The 2026 trade deadline is rapidly approaching on Feb. 5 at 3 p.m. ET, with plenty of high-profile names potentially available in this year’s cycle.
Headlining the potential list of trade candidates is Milwaukee Bucks forward and two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who appears to be ready for a new home amid frustrations with the organization’s disappointing season. He’s projected to be out of the lineup for the next 4-6 weeks as he recovers from a calf injury, but will no doubt command a hefty return for the Bucks — and be a game-changing asset for the team that acquires him.
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Among the “serious suitors” for Antetokounmpo are the New York Knicks, Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat and Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA insider Shams Charania reports.
Also atop the list of players who could be on the move are Mavericks star Anthony Davis, the Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga, the Nets’ Michael Porter Jr. and the Grizzlies’ Ja Morant. Notably, despite an abysmal season, the New Orleans Pelicans are reportedly informing teams that several players, including Zion Williamson, are off the market.
The 2025 NBA trade deadline was one for the ages and set expectations high for this year, thanks to the blockbuster trade that sent superstar Luka Dončić from the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers in a package deal that included Davis. The move sent shockwaves through the league, eventually leading to the Mavs winning the No. 1 pick in the draft lottery, which they used to select then-18-year-old phenom Cooper Flagg.
Time will tell if this year’s deadline can offer just as much excitement.
Follow along with Yahoo Sports for the latest news, rumors and updates ahead of Feb. 2’s NBA trade deadline.
Live13 updates
Tue, February 3, 2026 at 8:41 AM PST
Criss Partee
Senior NBA Insider Chris Haynes is reporting that the Cavs and Clippers have ramped up their conversations regarding a potential James Harden trade to Cleveland that would send Darius Garland to LA. With the trade deadline on Thursday, Haynes says both sides are motivated to get a deal done soon.
Tue, February 3, 2026 at 8:34 AM PST
Criss Partee
The Cleveland Cavaliers have had talks with the Milwaukee Bucks about Giannis Antetokounmpo, and they’ve also had conversations with the Dallas Mavericks about Anthony Davis, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN.
Cleveland is looking to take a big swing to compete for a title this season, as they’ve also been linked to Clippers guard James Harden. Windhorst also said the deal for Harden to Cleveland might not actually happen, although it’s close.
Tue, February 3, 2026 at 8:20 AM PST
Morten Stig Jensen
In a surprising twist as Thursday’s NBA trade deadline draws closer, former MVP James Harden is now on the market.
The 36-year-old is averaging 25.4 points, 4.8 rebounds and 8.1 assists on the season, and is reportedly looking for a chance to do what he’s yet to achieve in his otherwise illustrious career: win a championship.
While the Cleveland Cavaliers have been thoroughly mentioned as a team that will make a play for his services, the fit appears odd and will likely require relinquishing younger players, which could prove to be a long-term problem if the organization wishes to hang on to Evan Mobley.
Additionally, the Cavs (30-21) simply haven’t played that well this season, which should beg the question: Are they even a realistic bet to make a Finals push with Harden?
In fact, there might be a team that’s further along than the Cavs in that regard — one that’s also looking to make a play for a star before Thursday’s deadline.
That team is the Detroit Pistons.
Read more about why the Pistons make the most sense for the Clippers star.
Mon, February 2, 2026 at 8:27 PM PST
Kelly Iko
In the days leading up to Thursday’s NBA trade deadline, the Los Angeles Clippers have engaged in discussions surrounding veteran guard James Harden — with the Cleveland Cavaliers at the forefront of teams that have recently expressed interest in acquiring the former All-Star — sources told Yahoo Sports.
Harden, 36, has missed the past two games due to personal reasons. The former Arizona State guard was present at his alma mater for a Jan. 31 home game vs. Arizona, the No. 1-ranked collegiate team in the nation. The following day, with the Clippers also in town to take on the Phoenix Suns — a distance of just 10 miles between arenas — Harden was ruled out.
Mon, February 2, 2026 at 6:36 PM PST
Ben Rohrbach
Listen, Giannis wants a trade. He reportedly prefers the Knicks. A happy Giannis is the best Giannis. So, why not make this happen (if not for the fact that the Knicks have no draft assets to trade)? How much fun would it be to see Giannis in Madison Square Garden? They respect the grind in New York, and nobody grinds harder than Giannis. Pair him with Jalen Brunson, and I think it works out better than his partnership with Damian Lillard, if only because Brunson is squarely in the prime of his career.
The Knicks would have to give up a) Karl-Anthony Towns, b) one or both of Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby and/or c) enough matching salary to make a deal work, or to get enough picks from a third team to make a deal work. With Giannis, Brunson, Josh Hart and whoever else is left over, I think that’s enough to contend. Even if it isn’t, enough people would eventually want to join them in New York to bolster their chances.
I honestly believe Antetokounmpo could take the Knicks over the top, ending a half-century title drought, just as he did in Milwaukee. And there’s nothing in the NBA like when New York is rolling. Imagine if they actually win. MSG will be a madhouse in the best possible way, and Giannis could rightfully stamp himself as a pantheon player, someone who carried two separate franchises on his back and took them to the promised land. That’s LeBron-like stuff.
Read more on other trades we’d like to see here.
Mon, February 2, 2026 at 4:33 PM PST
Tarohn Finley
It has been one year since the Mavericks shocked the world by trading Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers for a package that included Anthony Davis.
The Lakers are 29-19, and Dončić has averaged 33.6 points, 8.8 assists, and 8 rebounds. For the Mavericks, things have gone downhill since the move.
Despite averaging 20.4 points and 11.1 rebounds, Davis has played in only 29 games since joining the Mavericks. After missing the playoffs last season and a slow start to the year, the Mavericks fired former president of basketball operations and general manager Nico Harrison.
One silver lining for the Mavericks has been the play of 2025 No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg. Flagg has averaged 19.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.1 assists in his rookie season. He is also coming off a game on Thursday against the Hornets and former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel, where he scored a career high of 49 points.
Mon, February 2, 2026 at 3:32 PM PST
Mon, February 2, 2026 at 3:28 PM PST
Tarohn Finley
Mon, February 2, 2026 at 3:22 PM PST
Tarohn Finley
The Minnesota Timberwolves are reportedly recruiting third and fourth teams to improve trade attempts for Milwaukee Bucks Giannis Antetokounmpo, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.
The Timberwolves reportedly will build a trade around players rather than picks. The Timberwolves have limited future picks after past trades for Rudy Gobert and Rob Dillingham.
Miami, Golden State and New York are the other suitors linked to Antetokounmpo. If the Timberwolves can not make a trade for Antetokounmpo, they will reportedly pivot to trading for a guard.
Mon, February 2, 2026 at 7:38 AM PST
Chris Cwik
Portland Trail Blazers coach Tiago Splitter spoke with newly-acquired Vit Krejci on Sunday and was excited to have the sharpshooter on board.
Splitter said the team was “thirsty” for a shooter like Krejci, who is hitting 42 percent of his three pointers this season.
The Trail Blazers have a three-point percentage of .336 this season, which ranks last in the NBA.
Mon, February 2, 2026 at 7:33 AM PST
Chris Cwik
It appears to be the beginning of the end for Jordan Poole in New Orleans. Poole has not started the team’s last eight games, and could get moved at the deadline.
Poole, 26, is in the midst of a down year, in which he’s averaging 14.5 points per game. Poole has one more year remaining on his contract. He is owed roughly $34 million next season.
Mon, February 2, 2026 at 7:30 AM PST
Dan Titus
The NBA trade window opened on December 15, and now’s the time to prep for potential chaos. Whether it’s a big-name star forcing his way out or a role player landing in a perfect spot, these are the guys who could swing your fantasy hoops league.
I’ve broken down my All-Deadline Fantasy Teams into two squads — players whose names are heating up in trade chatter and those whose value could pop or plummet in the weeks ahead.
Contracts matter. Fit matters. Opportunity matters. Let’s debate!
🥇First-Team All-Deadline Fantasy SquadGiannis Antetokounmpo – PF/C, Milwaukee Bucks
It’s Giannis. You already know. He hasn’t publicly requested a trade (yet), but if the Bucks don’t pick it up, there will undoubtedly be suitors interested in acquiring the Greek Freak. Finding a match for his $54M contract this season will be a challenge that will likely involve multiple teams, but no matter what team he’s on, Antetokounmpo is a top-five asset in High Score, points leagues and a guy you’ll need to build around his strengths and faults in 9-cat formats specifically.
LaMelo Ball – PG, Charlotte Hornets
Upside’s never been the issue. It’s staying healthy. Yahoo’s NBA writer Kelly Iko reported that Ball would be open to a trade. This franchise hasn’t made any headway in becoming a playoff contender with Ball running the show. LaMelo’s locked into a fat deal through 2029, so he’s not easy to move — but if Charlotte shakes it up, you’re looking at a big fantasy swing.
Anthony Davis – PF/C, Dallas Mavericks
Always dominant, always fragile. That’s AD. But this year? Davis looks uninspired. He’s still putting up 20 points with 10 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 stocks per game. However, fantasy managers haven’t seen much of him, as he’s played in only 11 games thus far. The Mavs are still in the Play-In race, but for how long? This is Cooper Flagg’s team now, and if they’re not a real contender, it’s best to extract what value you can before AD’s production or health really falls off. His current $54M salary balloons to $62M in 2027-28 with a player option, which may prove to be the genuine hurdle in moving one of the best big men in the league when healthy.
Read more on the biggest NBA stars that could swing your fantasy hoops league.
Mon, February 2, 2026 at 7:26 AM PST
Chris Cwik
Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo remains the hottest name on the market ahead of the NBA trade deadline. After resisting the idea for years, Antetokounmpo finally seems ready to leave the Bucks.
Over the weekend, four suitors have emerged for Anteokounmpo, per ESPN’s Shams Charania. Those teams are the Heat, Timberwolves, Warriors and Knicks.
The Bucks are seeking either a young, blue-chip talent or multiple draft picks in exchange for Antetokounmpo.