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- ESPN.com NBA writer since 2010
- Covered Cleveland Cavs for seven years
With just over 48 hours until the NBA trade deadline (Thursday, 3 p.m. ET), impactful deals have been largely nonexistent.
Yes, the Atlanta Hawks moved All-Star guard Trae Young a month ago, but this season's only other trades happened over the weekend, when the Sacramento Kings and Cleveland Cavaliers swapped De'Andre Hunter and Keon Ellis and the Hawks struck again, sending Vit Krejci to the Portland Trail Blazers. (That's a stark contrast to what the first few days of February 2025 delivered.)
Things, though, are starting to heat up.
ESPN's Shams Charania reported Monday night that James Harden and the LA Clippers are working through a trade to send the 11-time All-Star elsewhere.
Meanwhile, will the Milwaukee Bucks find the right trade partner for Giannis Antetokounmpo between now and the deadline? If so, it could create a chain reaction of movement from teams previously on the sidelines.
How about Dallas Mavericks' Anthony Davis and the Memphis Grizzlies' Ja Morant? What could the Kings or Cavaliers do as an encore to Saturday's deal? Will a shocking superstar trade materialize?
Here's a look at what we've heard about what's happened so far, what could happen over the next few days and what it will mean for the rest of this season and beyond.
So, James Harden? What's happening here?
Bontemps: Charania has reported that the Cavaliers are the team most interested in a Harden deal. For Cleveland to do that, as the NBA's only team over the second apron, the one realistic construction of a deal involves the Cavs sending out their own All-Star point guard, Darius Garland. And while two All-Star point guards potentially being swapped for one another is big news on its face, this deal is about another All-Star: Donovan Mitchell.
The Cavaliers know they are facing a huge decision this summer, one year before Mitchell can become a free agent in the 2027 offseason. If the Cavaliers again exit in the first or second round -- as Mitchell has in each of his first eight seasons -- will he be willing to commit to another extension in Cleveland? That seems unlikely. No one is more aware of that than the Cavaliers, who have already made one deal and are clearly interested in making more between now and Thursday afternoon.
Windhorst: Harden was nowhere to be found at Intuit Dome Monday night, missing his second consecutive game for what the team called personal reasons. That he had perhaps played his last game for the Clippers, though, was not a secret on the floor. Players from both teams, the Clippers and the Philadelphia 76ers, whispered about the situation before the game and even chatted about the concept of him ending up in Cleveland before tip. With a handful of Clippers players wearing Harden's signature shoes (which is normal), LA fell down 16-2 out of the gate looking flat. It was the second night of a back-to-back and that happens, but Harden's tenure in LA has been marked by him carrying the team through tough times and it felt like the team was expressing itself knowing what was taking place.
As for the possible transaction itself, whether Harden goes to Cleveland or elsewhere, he has a unique contract that plays a factor. He has the ability to block any trade so the Clippers must work with him. Next season is a player option at $42 million, but it functions like a mutual option because only $13 million of it is guaranteed. Harden has asked for a trade three times previously in his career and all three times - in Houston, in Brooklyn and in Philadelphia -- he has gotten it. He knows how to work the system and either getting that option fully guaranteed to getting an understanding on a new contract could well be a part of the negotiation.
Bontemps: By the way, a big winner of this potential trade? The Oklahoma City Thunder. The Clippers have been one of the NBA's hottest teams over the past few months, and are 17-5 in their last 22 games after Monday night's loss to the 76ers. It's hard to see LA keeping up that pace by swapping out Harden. by swapping out Harden for Garland, who has missed most of the past year with various foot issues. Oklahoma City, of course, has the Clippers' unprotected first-round pick -- part of the Paul George trade that keeps on giving.
Windhorst: The idea of this deal struck league executives as potentially awkward for both teams. While Harden is having a strong season, his timeline does not match the rest of the Cavs roster. Garland is dealing with issues to both big toes and, while sources said he is making progress after missing the last two weeks with a right toe sprain and could return soon, there is some concern about whether the injuries could be a longer-term issue. The Clippers had won 17 of 21 games before Monday night, completely turning around their season. Harden potentially jumping ship now, and its potential effect on the Clippers' trajectory, certainly won't be burnishing his resume.
What is the latest on Giannis?
Windhorst: Only the Bucks know the exact landscape. It is possible that general manager Jon Horst and Milwaukee's front office have the basis of an offer they'd pursue and it could get serious. Rival teams, however, believe it makes a lot of sense to wait until summer. The possible big offer from Golden State, a deal that could net the Bucks up to four first-round picks, will likely still be there in June.
Meanwhile, the Bucks can wait until they know exactly where their pick and every first-rounder will land. Plus numerous possible suitors, such as the Miami Heat, can offer a better package of picks once the league year flips.
Bontemps: One Western Conference executive told me that "Everyone is preparing for this to happen in the summer."
Another factor that could inform offseason Giannis trade talks? The upcoming playoffs -- which has a chance to be truly chaotic. Eliminated contenders who feel they are "one star away" could pick up the phone, and Milwaukee could be in a position to take full advantage. As another longtime executive is fond of saying, "Disappointment leads to action."
By waiting until the summer, and waiting to see what happens, it increases the chances of the Bucks being able to leverage their position in the strongest way possible. While it's hard to see it working out in exactly the same way it did for the Thunder, the Paul George trade back in 2019 -- which Thunder general manager Sam Presti knew would lead to the Clippers landing Kawhi Leonard -- turned into a treasure trove of assets that is still benefitting OKC.
Milwaukee is in a big hole from an asset standpoint right now, but an Antetokounmpo trade could quickly change that.
Is AD now off the trade market?
Bontemps: With Davis sidelined because of a hand injury, the belief around the league for weeks has been that the trade deadline will pass without a move. Davis has also made it clear he wants to stay in Dallas. So why is this still coming up?
Windhorst: This will largely depend on what Dallas is willing to do with the expected return. In initial talks with teams, the Mavs were looking for a premium, including multiple first-round picks or a prime player, per sources -- textbook stuff when putting a star on the market. There is also the matter of Davis eying an extension this summer. There were no takers.
If Dallas reduces its demands by electing to take back expiring salaries and perhaps one good asset, the possibility of an AD deal increases. That's probably a late Wednesday or early Thursday scenario. The Mavs could just as easily wait, as there is no longer any pressure on this season.
Bontemps: Rival teams expect the Mavericks to pursue other moves to trim money. Veterans such as Klay Thompson, Daniel Gafford and D'Angelo Russell all could find new homes this week, and any expiring money that comes back would allow the Mavericks to reset their books for next season, lessening the need to move Davis now to avoid a gigantic luxury tax bill next year. Owner Patrick Dumont can then decide how to build his front office -- currently run by co-interim GMs Matt Riccardi and Michael Finley -- and let them decide directions for Davis, Kyrie Irving and the rest of the roster around 19-year-old Cooper Flagg.
What will Giannis suitors do if he isn't moved?
Windhorst: The Warriors have limited time left in the Stephen Curry experience and have more incentive to acquire Antetokounmpo now for a postseason run instead of during the summer. That's why they are believed to be quite aggressive. Golden State does have the prickly matter of trying not to offend players who might be in the offer, and that already has been a talking point.
Bontemps: Miami has been preserving cap space for 2027, and I don't see the Heat deviating from that plan. That is, unless they can get Antetokounmpo. The New York Knicks are so limited in draft assets that they don't have much maneuverability. If they can't get an Antetokounmpo deal done, it's unlikely they do anything beyond tinkering around the edges (such as moving on from Guerschon Yabusele, for example).
If Minnesota can't land Antetokounmpo, could the Wolves find their point guard of the future? The franchise has been searching for Mike Conley's long-term successor for years to no avail, including drafting Rob Dillingham two years ago in a move that hasn't panned out. Perhaps one finally will this week.
What else are you watching this week?
Bontemps: To me, the most fascinating team over the next few days is Cleveland. Why? Donovan Mitchell has one year left on his contract before he can become a free agent in the summer of 2027. If the Cavaliers are unable to make a deep playoff run this spring, and Mitchell again exits in the first or second round -- as he has in each of his first eight NBA seasons -- will he be willing to commit to another extension in Cleveland? That seems unlikely. The Cavaliers are well aware, too, but can they do anything about it?
Windhorst: Based on my conversations around the league, the Timberwolves could be very active. Like the Cavs, the Wolves are invested in a mature team operating under heavy expectations. They've had their moments this season, including two wins over the Oklahoma City Thunder, but the Wolves generally would prefer to be higher in the standings. As a relic of the trades used to build this roster, Minnesota has limited draft assets, which means trade discussions have been player-driven. The Wolves have been investigating backcourt options in addition to trying to pry themselves into Antetokounmpo talks.
Bontemps: Other places I'm watching this week include Memphis, Boston, Toronto and Indiana.
The Grizzlies have made Morant available for weeks, but sources have been skeptical of general manager Zach Kleiman finding a deal. Those same sources are more interested in whether Jaren Jackson Jr. could find a new team this week, though the cost to get him out of Memphis is believed to be quite high.
The Celtics have been expected to pursue center help all season, especially if their new-look roster made its way into the playoff picture. Boston is ahead of schedule, sitting in a tie with the Knicks for second in the East, meaning the front office can potentially pair a deadline move with the possible return of Jayson Tatum from a torn Achilles this season. Guard Anfernee Simons probably would be traded in such a deal, which could also allow Boston to get out of the luxury tax, depending on the trade's construction.
The Raptors have been linked to big names throughout this cycle and continue to impress this season. One name several sources have connected to the Raptors is Kings big man Domantas Sabonis. The Kings, bumping up against the luxury tax for next season after Saturday's Hunter trade, will need to shed some salary. Toronto, meanwhile, would also be hoping to duck the tax in such a move.
The Pacers, without the injured Tyrese Haliburton, sit near the bottom of the standings and will likely net a high lottery pick in the loaded 2026 draft this year as a result. But for weeks, rival teams have spotlighted Indiana as a contender for "pre-agency," adding talent now to help regain its elite status when Haliburton returns in 2026-27. The Pacers continue to seek a long-term answer at center after free agent Myles Turner left for Milwaukee last summer. And with Bennedict Mathurin headed for restricted free agency this offseason, the expectation among sources is he could be moved to either acquire center help or to find a cheaper long-term wing option.
