3 Best and 3 Worst Trades at the NBA Deadline This Season

The 2026 trade deadline delivered chaos in the final hours, with 27 of 30 teams making moves involving a record 68 players, including 10 All-Stars. Let’s take a look at who walked away with the best deal and who fumbled the bag.

1. Cleveland Cavaliers and LA Clippers:

The LA Clippers found themselves in what would be a pair of win-win deals at the deadline. The biggest of the two was swapping James Harden for Darius Garland. Harden gives the Cavaliers a proven veteran playmaker who can handle late-game situations and take pressure off Donovan Mitchell. At 36, Harden may not be the MVP candidate he once was, but he's still averaging 18 points and 8 assists while shooting 38% from three. Adding Harden provided the Cavs, who are looking to contend for a title this season, with a starting point guard, as Garland has been in and out of the lineup with a variety of injuries. For the Clippers, landing Garland gives them a 26-year-old All-Star point guard who can score at all three levels and should hopefully return to an elite level of play once completely healthy. Garland's speed and shooting ability should mesh perfectly with Kawhi Leonard's methodical style. Add to the fact that Harden was likely not returning to the team after this season, the move seems to fulfill both teams' needs. 

2. Indiana Pacers and LA Clippers:

While the season has been a wash, the Pacers came away with a win at the trade deadline. They landed the league's most underrated center in Ivica Zubac, who is averaging 14.4 points and 11 rebounds, by giving up soon-to-be free agent Bennedict Mathurin and two firsts. After watching Myles Turner walk in free agency, getting a proven big man who can protect the rim and finish lobs for Tyrese Haliburton is exactly what the team needs to return to Eastern Conference contenders. As for the Clippers, adding Mathurin to the lineup alongside newly acquired point guard Darius Garland should give the team its backcourt of the future. Averaging nearly 18 points per game, Mathurin helps fill the void of the departed James Harden, while the two draft picks will provide youth to a team that was recently heavily focused on veteran experience.  

3. Boston Celtics:

Adding Nikola Vučević to their roster helps the Boston Celtics make a push to claim their second NBA title in three seasons. Having played without a legitimate starting big man since the start of the season,  Vučević gives them a legitimate floor-stretching five who can score inside and out. Trading away Anfernee Simons, who, despite being talented, never fit their rotation, for a proven All-Star center was a great move by GM Brad Stephens. Should forward Jayson Tatum return following the All-Star Game, the Celtics have a much more balanced roster that can compete with any Eastern Conference contender. 

1. Dallas Mavericks:

After shocking the NBA last season by trading Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis, the Mavericks moved on from Davis after he played just 29 games. Even with his injury concerns, moving Davis for an aging Khris Middleton, an unproven AJ Johnson who is now on his third team in two years, a pair of what will likely be late first-round draft picks, and a trio of second-round picks feels like waving the white flag. While the move does help clear cap space, the Mavs basically admitted they're building around Cooper Flagg now.  

2. Golden State Warriors:

It was no surprise that the Warriors parted ways with forward Jonathan Kuminga, even after the whole off-season contract fiasco. But trading him and Buddy Hield for Kristaps Porzingis did not make much sense for the Warriors, especially with Jimmy Butler out for the season. One would have thought that it would be a natural fit to slide Kuminga into Butler’s role rather than trading him for a big man who has been hurt all season and has only played 42, 57, and 65 games in the past three seasons. 

3. Memphis Grizzlies:

Memphis trading Jaren Jackson Jr. was a surprise after they recently signed the former Defensive Player of the Year to a massive contract extension.  While they received a decent haul in return with three first-round picks and a pair of usable young players in Walter Clayton Jr. and Taylor Hendricks, the move signals the Grizzlies are in full rebuild mode. What earns the Grizzlies this spot isn’t so much the trade they made (and let’s not forget they parted ways with Desmond Bane in the summer), but the one they didn’t, as troubled point guard Ja Morant is still on the roster.