This NBA Trade Deadline has been mind-bending — we have already seen Luka Doncic traded out of nowhere for Anthony Davis, a deal that stunned everybody, including Doncic and Davis. We’ve seen De’Aaron Fox push his way to San Antonio to team up with Victor Wembanyama. We’ve seen Jimmy Butler traded to Golden State to team up with Stephen Curry.
The NBA trade deadline is now officially in the past (Feb. 6, at 3 p.m. Eastern). What follows is all the latest news, notes and rumors from the deadline, which includes the news that trickled in just as it ended.
Offseason trade rumors start: Hawks deal Trae Young?
The NBA trade rumor mill never stops. Literally.
It took all of a couple of minutes past the mid-season trade deadline for the well-connected Chris Haynes to wonder or Atlanta and Trae Young could part ways this offseason.
Trae Young’s future with Atlanta Hawks is becoming murky. pic.twitter.com/7PPSdBGzLz
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) February 6, 2025
Best post-deadline social media post: Myles Turner
Pacers center Myles Turner heard his name come up in a lot of trade rumors — in part because there are real questions about how much Indiana wants to give him this summer in a new contract — but he’s also a fantastic fit next to Tyrese Haliburton on a Pacers team that was as hot as any team in January. He didn’t want to go anywhere, and posted this.
— Myles Turner (@Original_Turner) February 6, 2025
TRADE: Clippers trade Kevin Porter Jr. to Bucks for MarJon Beauchamp
Kevin Porter Jr. has been getting a little more run of late with the Clippers, showing flashes of potential intermixed with what we will politely call some interesting decision making.
This wasn’t about that, this was about the money. The Clippers traded Kevin Porter Jr. to the Milwaukee Bucks for MarJon Beauchamp.
The Los Angeles Clippers are trading Kevin Porter Jr. to the Milwaukee Bucks for MarJon Beauchamp, sources tell ESPN.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 6, 2025
For the Clippers, it’s because the Bucks didn’t pick up the player option on Beauchamp so he comes off the books at the end of the season (he will be a free agent). Porter has a $2.5 million player option for next season.
TRADE: Pacers James Wiseman to Raptors
James Wiseman just didn’t fit as a backup big man in Indiana like the Pacers hoped, so they have traded him to Toronto along with some cash for the Raptors’ troubles.
The more interesting thing from the Raptors: Chris Boucher remains in Toronto past the deadline.
TRADE: Memphis trades Jake LaRavia to Sacramento
I like this pickup for the Kings, Jake LaRavia is one of those players who every time you see him play in person you think, “he’s really pretty good, he should get more run.”
The Grizzlies have traded LaRavia to the Kings as part of the larger Marcus Smart trade, where a 2028 second-rounder pick lands with Memphis, while Colby Jones and Alex Len head to Washington. Also in that deal, the Wizards are sending Marvin Bagley III and Johnny Davis to the Grizzlies.
LaRavia is averaging 7.4 points a game shooting 44.4% from 3 (on just a couple of attempts a game) while playing about 20 minutes a night. For a Kings team focused on offense not defense, LaRavia should fit right in.
NBA TRADE DEADLINE PAST: Suns keep Durant
The NBA Trade deadline is officially in the past, 3 Easter on Thursday, although a few smaller trades are trickling in at the deadline (which you will see above this story, but they got in just under the wire).
The biggest note: Kevin Durant is still a member of the Phoenix Suns and will be through the rest of this season. A week ago that would have merited a “duh” if you said that to anyone, but after the last 48 hours it is actual news. Durant told Shams Charania of ESPN he was blindsided by the trade buzz around his name and didn’t understand it, he never asked to be traded.
The other bigger trade that did not come together before the deadline was the Warriors trying to land Nikola Vucevic — three trades for the Bulls center fell apart in the 72 hours before the deadline.
TRADE: Grizzlies trade Marcus Smart, first-round pick to Wizards
Memphis was looking to trade Marcus Smart and the cost ended up being a first-round pick.
Memphis is sending the veteran point guard and a 2025 first-round pick to the Wizards for two second-round picks, a move about saving money and opening up roster spots for Memphis. Shams Charania of ESPN broke the story, but there are likely other teams and details involved as well.
TRADE: Dennis Schroder going to Pistons in expanded Butler trade
Because with four teams and seven players, the Jimmy Butler to the Warriors trade was not already big enough.
As part of that trade, Dennis Schroder was being sent to Utah with a pick, but that has been changed and Schroder is being re-routed to Detroit, according to multiple reports.
It's gonna be K.J. Martin, Josh Richardson and a 2028 second-round pick from Detroit to Utah, source says.
— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) February 6, 2025
Detroit wants to keep Schroder as a backup to Cade Cunningham, which is a smart play by Detroit but bad news for teams that thought they could snap Schroder up when the Jazz bought him out and made him a free agent. Schorder will no longer be available. He is averaging 14.4 points and 5.8 assists a game this season, he was previously traded to Golden State in hopes he could take some of the shot creation load off of Stephen Curry, but Schroder never meshed with the Warriors’ system.
TRADE: Atlanta trades Cody Zeller to Houston for second-round pick
The Atlanta Hawks are racking up trades right before the deadline.
This latest trade is a smaller one: Cody Zeller is being traded to the Houston Rockets in exchange for their 2028 second-round pick.
For Hawks fans trying to keep track of all this:
Hawks trade away: De’Andre Hunter, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Cody Zeller, four second-round picks.
Hawks receive: Terance Mann, Caris LeVert, Georges Niang, Bones Hyland, first-round pick swaps in 2026 and 2028 (there are protections on those), three second-round picks.
TRADE: Hawks trade Bogdan Bogdanovic to Clippers for Mann, Hyland
The Los Angeles Clippers like Terance Mann, but they like the potential shooting and shorter contract of Bogdan Bogdanovic more. The Clippers have traded Mann and the expiring contract of Bones Hyland to the Hawks for Bogdanovic, a story broken by Shams Charania of ESPN.
The Los Angeles Clippers are trading Terance Mann and Bones Hyland to the Atlanta Hawks for Bogdan Bogdanovic and three second-round picks, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/jffPjDYiVm
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 6, 2025
Those three second-round picks are 2025 Minnesota, 2026 Memphis (protected 43-60), and 2027 Clippers. It should be noted multiple teams called the Clippers about Mann, including Denver (who would not have wanted Hyland back). The Clippers are now $2.4 million below the luxury tax with an open roster spot they can choose to fill with any player who is bought out after the deadline.
Mann had played a larger role for the Clippers early in the season, but since returning from a fractured finger saw Kris Dunn and others take up his minutes. In Atlanta he should have a more clearly defined role.
Report: Vibes around Suns “toxic”
Phoenix openly tried hard to trade one “star” but couldn’t find a taker for Bradley Beal, who didn’t want to go anywhere anyway (he just moved his family to the city this summer) and has a no-trade clause. Still, the Suns tried desperately to trade for Jimmy Butler, then abruptly pivoted and listened to offers for Kevin Durant, with a deal that would have sent KD back to Golden State almost made (except Durant wanted no part of it and threw cold water on the deal). Jusuf Nurkic was openly being shopped and eventually traded.
All of that has led to a toxic environment in Phoenix, reports Ramona Shelburne of ESPN on the network’s NBA Today (hat tip Bleacher Report).
“The word I would use is toxic. That shoot-around yesterday, I heard, was very awkward, very weird in Oklahoma City, because everybody was on pins and needles, wondering what they were going to do. Now you have this reset where, how do you move forward as a team? When there was a clear mandate here that they have to do something... And the thing they were trying to do did not come to fruition because Durant said no.”
All this makes one wonder what is Durant’s feeling and thinking? He has one season left on his contract after this one, could he demand a trade this summer because he wants out of this environment? KD is mercurial and predicting his next move is a fool’s errand, but there are people in front office’s around the NBA wondering the same thing.
Hawks trade De’Andre Hunter to the Cavaliers for LeVert, Niang, picks, swaps
The Cleveland Cavaliers are as close to an NBA title as they have been since LeBron James was wearing wine and gold, and they are pushing all their chips in on this season.
The Hawks are trading De’Andre Hunter to the Cleveland Cavaliers for a package of Caris LeVert, Georges Niang, two pick swaps, and three second-round picks, a deal first reported by Shams Charania of The Athletic and since confirmed by multiple sources. This trade is not finalized and a third team could be brought in to take on salary. This is a trade that had been floating around for the past 24 hours (as you can read of you scroll down).
This is a huge win for the Cavaliers (in my mind, but I am higher on Hunter than most). First, and with all due respect to how well LeVert has played this season, Hunter is an upgrade on the wing the way he has played this season. Hunter, a 6'8" small forward out of Virginia, is in the conversation for Sixth Man of the Year, averaging 19 points a game, shooting 39.3% from 3, and he is a quality perimeter defender. That said, he has an injury history and is owed two years and more than $48 million beyond this season, there are a lot of front offices who hated that contract).
Beyond Hunter, by trading away LeVert and Niang the Cavaliers get below the luxury tax line by $1.5 million (with two open roster spots). Why that matters is that the Cavaliers can now sign any player bought out after the deadline (teams over the tax line cannot sign bought out players who make more than the $12.8 mid-level exception, players such as Bruce Brown, for example).
Teams still calling Suns about Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant threw cold water on the idea of him reuniting with Stephen Curry in the Bay Area (is Durant’s beef with Draymond Green still that strong?). Reports have been that Durant is happy and committed to the Suns, and Phoenix wants to see what he and Devin Booker can do pushing this team into the playoffs.
That hasn’t stopped teams from calling the Suns about KD, ESPN’s Shams Charania said Thursday on NBA Today.
“From what I’m told, there are multiple teams making really aggressive calls to the Suns on Kevin Durant.”
Those calls are going nowhere, but the Suns are getting calls.
TRADE: Suns trade Nurkic to Hornets for Cody Martin, more
After the Hornets traded center Mark Williams to the Lakers, they needed to find another center for their roster because Taj Gibson alone was not going to cut it.
Enter Jusuf Nurkic. The Suns had been looking to trade Nurkic for a while and found a deal with the Charlotte Hornets, who will send Cody Martin and more back to Phoenix.
The Phoenix Suns are trading Jusuf Nurkic and a 2026 first-round pick to the Charlotte Hornets for Cody Martin, Vasilije Micic and a 2026 second-round pick, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/epRJty7lid
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 6, 2025
The first-round pick the Suns are sending to Charlotte is one of the ones they got from the Jazz, the trade where Phoenix sent its 2031 unprotected first-round pick to Utah for three firsts, likely all in the 20s.
Ingram gone, McCollum next for Pelicans? Team happy with Zion.
What does the next phase of New Orleans Pelicans basketball look like? We know it will not include Brandon Ingram, as he has been traded to the Toronto Raptors. It’s not just Ingram, Jonas Valanciunas, Larry Nance Jr., Naji Marshall and Dyson Daniels also all have been traded.
William Guillory gets into that at The Athletic. First, Zion Williamson isn’t going anywhere. New Orleans is happy with the steps Zion has taken of late, writing “several of the Pelicans higher-ups have been very happy with Williamson’s work behind the scenes to improve his conditioning and performance on the court.”
Trey Murphy III gas started to look like the All-Star many of the Pelicans believe he can be, stepping up in recent games as Ingram’s role shrank. What would Zion, Murphy and a healthy Dejonte Murray and Herb Jones look like together? Is CJ McCollum part of that future it is he traded? Is Willie Green coaching this team next season? There are a lot of questions to be answered, but the Pelicans are leaning into Zion and their young core to see how that goes.
Cavaliers still in pursuit of Hawks’ De’Andre Hunter
Cleveland got handled the other night by the Boston Celtics, and while one should not read too much into regular season games, one might wonder how much it is spurring the Cavaliers to look at a trade for a defensive wing.
Cleveland and Atlanta are still talking about a trade that would send De’Andre Hunter to the Cavaliers, reports Mark Stein and Jake Fischer at The Stein Line.
From my understanding, there’s a pathway for Cleveland to both acquire De’Andre Hunter, and achieve another goal of dipping under the luxury tax. https://t.co/PbUIdAeV5H
— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) February 6, 2025
Hunter is having a Sixth Man of the Year level campaign for Atlanta, averaging 19 points a game, shooting 39.3% from 3 and being a plus perimeter defender. He would be a great fit in Cleveland, but the price will be steep. That said, if the Cavaliers are not going to push all-in now with this roster, when would they?
TRADE: Bucks trade Patrick Baldwin Jr. to Spurs
While it’s technically a separate deal, in practical terms the Spurs are the third team in the Kyle Kuzma/Khris Middleton trade. Patrick Baldwin doesn’t need to go to Milwaukee in that bigger trade, he can fly straight to San Antonio now. The Bucks are sending Patrick Baldwin to the Spurs, and San Antonio gets a little extra cash in the deal reports, Shams Charania of ESPN.
The Bucks are now $2.7 below the second tax apron, so if they want to give Kuzma his full trade bonus they can. Baldwin would round out the Spurs roster at 15, they are well under the luxury tax line (about $9.4 million below).
TRADE: Raptors trade Davion Mitchell to Heat for PJ Tucker
The Miami Heat pick up a little more guard depth and the cost, ultimately, is some cash and a second-round pick.
The Toronto Raptors are trading guard Davion Mitchell to Miami for PJ Tucker, a second-round pick and cash, reports Shams Charania of ESPN. Mitchell, in his fourth NBA season, started 22 games for the Raptors this season, averaging 6.3 points and 4.6 assists a game, and he’s improved his 3-point shooting, hitting 35.9% from beyond the arc. He’s also been a plus defender for Toronto at the point.
More importantly, this drops Miami below the first tax apron. Mitchell should fit in with the Heat, and is a restricted free agent after this season, so the Heat can match any offer to keep him if they like what they see.
Warriors, Bulls talk Nikola Vucevic trade
Golden State may not be done making big moves.
The Warriors and Bulls are discussing a possible a possible Nikola Vucevic trade, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reports. Golden State wants an upgrade at the five and Vucevic would provide a scoring punch they need.
Does Golden State want to give up what it will take to get this trade done? It would need to be something like Kevon Looney, Gary Payton II (or Buddy Hield), a minimum player (Gui Santos?) and a pick to make the trade happen. If the Warriors are all in on this season, that may be a call worth making.
Draymond on Butler: “We win. All three of us. So there’s your fit.”
There are questions about how good the Warriors really are with Jimmy Butler added to the mix along with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. Some pundits think this makes them contenders. I do not — Butler, even at his best, has been a step slower this season and I’m not convinced “Playoff Jimmy” is coming to save them. Green has been a step slower this season. Curry is still Curry, but not as consistently. They are not better than Oklahoma City or even on the same level, and I’m not convinced they are on the same level as Denver or the new-look Lakers. Besides, the Warriors sit as the No. 11 seed out West — they need to get into even the play-in before we can talk about how quickly they will be bounced from the postseason.
Draymond Green sees Butler as a great fit and told ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk about it.
Asked Draymond Green how Jimmy Butler, Stephen Curry and himself fit together: "We win. All three of us. So there's your fit." He also said Jimmy has a "winning f------ pedigree" and is a guy that in a lot of ways is like him with the edge and mindset he brings to games.
— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) February 6, 2025
Curry, Durant spoke about possible KD return to Bay Area
In the end, Kevin Durant didn’t want to return to Golden State. That killed the deal (which would have sent Jimmy Butler to Phoenix).
Durant and Curry spoke this week, Anthony Slater reports at The Athletic: “At some point in the last several days, Stephen Curry had a conversation with Kevin Durant that convinced him a reunion was extremely unlikely.” What the Warriors didn’t get their heads around, at least at first, was that KD wanted no part of a return to Golden State — did his beef with Draymond Green play a role in that? Whatever the reason, once reality sank in, the trade fell apart.
One other interesting note about the trade that never was: It was perplexing from the outside that Phoenix would trade away Durant and backfill that space with Butler — that is a massive downgrade on the court, with all due respect to “playoff Jimmy.” Durant is better. What Phoenix was (and is) concerned about is what Durant wants to do next; he has one more season after this one on his contract (at $54.7 million), then is a free agent, and Durant can use that to leverage his way out of town. KD can be unpredictable on that front, so the Suns were willing to move on, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.
Butler to Suns, Durant to Warriors almost happened
In the end, Kevin Durant didn’t want to go back to Golden State and the deal died. However, a three-team trade that would have send Jimmy Butler to his preferred destination in Phoneix and reunited Durant and Stephen Curry in Golden State almost happened, reports Brian Windhorst of ESPN on the Network’s “Get Up.”
“This could be qualified as a genuine what-if. There was a deal in place between Golden State, Phoenix and Miami that would have returned Kevin Durant to Golden State. But Durant stepped out and made it known that he did not want a reunion. And once that deal fell apart Golden State pivoted and tried to get Jimmy Butler. The key that got this done was their willingness to give him that two-year, $111-million extension.”
TRADE: 76ers trade Reggie Jackson, first to Wizards for Jared Butler, four seconds
The Philadelphia 76ers traded end-of-the-rotation guards on the roster by sending Reggie Jackson to Washington (along with a first-round pick) for Jared Butler and four second-round picks, a story broken by Marc Stein.
The Sixers will send a 2026 first-round pick to Washington that is the least favorable of first-rounders they hold from the Clippers, Thunder and Rockets, league sources say.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 6, 2025
More NBA from me: https://t.co/IIIlAloJCf https://t.co/0yAqAztAs2
Butler has shown promise in limited minutes in Washington, the 76ers wanted him and got him. While Philly trades away a first, that pick is the worst of the 2026 picks belonging to the Thunder, Rockets and Clippers, so that is going to be a pick near the end of the first round. Washington gets that guaranteed first for taking on an extra year of salary (Jackson has one more season after this one, Butler’s deal is about to expire). Those four seconds the Sixers get from Washington might be as valuable as that first.
Reggie Jackson, a veteran NBA point guard, will have the chance to raise his stock with more run in Washington.
TRADE: Hornets send center Mark Williams to Lakers for Knecht, Redish
While the Lakers won big trading for Luka Doncic, it left a huge hole in the middle of the paint where a defender needed to be.
Enter Mark Williams. The Hornets are trading the 7'0" center out of Duke to the Lakers for popular rookie Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, a 2031 unprotected first-round pick and a 2030 pick swap, a story broken by Shams Charania of ESPN.
Just In: The Los Angeles Lakers are trading Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, a 2031 unprotected first-round pick and a 2030 pick swap to the Charlotte Hornets for center Mark Williams, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/QGUwETssGd
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 6, 2025
Think about this: The Lakers just gave up more draft picks to get Mark Williams then they did to get Luka Doncic.
Not a lot of Lakers fans have probably seen much of Williams (not a lot of people watching Charlotte games period on the West Coast), but Williams is one of the better young centers in the NBA when he’s healthy, averaging 16 points, 9.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocked shots a game. Williams is not a floor spacer but is mobile plays more of a vertical, rim-running game and sets a quality screen — precisely the kind of big that thrives with Luka Doncic.
The concern is a back issue that sidelined him for much of last season — he has played in 85 games and missed 127 since being drafted. if he can stay healthy and defend better (which he has the potential to do), this is a great pickup by Los Angeles. But it is a risk.
I’m not sold on the Lakers as contenders quite yet — they have defensive questions to answer — but they look a lot more threatening in the West with Williams in the paint and shot creators in Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves. This is a second tier in the West team right now, one with a chance.
Charlotte also has done well for itself in the rebuild, a potential knock-down shooter like Knecht with LaMelo Ball could be a fun pairing. This is a team looking at the long term (what does that mean for LaMelo in Charlotte?).
The Hornets have nicely built their first-round picks in future years
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) February 6, 2025
*⃣Own first in the next 7 years
*⃣Top-14 protected first from Miami (2027, unprotected in 2028)
*⃣Top-2 protected first from Dallas (2027)
*⃣Right to swap firsts with LA Lakers (2030)
*⃣Unprotected first from…
Pelicans trade Ingram to Raptors
I’ll be honest: I don’t really get this from Toronto’s perspective, but it’s happening: The Pelicans have reached a deal to send Brandon Ingram to the Toronto Raptors for Kelly Olynyk, Bruce Brown, one first-round and one second round pick, a story first reported by Chris Haynes then fleshed out by ESPN’s Shams Charania.
I get this for New Orleans, whatever they think of Bruce Brown (likely bought out) and Olynyk, they get a couple of picks for their trouble.
The Raptors are another matter. Toronto is a rebuilding team at 16-35, 5.5 games out of the final play-in spot. Why Ingram? Maybe Masai Ujiri just wants to see how Ingram, Scottie Barnes and Immanuel Quickley mesh, but Ingram is a free agent this summer with a long injury history and an expectation of getting paid. It just seems an odd fit, but maybe there is something I am missing.
Knicks trading Jericho Sims to Bucks
Trades that have already been announced are still evolving.
That includes the Kyle Kuzma for Khris Middleton trade between Washington and Milwaukee — now the Knicks are trading center Jericho Sims to the Bucks as part of that deal, a story broken by Shams Charania of ESPN. In return, the Bucks are sending Delon Wright and cash to the Knicks.
Expect a lot more of these kinds of add-ons to trades in the run up to the deadline (especially the Jimmy Butler trade, which has so many moving parts).
Heat learned about Butler trade from fan
In Golden State, the Warriors closed their locker room early before the game (at a time it is supposed to be open to the media) and called in the players warming up so Steve Kerr could gather the troups and tell them about the Jimmy Butler trade.
In Miami, the players learned from a fan behind the bench.
A fan sitting behind the Miami Heat bench broke the Jimmy Butler trade news to the team. pic.twitter.com/MoH6VnTtqK
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 6, 2025
Phoenix Suns standing pat at deadline
Phoenix tried, but making a bold move at the deadline always meant finding a new home for Bradley Beal. Management thought about trading Kevin Durant, but this post from Chris Haynes is pretty much the Suns saying, “We’ll ride with our guys this season,” — which is not all bad. The team has gone 9-6 in its last 15 and plays well with Durant and Devin both on the court.
Multiple obstacles in the way to make a drastic change at the deadline, Phoenix Suns were always prepared to venture into second half of season with the core roster in place. With futures no longer in doubt for time being, the internal hope is improved play.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) February 6, 2025
Hawks, Raptors reportedly “neck-and-neck” for Ingram
It looks like Brandon Ingram will have a new home by 3 p.m. Eastern Thursday. The question is where.
The Atlanta Hawks and Toronto Raptors are reportedly “neck-and-neck” in their final push to land Ingram, reports Sam Amick at The Athletic. Ingram, the former All-Star averaging 22.2 points a game this season, would be a logical short-term replacement in Atlanta for Jalen Johnson, the wing now out for the season following shoulder surgery. In Toronto, team decision-maker Masai Ujiri is looking for players he can pair with Scottie Barnes, who are good fit with the young star, and Ingram intrigues him. Look for one of these two teams to get a deal done.
Lonzo Ball, Bulls agree to two-year, $20 million extension
This is a great story.
After missing more than 1,000 days and having three surgeries on the same knee, not only did Lonzo Ball return to the Bulls this season but he’s been a rock-solid backup point guard for Chicago. So much so that the Bulls and Ball have agreed to a two-year, $20 million contract extension. ESPN’s Shams Charania broke the news.
Teams had called Chicago about a possible trade for Ball, but it’s the smart play by Chicago to keep him around on a good contract. Ball is averaging 7.2 points a game, shooting 34% from 3, dishing out 3.5 assists, and grabbing 3.4 rebounds in 21 minutes a night. He’s proven to be a steady hand at the point, something Chicago has consistently lacked in recent years.
TRADE: Jimmy Butler traded to Warriors in massive four-team deal
The mind-blowing NBA blockbuster trades just keep on coming!
The Golden State Warriors, looking to make one more title push in the Stephen Curry era, have landed Jimmy Butler in a massive four-team trade that gives the Warriors a puncher’s chance in a deep conference where every team is chasing the Oklahoma City Thunder. Shams Charania of ESPN was first.
BREAKING: The Miami Heat are finalizing a deal to send Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors for Andrew Wiggins, Dennis Schroder, Kyle Anderson and a protected first-round pick, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/82mWHKCnVM
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 6, 2025
Here’s how this trade shakes out as of right now (it’s evolving):
• Jimmy Butler goes to the Golden State Warriors, where he will opt out of his player option of $52.4 million for next season to sign a two-year, $121 million extension that keeps him with the Warriors through 2027.
• Miami gets Andrew Wiggins and P.J. Tucker, and Golden State’s 2025 first-round pick (top-10 protected in 2025, 2026, then, if it hasn’t conveyed, is unprotected in 2027; however, most likely the Heat get the Warriors pick in June).
• Utah lands veteran point guard Dennis Schroder and a second round pick.
• Kyle Anderson was rumored to be headed to Toronto but will stay with Miami for now, although that part is in flux according to multiple reports.
My understanding is the Warriors and Heat agreed to their initial swap of players for Jimmy Butler, and it's been Miami's business since then rerouting Dennis Schroder, Lindy Waters and Kyle Anderson.
— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) February 6, 2025
• The Detroit Pistons help facilitate the trade by taking on Lindy Waters and Josh Richardson. They will get draft pick compensation as well.
This is a win for the Warriors. It may not be enough to win ring No. 5 of this era — in fact, it very likely is not enough — but they now have three dangerous veterans in Curry, Green and Butler that no team is going to want to see in the first round.
This trade is a win for Miami, which moves on from Butler and can focus on rebuilding now around Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo.
Warriors back in hunt for Jimmy Butler
Golden State is back in the Jimmy Butler game. For some reason.
The Warriors had their sights set on Kevin Durant, but Durant wanted no part of a reunion so now the Warriors have turned their focus to Jimmy Butler. Again. So reports , Sam Amick and Anthony Slater of The Athletic.
The thing is, Butler wanted no part of the Warriors and told them he would not re-sign there, which killed off the last Golden State effort to find a trade that works. What changed? Nothing we’re aware of. The duo at The Athletic questioned how serious the Warriors are in this chase, but Marc Stein says it is real. The question for Golden State is, why? Is this the shake-up they need? To get Butler would require trading away Andrew Wiggins, Dennis Schroder and a couple of young players and picks, a lot of depth to surrender for a 35-year-old who can walk at the end of the season. It makes one wonder if these Butler rumors are coming from his camp, trying to keep a spark alive even as it looks like there is no trade for him out there.
Still, it’s the Warriors, so keep an eye on it. Golden State wants to make a move.
TRADE: Kings trade for Jonas Valanciunas, send picks to Wizards
Jonas Valanciunas was one of the most talked about names in free agency, he was going somewhere, likely primarily for picks. The question was where?
The answer? Sacramento.
The Kings have traded for the veteran, floor-spacing big man, sending two second-round back to Washington, a story broken by Marc Stein and since confirmed by multiple reports. The deal is Washington will get sending just-acquired wing Sidy Cissoko and a pair of second-round picks to Washington in the deal.
Sacramento now has a front line of Domantas Sabonis and Valanciunas, who is averaging 11.5 points and 8.2 rebounds a game. That’s a lot of offensive firepower up front for the Kings.
Kevin Durant likely to stay with Suns?
For all the buzz around the league in the last 24 hours, it looks more and more like Kevin Durant will be with the Phoenix Suns for the remainder of the season.
ESPN loves a good rumor (a little too much) and even their Brian Windhorst said on NBA Today it looks like Durant stays in Phoenix or heads to Miami before the deadline. Of course Miami likes the idea of landing Durant, but what would that look like? Phoenix would get Jimmy Butler, Nikola Jovic, one first-round pick and two second-round picks, plus pick swaps, suggests Barry Jackson out of Miami.
That makes no sense for Phoenix, the plan was to pair KD and Butler, now swap them out. This deal would be the Suns throwing in the towel on this season and this iteration of the team — Butler is a big step down from Durant at this point in their careers — and betting on a nice young player and Jovic and the pick to start a rebuild around Devin Booker. Does Phoenix owner Mat Ishbia strike anyone as a guy ready to slow down and start a rebuild?
Never say never in this league, but it feels like KD will stay put past the deadline. That said, he is out on Wednesday night against the Thunder, officially due to a sore ankle, which is what teams do with players who might be traded.
Do Heat welcome back Jimmy Butler?
Miami is working the phones hard during the final day before the NBA Trade Deadline hits, but nothing has changed from weeks ago — there isn’t much of a market for 35-year-old Jimmy Butler, and the one team that does want him (Phoenix) can’t get him without finding a third team to take on Bradley Beal and his massive contract. More and more, it looks like Butler will be with the Heat beyond the trade deadline.
Would Miami’s players welcome back Butler if he can’t be traded before the deadline? Ira Winderman of the Miami Sun-Sentinel asked and wrote this: “One teammate privately said that the roster would embrace a Butler who would return at the top of his game.” It’s the sense he would be disruptive and not in peak form that has led to Butler being suspended three times, including indefinitely right now. Could Butler put everything behind him, walk into the Heat building on Friday and have a focus to help this team in the postseason? Or, has he fully checked out? Your guess is as good as mine.
Warriors, Hawks, Raptors eyeing Brandon Ingram
Brandon Ingram has been available via trade for a year now, but it appears a deal is close as the deadline nears.
The Warriors, realizing they will not land Kevin Durant, are eyeing Ingram as a secondary scorer to take some of the load off Stephen Curry, reports Jake Fischer at The Stein Line. He adds that the Raptors and Hawks also are in the mix for the former All-Star, averaging 22.2 points a game. Ingram is an expiring $36 million contract and would love to ultimately re-sign wherever he is traded, but the teams involved may want to see how things play out before committing money going forward.
Kevin Durant doesn’t want to go to Warriors
You can’t go home again... or, at least Kevin Durant doesn’t want to.
While the league has been swept up in the momentum of Phoenix listening to Kevin Durant trades and the Warriors making a call, apparently nobody asked KD — and he doesn’t want to go to the Warriors again. Marc Stein has reported this already at his substack, and now Shams Charania is echoing this with his reporting.
As Golden State pursues Phoenix's Kevin Durant, the two-time Warriors NBA Finals MVP has no desire in a reunion and does not want to go back. Reporting for NBA Today: pic.twitter.com/tNeTzw2gCf
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 5, 2025
Denver checking market for bench upgrades
Trades by the Lakers, Mavericks and the attempted moves by the Suns all speak to one thing: Other teams in the West do not think Oklahoma City is inevitable as the conference champion.
Add Denver to that list, they are talking teams, seeking a smaller move to bolster the Nuggets bench, reports Bennett Durando at the Denver Post.
...as the last 48 hours of trade season wind down, the Nuggets are canvassing the league for a rotational upgrade to their bench, multiple league sources told The Denver Post.
Denver has been fourth place in the Western Conference standings since Jan. 4, chasing Oklahoma City, Houston and Memphis. But the team’s trade-eligible contracts and draft assets are limited, especially if what coach Michael Malone said this week is true: “We’re not trading Michael Porter.”
Pelicans trade center Daniel Thies to OKC
Oklahoma City has had trouble keeping its two centers — Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein — healthy this season, the duo has yet to play one game together. So, the Thunder are adding depth, and in the process doing New Orleans a solid and adding another draft pick to their already enormous stash.
New Orleans is trading center Daniel Thies to the Thunder, along with a 2031 second-round pick, a story broken by Shams Charania of ESPN. Why are the Pelicans including a pick? As a sweetener for the Thunder, which absorbs Theis’ expiring $2.1 million contract — getting off that money moves the Pelicans below the luxury tax line. New Orleans understandably didn’t want to pay the tax for a 12-38 team.
Kevin Durant out Wednesday night vs. OKC
Amid rumors he might be traded before Tuesday’s deadline, read into this what you will:
Kevin Durant is being held out of Wednesday night’s Phoenix game at Oklahoma City due to a sore ankle.
Suns still “aggressive” in trying to trade Beal
Phoenix’s dream of trading Bradley Beal — making room for it to acquire Jimmy Butler from Miami — is not dead. The Suns are being “aggressive” in trying to find Beal a new home, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on the network’s “Get Up.”
“They have tried almost every team in the league from what I can understand. They went out and traded their one first-round pick into three to try to pay off three different teams to do deals. I can’t tell you how many things I’ve been through on calls listening to stuff, how they’ve tried. They are at the end here.”
The failure to trade Beal — who has a no-trade clause and can kill any deal — has opened the door to the Suns possibly trading Kevin Durant. He has a robust trade market. That’s the pivot the Suns are considering, but in an ideal world, the Suns would still find a new home for Beal and pair Butler and Durant. That just seems unlikely now.
Along these same lines, the Heat are still trying to find a Jimmy Butler trade as the deadline approaches, but there remains almost no market for the former All-Star.
Buzz growing around Durant trade; not to Mavericks
There are the words, then there are the actions.
The words are there is a growing belief around the league the Suns might actually trade Kevin Durant before the trade deadline, something reported by Marc Stein among others. The Golden State Warriors — a Durant reunion with Stephen Curry — is the most discussed of those ideas, although league sources told NBC Sports the asking price/matching salaries to make this work has given the Warriors pause (even with the Warriors desire to upgrade around Curry). Durant makes $51.2 million this season, so to match salaries means sending Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga, Dennis Schroder, and a couple of minimum-salary players, plus a couple of draft picks to make it work. That’s likely too steep a price for the Warriors as it leaves little around KD and Curry.
The actions: Kevin Durant was part of the Suns shootaround this morning and appears poised to play against the Thunder tonight. That’s not what you see with a player about to get traded.
Also, while Dallas dreams of landing Durant, after the Luka Doncic trade, that becomes just too difficult to pull off for the Mavericks. Don’t expect that deal to get anywhere near reality.
TRADE: Celtics send Jaden Springer to Rockets for picks
Jaden Springer has played well in a limited role for the Celtics, but welcome to the world of the new CBA.
In a salary dump move, the Celtics have traded Springer to the Houston Rockets. This move will save the Celtics millions in salary and potentially many millions more in luxury tax.
Celtics move Springer’s $4 million which could save them even bigger money in luxury tax depending on how they fill the now two vacant roster spots. https://t.co/4T0wTjOgfq
— Chris Forsberg (@ChrisForsberg_) February 5, 2025
Springer will be a natural fit in the athletic, defensive system former Celtics coach Ime Udoka has installed in Houston.
Springer was the No. 28 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft and has come off the bench for Boston in 26 games this season. With an already crowded rotation in Houston, it’s unclear where Springer fits in, but the cost of acquiring him is so low it’s worth it for the Rockets.
Warriors “internally” discussed trading Draymond Green
Would the Golden State Warriors seriously consider trading Draymond Green?
Not publicly, they will be as committed to him as ever. However, internally — amid the flurry of activity and ideas about reuniting with Kevin Durant — they have considered the idea if it brings KD back to the Bay, reports Sam Amick of The Athletic.
Draymond Green could get traded by the Warriors 👀
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) February 5, 2025
"It's 100% been discussed internally." - @sam_amick
📺 https://t.co/iH8kMk1F4q@MichelleDBeadle | @TeamLou23 | @ChandlerParsons pic.twitter.com/fSz2K2wfpL
The reality is this is a long shot. The reports are to make this work the Suns would want pretty much every young player and pick the Warriors have, and even Stephen Curry (as well as Steve Kerr) has said the franchise should not mortgage the future in a trade to get better now. This is likely a step too far.
Internally, teams discuss a lot of things they would never actually do, and saying a team had internal conversations about something is like saying you thought of something but decided not to say it out loud. It almost doesn’t count.
But that the Warriors would even entertain such a question on any level shows just how far they are willing to go to chase one more ring with Stephen Curry.
TRADE: Kyle Kuzma headed to Bucks for Khris Middleton
This trade had been rumored for a couple of days and now it is getting done — the Milwaukee Bucks are sending Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson and a pick swap to the Washington Wizards for Kyle Kuzma, Patrick Baldwin Jr. and second-round pick. Shams Charania of ESPN broke the story and it has since been confirmed by others.
BREAKING: Milwaukee Bucks are trading three-time All-Star Khris Middleton to the Washington Wizards for Kyle Kuzma, league sources tell me. pic.twitter.com/RghGRTr56b
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) February 5, 2025
The Bucks has been a step behind the top three teams in the East (Boston, Cleveland, and New York), going 0-8 against them, and felt it needed a shake-up to compete at that level. With that, the Bucks may not be done making deadline trades.
Milwaukee moves on from Middleton, who is a franchise legend and a key part of the team’s 2021 title run, but who has been down this season coming off surgery on both ankles during the offseason. What this trade does, besides bringing in a stretch four with more athleticism, is get the Bucks under the second apron of the luxury tax. Kuzma also has championship experience as part of the 2020 Lakers title team in the bubble, although his role in Washington has been down this season due to a rib injury and a focus by the Wizards on Jordan Poole and second-year player Bilal Coulibaly,
Kuzma is averaging 15.2 points and 5.8 rebounds a game this season, both more than Middleton, who has played in just 23 games this season. However, Kuzma is shooting just 28.1% from 3 (compared to 40.7% for Middleton) and Kuzma’s 48.8 true shooting percentage is nearly 10 points below the league average. To use a catch-all stat as an example, for all his flaws, Middleton has an 18 PER compared to a well-below-average 10.2 for Kuzma. The point is Kuzma has to find a rhythm fast in Milwaukee or this trade is not much of an upgrade.
Would Suns really swap out Durant for Butler?
In what has been one of the wildest roller coasters of an NBA trade deadline we’ve ever seen, of course Kevin Durant getting traded out of Phoenix appears to be picking up momentum.
Phoenix — which continues to try to land Jimmy Butler but appears to realize the futility of that effort because there is no third team to take Bradley Beal — has started to listen to offers for Durant. It’s a complete 180-degree pivot from where they were days ago. But it’s not even the strangest part of all this, check out this post from the well-connected John Gambadoro of 98.7 Arizona Sports radio:
The KD to Golden State has taken on a life of its own in the last 24 hours. Look I do not know for sure so not reporting. I did talk to several teams today that heard the same thing. One told me "He will most likely end up in Golden State with Butler to Phoenix" Will keep digging
— John Gambadoro (@Gambo987) February 5, 2025
Jake Fischer at The Stein Line is reporting the same thing — Durant chatter is up because it “appears to be the only way for Phoenix to acquire Miami’s Jimmy Butler before Thursday’s deadline.”
In what world does trading away Kevin Durant to bring in Jimmy Butler make any sense for Phoenix? At all.
Sending out Beal and filling that spot with Butler undeniably makes the Suns better (we can debate how much, but it’s an upgrade). If Phoenix trades Durant, the only logical move is to pivot to a rebuild around Devin Booker — and land enough picks and young players in that trade to jumpstart the rebuild process.
But this has been a wild trade deadline, so we’re not ruling anything out completely.
Nikola Vucevic may be with Bulls past deadline
Just 72 hours ago, it seemed a lock that Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic would be out of Chicago before the deadline. That is true for LaVine, who is now in Sacramento with his old Bulls’ teammate DeMar DeRozan trying to lift the Kings into the playoffs.
Vucevic, however, may be a Bull past the Feb. 6 deadline after two deals for the big man fell through on Tuesday, reports Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. He adds that the Bulls are now preparing to have him around past the deadline.
Things change fast in the 36 hours before the deadline, but it may not be fast enough for Vucevic.
Wizards reportedly nearing trades with Bucks, Suns
Khris Middleton is out, and Kyle Kuzma is in for Milwaukee? Jusuf Nurkic is out, and Jonas Valanciunas is in for Phoenix?
Those deals are getting close, reports long-time NBA scribe Steve Bulpett at Heavy.com. The rebuilding Wizards will pull the trigger if the draft compensation coming back makes it worth their while.
Milwaukee wanted to be aggressive heading into the trade deadline, looking for an upgrade and moving on from Middleton — who had surgery on both ankles this offseason and has looked a step slower to the naked eye — but is Kuzma that guy? The Bucks would be banking on the guy who picked up a ring in the bubble with the Lakers to return closer to that form than the guy shooting 28% from 3 this season, scoring seven fewer points a game than he did a season ago.
Phoenix wants to get Nurkic out the door — he was moved to the bench last month because Nick Richards is the starting five now — and this trade brings Valanciunas in as a solid reserve big. The Wizards have had a lot of interest in Valanciunas in recent weeks.
Expect Bradley Beal to be with Suns past deadline
This isn’t a surprise, but we should make it all-but official:
Bradly Beal is going to be with the Phoenix Suns after the trade deadline. That was obvious for a few reasons, starting with Beal has a no-trade clause, so he completely controls the process (also, there is no market for him). But if you wanted confirmation, there is this from The Athletic.
A league source close to Beal reiterated on Tuesday that there are currently no talks about him waiving the clause, and that he expects to remain in Phoenix through the deadline.
Philadelphia’s KJ Martin on verge of being traded
KJ Martin, who has been out since Dec. 23 due to a foot injury, is being held out Tuesday night 76ers game because he is on the verge of being traded, something reported by several people around the Sixers including Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports.
The Sixers are updating KJ Martin to OUT, with a trade pending, source tells me. More to come
— Kyle Neubeck (@KyleNeubeck) February 4, 2025
The 76ers are reportedly looking at multiple trade options for Martin, but all of them largely a salary dump move that does not bring a player back to the Sixers, a league source told NBC Sports. Martin is a 6'6" wing who has averaged 6.4 points a game coming off the bench in the 24 games before his injury. He can help multiple teams and is making just under $8 million this season and is under contract for basically the same amount next season.
KJ will be the second Martin Philly has traded, they also moved Cody Martin to Dallas for Quentin Grimes.
Mavericks, Warriors, Rockets all interested in Kevin Durant
And the Kevin Durant chatter just gets louder and louder... and now Jimmy Butler is even getting dragged into it.
Golden State’s interest in re-uniting with Durant is well known — the Warriors are desperately looking for a star shot creator to pair with Stephen Curry, and dancing again with Durant is on the table — but Dallas and Houston also are showing levels of interest, reports The Athletic’s Sam Amick, David Aldridge and Anthony Slater.
Dallas getting in the mix after trading away Luka Doncic — for 50 cents on the dollar — is an unexpected twist, and would be difficult for them to pull off because they don’t have a lot of tradable players and picks left. Durant makes $51.2 million, and since Dallas can’t or won’t trade Kyrie Irving, just-acquired Anthony Davis, or P.J. Washington, it becomes a difficult-to-construct five-for-one or worse trade that likely has to drag a third team into the mix.
Houston’s GM Rafael Stone has said in the run-up to the deadline that he wants to see what this roster — with its young players — can do in the playoffs before making a move, but Durant could change that dynamic. The Rockets have the players to make the trade with a package based around the expiring Fred VanVleet and a bunch of picks, but that only works if Phoenix wants to totally rebuild. Which it seems like they do not.
That same Athletic reports suggest a possible three-team arrangement where Jimmy Butler gets his wish to go to Phoenix, Durant heads to Golden State, and an Andrew Wiggins-based trade package heads to Miami. The question for Phoenix is, why? Swapping out Durant for Butler to play with Bradley Beal and Devin Booker does not make the Suns better, why would they do that? Better to blow the whole thing up and rebuild.
It’s all still a long shot, but momentum toward a Durant trade continues to build.
Bulls getting Lonzo Ball interest, likely keep him
Lonzo Ball is more than just one of the best stories of the season, he has returned to being the kind of player every team needs — a solid backup point guard. He’s averaging 7.2 points and 3.5 assists a night, playing 20-25 minutes a night off the bench (although he isn’t playing back-to-backs).
That has led to a number of teams calling about him, reports Marc Stein. Ball is on an expiring $21.4 million contract, but the Bulls are likely to keep him on the roster past the deadline and try to re-sign him this summer, according to the report. Of course, if you’re trying to get teams to offer more for a player, that’s exactly what you would leak.
Just know that after more than 1,000 days away from the game and three knee surgeries, Lonzo is back and will get another contract this summer.
Kevin Durant trade chatter growing louder
Phoenix went into this trade season looking to land Jimmy Butler and put him alongside Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, but that appears less likely with each passing minute (more on the Heat below; keep reading), so the Suns may pivot.
Talk about the Suns trading Kevin Durant, likely to the Golden State Warriors, is getting a lot louder, with league sources confirming to NBC Sports that there are ongoing talks. I’m not the only person reporting this chatter is getting louder.
That’s not to say it will happen — would Durant be okay with this? — but the Warriors have called everyone and anyone looking to find a star to put next to Curry, and the Suns didn’t hang up on the call.
It’s still highly unlikely the Suns will trade Durant. Phoenix’s preference would remain to find a new home for Bradley Beal, which would allow them to complete a Butler trade. However, that seems less and less realistic. If so, would Phoenix consider a serious pivot? Just keep an eye on the situation.
Lakers GM confirms team looking for big
The Lakers were looking for depth at center before they traded their best defender and only quality rim protector to Dallas for Luka Doncic. That has only upped the pressure on Lakers GM Rob Pelinka to find a new center, but he said riding the long-term fit next to Doncic (and LeBron James) could come this summer.
“We know we have a need for a big,” Pelinka said Tuesday at Doncic’s press conference. “The market for bigs right now, leading into the last two or three days of the trade deadline, is very dry. There’s just not a lot available. So maybe we’ll be able to do some stuff around the margins. I would say, in terms of a big move for that position, it’s probably more realistic that that would be something that comes in the off-season.”
Kyle Kuzma for Khris Middleton trade has been discussed
Interesting note from David Aldridge and Josh Robbins at The Athletic: The Wizards and Bucks have at least talked about a Kyle Kuzma trade sending Khris Middleton to Washington.
Two league sources said the Wizards and Milwaukee Bucks have explored a potential deal in which Milwaukee would send Khris Middleton and draft capital to Washington for Kuzma. This matches what was reported elsewhere on Monday. Exchanging Middleton’s salary for Kuzma’s would help the Bucks move under the second apron, a significant goal for the Bucks.
Take that with a grain of salt, but Washington wants out of the Kuzma business and the Bucks might bet he can be an upgrade over the current version of Middleton.
Nuggets coach Malone: “We’re not trading Michael Porter”
Rumors of the Nuggets trying to upgrade by moving on from Michael Porter Jr. have been going around, but Nuggets coach Michael Malone shot that down Monday night. Here’s his response, via ESPN, when asked if he talked to MPJ about his name being trade rumors.
“No because we’re not trading Michael Porter,” Malone said. “So I’m not touching base with anybody on that. ... And if there’s something coming, obviously [Nuggets GM Calvin Booth] will talk with me and I’m sure we’ll communicate with whatever players. But Michael is a really important piece, he helped us win a championship.”
Limited interest in Jimmy Butler
Jimmy Butler isn’t Kevin Durant. On a lot of levels. But particularly in regards to this trade deadline, where if the Suns choose to pivot away from trying to land Butler they can quickly have teams lined up to talk about Durant. Along those same lines, Jimmy Butler isn’t like Luka Doncic, where there would have been an overwhelming level of interest in a trade for the 25-year-old if Mavericks GM Nico Harrison had opened up bidding.
Outside of Phoenix, there is not much interest in trading for Butler, Tim Bontemps notes at ESPN. That’s not for a lack of effort by Miami to find trade partner — and both the Suns and Heat have looked at four- and five-team trades — but there is not a pent-up Butler market waiting to break out. A big part of that is Butler can opt out of the $52.4 million he is owed next season and become a free agent next summer, and he has made it clear he wants to get to Phoenix (where he believes owner Mat Ishbia will pay him). Plus, Butler is 35, has seen his game take a step back this season, has a long injury history, and wants to get paid with at least two new years at a high number on this contract.
The question the Suns may need to ask themselves: What do we do with Butler if we can’t trade him before the deadline?
