2026 NBA trade deadline intel: Bucks still contemplating Giannis’ future, Cavs escalate trade market

We have officially reached the point of the NBA trade deadline where deals are popping up left and right, some less expected than others. That is what happened on Tuesday when the Memphis Grizzlies traded Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Utah Jazz. Even after this trade, as well as the James Harden-Darius Garland All-Star guard swap, the big domino remains Giannis Antetokounmpo and his future with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Multiple teams have been making calls to Milwaukee leading up to the trade deadline in an attempt to acquire Giannis. So far, the Bucks have listened and discussed certain aspects of value in these trade talks with teams, but executive Jon Horst and his front office have yet to definitively say that Antetokounmpo is available.

As a result, the majority of league executives and scouts are of the belief that Giannis will remain on the Bucks past the Feb. 5 deadline.

How does this potentially impact teams like the Minnesota Timberwolves, Golden State Warriors, and Miami Heat? All three of these teams have been in talks with the Bucks leading up to the trade deadline regarding Giannis, and each team has gone back and forth with Milwaukee about different scenarios.

However, the latest intel circulating in NBA circles on Tuesday evening was the Timberwolves’ aggressive pursuit to finalize a deal done immediately and not let the Giannis situation carry over into the summer. The main reason behind all of this is indications from Antetokounmpo’s camp that playing alongside Anthony Edwards is at the top of his list if he were to be traded before the deadline.

Timberwolves aggressively pursuing Giannis trade

Amid strong interest from the Warriors and Heat, it is the Timberwolves who have emerged as the top destination for Giannis before Thursday’s deadline. League sources told ClutchPoints on Tuesday night that Antetokounmpo not only wants to play alongside Edwards but also that Minnesota has been engaged in several trade conversations around the NBA to make landing Giannis right now their reality.

The Timberwolves have been in constant communication with the Bucks in the week leading up to the trade deadline about what it would take to acquire Antetokounmpo, and a small move they made on Tuesday created more flexibility for Timberwolves president Tim Connelly to discuss what would be a multi-team scenario to trade for Antetokounmpo.

In a three-team deal with the Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls, Mike Conley Jr. was dealt to Chicago in a trade that moved Minnesota below the first apron and just $3.8 million above the luxury tax line. The Wolves now have two open roster spots after making this trade.

After moving Conley, it has become clear that another deal is on the horizon in Minneapolis. Whether or not it’s the ultimate deal for Giannis is the question at large. It is worth noting that the Timberwolves could have made a deal for Bulls guard Coby White, whom they have been linked to throughout the trade season, yet they chose not to because of this ongoing pursuit of Giannis.

Minnesota is doing everything it can to gather more potential assets and draft picks to go back to Milwaukee and make a Giannis trade before Thursday. That is why the Timberwolves have talked with multiple teams about the values of Jaden McDaniels, Julius Randle, and Naz Reid.

At the same time, the Timberwolves will not make any significant roster changes involving any of these three players unless there is a deal for Giannis in place, league sources said. In any potential scenario, the Wolves are said to want to keep Reid for the foreseeable future.

Among teams to speak with the Timberwolves lately, the Los Angeles Lakers expressed interest in swingman Donte DiVincenzo, sources said. These talks have not progressed to anything significant, as the Timberwolves would only consider moving DiVincenzo if it helped them pull off a trade for Giannis. The Lakers don’t appear to have any valuable assets that could aid Minnesota’s quest for Giannis other than their future 2031 first-round pick.

As we inch closer to the 24-hour mark before the trade deadline, the Timberwolves, who are extremely aggressive on the trade market, attempting to get the necessary assets, very well may run out of time to put together a compelling offer for Giannis.

Other than the Timberwolves’ strong pursuit of the Milwaukee star, the Warriors’ trade package, highlighted by various first-round picks, Jonathan Kuminga, Draymond Green, and Brandin Podziemski, is still one the Bucks have yet to decline, sources said. There is still a level of intrigue from Milwaukee regarding Golden State’s future draft picks, especially those past the 2029-30 season.

The same cannot be said for the Heat and their offer, as there is a growing sense of doubt around the league that Miami has the assets right now to pull off a trade with the Bucks. In fact, some league sources who spoke with ClutchPoints late Tuesday night (technically Wednesday morning if we want to count anything past midnight on the East Coast) insisted that the Heat have already changed course and are pivoting to other options.

With the trade deadline closing in on the 24-hour mark, the Timberwolves are doing everything they can to find one, two, maybe even three more teams that can help them facilitate what would be arguably the biggest last-minute blockbuster trade this league has seen. From the Warriors’ perspective, they continue to hold out hope that this doesn’t happen for the Wolves and their package remains the best on the table.

Even so, it still may not matter, as the Bucks could simply take all of this information from teams pursuing Giannis with them into the offseason and revisit trade talks then. This is the route many rival front-office personnel believe the Bucks will take.

Heat pivoting from Giannis trade

The Heat have been at the forefront of Giannis trade talks, yet too many questions surround their potential package, especially considering Tyler Herro’s upcoming extension talks and the question of just how good their draft assets are. That is why Giannis no longer appears to be a possibility before Thursday, and it’s also why league sources have indicated that Miami has already turned its attention to someone else.

Enter Ja Morant.

Ever since Morant became a focal point of trade conversations around the league near the start of the 2025-26 NBA season, all the intel surrounding him has been that he wants to find his way to Miami. The relationship between the Memphis Grizzlies and Morant cannot be repaired, and trust has been broken between him and the front office, sources said.

This is especially true given that Morant tried to make things work following his feud with Tuomas Iisalo and the coaching staff, yet GM Zach Kleiman and front-office personnel went behind the star’s back to begin discussing possible trades with any teams that were interested.

Morant has been on the record countless times saying he loves the city of Memphis and would have no reason to leave, but it appears as if that decision has already been made for him by Kleiman and this front office. If you need any more reason to believe a Morant trade is on the horizon, just look at what the Grizzlies did on Tuesday by essentially selling Jackson to the Jazz for as many draft picks and young talents as they could.

It is a matter of time before news of a Morant trade begins buzzing on everyone’s phones, and the Heat are certainly at the forefront of those conversations. For weeks, the Heat have been attempting to buy low on Morant, much like how the Washington Wizards did with their Trae Young trade with the Atlanta Hawks.

While the Young trade did not involve any draft picks, the Grizzlies do want draft compensation for Morant and are widely expected to take the first deal they can involving a first-round pick, sources said. Morant wants Miami, and only Miami, so will a deal get done here?

His value is at an all-time low right now, and the Grizzlies did not help themselves by trading Jackson first. Every team in the league knows Kleiman and the Grizzlies are entering a full-blown rebuild, which is why nobody will offer anything of real value for Morant at this juncture. Salvaging a first-round pick is the best Memphis can do before Thursday’s deadline.

Now that they appear to be pivoting away from pursuing Giannis, Morant is the likeliest star to join the Heat in the coming days.

But what would a potential trade look like for Miami, which is just $1.6 million under the luxury tax and likely doesn’t want to cross that line this season? Would the Heat even be willing to offer any draft picks for Morant, knowing he wants to go there, and there’s still a possibility to pursue Antetokounmpo in the summer with more draft assets should the Bucks hold onto him?

These are two major questions surrounding the Heat’s possible pursuit of Morant.

There are then questions about whether the Grizzlies, who simply seem to want to get any value from any team for Morant with no regard for where they send him, will circle back with teams like the Timberwolves and Sacramento Kings. Both organizations were rumored to have some level of interest in Morant earlier this year.

The Timberwolves could certainly pivot to Morant if their talks for Giannis fall through, and the Kings, league sources said, would entertain such a move if it allowed them to get off the contracts of guys like DeMar DeRozan ($24.5 million) and Malik Monk ($18.7 million).

Perhaps there is a path to the Grizzlies not only moving Morant, but also helping the Kings trade star big man Domantas Sabonis to the Toronto Raptors.

Can Kings, Raptors trade for Domantas Sabonis happen?

For months, the Raptors have discussed the possibility of pursuing three-time All-Star and three-time rebounding champion Domantas Sabonis from the Kings. Various scenarios have been discussed through the weeks leading up to the trade deadline, and what appears to be the final framework of a potential deal includes RJ Barrett, Jakob Poeltl, Ochai Agbaji, and some sort of draft compensation that is presumed to be a first-round asset.

ClutchPoints reported this exact framework the two teams were discussing on Monday. Whether or not this iteration of Sabonis going to Toronto is completed is a major question mark.

Given Poeltl’s ongoing back problems, the Raptors appear prepared to part ways with the 30-year-old center, whom they just signed this past summer to a three-year, $84.5 million extension that runs through the 2029-30 season. However, the hold-up in talks between the Raptors and Kings is precisely Poeltl’s contract.

The Kings have indicated they hold no interest in taking back this long-term contract, even if it paves a path to acquiring Barrett, whom Kings GM Scott Perry has held a very strong relationship with dating back to when the former Knicks executive drafted him third overall in 2019.

Such a deal between Toronto and Sacramento would need to involve at least one other team to facilitate Poeltl’s contract, which raises more questions about added draft compensation and assets being traded by the Raptors.

As the two teams continue to try to find another team to help facilitate their trade, the Grizzlies came up in multiple conversations league personnel had with ClutchPoints in the aftermath of their trade involving Jackson being traded to Utah. The Grizz have clearly hit the reset button and will be rebuilding, which is why some around the league believe they could be persuaded to take on Poeltl’s contract for at least one unprotected first-round pick.

Then again, if Memphis is to rebuild, Kleiman won’t want to take on any long-term salary. The Grizzlies are solely focused on finding a way to move Morant before Thursday, which leads to the idea of the Kings being a potential suitor for the star guard if Memphis takes on Poeltl’s contract.

This would offer Sacramento a path to move DeRozan, who is owed only $10 million of his $25.7 million salary if waived this upcoming offseason, by adding draft compensation. Again, this is just a hypothetical path to the Kings dumping future money and striking a deal to send Sabonis to Toronto without taking on Poeltl’s contract.

To this point, the Grizzlies have not shown interest in helping facilitate this trade between the Raptors and Kings, sources said.

Is there another team out there that has a need for a center and could utilize Poeltl? After trading Nikola Vucevic to the Boston Celtics, maybe the Chicago Bulls could be persuaded to add Poeltl if they were to get draft picks. The Indiana Pacers are unlikely to pursue Poeltl, but that’s another team with a clear need at the center position.

Unless a third team pops up between now and Thursday afternoon, or unless the Kings reverse course and take Poeltl in this trade, which is highly unlikely, talks between Toronto and Sacramento will need to be put on hold until the offseason. Should this happen, expect the Raptors to quickly pivot to a cost-effective, short-term move for big-man depth while dodging the luxury tax for the season.

Next move for Cavs after James Harden trade?

As reported with ClutchPoints’ Tomer Azarly on Monday night, talks of James Harden’s departure from the LA Clippers had been ongoing for weeks leading up to the week of the trade deadline. The Clippers had been working with Harden on a potential trade amid being one of the hottest teams in the league on the court, and a trade was reached with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night for Darius Garland.

The Cavs, who recently traded for Keon Ellis and Dennis Schroder from the Kings, completely shifted gears in the weeks leading up to the trade deadline and decided to make an all-in move by trading Garland for Harden because of concerns surrounding the 26-year-old’s health and availability, sources said.

There had also been some within the organization concerned about his fit next to Donovan Mitchell as it pertained to contending for a championship right now. As a result, the Cavs took this opportunity to move Garland for Harden, a proven superstar guard in the NBA who gives this organization a clear two-year window to possibly win the Eastern Conference.

From the Clippers’ perspective, Garland is a player they have long held interest in as a young star guard, and he represents a path forward with a fresh start on a team that was desperate to add high-level, youthful talent.

Entering the trade deadline, the Clippers held zero interest in investing future assets into this iteration of the team, so moving on from Harden now for Garland and an immediate second-round pick was a massive win for executive Lawrence Frank and this front office.

Los Angeles will now continue to search for potential paths to move veteran guard Chris Paul and former first-round pick Kobe Brown before Thursday, sources said. The Clippers currently have one open roster spot and are roughly $1.1 million from their first-apron hard cap. By moving Paul and Brown in salary-dump moves, the Clippers can open up roster spots and funds to sign both Jordan Miller and Kobe Sanders to standard contracts.

As for the Cavs, they still are not done operating as one of the deadline’s busiest teams. Cleveland remains $13.8 million above the second apron after acquiring Harden, and the focus is on trading Lonzo Ball’s $10 million contract. The Charlotte Hornets, Washington Wizards, and Brooklyn Nets are all teams that will likely be willing to accept a second-round pick or two for this salary dump.

Still, such a move would leave the Cavs slightly over the second apron, and with executive Koby Altman still searching the market for potential upgrades before Thursday, both Max Strus and Jarrett Allen have come up in trade discussions around the league, sources said. News of Allen’s availability was first reported by Sam Amick of The Athletic, who reported that such a move could unlock “much bigger possibilities” for this franchise in the trade market.

With Mitchell, Harden, and Evan Mobley combining to make over $130 million on the Cavs’ cap sheet, it’s hard to imagine another major move being made by Cleveland. However, the Cavs are still looking to cut salary, which could signal a potential massive move to pursue an All-NBA talent like Anthony Davis or even Giannis in the summer.

There is pressure mounting in Cleveland to win right now and compete for a championship before Mitchell makes a decision on his future, which is why Altman and owner Dan Gilbert are willing to gamble right now.

Other trade notes and intel around the NBA

Brooklyn Nets: As we’ve discussed numerous times over the weeks leading up to the trade deadline, the Brooklyn Nets are prepared to keep Michael Porter Jr. for the remainder of the 2025-26 season. ClutchPoints’ Nets reporter Erik Slater recently mentioned how the team will revisit trade conversations during the offseason, as some are skeptical whether the organization will make a significant, long-term commitment to Porter.

Chicago Bulls: Yves Missi has been on the radar of several teams entering the week of the trade deadline, but none more than the Bulls, sources said. The Bulls’ interest in Missi was first reported by ClutchPoints before the start of February, and now there’s a gaping hole at center with Nikola Vucevic shipping up to Boston. The New Orleans Pelicans have been holding a firm asking price of a first-round pick for the recent All-Rookie big man, but no team has been willing to reach said price. The Bulls will be very active over the next day and a half, especially as it pertains to moving Coby White and possibly even Ayo Dosunmu after acquiring guards Jaden Ivey and Anfernee Simons.

Houston Rockets: Amid rumored interest in Bulls guard Coby White and potentially looking to move Dorian Finney-Smith before the trade deadline, the Houston Rockets are said to be content with their roster as is. Even though this team needs another frontcourt talent in the wake of Steven Adams’ season-ending injury, the Rockets will only be looking to make moves with players involving minimum-like contracts. Tari Eason has come up in countless trade rumors, with several teams showing interest in him, but league sources have been adamant that he will not be traded before Thursday.

New Orleans Pelicans: Teams around the NBA have been extremely confused with the Pelicans’ approach to this trade season, especially since they never really considered any offers coming their way for Trey Murphy III and Herb Jones. Both players have been highly pursued by several playoff-contending teams, and sources said NOLA received offers that included multiple first-round picks for Murphy and Jones. There is a very real possibility the Pelicans stick to their asking prices for all of their players through Thursday’s deadline and don’t make any moves, which would be extremely puzzling for a team at the bottom of the standings with several players holding real trade value.

New York Knicks: Guerschon Yabusele has been the player the Knicks have been attempting to move for any type of bench production before Thursday’s deadline. However, New York has run into a wall trying to find a team that wants his $5.7 million salary for next season. Although the Knicks spoke with the San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans recently, as first reported on ClutchPoints, neither team has been willing to take on Yabusele’s deal. It has become a real possibility that New York fails to find a trade for the French forward before the deadline.

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