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Ranking every NBA player moved at the 2026 trade deadline

Christopher Kline
05/02/2026 23:12:00

The NBA trade deadline has come and gone with no shortage of fanfare. Giannis Antetokounmpo did not change teams in the end, but this was far from a quiet deadline. Multiple All-Stars were exchanged, many in completely unexpected fashion. From the Utah Jazz swooping in for Jaren Jackson Jr., to the Washington Wizards of all teams acquiring Anthony Davis, this deadline sets the stage for an intriguing next couple of years.

In the end, 65 total players were moved in the month leading up to Thursday's 3 p.m. ET cutoff. Let's rank 'em all based on current ability.

Ranking every player moved at the 2026 NBA trade deadline

Player From To
65 Nigel Hayes-Davis PHX MIL
64 Hunter Tyson DEN BKN
63 Dario Saric SAC DET
62 Georges Niang UTA MEM
61 AJ Johnson WAS DAL
60 Julian Phillips CHI MIN
59 Kobe Brown LAC IND
58 Duop Reath POR ATL
57 Guerschon Yabusele NYK CHI
56 D'Angelo Russell DAL WAS
55 Jaden Hardy DAL WAS
54 Gabe Vincent LAL ATL
53 Eric Gordon PHI MEM
52 Ousmane Dieng OKC CHI
51 Vince Williams Jr. MEM UTA
50 Trayce Jackson-Davis GSW TOR
49 Taylor Hendricks UTA MEM
48 Dalen Terry CHI NYK
47 Lonzo Ball CLE UTA
46 Leonard Miller MIN CHI
45 Nick Richards PHX MIL
44 Malaki Branham WAS DAL
43 Chris Paul LAC TOR
42 Rob Dillingham MIN CHI
41 Cole Anthony MIL PHX
40 Amir Coffey MIL PHX
39 Dante Exum DAL WAS
38 John Konchar MEM UTA
37 Walter Clayton Jr. UTA MEM
36 Ochai Agbaji TOR BKN
35 Mike Conley Jr. MIN CHA
34 Kyle Anderson UTA MEM
33 Chris Boucher BOS UTA
32 Isaiah Jackson IND LAC
31 Jose Alvarado NOP NYK
30 Khris Middleton WAS DAL
29 Buddy Hield GSW ATL
28 Tyus Jones ORL CHA
27 Marvin Bagley III WAS DAL
26 Jock Landale MEM ATL
25 De'Andre Hunter CLE SAC
24 Corey Kispert WAS ATL
23 Vit Kreji ATL POR
22 Josh Minott BOS BKN
21 Collin Sexton CHA CHI
20 Kevin Huerter CHI DET
19 Jonathan Kuminga GSW ATL
18 Jared McCain PHI OKC
17 Jaden Ivey DET CHI
16 Dennis Schroder SAC CLE

15. Luke Kennard: ATL → LAL

Luke Kennard
Jan 28, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Luke Kennard (4) drives to the basket against Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) during the first half at the TD Garden. | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

Luke Kennard never seems to get the credit he deserves, but this was a nice little pull for the Lakers — even if he does not address any major needs. Kennard, a sharpshooting wing from Duke, ought to find some kinship with L.A. coach J.J. Redick. Kennard has converted 49.3 percent of his 3s this season, with underrated chops as a secondary playmaker. The defense ain't great, but Kennard is a very capable spacer and connector.

14. Keon Ellis: SAC → CLE

Keon Ellis has seen his scoring efficiency drop this season, but it's hard to blame him given the outsized mess in Sacramento. He joins a Cleveland team prepared to contend, where his stifling on-ball defense and propensity for spot-up 3s should fit nicely as a third guard behind James Harden and Donovan Mitchell. Ellis is a classic glue guy whose impact is often not encapsulated in the box score.

13. Bennedict Mathurin: IND → LAC

Bennedict Mathurin enjoyed the newfound freedom afforded by Indiana's temporary tank job, but now he joins a slightly more competitive environment alongside Kawhi Leonard and Darius Garland in Los Angeles. The added infrastructure should ultimately prove beneficial for Mathurin, whose incredible explosiveness and shot-making are, at times, offset by excessive ambition. He's a deadly slasher who can take over a game at a moment's notice, though, with postseason bonafides to boot.

12. Anfernee Simons: BOS → CHI

Anfernee Simon
Jan 23, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Boston Celtics guard Anfernee Simons (4) brings the ball up court against Brooklyn Nets guard Nolan Traore (88) during the first quarter at Barclays Center. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Anfernee Simons carved out a nice role for himself as Boston's sixth man, but that was always a temporary arrangement. He's a weak defender, to be sure, but Simons' dynamism as a ball-handler and shot-maker makes him a classic spark-plug option off the bench. He joins a comically small and guard-heavy Bulls team, with half a season left to earn his next paycheck. When he's on the floor, however, buckets will rain.

11. CJ McCollum: WAS → ATL

CJ McCollum has reached the twilight stage of his career, but the veteran combo guard is still effortlessly smooth in his execution. A versatile shooter, a capable pick-and-roll generator and overall a savvy vet with positive leadership traits, McCollum was more than salary-filler for a Hawks team still hoping to crack the playoff picture. He won't detonate quite as often as he used to, but McCollum is a safe bet to score 15-20 points nightly, with a usefully scalable skill set.

10. Ayo Dosunmu: CHI → MIN

Minnesota finally addresses its backcourt problems with Ayo Dosunmu, whose contributions were too often unheralded in Chicago. Dosunmu is hitting a career-high 45.5 percent of his 3s this season, to go along with efficient slashing and strong connective passing instincts. He's listed at 6-foot-4, 200 pounds, strong enough to handle a few different matchups on defense. This is a huge win for the Wolves.

9. Coby White: CHI → CHA

Coby White
Jan 22, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Coby White (0) dribbles the ball against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second half at Target Center. | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Coby White lands down the street from his alma mater of UNC, with a chance to help Charlotte finally break into the Play-In race. White couldn't have asked for a much better landing spot in terms of opportunity and fit: His volume shooting and sparky drives should pair nicely with LaMelo Ball's talents as a ball-mover and setup man. White has his limitations as a defender and he's not a true point guard by trade, but he's a truly gifted scorer who can get to his shots in a variety of ways.

8. Nikola Vucevic: CHI → BOS

Boston has surged to a top-three seed in the East despite one of the weakest frontcourts in the NBA. Joe Mazzulla has done an exceptional job of elevating a patchwork roster, but now he has a real interior anchor in Nikola Vucevic. The defense ain't great, but Boston has compensated for lackluster defensive personnel all season. On offense, Vucevic can space the floor, pummel opponents in the post and give Boston a passing hub at the elbow, a la Al Horford. The Celtics aren't messing around in the East, with or without Jayson Tatum.

7. Kristaps Porzingis: ATL → GSW

This has been a stop-and-go season for Kristaps Porzingis on the injury front, and his 2-point efficiency has suffered in mildly concerning ways. Still, he's a towering rim deterrent, which Golden State has lacked behind Draymond Green for far too long. His rangy 3-point shooting and evolved mid-post game should also flourish in Steve Kerr's system, with the combined gravity of Stephen Curry and Porzingis inducing many a headache for opposing defenses.

6. Darius Garland: CLE → LAC

Darius Garland
Jan 10, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (10) celebrates after hitting a three point basket against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second half at Rocket Arena. | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Darius Garland needs to get right and prove that he can stay on the floor consistently, but Los Angeles can hardly complain about swapping James Harden for a two-time All-Star a decade his junior. Garland is a classic pick-and-roll savant, with a more diverse off-ball repertoire than Harden. He should strike a harmonious balance with Leonard as the Clippers' short-term pillars, with Garland also a potential bridge to whatever comes next.

5. Trae Young: ATL → WAS

Trae Young figures to miss most if not all of Washington's remaining games this season, but this nightmare campaign should not define him. There's a reason the Wizards struck this trade and figured the risk worth the reward: Young is one of the most inventive playmakers in the sport, with the ball on a string and his head always on a swivel, and he can still break a defense's back with his pull-up shooting. If Young can get healthy and settle into an offense rhythm next season, he should make life easier on Washington's potpourri of young wings and forwards.

4. Ivica Zubac: LAC → IND

Indiana paid too steep a price of Ivica Zubac on the surface, but he's a legitimate top-five defender in the sport and an incredible boon for their title odds next season. Indiana likes to push the tempo a lot more than L.A., making this a somewhat complicated fit, but Zubac should benefit Tyrese Haliburton with his thunderous screens and interior scoring. He's a nifty connective passer, too. The Pacers would look a bit silly if the No. 5 pick lands in Inglewood, but this was a win-now move in anticipation of Haliburton's return.

3. Jaren Jackson Jr.: MEM → UTA

Jaren Jackson Jr
Jan 30, 2026; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. (8) reacts after a three point basket against New Orleans Pelicans guard Micah Peavy (14) during the first half at Smoothie King Center. | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

Jaren Jackson Jr. had barely scratched the surface of his $205 million extension when Memphis pulled the plug. He ends up in Utah, forming a comically large and skilled frontcourt next to Walker Kessler and Lauri Markkanen. Utah's defense should take a sizable leap at full strength, while the combined shooting gravity of Jackson and Markkanen in the frontcourt — not to mention Keyonte George, Ace Bailey and Utah's other talented scorers — could prove extremely beneficial. Will Hardy is a real coach with a real team now. This season is lost, but 2027 could be a fun breakthrough for Jazz fans.

2. Anthony Davis: DAL → WAS

Washington was able to acquire Anthony Davis for pennies on the dollar. The plan is to tank this season, hopefully add a Cam Boozer or Darryn Peterson to the mix on draft night, and then compete with AD and Trae Young leading the charge in 2027. That feels like a flawed and somewhat shortsighted strategy, but Davis remains highly impactful as a rim protector and No. 2 scorer. His skill set does, on paper, align quite nicely with Young. Washington has plenty of depth, a high defensive ceiling and an appetite for immediate success. This is a fascinating pivot. Doomed, perhaps, but admirable in its way.

1. James Harden: LAC → CLE

James Harden does raise the immediate ceiling for this Cavs team. He's 36 and his defense is a joke, but Harden's late-career pivot from volume shooter to patient, pass-first creator has extended his star window far longer than anyone expected four years ago when Brooklyn shipped him to Philadelphia. Harden's perceived lack of loyalty and complicated postseason résumé are well-documented at this point, but he's still a winning player, and he should do a lot to elevate Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen as the Cavs seek to conquer a wide-open East.


by FanSided