small-scale deal like this.
If Sacramento sets a higher price point for Ellis’ contract, the Lakers could struggle to bridge the gap: The 2032 pick is their only tradable second-rounder, and they likely would prefer to save their only tradable first-rounder (in 2031 or 2032) for a bigger target. And many other teams in need of perimeter defensive help should be interested in Ellis at the deadline. — Kram
Jonathan Kuminga Moses Moody 2026 first-round pick (via Warriors) 2028 first-round pick (via Warriors, top-10 protected) 2030 first-round pick (via Warriors, if No. 5 to 20)
Kevon Looney 2031 second-round pick (via Raptors) 2032 second-round pick (via Pelicans) Cash considerations
The Warriors have been linked to bigger names on the market, but for their financial situation, Murphy makes more sense. He is in the first season of a four-year, $112 million extension with a cap hit less than half of Anthony Davis’ this season. Golden State could make this trade and actually save $25 million in luxury tax.
On the court, Murphy would give the Warriors another feared shooter to play off Stephen Curry. Murphy has made 38% of his career 3s, hitting three per game in recent seasons. Moody, at 2.1 made treys per outing, is the second-leading Golden State player this season. For that archetype, Murphy would hold his own defensively on the wing for the Warriors and slide to power forward when Draymond Green is at center.
Since the Pelicans have no urgency to move Murphy, those benefits will cost Golden State. This deal moves up to three of the four first-round picks they can trade but protects them from giving up a top-four pick after this year. New Orleans is taking a risk that this trade might convey only one first-rounder, but it could yield three lottery picks if things hit right.
The Pelicans also get a pair of useful young players. Kuminga’s game figures to intrigue New Orleans’ front office. And Moody would give the Pelicans a shooter to help replace Murphy. New Orleans also benefits from getting off the $7 million 2026-27 salary for Hawkins, who is averaging just 4.5 points per game this season.
The Jazz jump in to facilitate by taking on Looney using a trade exception. He’d likely be a rotation player for Utah at center the rest of the season. — Pelton
The Timberwolves don’t need a big swing at point guard, as Anthony Edwards continues to develop as a playmaker. But a competent midtier creator would do wonders for a team with a hole at the position. Jones, a Minnesota native and brother of former Wolves guard Tyus Jones, fits the bill.
Tre Jones is 6-foot-1 and has an iffy 3-point shot, but he is the steady hand Minnesota needs. Since moving to Chicago at last season’s trade deadline as part of the three-team deal that brought De’Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs, Jones has averaged 11.9 points and 5.1 assists per game to just 1.1 turnovers. Given that Minnesota has the worst clutch turnover rate in the league, Jones’ ball security would offer a significant upgrade.
While Jones could help a contender, Dillingham and Chicago-native Shannon have much more value to a team that can give them time to develop. The two 2024 first-rounders have tumbled down Wolves coach Chris Finch’s rotation, averaging a combined 8.2 PPG. Dillingham has reached 20 minutes in just one game all season, despite being the No. 8 pick in the 2024 draft.
Think of this trade as the light version of the Bulls’ Alex Caruso-Josh Giddey swap, sending a veteran glue guy to a contender while returning higher-upside youngsters but no draft picks. The only hang-up to getting this deal done now might be Chicago’s desire to hold onto Jones until Giddey returns from a hamstring strain. — Kram
The Spurs have an intriguing opportunity to upgrade at the deadline with $20 million in expiring salary between Sochan and Kelly Olynyk, who are at the fringes of the team’s rotation. San Antonio also might benefit from adding a player under contract through 2026-27 in case the team needs to aggregate salary for a blockbuster trade this summer.
Finding the right player is tricky because the Spurs’ rotation has been so strong at full strength. Another wing shooter, such as Kevin Huerter, might make sense, but San Antonio’s single biggest weakness has been when neither Victor Wembanyama nor Luke Kornet is on the court. Such lineups have been outscored by 7.6 points per 100 possessions, according to Cleaning the Glass.
Enter Yabusele, who has struggled to find the court with the Knicks but has history in both playing alongside Wembanyama with the French national team and as a stretch-5. The Spurs also get a pick likely to fall in the middle of the second round to utilize in other deadline moves.
For the Wizards, this is a talent play, just as acquiring Whitmore was last summer. Sochan was a lottery pick in 2022, and it’s possible a change of scenery, plus playing with an elite facilitator in Trae Young and a floor-stretching 7-footer in Alex Sarr, could help unlock his game. Whitmore struggled with his efficiency in Washington before being diagnosed with deep-vein thrombosis, which has him sidelined.
The motivation for New York is financial. Signing Yabusele hard-capped the Knicks at the second luxury tax apron, giving them no ability to fill out their roster. Moving him for a smaller salary would enable New York to sign a 15th player immediately. Any production the Knicks get from Whitmore is a bonus. — Pelton
The Raptors have a giant hole at center, as Jakob Poeltl hasn’t played since Dec. 21 due to a back injury. Even when available, the 30-year-old showed signs of significant decline this season, calling into question the team’s decision to offer him a pricey early extension in the offseason.
In Poeltl’s absence, Toronto has been leaning on undersized centers Sandro Mamukelashvili and rookie Collin Murray-Boyles, and the surprise contender could use a bigger, steadier hand at the position. Complicating matters is that the Raptors’ five starters are their only players with a cap hit above $6.4 million this season, meaning they need to either lose a core player or look for bargain contracts.
The latter option could point to Nick Richards of the Phoenix Suns or Brooklyn’s Day’Ron Sharpe. The 37-year-old Lopez also offers an intriguing fit as a proven playoff performer who has perked up following a dismal start to the 2025-26 campaign. He’s making 36% of his 3s and remains an effective interior defender. Lopez has allowed just 55% shooting at the rim this season, as compared with 64% for all of Toronto’s bigs.
For the Clippers, this trade would give them potential upside in Agbaji, a former lottery pick who will enter restricted free agency next summer, and a mid-second-round pick. At the moment, it’s possible the Clips don’t end up with any picks in the 2026 draft, depending on how complex pick protections and the Kawhi Leonard/Aspiration investigation unfold. — Kram
The six trades all make compelling arguments, from Golden State and Milwaukee and their franchise players trying to keep their championship windows open to Minnesota finding a permanent solution at point guard.