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Has there ever been a trade deadline quite like this one in the NBA? Luka Doncic, Anthony Davis, Jimmy Butler, and De'Aaron Fox are among the list of eight different All-Star talents on the move so far. A total of five players with championship experience find themselves on new teams as well. There was even significant momentum trending towards Kevin Durant possibly being dealt from the Phoenix Suns.
Even with all of these insane trades being made, there is still plenty to discuss before Thursday afternoon's trade deadline passes by.
How did some of these trades on Wednesday, with less than 24 hours until the trade deadline, come about, especially all the rumors that swirled about the Golden State Warriors pursuing Durant and then immediately shifting their focus to Butler?
The idea of getting Stephen Curry more help and a clear-cut No. 2 option was the Dubs' main goal at the deadline. This was accomplished by bringing in Butler, a six-time All-Star, but at what price, both emotionally and physically?
Even though there is a lot to discuss about potential for more movement around the league before Thursday's deadline, Durant and the Warriors' situation are the focus of the league right now.
Why Kevin Durant trade pursuit fell through
Before trade rumors began to swirl around the time of the NBA Cup in Las Vegas and the holiday season, there were absolutely no indications that Kevin Durant was going to be on the trade block. Despite the Phoenix Suns' struggles and inconsistencies this season, Durant has remained one of the faces of the franchise alongside Devin Booker.
When Mat Ishbia made the big move to trade for Durant from the Brooklyn Nets in 2023, he did so with the intention of seeing the two-time Finals MVP bring a championship back to Phoenix.
As trade talks around the league continued to form and the calendar flipped to 2025, Durant's name still wasn't being brought up in connection with a possible trade. Some teams had reached out to Ishbia, James Jones, and the Suns, but they were rapidly turned down on their inquiries about both Booker and Durant.
Nobody around the league viewed Durant as a player who could hit the trade block. Then the Doncic-Davis trade happened. From that moment, front-office personnel in both conferences began questioning which players were truly untouchable.
With their consistent pursuit of superstar talent continuing to fail, the Warriors then called the Suns, becoming another team that was surely going to be turned down when asking about their former star. Although the Suns remained adamant about wanting to keep Durant, something changed.
For once, the Suns considered the idea of whether holding onto Durant with his value as high as it is would be a smart decision. That is when intrigue grew within the Warriors' organization and the idea of bringing back Durant, a player who had won two championships by Curry's side in 2017 and 2018, actually became a legitimate conversation.
The Warriors didn't think pursuing Durant was a realistic possibility, yet discussions with the Suns continued to grow as the Miami Heat entered the fold with their ongoing Butler situation. All of a sudden, a three-team framework involving these teams was gaining significant momentum.
League sources told ClutchPoints that such a deal forming late Tuesday night would have resulted in Durant returning to the Warriors, Wiggins going to the Heat, and Butler going to Phoenix. Along with Butler, significant draft capital from Golden State would have also been going to the Suns, along with a few other valuable assets and secondary talents. The Suns were also actively discussing scenarios to unload Jusuf Nurkic and fill his cap number with better win-now players.
Throughout discussions between the Warriors and Suns, sources said numerous scenarios presented themselves and were on the table. One scenario saw Wiggins and Jonathan Kuminga going to Phoenix, while another involved the teams discussing Draymond Green. The idea of Green being traded was internally discussed by Golden State, Sam Amick of The Athletic confirmed on Wednesday morning.
Long story short, the Warriors were willing to do whatever it took to bring Durant back to the Bay Area and pair him with Curry to pursue more championships. Even with some within the Suns' organization, including Ishbia, being hesitant about making such a drastic change in the middle of the season, multiple league sources with direct knowledge of these negotiations claimed these trade talks were progressing to the point where stipulations of draft picks and certain specifications were being worked on.
When Durant heard that trade talks were nearing a point of no return, he quickly ended everything.
On Wednesday morning, Durant and his camp made it very clear to the Suns that he did not want to be traded and wanted to remain in Phoenix, sources confirmed to ClutchPoints. Various other outlets also reported that Durant had no desire to return to Golden State.
These conversations between the Suns and Warriors, which were nearing the point where various league personnel were bracing for a Durant reunion in San Francisco on Tuesday night, were shot dead. Durant was not going to be traded to the Warriors.
Despite continued dialogue between the Heat and Suns regarding Durant after news of the Warriors being out of the running, league sources confirmed to ClutchPoints that the former league MVP was remaining in Phoenix past the trade deadline. This report was confirmed by Shams Charania of ESPN and NBA insider Chris Haynes 30 minutes and an hour, respectively, after ClutchPoints' initial report.
Durant's future is now very much going to be the headliner of offseason discussions around the league. He will be entering the final year of his contract with frustrations potentially reaching new highs if this team is unable to turn things around and go on a deep postseason run. The way Phoenix handled this situation with the Warriors and Beal regarding Butler trade rumors may have set a series of upcoming events into motion.
As a result of Durant no longer being a realistic trade option for the Warriors and the Suns having no clear path to moving Bradley Beal for Butler on Wednesday, it was the Dubs who came to an agreement with the Heat hours later.
Did Warriors settle on Jimmy Butler trade?
Butler's trade situation took a very unique turn for the Warriors during the month leading up to the trade deadline.
When Golden State first inquired about Butler over the summer during their initial pursuit of a star, which led them to having real conversations about Paul George and Lauri Markkanen, the Heat were not willing to discuss trades focused on their All-Star forward.
Talk of Butler becoming available and frustrations mounting in Miami grew louder in November. The Warriors again reached out to the Heat to check in on Butler's asking price — one that would have involved Wiggins, Kuminga, and draft compensation. That was not a price the Dubs were willing to pay, sources said, resulting in their interest fading.
Overall, interest in Butler was met with mixed internal reviews. On one hand, general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. and several other front office members held strong interest in adding Butler's toughness and competitiveness to a team that clearly lacked such qualities during the 2024-25 season. The other side of the room viewed Butler's ongoing troubles with the Heat and his past of causing internal rifts as major concerns.
The Warriors weren't sold on the idea of pursuing Butler, which is why they took their search on the trade market to other places, such as the New Orleans Pelicans with Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson and the Chicago Bulls with Zach LaVine, before truly pursuing a trade with the Suns and Durant.
A deal that would've sent LaVine and center Nikola Vucevic to Golden State fell through before the Bulls finalized their involvement in a three-team trade that sent De'Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs, sources said. Ingram wasn't a player the Dubs held a ton of interest in, and after checking in with almost every other team around the league about their top-tier talents, nothing was materializing for Golden State.
The possibility of trading for Butler became an option the front office once again mulled over countless times. When talks for Durant fell through and the Heat's asking price lowered to Wiggins and a protected first-round pick, Dunleavy and his crew decided to strike. It was then that owner Joe Lacob, who has not been pleased with his team's losing ways, gave the thumbs up to pull the trigger on Butler, who reportedly wasn't going to sign an extension if he was traded to the Dubs.
Well, Butler agreed to a $112 million extension upon news of the Warriors acquiring him from Miami, and the All-Star forward is now under contract through the 2026-27 season. This deal was done on purpose, as Butler's contract aligns with those of Curry and Green, which provides a chance for Golden State to have significant cap space in 2027, when their aging stars could be ready to retire.
The Warriors now have a proven All-Star next to Curry who can help carry the load of the franchise as they look to once again be in the Western Conference championship equation. But at what cost did this trade deadline acquisition come at?
Wiggins was a beloved personality and teammate to everyone within the Warriors organization. To keep it simple, they wouldn't have won their championship in 2022 without him. The former first-overall pick was a fan favorite and has proven to be one of the best two-way wings in the entire league on the cusp of turning 30.
In addition to trading Dennis Schroder, Kyle Anderson, and Lindy Waters III to acquire Butler, the Warriors also surrendered their 2025 first-round pick with top-10 protections. Should this pick not be conveyed in the summer, those protections carry over to 2026 before disappearing in 2027 if the Heat have yet to receive a pick from the Dubs.
Miami's toxic situation with Butler became a bright spot with Wiggins replacing him next to Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo, a move that still doesn't sit well with many connected to the Warriors. While Golden State had registered interest in Butler multiple times, concerns about what he will be like after the “honeymoon phase” passes are still a topic of discussion.
Leading up to the eventual Butler trade, there were reports of Curry and head coach Steve Kerr having concerns about Butler's fit in the locker room. Steph and the Warriors' head coach were obviously frustrated coming off a crushing 131-128 loss in Utah on Wednesday evening, but this emotion was different.
There was a true sense of sadness when discussing Andrew Wiggins' departure, and even when Curry was finding light in Butler's extension, the vibe was still off. This trade involving Wiggins for Butler is going to take a lot of time to adjust to. Unfortunately for the Warriors, time is not on their side, as they are 25-25 on trade deadline day.
At this time, it no longer appears as if another big move is in Dunleavy's back pocket, sources said. Speculation of the Warriors possibly pursuing Vucevic picked back up before trading for Butler. The chances of Golden State circling back to Chicago's high asking price for the veteran center are unlikely, especially since the Dubs would like to keep longtime big man Kevon Looney around.
Regarding the Bulls, Vucevic is preparing to remain the “old man” for his rebuilding franchise. Instead, Chicago is actively searching the market to see if they can flip newly acquired Tre Jones, Kevin Huerter, or Zach Collins for more draft compensation, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Jones has drawn interest from the Milwaukee Bucks, sources said.
The clock continues to inch closer to the deadline, and the Warriors have minimal moves left to make. Golden State currently has 11 players on its active roster, and it will very likely convert two-way center Quinten Post to a standard contract. That leaves two roster spots to fill with little room to maneuver before hitting the first-apron hard cap.
If Looney is, in fact, kept out of discussions, either Gary Payton II or Buddy Hield will need to be sacrificed for the Warriors to fill out the rest of their roster. At least one more move is expected by Golden State before Thursday afternoon's deadline.
Lakers win trade deadline with Doncic, Williams deals
Even though there is still time for teams to make moves, the Los Angeles Lakers have won the NBA trade deadline.
Rob Pelinka's headline move was making the trade nobody saw coming: Anthony Davis and Max Christie for Luka Doncic. A new era of Lakers basketball has begun with LeBron James nearing the end of the line has begun, and if anything has become apparent, it's that this team wants another title right now.
The Lakers' main priority after trading Davis to the Dallas Mavericks was to upgrade their frontcourt. Despite being linked to several notable players, Pelinka addressed this concern on Tuesday during Doncic's introductory press conference by saying the market for what they were looking for was thin.
“We know that our roster has continued work to do to become complete,” Pelinka told reporters “We know we have a need for a big — the market for bigs right now leading into the last two or three days of the trade deadline is very dry,” Pelinka said. “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 would be something that comes in the offseason.”
Well, the Lakers didn't need to wait all that long to pull off another big move to address their frontcourt, as Pelinka pulled the trigger on another massive deal to bring in 2022 first-round pick Mark Williams from the Charlotte Hornets as the team's new starting center.
While Williams comes at a steep price of Dalton Knecht, a 2030 pick swap, and an unprotected 2031 first-round pick, he could end up being a huge difference in Los Angeles' championship pursuit given his athleticism and rim-running abilities. The only risk with Williams is that he always tends to be dealing with some sort of injury, as he has missed 60 percent of the Hornets' games over the last three seasons, including this year.
Before pulling off a big move for Williams, Pelinka made several calls around the league to inquire about athletic big men with rim-protecting abilities. League sources say Robert Williams, Myles Turner, and Jericho Sims were big men on the Lakers' radar. Although their asking prices were too steep, Los Angeles also inquired about Jakob Poeltl with Toronto and Jalen Duren with Detroit, sources confirmed.
The Lakers now have a clear vision for this season. LeBron will mentor Luka, but this team is also going to pursue a championship. With just hours before the trade deadline, the Lakers may not be done quite yet.
Among all the teams making calls on Wednesday, Los Angeles was among the most aggressive. In addition to searching for ways to add frontcourt help, the Lakers were also exploring for veteran big man Maxi Kleber, whom they recently acquired in the Doncic trade.
Kleber is out for at least two months with a broken right foot, so the Lakers are looking into whether there is a way to move his $11 million contract with draft assets for an immediate win-now upgrade. The Lakers still have pick swaps in 2026 and 2028 that they can trade, as well as a less-valuable 2025 second-round pick. Los Angeles has looked into the idea of adding a scoring threat on the perimeter.
It is clear that the Lakers are the biggest winners of the trade deadline, and there are still some opportunities for them to expand their collection of new talent.
Other notes and intel before NBA trade deadline
Atlanta Hawks: De'Andre Hunter was receiving significant interest from the Cleveland Cavaliers over the last few days leading up to the trade deadline, sources said. The Atlanta Hawks have been hesitant to move on from Hunter given his upside and growth this season. A deal between the two teams has gone back and forth, especially since the Cavs would be forced to part ways with Isaac Okoro and Caris Levert, a favorite of head coach Kenny Atkinson. Plenty of teams will inquire about Hunter's availability this offseason should Hunter remain and as the Hawks continue to retool.
Charlotte Hornets: Teams continue to inquire about 29-year-old wing Cody Martin, who has one more year left on his contract after this season. The Bucks, Lakers, and Denver Nuggets are three contending teams that have shown interest in Martin, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Before trading for Williams, the Lakers did hold conversations with Charlotte about a trade involving Martin, sources said. The two sides could revisit these conversations with Kleber's contract and another pick swap being the focal points for Los Angeles.
Houston Rockets: Amid talks that they could look to get involved in conversations for Durant, the Houston Rockets are said to be laying low after bringing in Jaden Springer from the Boston Celtics. Springer could possibly be flipped, as could center Jock Landale. However, Houston's main goal is to push forward with its young core, which has another emerging star in Amen Thompson. Veteran center Steven Adams received some interest from the Lakers before their addition of Williams, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic.
Indiana Pacers: After receiving calls about Myles Turner, the Indiana Pacers have once again decided to hold onto their big man in hopes of giving him a new deal in free agency. This has led to concerns about the team's overall cap situation. The Pacers have listened to teams inquiring about both Aaron Nesmith and Obi Toppin before the trade deadline, with Toppin drawing more interest. Even so, there doesn't seem to be drastic traction on any deal at this moment for the Pacers either as sellers or buyers. Indiana did hold conversations with the Brooklyn Nets a few weeks ago regarding Cam Johnson, who will very likely remain in Brooklyn.
Los Angeles Clippers: It continues to look unlikely that the LA Clippers will make another significant change despite teams inquiring about Terance Mann. This is likely a situation that will play out in the summer, especially with Amir Coffey becoming a free agent. The Clippers did explore the possibility of trading PJ Tucker and other assets for Chris Boucher before striking a deal with the Utah Jazz, league sources said. Ultimately, the Toronto Raptors wanted two second-round picks and were hesitant to deal Boucher because of their Brandon Ingram pursuit.
Milwaukee Bucks: With Middleton gone, the Milwaukee Bucks remain active in the trade market seeking possible upgrades on the wing by using Pat Connaughton's contract. It is important to note that the Bucks are now below the second apron and can aggregate contracts for a bigger deal if need be. Along with having a level of interest in Martin, Milwaukee has also shown interest in new Bulls guard Tre Jones.
Philadelphia 76ers: The Philadelphia 76ers continue to receive plenty of interest in French big man Guerschon Yabusele, yet the organization holds strong interest in bringing him back over the summer when he becomes a free agent. Some are wondering if Yabusele will give the Sixers a small discount since they have him another shot in the NBA. Andre Drummond is a name to watch between now and Thursday afternoon's deadline.
Utah Jazz: Danny Ainge continues to move pieces around and be involved in multi-team trades to acquire draft picks. After taking on Dennis Schroder for PJ Tucker in the massive Butler trade, the Jazz are looking to flip the veteran point guard into something else. Should Schroder remain with the Jazz, he will become a prime buyout candidate for several teams wanting backcourt help. Interest in John Collins has died down as a result of recent trade mades, and Collin Sexton's price is said to be too high for most teams to consider.
Washington Wizards: After acquiring veteran Khris Middleton from the Bucks, the Washington Wizards are still open to taking back contracts for draft picks, sources said. Middleton, as many outlets have already reported, will not be hitting the buyout market this season. However, Malcolm Brogdon is still a player some around the league are eyeing as a potential buyout candidate. Various playoff-contending teams in the West hold significant interest in adding Brogdon as a key bench asset, but his $22.5 million expiring contract has been a massive roadblock.