In recent years, most NBA trade deadlines have passed without much buzz from around the league. One good reason for the lack of fanfare is that most stars are bound to be traded during the offseason, not in February.
However, this year was different than most. After Luka Doncic’s shocking trade to the Lakers, the floodgates opened. No stars were safe, and everybody knew it.
In what was inarguably the most bizarre trade deadline in history, we will look at the final grades for all the deals that happened in this season’s NBA trade deadline.
Which teams had the best grades after the NBA trade deadline?
Suns get Nick Richards from the Hornets (Jan. 15)
Suns receive: Nick Richards, One second-round pick
Nick Richards is a decent center, but we’re not entirely sure if he’s what the Suns need when it comes to the games in the postseason. He’s a good lob threat but doesn’t have a jump shot past 10 feet. He’s subpar on the defensive end, averaging a measly 0.2 SPG and 0.9 BPG in his career.
Grade: C-
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Hornets receive Josh Okogie from the Suns
Hornets receive: Josh Okogie, Three second-round picks
After Grant Williams’ season-ending injury, it’s no wonder that they went out to find a rotation wing to add to their roster. While Okogie’s number may never stand out, he’s just what they needed for now. Plus, the three second-round picks were a nice return for Nick Richards.
Grade: B
Suns land three first-rounders from the Jazz (Jan. 21)
Suns receive: 2025 least favorable first-round pick (via Cleveland, Minnesota, or Utah), 2027 least favorable first-round pick (via Cleveland, Minnesota, or Utah), 2029 least favorable first-round pick (via Cleveland, Minnesota, or Utah)
This is a good NBA trade deadline deal for the Suns as they are anticipating whenever the trio of Durant, Booker, and Beal might blow up if they fall short in the playoffs again this season. By acquiring three first-round picks from 2025, 2027, and 2029, expect them to dangle those assets in future deals.
Grade: A
Jazz gets a first-rounder from the Suns
Jazz receive: 2031 unprotected first-round pick
While 2031 is still as far away as you can imagine, getting back an unprotected first-round pick at the price of three least favorable picks is a win for the Jazz. It may not feel like it now, but wait until it materializes in 2031.
Grade: A
Clippers get Eubanks and Mills from Utah (Feb. 1)
Clippers receive: Drew Eubanks, Patty Mills
The Clippers ended their dilemma with the disgruntled PJ Tucker and dealt him to the Jazz in return for two role players, Drew Eubanks and Patty Mills. Eubanks is a serviceable backup big man who could play 10 to 15 minutes per night for any team, while Mills is a respected NBA veteran who can still contribute at the right opportunity.
Grade: B+
Jazz land PJ Tucker from the Clippers
Jazz receive: Mo Bamba, P.J. Tucker, 2030 second-round pick, Cash considerations
Can’t say the Jazz were handsomely compensated enough about their deal with the Clippers. Mo Bamba is a third-string center at best and is widely considered a bust. The 2030 second-rounder may not be as valuable down the road.
Grade: D-
Lakers land Luka Doncic in three-team deal (Feb. 2)
Lakers receive: Luka Dončić, Maxi Kleber, Markieff Morris
This was the deal that started all the craziness in this year’s NBA trade deadline. Out goes Anthony Davis and Max Christie, and in goes Luka Doncic. In arguably the biggest heist in history, the Lakers’ future is set with Doncic in tow. Luka is a top three player in the world when healthy. Now paired with LeBron James, the Lakers become contenders almost overnight.
Grade: A++++
Mavericks get Anthony Davis in Luka Doncic deal
Mavs receive: Anthony Davis, Max Christie, 2029 first-round pick
No disrespect to Davis, but this was a very bad trade by the Mavs organization. While AD is undoubtedly a top-15 NBA talent, he’s just too injury-prone throughout his career. It’s hard to see that he could lead this team to a title within the next couple of years. This trade received intense backlash from the fans of the franchise, mostly aimed at GM Nico Harrison. The only positive thing for this trade was acquiring Max Christie.
Grade: F
Jazz unknowingly became part of Luka trade, get Hood-Schifino
Utah Jazz receive: Jalen Hood-Schifino, 2025 second-round pick, 2025 second-round pick
Jazz GM Danny Ainge was allegedly kept in the dark about the details of the trade right until half an hour before everything was set to be announced publicly. Had Ainge been aware beforehand, there’s no way he wouldn’t have tried to offer half of the Jazz roster just to get Luka. Still, it’s not a bad deal for basically giving up nothing to get their hands on Hood-Schifino and a couple of second-rounders.
Grade: B+
Three-team trade for Spurs to acquire De’Aaron Fox (Feb. 2)
Spurs receive: De’Aaron Fox, Jordan McLaughlin
The Spurs now have a co-star to pair with Victor Wembanyama for the next four to five years. The Spurs rarely make massive deals within the NBA trade deadline, but they were in a hurry to hasten their rebuilding process to accommodate their franchise star. While they won’t become immediate contenders after this deal, the Spurs will surely be in the mix sooner rather than later.
Grade: A++
Zach LaVine reunites with DeRozan in Sacramento
Kings receive: Zach LaVine, Sidy Cissoko, Three first rounders, Two second rounders
Receiving LaVine and six future draft picks in exchange for De’Aaron Fox was a massive haul from the Kings. The only problem is that they’ll be without a starting-caliber point guard to lead this team in their playoff push this season. LaVine reunites with Bulls buddy DeMar DeRozan in Sacramento. Can LaVine make a difference with this team? That’s a huge question for them right now.
Grade: B-
Bulls receive Collins and Huerter in exchange for LaVine
Bulls receive: Zach Collins, Kevin Huerter, Tre Jones, 2025 first-round pick (via Spurs)
After years of speculation and a never-ending attempt to relevancy, the Bulls inexplicably parted with LaVine for a trio of role players and a single draft pick. This is not how you win at the NBA trade deadline. What’s worse is that they didn’t even attempt to move Nikola Vucevic or Patrick Williams to enter a full-scale rebuild.
Grade: F
Mavs trade away Quentin Grimes to the Sixers for Martin (Feb. 4)
Mavs receive: Caleb Martin, Two second rounders
In another questionable chance at an upgrade, the Mavs traded away the promising Quentin Grimes to the Sixers in exchange for Caleb Martin. While Martin is a talented wing, he’s been too injury-prone since leaving Miami a couple of years ago to play for the Sixers. In addition, the Mavs received extra compensation to acquire Martin after some issues with his physical.
Grade: D-
Sixers turn Caleb Martin into Grimes
Sixers receive: Quentin Grimes, 2025 second-round pick
This is an underrated win for the Sixers organization in the NBA trade deadline. Martin was an odd fit for them right from the get-go. Grimes should become the team’s sixth man moving forward. He has shown flashes during his stint with the Mavs that he could be a very good player in the league for a long time. The Sixers should benefit immensely from this deal.
Grade: A-
OKC acquired Daniel Theis from the Pelicans (Feb. 5)
Thunder receive: Daniel Theis, 2031 second-round pick
This deal was about the Thunder getting a future second-rounder in exchange for cash. While Theis can still play, the young Thunder has no room for him this season. He’ll probably take his talents back to Europe if no offers come his way.
Grade: C
Pelicans aim for cap relief, give up a second-rounder, and Theis to OKC
Pelicans receive: Cash considerations
With Theis not playing much for them due to the emergence of rookie Yves Missi, the Pelicans traded him plus a second-rounder to the Thunder for some cap relief this season.
Grade: D
Kings scoop Jonas Valanciunas from the Wizards (Feb. 5)
Kings receive: Jonas Valanciunas
Getting a solid backup center like Valanciunas for the prize of two second-rounders and a third-string big man is a win for the Kings. As we all know, Valanciunas and Domas Sabonis have a shared history due to their Lithuanian roots. This is a very good pickup in the NBA trade deadline for this team.
Grade: A
Wizards receive future assets for Valanciunas trade
Wizards receive: Sidy Cissoko, Two second-round rounders
Sidy Cissoko was immediately waived by the Wizards but still got two second-rounders for trading Valanciunas to the Kings. Valanciunas was one of their prized free-agency signings during the offseason and was meant to mentor Alex Sarr, the 2nd overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Grade: C-
Celtics trade Jaden Springer to the Rockets (Feb. 6)
Celtics receive: 2031 second-round pick
This trade was more on shedding some salary, as the Celtics did not have minutes available for the young Springer. They had to give up a couple of future second-rounders to entice the Rockets to take the salary of the young guard.
Grade: C-
Rockets add Springer plus two second-rounders
Rockets receive: Jaden Springer, 2027 second-round pick, 2030 second-round pick
Cannot say if this is a good haul for the Rockets, as they did take on some salary in order to get a couple of second-rounders to get this deal done. With Fred VanVleet nursing an injury, Springer may get some actual minutes for this team to prove his worth.
Grade: C
Wizards land veteran Reggie Jackson (Feb. 6)
Wizards receive: Reggie Jackson, 2026 first-round pick
Not sure what the Wizards are trying to do here. Sure, they want to add a veteran guard to the roster, but they already have Malcolm Brogdon filling that role. Maybe they value the 2026 first-rounder more than Jackson’s services?
Grade: D
Jared Butler, not Jimmy, goes to the Sixers
76ers receive: Jared Butler, Four Future Second Rounders
This was a good scoop for the Sixers as they unload Jackson’s contract. One thing that was a bit pricey was sending the Wizards a 2026 first-rounder in the deal. However, netting four future rounders at the NBA trade deadline and a young prospect should make this almost a win for this proud franchise.
Grade: B
Rockets get Cody Zeller from the Hawks (Feb. 6)
Rockets receive: Cody Zeller, 2028 second-round pick
Yes, apparently, Cody Zeller is still playing. The Rockets were in the market for a veteran big man, and Zeller could play a few minutes for them when needed.
Grade: B
Hawks receive Alpha Kaba from Rockets
Hawks receive: Draft rights to Alpha Kaba
This was an odd one for the Hawks. Maybe they want to shed some salary, and since Zeller wasn’t playing for them, he became the odd one out. Kaba is a 29-year-old French player who may or may not set foot on an NBA court soon. And oh…they gave up a second-rounder, too, to complete this deal.
Grade: D-
Injured James Wiseman goes to the Raptors (Feb. 6)
Raptors receive: James Wiseman, Cash considerations
This is a low-risk, high-reward investment for the Raptors. They just gave up a future second-rounder to obtain Wiseman, the former 2nd overall pick in 2020. Wiseman’s career has been plagued by injuries, and that’s also true this season, as he won’t be expected to suit up until next year.
Grade: C+
Pacers receive second-rounder for Wiseman
Pacers receive: 2026 second-round pick
There was promise early in the season for Wiseman, but after his season-ending injury, he didn’t just fit their long-term plans. We can’t blame them for pulling the trigger when a team inquired to get the oft-injured big man.
Grade: D
Pistons land KJ Martin (Feb. 6)
Pistons receive: KJ Martin, Two second rounders
KJ Martin is not the price here for the Pistons, as his name will be rerouted a few more times in the latter part of this article. However, the Pistons landed a scoop with two second-rounders for essentially giving up on nothing.
Grade: B+
Sixers unload Martin for cash
Sixers receive: Cash considerations
The Sixers wanted to shed some salary and get below the tax apron. KJ, the son of former Nets all-star Kenyon Martin, was the odd man out. He had little to no playing time for the Sixers this season.
Grade: D
Hornets get Jusuf Nurkic from the Suns (Feb. 6)
Hornets receive: Jusuf Nurkic, 2026 first-round pick
With Nick Richards off to the Suns in January, both teams struck a deal again, with Nurkic heading to the Hornets and a first-round pick. Nurkic is a solid, big man who will instantly start for the Hornets moving forward. He’ll also serve as a good veteran presence in the locker room.
Grade: B+
Suns land Martin and Vasilije from the Hornets
Suns receive: Cody Martin, Vasilije Micic, 2026 second-round pick
With Nick Richards in tow, the Suns no longer needed Nurkic’s services. They landed Cody Martin and Vasilije Micic, plus a second-rounder for Nurkic. While Martin may add some depth to the Suns, Micic will have a tough time cracking the rotation for this team.
Grade: B
Raptors land PJ Tucker from Heat (Feb. 6)
Raptors receive: PJ Tucker, 2026 second-round pick, Cash considerations
Tucker’s name has bounced a bit in this year’s NBA trade deadline, and it remains to be seen if he’s going to suit up for the Raptors this season or head into the buyout market. At 39 years old, the market for the once-good defender has been extremely limited.
Grade: F
Davion Mitchell lands with Miami
Heat receive: Davion Mitchell
Due to Immanuel Quickley’s injury woes early this season, Mitchell was thrust into the Raptors’ starting lineup. His performance wasn’t good, but it wasn’t bad either. He’s a good defender, though. He gets a fresh start for Miami for the rest of this season.
Grade: B-
Bucks land Kevin Porter Jr from the Clippers (Feb. 6)
Bucks receive: Kevin Porter Jr.
In a rare one-on-one trade at this year’s NBA trade deadline, the Bucks received the controversial but talented Kevin Porter Jr from the Clippers in exchange for the underwhelming MarJon Beauchamp. If Porter pans out, this would be a steal for the Bucks. He’s still young and has tons of potential, especially on the offensive end.
Grade: A-
Clippers acquire Beauchamp from the Bucks
Clippers receive: MarJon Beauchamp
After much hype, Beauchamp’s career with the Bucks was a failure. He was a constant DNP during his time with Milwaukee. His improvement from year to year was small, and as a result, the Bucks grew impatient with his career trajectory. Maybe the Clippers saw something in him that they’d wish to develop.
Grade: D
Clippers stay busy, trade for the Hawks’ Bogdanovic (Feb. 6)
Clippers get: Bogdan Bogdanovic
This deal was a really good one for the Clippers. They feel that they have a chance for a deep playoff run, with Kawhi Leonard rounding into form and going out to add a shooter to this team. Bogdan Bogdanovic is one of the most underrated and underappreciated shooters in the league today.
Grade: A
Hawks land Mann and Hyland from the Clippers
Hawks get: Terance Mann, Bones Hyland, Three second rounders
Mann was once deemed ‘untouchable’ by the Clippers not too long ago. Due to Norman Powell’s emergence as a legitimate scoring threat, Mann became dispendable. He’ll now get a fresh start in Atlanta, which is desperate for a 3-and-D player after the NBA trade deadline. And with Hyland? Maybe there’s a chance he’ll crack the Hawks rotation this season before hitting free agency.
Grade: B+
Four-team trade lands Kyle Kuzma with Milwaukee (Feb. 6)
Bucks receive: Kyle Kuzma, Jericho Sims, Two second rounders
It’s no secret that the Bucks wanted to get younger. But is Kyle Kuzma the solution they’d hoped for in order to compete for another championship? Losing Khris Middleton to this deal – a beloved Bucks figure – is going to sting, especially for Giannis. Sure, Kuzma’s younger than Middleton, but it’s hard to picture him succeeding in Milwaukee.
Grade: D
Wizards add veteran Khris Middleton from the Bucks
Wizards receive: Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, 2028 first-round pick swap
In all honesty, it’s quite sad that Middleton will now play for one of the NBA’s cellar-dwelling franchises. He’s injury-prone, missing 100 games over three seasons. But dumping him to Washington? He deserves better than that. Can’t say this won’t be a good thing for the Wizards, though. If he balls out, he’ll be a valuable asset moving forward for this team.
Grade: C+
Knicks acquire Delon Wright
Knicks receive: Delon Wright, Draft rights to Hugo Besson, Cash considerations
As part of this complicated four-team trade, the Knicks get their hands on Wright, a 3-and-D guard who has bounced around the league in recent seasons, in exchange for big man Jericho Sims. Coach Thibs loves guys like Wright, and he’ll arguably get some minutes for this team this season.
Grade: C+
Spurs get Patrick Baldwin Jr
Spurs receive: Patrick Baldwin Jr., Cash considerations
Hard to believe that the Spurs were a part of this four-team trade. They made this move for cap flexibility, as they immediately waved Baldwin Jr when the trade pushed through.
Grade: D
Cavs land De’Andre Hunter from Atlanta (Feb. 6)
Cavs receive: De’Andre Hunter
Arguably one of the best, underrated moves at the NBA trade deadline, the Cavs land De’Andre Hunter from the Hawks. Despite having the top record in the Eastern Conference this season, the Cavs knew that they needed to upgrade at the small forward spot. Hunter is having a career year, averaging 19 PPG on just 28 MPG.
Grade: A+
Hawks get LeVert and Niang from Cleveland
Hawks receive: Caris LeVert, Georges Niang, Three second-round picks, Two pick swaps
With Terance Mann on board, the Hawks felt that Hunter’s production was no longer needed. They needed to fill up their bench with role players while still committed to making the playoffs this season. LeVert and Niang are reliable players, but none of them are as good as Hunter.
Grade: C-
Jimmy Butler goes to the Warriors in a complicated five-team trade (Feb. 6)
Warriors receive: Jimmy Butler, Two second-round picks, Cash considerations
After a tumultuous season with Miami, Jimmy Buckets finally had his wish granted and was traded to the Warriors. It’s not his preferred team, but he was happy to leave the Heat. The Warriors have an aging core right now, with Steph, Draymond, and Butler all 35 years old and older. However, this trade might still work for the Warriors. With Butler, they’ll have another star to pair with the still-efficient Curry for another title run.
Grade: B+
Heat ends their Jimmy dilemma and gets Wiggins in return
Heat receive: Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson, Davion Mitchell, 2025 protected first-round pick
So long, Jimmy. Pat Riley’s stress-free right now, maybe. While the return for Jimmy wasn’t much, the Heat are ecstatic to land Wiggins from the Warriors. He’ll fit right in next to Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo on this roster. Anderson will get some minutes for this Heat team this season. Mitchell will have a hard time cracking the rotation, but Coach Spo may give him a chance to shine.
Grade: A-
Jazz get Richardson from Miami, plus picks
Jazz receive: Josh Richardson, KJ Martin, Two second-rounders, Cash considerations
As part of this complicated five-team trade, the Jazz added some veteran presence with the acquisition of Josh Richardson. They’ll have a long look at how KJ Martin can progress with this team, but there’s hope that the athletic forward can find minutes as the season goes on.
Grade: B
Pistons land veteran Dennis Schroder
Pistons receive: Lindy Waters III, Dennis Schroder, 2031 second-round pick
Another franchise involved in this five-team fiasco, Dennis Schroder, is on his fourth team just this season. That’s a wild statistic. It looks like the Pistons are keeping him as a backup for emerging star Cade Cunningham. Waters, 27, will have a chance to help Detroit’s bench as they aim for their first postseason birth since the Blake Griffin era.
Grade: B+
PJ Tucker is a Raptor
Raptors receive: P.J. Tucker, 2026 second-round pick, Cash considerations
Well, this might be it for PJ’s career. With measly numbers across the board, he might be bought out or head to retirement after this season. At least the Raptors added a second-rounder after all this mess.
Grade: F
Raptors stay busy, land Brandon Ingram from New Orleans (Feb. 6)
Raptors receive: Brandon Ingram
The Raptors were bound to take a leap this season, but injuries to their main guys at the start of the year played a huge role in their demise in the standings. By trading for Brandon Ingram in this year’s NBA trade deadline, they are now poised to compete in the East as early as next season. When healthy, BI is one of the most skilled players at the small forward spot.
Grade: A
Pelicans receives Brown and Olynyk from Toronto
Pelicans receive: Bruce Brown, Kelly Olynyk, First-round pick, Second-round pick
Was this the best trade that the Pelicans could have gotten for an all-star like Ingram? Probably not. Brown has championship merit and Olynyk is a respected veteran around the league. But with the Pelicans dealing with multiple injuries to their roster this season, they just want to have healthy bodies on the floor.
Grade: C-
Wizards acquire former DPOY Marcus Smart from Memphis in a three-team deal (Feb. 6)
Wizards receive: Marcus Smart, Colby Jones, Alex Len, 2025 first-round pick
Instead of getting younger, the Wizards loaded on veteran players this past NBA trade deadline. Well, couldn’t blame them if they wanted the regressing Smart, who never found his niche with the up-and-coming Grizzlies. And oh…they also had added a first-round pick in the loaded 2025 NBA draft.
Grade: C
Memphis lose Smart, add Bagley and Davis
Grizzlies receive: Marvin Bagley III, Johnny Davis, Two second-round picks
This was a baffling pick for the Grizzlies. We know that Smart was struggling, but they could not possibly think that lottery busts like Bagley and Davis could help them with their playoff run this season. This was an odd trade, Memphis. They also lost Jake LaRavia in this three-team deal.
Grade: F
Kings add Jake LaRavia from Memphis
Kings receive: Jake LaRavia
The Kings are probably the only winner in this three-team trade. Jake LaRavia is a very good role player who is still young at 23. The Kings get a decent young guy who has the potential to develop into a starter a few years from now.
Grade: B+
