With the NBA trade deadline coming to a close on Feb. 5th, 2026, we saw last-minute game-changing deals flying around left and right, and teams that weren’t expected to take a single step have been making huge leaps. However, as always, every trade comes with both a winner and a loser. Let’s find out who won every (important) trade.
Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Utah Jazz
Four offseasons into their post-Mitchell/Gobert rebuild, the Jazz are clearly done tanking, and the signs are everywhere: Keyonte George’s breakout, Utah’s choice not to move Lauri Markkanen and the coming return of Walker Kessler. Don’t get me wrong – the Utah Jazz are not quite a contending team. However, adding Jaren Jackson Jr. looks to be a genuine pivot, giving the league’s sixth worst defense a notable rim-protecting duo and a massive starting lineup that should help cover for Utah’s young perimeter defenders.
While the pick cost looks hefty, Utah will soon regain full control of its draft picks, and the real priority is ensuring they keep their top-eight protected pick this year, as this season is largely over for them. Still, questions loom with multiple big contracts and Jackson’s injury history. As a result, the Jazz get a B+ from me.
Meanwhile, once Memphis traded Desmond Bane, a rebuild was unavoidable, and now the Grizzlies are sitting on a huge stash of future picks much like Utah was after moving Mitchell and Gobert. However, unlike the Jazz, Memphis is pretty good at drafting and developing players, even outside the lottery. This deal gives them more swings at it, and both the 2031 Suns pick and the Jazz’s 2027 “most favorable” selection could look very good in a few years. The Morant era – if it can be called that – has been over for a while, but the Grizzlies now have a clean slate. I give this trade a B for them.
Anthony Davis to the Washington Wizards
This grade mainly reflects Dallas trading Anthony Davis now, rather than the original decision to acquire him in the first place. That was arguably the worst deal in NBA history. In this case, injuries and his massive contract have made AD difficult to move for anything meaningful, so shedding salary while picking up modest draft assets was a logical move.
The Mavericks gained more cap flexibility to build around Cooper Flagg as he continues to develop, though the first-rounders they came out with barely count. A 2026 OKC pick is essentially in the second round, and the only other pick involved is top-20 protected.
That said, holding onto Anthony Davis in hopes of squeezing out a short-term peak wasn’t going to lead anywhere meaningful. Moving on now allows Dallas to reset, collect assets, and take a more patient approach instead of chasing a ceiling that was never really there. Dallas gets a D, though I am taxing them slightly for the bigger picture. At the end of the day, prime Luka Dončić translated to an old Khris Middleton and two nonexistent first-round picks.
On the other hand, after trading for Trae Young and now acquiring an injured Anthony Davis, the Wizards are an oddly positioned team. They’re shifting out of tank mode … but not really. Washington’s decision to take on Davis while he’s hurt helps them preserve a first-round pick owed to the Knicks by staying in the bottom four, but it also means he probably won’t play again this season.
They’ll enter training camp with a different stylistic puzzle, trying to integrate two stars into a roster that has mainly played four-out around Alex Sarr. Defensively, Davis and Sarr could be a strong pairing, masking Young’s issues, but on offense their fit is uncertain, especially with spacing and pick-and-roll roles to sort out. Still, Tre Johnson is looking to be another ray of hope for the Wizards, emerging as one of the best shooters of his draft class. The bigger concern is that adding veterans – if Trae Young can be called that – like Young and Davis might rush the rebuild before Washington has an actual cornerstone, leaving them in a condition similar to how they have been until this point. The Wizards receive a C+ from me.
James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Darius Garland
Put simply: Harden, still playing at an All-Star level at 36, gives the Cavaliers another elite playmaker who can help ease Donovan Mitchell’s burden. Still, there are real questions about how he and Mitchell will share the ball and how Harden’s track record in the playoffs might play out. Coach Kenny Atkinson will likely stagger their minutes, drawing on Harden’s past success in roles where he’s facilitated more than he’s been completely on-ball, and Jarrett Allen/Evan Mobley should benefit from newfound pick-and-roll action. This trade likely happened because the Cavs believed Garland wasn’t likely to return to last season’s level of play, and they know his health better than we do. With that in mind, a one-for-one swap for James Harden makes some sense. Thus, Cleveland gets a B, though we’ll have to wait and see if it works out.
For the Clippers, trading James Harden for Darius Garland is a pivot toward an uncertain upside. Harden was their offensive organizer and a pretty reliable regular-season engine, especially important on a roster still dependent on Kawhi Leonard’s availability. Garland is younger and theoretically a better long-term fit, but his chronic toe injuries, declining efficiency and reduced impact make him a gamble. This trade reads less like a push to contend and more like a bet that Garland’s health rebounds enough to justify giving up a still-productive Harden. Still, moving on from Harden’s $80 million salary is a smart move for the Clippers, giving them space to work with for the future.. LAC gets a B.
Lightning Round
The Thunder see Jared McCain as a buy-low, high-upside shooter who fits a championship roster that can use more spacing and secondary creation alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Paying four picks feels steep, but OKC’s surplus of draft capital makes the gamble reasonable if McCain returns to form and boosts their offense. Meanwhile, Philadelphia is essentially selling low on McCain to shed salary and get under the luxury tax, even though McCain looked like a promising piece as a rookie. Philly got what they wanted financially, but at the cost of a young player who could still break out. Oklahoma City gets an A. while the 76ers can take a B-.
Charlotte is working off of a winning streak by bringing a North Carolina native in Coby White home to anchor their backcourt rotation. This move provides high-level scoring insurance for Lamelo Ball and solidifies their roster, though the Hornets aren’t much better than they were before. They get a B, while Chicago is finally embracing a reset by trading an expiring contract, albeit a good one, rather than losing a key asset for nothing in free agency. Rob Dillingham is a notable player to gain, but we’ll have to wait and see if he lives up to his draft potential. In my view, Coby White was the face of this suffering franchise, so I’ll give the Bulls a C for “Chicago.”
The Warriors are officially abandoning their developmental “two-timeline” strategy to pair Stephen Curry with a 7’ 3” center who provides both elite rim protection and floor spacing. GSW’s front office is addressing a long-standing roster hole by doing so, and Kristaps Porzingis’ contract expires this summer, negating any long term risk. On the other hand, Atlanta has attempted to acquire an explosive young athlete who fits their timeline while adding a veteran shooter to maintain balance in their rotation. In reality, they aren’t any better or worse than before, except for paying more money. I’m giving the Hawks a C- and Golden State an A.
Despite Giannis remaining on the Milwaukee Bucks, the 2026 trade deadline has not disappointed. The shape of the league has been shifted around heavily as it always is around this time of year, and I’m looking forward to seeing which teams surprise us with a spring push into contention.
