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Trade Deadline Shakes Up League: Harden to Cavs

Feb. 9, 2026, 5:05 a.m. CTThe 2025-26 regular season enters its final stretch. This past week, we saw the NBA trade deadline shape rosters for the last time before the playoffs. Contenders added role players while sellers added…

By Javier Moreno - Sports Editor Updated February 9, 2026

Trade Deadline Shakes Up League: Harden to Cavs

Feb. 9, 2026, 5:05 a.m. CT

The 2025-26 regular season enters its final stretch. This past week, we saw the NBA trade deadline shape rosters for the last time before the playoffs. Contenders added role players while sellers added more draft equity. Although this year was a weirder one, as some basement dwellers added win-now players.

The LA Clippers shook things up when they shipped James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Dallas Mavericks sent Anthony Davis to the Washington Wizards. And the Memphis Grizzlies started over when they sent Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Utah Jazz.

Plenty of other moves were made, but those were the headliners. As NBA All-Star weekend approaches, we have a good idea of who the real contenders are.

Every week, Thunder Wire will release updated 2025-26 NBA Power Rankings. Here is the Feb. 2-8 edition:

Previous Rankings: 30

The Kings have lost a dozen in a row. Despite being at the bottom of the standings, they mostly stood pat at the trade deadline. On a team filled with veterans, they stuck to their guns. While you might be puzzled by their indecisiveness, don’t think it’s too crazy to understand that contenders have no interest in DeMar DeRozan and others to help their team in 2026. Sacramento is in a bad spot with nothing to be really excited about.

Previous Rankings: 25

Once Tyrese Haliburton went down, the Pacers punted this season. They’ve been one of the worst teams this year. Despite that, they’re ready to contend next year. Trading for Ivica Zubac shows that. Mortgaging some of their future draft capital, they added the starting center in a trade with LA. Remains to be seen if he plays this season, but Indiana is hoping he seamlessly fits with its All-Star guard next year.

Previous Rankings: 27

On a roster filled with veterans that likely had high trade demands, the Pelicans had a quiet deadline. They only dealt Jose Alvarado to the Knicks. Prized player Trey Murphy III remains in New Orleans, despite a 44-point outburst in a loss to the Bucks happening right before Thursday. That didn’t convince any contenders to go all out on trading for him. I guess the Pelicans are cool with their roster, despite being one of the worst teams. Maybe they make more moves in the offseason. But a puzzling decision.

27. Brooklyn Nets (14-37)

Previous Rankings: 26

The Nets didn’t need to lift a finger to remain a tanking squad. They’ve lost 10 of their last 12 games. The only move they made was cutting Cam Thomas, who was on the qualifying offer. He signed with the Bucks. The writing was on the wall about his divorce. Moving on clears the air and gives him a chance to land on a contender, which isn’t a guarantee. Brooklyn remains one of the worst teams. That’s what happens when you depend on so many young players.

26. Washington Wizards (14-38)

Previous Rankings: 29

If any team exemplified this weird NBA trade deadline, it’s the Wizards. Despite being at the bottom of the barrel, they were the biggest buyers. First, they added Trae Young. Next, they added Anthony Davis. In a package filled with veterans and low draft capital, Washington went with the buy-low move. The perplexing thought process suddenly gives them two household names for next season. Davis has already been ruled out for the remainder of the season, which preserves their lottery odds.

25. Dallas Mavericks (19-33)

Previous Rankings: 22

Losing seven in a row, the Mavericks made the right, but painful, decision to part ways with Davis. He was the headliner in the controversial Luka Doncic blockbuster that’s barely a year old. After a forgettable tenure ruined by injuries and unfair expectations, Dallas has ripped the Band-Aid off. Doesn’t make it any less painful, but it has correctly pivoted to Cooper Flagg, who’s had one of the greatest rookie campaigns ever. What a transformation they’ve gone through over the last calendar year.

24. Utah Jazz (16-37)

Previous Rankings: 28

In one of the more surprising moves of the deadline, the Jazz cashed in their chips to acquire Jaren Jackson Jr. The former All-Star player gives Utah some power that it has lacked over the years. But don’t worry, they’re still prioritizing their lottery odds. A controversial loss to the Magic literally saw them bench their starters in the fourth quarter as they were on the cusp of a win. It’s led to some nasty discourse on how shameless tanking should be treated. Fair or not, the Jazz are the face of that.

23. Memphis Grizzlies (20-31)

Previous Rankings: 23

At a fork on the road, the Grizzlies went with the rebuild road. Jackson Jr.’s emotional departure signals a new era in Memphis. He’s been one of the faces of their franchise since his arrival. Emotions are obviously high among the fanbase. Wasn’t that long ago when they were the next up-and-coming team. Now, they’ve begrudgingly hit the reset button. The last man left from that era is Ja Morant, whose trade value was too bad to justify a deal right now. He’ll ride out the rest of this weird season and will likely get moved in the offseason. Just a brutal last year there.

22. Chicago Bulls (24-29)

Previous Rankings: 20

Stuck in mediocrity for eons, the Bulls made their direction clear at the trade deadline. They became the most active seller and shipped away several rotation players. Coby White, Nikola Vucevic and Ayo Dosunmu all found new NBA homes. In return, they mostly got draft capital and some young prospects. The biggest being Jaden Ivey. Little surreal to see Chicago realize where it stands among the rest of the league. A four-game losing streak probably helped them see that. All its moves made sense.

Previous Rankings: 24

The biggest name at this year’s deadline, Giannis Antetokounmpo has stayed in Milwaukee. That’s a little surprising. Talks have ramped up over the last week. To the point that there was a real shot he’d get moved. Instead, the Bucks didn’t like the packages they were offered. Expect those talks to be revitalized in the offseason. For now, the two-time MVP is expected to return this season as he deals with a calf strain. He went to social media to puff up his chest and say he’s here to stay. Sure. We’ll see how that ages in four months.

Previous Rankings: 17

In an active trade deadline, Miami’s absence was loud. The Heat have been stuck in play-in purgatory for years. Expect them to remain in that range once again. They have a roster filled with decent veterans, but no real NBA superstar who scares the rest of the East. Maybe they can get that in the offseason with Antetokounmpo. Miami has always been a hot spot for disgruntled franchise players. But that’s months away from materializing. For now, this looks like another season where they’re alright and get booted after the first round of the playoffs.

19. Atlanta Hawks (26-28)

Previous Rankings: 21

Viewed as an offseason winner, the Hawks showed why you don’t win games on a spreadsheet. They’ve been one of the bigger disappointments this season. Not wanting to wait until the summer, they decided to hit the reset button right now. Young’s departure was the biggest. The trade deadline saw them trade away some of their role players. At least Nickeil Alexander-Walker has been awesome. He scored a game-winner over the Jazz. Atlanta has a lot of intriguing pieces. He could be someone on its next iteration.

18. Portland Trail Blazers (25-28)

Previous Rankings: 19

Snapping a six-game losing streak, the Trail Blazers swept the Grizzlies in a two-game baseball series this past week. They mostly stayed quiet at the trade deadline. They added Vit Krejci for some solid depth, but that’s it. Portland is betting on its roster getting healthy for the stretch run. You saw that happen as Scoot Henderson finally debuted this season after recovering from a hamstring strain. Expectations should be low for him, considering he’s buried on the depth chart. But he could help with their second unit minutes.

17. LA Clippers (24-27)

Previous Rankings: 16

I’m sorry, the Clippers did what? What an unreal week for one of the hottest teams in the league. Despite working their way back to the postseason picture, the front office remained focused on its long-term plans. They shockingly traded James Harden to the Cavaliers for Darius Garland. The former wanted a new contract. LA didn’t budge. That meant the next move was to deal him to a contender. Garland is a nice player to get. Injuries have plagued him this year. And it makes sense in the long-term future to see if he can regain his All-Star form. But still, what a shocker. And if you had any doubt, they dealt Zubac to the Pacers. He’s their best developmental story as he had some All-NBA buzz this past summer. What a deadline. The Clippers didn’t let a hot month deter them from their plans. It remains to be seen if their daring nature is also the smart move.

16. Charlotte Hornets (25-28)

Previous Rankings: 18

The hottest team in the NBA is the Hornets. They’ve won nine in a row. Feels a little surreal typing that out. They became buyers for the first time in forever when they acquired White. He gives them a microwave scorer off the bench. To celebrate Charlotte’s turnaround, Miles Bridges and Kon Knueppel combined for 49 points in a win over the Hawks. What’s happening there since New Year’s has been insane to watch. They’re right in the middle of the postseason picture with plenty of time to move up. It’s at a point where national podcasts are forced to talk about what they’re doing in a positive light for the first time in a decade.

15. Orlando Magic (27-24)

Previous Rankings: 14

After getting absolutely humiliated in their loss to the Thunder, the Magic were slapped with reality. A disappointing season is likely unsalvageable. Penciled as a contender, Orlando has been one of the biggest letdowns. To the point that you’re wondering if Paolo Banchero is worth the on-court headaches. That’s an offseason question. For now, they siliently waived the white flag when their only deadline deal was to salary dump Tyus Jones.

14. Golden State Warriors (28-25)

Previous Rankings: 15

Losers of three of their last four games, the Warriors made one last-ditch effort to compete. They acquired Kristaps Porzingis from the Hawks. We finally saw the series ending of the Jonathan Kuminga soap opera, as he was part of the deal. Dealing with an illness, Porzingis has seldom played this year. But Golden State is confident that it can change. Mostly based on hope. The veteran squad had its playoff odds destroyed when Jimmy Butler went down with a torn ACL. Now, Golden State has become desperate for anything to spark optimism at this point.

13. Toronto Raptors (32-33)

Previous Rankings: 12

Sitting on an expensive roster, the Raptors decided to stick with their group. They were one of the more interesting teams to watch at the deadline. They’ve been a surprise team. Headlined by Scottie Barnes, they have one of the more balanced starting lineups in the league. Toronto remains one of the best defenses that do just enough on offense to get wins. Any night, any of its top players can lead it in scoring.

12. Philadelphia 76ers (30-22)

Previous Rankings: 13

Joel Embiid’s pleas fell on deaf ears. The Sixers are on the verge of graduating from feel-good story to a wildcard contender. They’ve enjoyed relatively good health and have played winning basketball for most of the season. The former MVP hoped Philadelphia could add help at the trade deadline, something they’ve rarely done. Nope. Instead, they salary-dumped Jared McCain to the Thunder in a deal that served as a miniature version of the controversial Doncic trade outrage. Sixers fans were puzzled and then heated about the deal. The 21-year-old has been buried on the depth chart, but showed enough promise to be worth keeping around. Let’s see how it ages, but that’s the type of transaction that brings the morale down in the locker room.

11. Phoenix Suns (31-22)

Previous Rankings: 10

After being out for a couple of weeks, Devin Booker returned. The Suns badly missed their All-Star player. While it’s been a fun group effort where several role players have had career years, they needed the 25-point scorer to truly remain a competitive team. Phoenix has been one of the best surprises this year. Let’s see if they can continue to roll the positive vibes the rest of the way after they entered a season where nobody had true expectations for them.

10. Houston Rockets (32-19)

Previous Rankings: 5

Two straight home losses had folks worried. Losing to the Celtics and Hornets exposed just how badly the Rockets’ offense can get. And even with a win over the Thunder, those problems exist. You thought Houston would add a ball-handler to help things out. Nope. I guess the plan is to pray that Fred VanVleet can return sooner than expected from his torn ACL. That’s a lot to ask from him after a massive knee injury. But alas, that’s the bet they’ve made.

9. Minnesota Timberwolves (32-22)

Previous Rankings: 6

The Timberwolves painted some final touches to their roster. They added Dosunmu to prepare for the playoffs. In a relatively quiet deadline for contenders, you could argue that it was the biggest move among the West teams. They also brought back Mike Conley. They should help Minnesota’s depth. Alas, getting blown out by the Clippers has cooled some folks off from their odds. The inconsistent squad has two deep playoff runs under its belt, but another mediocre season has people wondering if they could get lucky once again with how the playoff bracket breaks.

8. Los Angeles Lakers (32-19)

Previous Rankings: 9

Broadly speaking, the Lakers had a quiet deadline. Despite some inconsistencies, it seems like their front office believes all they need is health. Luka Doncic had a hamstring scare that only cost him a couple of games. The MVP candidate has become Los Angeles’ undisputed best player. After a lengthy absence, Austin Reaves returned from a calf strain. He completely changes the dynamics of their high-scoring offense. He scored 35 points in a win over the Sixers.

7. Cleveland Cavaliers (32-21)

Previous Rankings: 11

Winning eight of their last nine games, the Cavaliers didn’t just sit on hope. They took a proactive approach at the trade deadline. Cleveland turned into a main character when it shocked the NBA world and added Harden. With the move, they revealed their true feelings about Garland’s durability this year. With very little confidence that he’ll return to form, it’s hard to blame them for making this move. He scored 23 points in his debut for the Cavaliers. They got an easy win over the Kings. Let’s see if the win-now move can help them finally get over their playoff hump. That’s what it’s all about at this point.

6. Denver Nuggets (34-19)

Previous Rankings: 3

Even with Nikola Jokic back, injuries continue to haunt the Nuggets. To the point that they’re becoming detrimental. Peyton Watson will be out at least a month with a hamstring strain. Brutal. He’s been a breakout candidate in Denver. From sitting on the bench to being a microwave scorer. Anytime you tune in to watch Denver, you can guarantee it’s without a handful of rotation players due to injuries. It’s been a rollercoaster year because of it.

5. Boston Celtics (34-19)

Previous Rankings: 8

The Celtics had won five in a row before they dropped a loss to the Knicks. The vibes are great in Boston as it has a house-money approach. We’ll see what happens with Jayson Tatum, but they did a great job at walking a fine line at the trade deadline. They bolstered their frontcourt by adding Vucevic. He gives them an offensive-first center ready to go to a winner. They also shed their payroll with a few salary dumps of guys at the end of their bench. Talked about a masterful series of transactions that pleases the ownership group and locker room.

Previous Rankings: 7

Winning nine of their last 10, the post-NBA Cup struggles feel like a distant memory. The Knicks have been one of the hottest teams over the last couple of weeks. Which likely explains their relatively quiet trade deadline. This is the group they’ll ride with. Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns will test the theory of how much high-octane offense can carry them in the playoffs. New York picked up impressive wins over the Celtics and Nuggets this past week.

3. San Antonio Spurs (36-16)

Previous Rankings: 4

The Spurs have won four in a row. They were quiet at the trade deadline. Probably the smart move to make. Remains to be seen how this group handles the playoffs. One person who will make or break San Antonio’s odds is Stephon Castle. The 21-year-old had a historic 40-point triple-double in a win over the Mavericks. Penciled in as arguably their second-best player, their playoff hopes ride with how he looks under the national spotlight.

2. Detroit Pistons (38-13)

Previous Rankings: 2

Speaking of young contenders who were quiet at the trade deadline, the Pistons shared the same philosophy. They want to see how Cade Cunningham and others first look in the playoffs. Last year was a good experience. But now they have title expectations. To show why Detroit should be viewed as the favorite to come out of the East, they absolutely blew out the Knicks in a 38-point win. Now that’s a resume win.

date: 2026-02-09 17:10:00