Winners & Losers of the 2026 NBA Trade Deadline — Full Breakdown + Team Grades

The 2026 NBA trade deadline (Feb. 5, 2026) wasn’t just about who got better — it was about who understood the new CBA reality. Teams were clearly playing a game of “pre-agency”: shedding salary, dodging aprons, stockpiling picks, and making moves that feel like they’re setting up bigger swings this summer.

And while the blockbuster everyone obsessed over (Giannis) didn’t happen, the league still saw multiple franchise-shifting moves — including the Wizards turning into buyers and the Cavaliers remaking their rotation around Donovan Mitchell.

Below is a long, detailed, fact-checked winners-and-losers breakdown, with grades for each major team based on what they did.

The Headline: Giannis Stayed Put — and That Shaped Everything

Milwaukee did not trade Giannis Antetokounmpo by the deadline, despite heavy interest. He’s averaging 28.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 5.6 assists this season and is currently out with a calf strain.

League impact: once Giannis stayed, teams that were “waiting on the big one” either pivoted to Plan B… or got stuck with Plan C.

Bucks’ small move: Milwaukee did make a smaller trade sending Cole Anthony + Amir Coffey to Phoenix for Nick Richards + Nigel Hayes-Davis.

Bucks grade: B

• Why: Keeping Giannis preserves optionality (especially for summer), and they didn’t panic-sell.

• But: They didn’t meaningfully improve a contender’s ceiling at the deadline.

  
  

✅ WINNERS

1) Cleveland Cavaliers — The Deadline’s Biggest Winner

Cleveland went from “good team with questions” to “dangerous team with answers.”

Core swing: Cavaliers acquired James Harden in a straight swap with the Clippers for Darius Garland (plus a future second going to LAC).

Then Cleveland kept cooking:

• In another deadline sequence, Cleveland added Keon Ellis and Dennis Schröder, while moving out Lonzo Ball and De’Andre Hunter (and ultimately ended the week having moved Garland as well).

Why this matters on the court

• Harden gives Cleveland a true half-court organizer next to Donovan Mitchell.

• Schröder/Ellis are functional playoff pieces: defense, pace, ball pressure.

• Cleveland’s deadline was both basketball-motivated and financially motivated — the rare “save money and get better” combo.

Cavaliers grade: A

• They upgraded their playoff shot creation while filling rotation holes.

  
  

2) Washington Wizards — Buyers… and Somehow It Worked

Washington going star-hunting at the deadline wasn’t on most bingo cards, but they did it.

Anthony Davis blockbuster: A multi-team trade sent Anthony Davis to the Wizards. NBA.com described it as a 9-player, 3-team deal, with Davis heading to Washington along with other players in the package. (ESPN also reported the Mavericks-to-Wizards AD move, which kicked off the shockwave.)

The other pillar: Washington already added Trae Young earlier in January, with Atlanta receiving CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert.

What this means

• The Wizards are now pairing Trae’s offensive engine with AD’s elite defense/finishing.

• The risk is obvious (AD availability), but Washington basically chose relevance over eternal rebuilding — and got there fast.

Wizards grade: A-

• Bold, coherent roster logic (Trae + AD fits), and the league now has to take them seriously.

  
  

3) Los Angeles Clippers — Quietly Did a Great Reset

Yes, the Clippers traded Harden away — but what they got back is the kind of pivot that keeps franchises alive.

Move 1: Harden → Garland

They swapped James Harden for Darius Garland (and received a future second).

Move 2: Zubac trade haul

They traded Ivica Zubac + Kobe Brown to Indiana for:

• Bennedict Mathurin

• Isaiah Jackson

• two first-round picks

• a second-round pick, with protections that could flip the 2026 first into an unprotected 2031 first depending on lottery position ranges.

Clippers grade: A-

• Garland is younger, Mathurin is a real asset, and the pick structure is serious upside.

  
  

4) Oklahoma City Thunder — “The Rich Get Richer”

OKC acquired Jared McCain from Philadelphia for four future draft picks.

This is exactly what contenders do when they have surplus assets: buy talent and depth without disrupting core chemistry.

Thunder grade: A

• Low-risk depth upgrade for a defending champ, using draft capital they can afford to spend.

  
  

5) Boston Celtics — Frontcourt Upgrade and Financial Discipline

Boston acquired Nikola Vučević from Chicago in exchange for Anfernee Simons and pick considerations (reporting varies slightly on whether seconds moved in both directions, but the headliner is clear: Simons for Vucevic).

Boston then moved Chris Boucher to Utah (return not fully detailed in early reporting), saving salary and opening roster flexibility.

Celtics grade: B+

• They improved roster balance up front and cleaned up the books at the same time.

  
  

❌ LOSERS

1) Golden State Warriors — “Plan B” After Giannis

After months of Giannis smoke, Golden State pivoted to:Jonathan Kuminga + Buddy Hield → Kristaps Porziņģis (via Atlanta).

Porziņģis is talented, but availability concerns were central to the debate around this move, and he’s on an expiring deal.

Warriors grade: C+

• Porziņģis can help, but it’s a risky “all-in-ish” swing that doesn’t match the cost if he’s not reliably on the floor.

  
  

2) Chicago Bulls — Asset Collecting Without Direction

Chicago’s deadline was widely viewed as underwhelming: big changes, but not the kind that clearly improves the present or cleanly commits to a future.

Reuters specifically flagged Chicago as a deadline loser in the broader winners/losers landscape.

Bulls grade: D+

• Too much “paper value,” not enough clarity or impact.

  
  

3) Sacramento Kings — Too Much Stagnation for a Bad Record

Sportsnet highlighted Sacramento as a loser for holding onto aging pieces and failing to maximize value during a rough season.

Kings grade: D

• If you’re bad, you either buy smart or sell smart. Standing still is the worst option.

  
  

4) Philadelphia 76ers — Sold Useful Pieces for “Future”

Philly dealt Eric Gordon to Memphis in a cap-driven move. And they moved Jared McCain to OKC for picks.

76ers grade: C-

• It’s defensible financially, but it reads like retreating — and OKC is the one that looks scarier now.

  
  

The “Depends” Teams: Big Moves, Big Risk

Indiana Pacers — Zubac Is a Fit, But the Pick Risk Is Real

Pacers acquired Ivica Zubac + Kobe Brown. Clippers got Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, picks including a conditional structure tied to Indiana’s 2026 pick position.

Pacers grade: B-

• Zubac fits, but the lottery math could make this painful depending on where that 2026 pick lands.

Dallas Mavericks — Asset Pivot After AD

Dallas moved Anthony Davis as part of that major multi-team structure.

Mavs grade: B

• They didn’t “win now,” but they regained flexibility and direction.

  
  

The clearest pattern from Feb. 5, 2026: teams are terrified of being locked into the apron with a roster that isn’t a real contender.

Cleveland and Washington were the two teams that actually changed their identity. OKC improved without drama. Golden State made a move that will either look clever… or like a panic pivot.