The sports world—especially the NBA—was shaken by a trade deadline like no other. With 21 trades going on in the last week before the NBA trade deadline and 17 in the last two days, there is a lot to discuss.
By far, the biggest trade this deadline was the Dallas Mavericks dealing 25-year-old superstar point guard Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers for superstar center Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a future first-round pick. The Mavs also sent away Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris, along with Dončić. Reporter Shams Charania broke the news at 11:12 p.m. on February 1st. Initially, many fans thought the trade was fake. Indian Hills junior Eric Darcy reacted, saying, “I honestly was really surprised. You can’t trade a guy like Luka, in my opinion. He was so important to that Mavs team, but it kind of shows you now that no player is really safe from getting traded.”
This blockbuster trade left fans wondering: why would the Mavericks part ways with their franchise player? According to Mavs general manager Nico Harrison, Dončić’s defensive liabilities and conditioning concerns made him less valuable than someone like Anthony Davis, a dominant defender. Harrison also explained, “We really feel like we got ahead of what was going to be a tumultuous summer—him being eligible for the supermax and also a year away from being able to opt out of any contract.” Essentially, the Mavericks were unwilling to commit to the massive contract Dončić was likely to demand.
For many, this trade was so shocking that they’ll always remember where they were when they heard the news. Indian Hills junior Nick Carreira recalls, “At midnight, I was sitting on TikTok on my couch and saw it as it happened. Stunning. Unexpected.”
When Dončić came to the Lakers, he immediately had an impact on the team, as he talked to the front office about trading for a mobile big man, such as Mark Williams on the Charlotte Hornets. Originally, Williams was sent to the Lakers for rookie guard Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, and a first-round pick swap, but after Williams got his physical with the Lakers days later, the trade was suddenly rescinded. According to an anonymous team source, the Lakers voided the trade after reviewing Williams’ injury history, deciding that the risks were too high. Since the trade deadline had already passed, the deal could not be amended.
Another major move involved a three-team trade between the Chicago Bulls, Sacramento Kings, and San Antonio Spurs. The long-anticipated trade involving Kings’ point guard De’Aaron Fox and Bulls’ shooting guard Zach LaVine was finally completed just a day after the Dončić trade. The deal sent Fox and Jordan McLaughlin to the Spurs, Zach Collins, Kevin Huerter, and Tre Jones to the Bulls, and LaVine and Sidy Cissoko to the Kings. Along with these players, a first-round pick from the Spurs was sent to the Bulls, and the Kings received three first-round picks and three second-round picks.
Dennis Schröder, a player known for bouncing around the league, was at the center of multiple deals. He started the season with the Brooklyn Nets before being traded to the Golden State Warriors on December 15th. However, as the deadline approached, his journey took another turn—he was moved to the Utah Jazz in a three-team trade, only to be traded again to the Detroit Pistons just hours later.
After multiple team suspensions due to continuously violating team rules, engaging in conduct detrimental to the team, and intentionally withholding services, a long-awaited Jimmy Butler trade was completed right before the deadline. In a five-team deal, the Miami Heat sent their 6x NBA All-Star, 5x All-Defensive Team, and 5x All-NBA superstar forward to the Golden State Warriors. In return, Miami received Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson, and Davion Mitchell (from the Toronto Raptors), along with a first-round pick. Frustrated by the Heat’s inability to build a stronger roster after their 2020 and 2023 NBA Finals runs, Butler was eager for a fresh start.
Meanwhile, the New Orleans Pelicans’ former All-Star forward, Brandon Ingram, was traded to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Bruce Brown, Kelly Olynyk, a first-round pick, and multiple other draft picks. Ingram then went ahead and came to an agreement with the Raptors for a three-year, 120 million-dollar extension to his contract, eliminating any uncertainty about his future. Indian Hills senior and Pelicans fan Konnor Southwood-Smith expressed mixed feelings about the trade, stating, “I think they could have explored a bit more because he is worth a lot more than what he was traded for. I don’t mind Brandon Ingram getting traded, but I felt like we could have gotten a better piece.”
Although not an official trade, Ben Simmons was waived by the Brooklyn Nets after the deadline in a contract buyout agreement. Once he cleared waivers, he signed with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Here are some other notable trades from the deadline:
- Kyle Kuzma, Washington Wizards → Milwaukee Bucks
- Khris Middleton, Milwaukee Bucks → Washington Wizards
- Jusuf Nurkić, Phoenix Suns → Charlotte Hornets
- Marcus Smart, Memphis Grizzlies → Washington Wizards
- Bogdan Bogdanović, Atlanta Hawks → Los Angeles Clippers
- Caleb Martin, Philadelphia 76er’s → Dallas Mavericks
From late-night trades catching fans off guard to last-minute deals that had reporters scrambling, this trade deadline was one to remember.
