NBA trade deadline grades for every 2026 deal

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Feb 5, 2026 - 18:15

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NBA trade deadline grades for every 2026 deal

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The 2026 NBA trade deadline offers a world of possibilities. The league is no longer as top heavy as it was 10 or 20 years ago. In this era, parity reigns supreme, and repeating as champions is almost impossible. With a big class of both buyers chasing the title and sellers chasing ping-pong balls in the NBA draft lottery, this promises to be an active deadline right up to the buzzer.

Will we get a blockbuster on the level of the Luka Doncic-to-the-Lakers stunner last year? Only if Giannis Antetokounmpo gets traded. There’s a list of front-runners who can all make strong offers to land the Greek Freak, but it would be understandable if Milwaukee wants to do everything in its power to keep him happy as a Buck.

Find the details of every trade at the deadline at our trade tracker. Get an early look at prospect scouting with our latest 2026 mock draft. We’ll be grading every NBA trade at the deadline in this post as they happen. Refresh this post often to see our instant analysis on every deal.

Knicks add Jose Alvarado from Pelicans

Knicks acquire Jose Alvarado from Pelicans for Dalen Terry and two second-round picks

Knicks grade: A

Pelicans grade: B+

Alvarado was one of the better backup guards available at the deadline, and New York did well to pounce on him. He has a player option for next season, and should be a solid depth piece for the Knicks’ playoff run.

Bucks beef up the front court in trade with Suns

Milwaukee Bucks acquire Nick Richards and Nigel Hayes-Davis from Suns for Cole Anthony and Amir Coffey

Bucks grade: A-

Suns grade: A

The Suns get under a tax apron without having to include a draft pick. The Bucks use their remaining room beneath the tax to pick up a backup center. I like it for both teams. Milwaukee just needed some more bigs, and while Richards isn’t anything special, he’s at least serviceable.

Lakers add Luke Kennard from Hawks

Lakers acquire Luke Kennard from Hawks for Gabe Vincent and second-round pick

Lakers grade: A-

Hawks grade: B+

Both Kennard and Vincent are expiring deals. Getting a second round pick back for a player you had no use for is nice work by Atlanta, but I like it a little more for the Lakers. Putting shooters around Luka Doncic is always a good move, and there aren’t many better shooters in the league than Kennard. Kennard needs to be insulated defensively, but he’s a 44 percent career shooter from deep, and that always works well next to Luka.

Wolves acquire Ayo Dosunmu from Bulls for Rob Dillingham, second-round picks

Timberwolves acquire Ayo Dosunmu from Bulls for Rob Dillingham, Leonard Miller, four second round picks

Wolves grade: A

Bulls grade: C

The Timberwolves traded an unprotected future first-round pick for Dillingham during the 2024 draft, but he was never able to crack Chris Finch’s rotation. Dosunmu was having a career year for Chicago and fits very well next to Anthony Edwards as a tough on-ball defender who has been on fire as a three-point shooter. Dosunmu is on an expiring contract and it remains to be seen if he’ll be in the Wolves’ future plans, but they didn’t give up much to get him and he could help swing a playoff series in their favor. This is great work by the Wolves.

Celtics-Bulls swap Nikola Vucevic and Anfernee Simons

Boston Celtics acquire Nikola Vucevic from Chicago Bulls for Anfernee Simons and New Orleans Pelicans’ 2026 second-round pick

Celtics grade: B+

Bulls grade: B+

The Bulls seemingly waved the white flag on their play-in chances by trading Nikola Vucevic. Chicago should have been tanking from the start of the season, but I guess “better late than never” applies here. Simons was pretty good in Boston as a super high volume shooter off the bounce (more than 13 threes per 100 possessions at a 40 percent clip), but the Celtics needed an experienced big who spaces the floor and grabs defensive rebounds for their playoff push, and Vuc checks both boxes. Chicago getting a very high second-round pick back for Vuc is nice work.

Blazers acquire Vit Krejci from Hawks

Portland acquires Vít Krejčí from Atlanta for Duop Reath, 2027 second-round pick, 2030 second-round pick

Trail Blazers grade: B+

Hawks grade: B

Krejci is a 6’8 wing who can handle the rock a little bit and shoot it at a high level. The 25-year-old is having his best season as a pro this year by canning 41.6 percent of his three-pointers on 5.2 attempts per game in only 22 minutes. Portland needed more shooting on the wing, and this is a nice buy-low move.

Wizards acquire Anthony Davis from Mavericks for picks and players

Wizards acquire Anthony Davis, Jaden Hardy, D’Angelo Russell, and Dante Exum from the Mavericks for Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham, Marvin Bagley III, 2 first-round picks and 3 second-rounders

Wizards grade: B

Mavericks grade: B+

Read our full trade grades here.