2026 NBA trade deadline: Which teams will be buyers, sellers?

Story by

Story by
2026 NBA trade deadline: Which teams will be buyers, sellers?

Bailey Bassett, ClutchPoints · ClutchPoints

Thu, Jan 1, 2026 ·

12 min read

About Our Ads

2026 NBA trade deadline: Which teams will be buyers, sellers? appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .

The 2026 NBA trade deadline is on Thursday, Feb. 5, at 3 p.m. ET. In this day and age, it is a can't-miss date on the NBA calendar, regardless of who you cheer for. That is because seemingly every team gets in on the action and makes deals both big and small. Good teams look to add talent, while bad teams trade it away for future capital.

The line on which teams will be buyers and which teams will be sellers is blurrier than ever before this year, though. Injuries have completely changed the NBA landscape, and it is leading to what will likely be a hectic buildup to the trade deadline. So, which teams will be buyers, and which teams will look to sell?

Trade deadline sellers

Sacramento Kings

The pairing of Domantas Sabonis , Zach LaVine , and DeMar DeRozan has, predictably, not worked out for the Sacramento Kings. After all, the LaVine and DeRozan experiment had already failed when the two were with the Chicago Bulls. Sabonis is sidelined with a meniscus tear right now, too.

The Kings have failed at numerous rebuild attempts throughout the 21st century, but they need to hit the reset button yet again. This time, perhaps they can get things right. Sabonis provides the most trade value , although teams will likely wait to deal for him when he is healthy.

LaVine and DeRozan won't net as big of returns, but the Kings should be gauging the market on what they can get back for them, too. The Western Conference is stacked, and the only path for the Kings to ever compete is for them to start from scratch.

Dallas Mavericks

The Luka Doncic trade has quickly bitten the Dallas Mavericks in the butt. The deal was shocking when it happened ahead of last year's trade deadline, and nearly everyone agreed it was a horrible deal for Dallas. The acquisition of Anthony Davis certainly has not stood the test of time, either, as the often-injured big man is already being thrown around in trade rumors.

Giving up on the Davis experiment so quickly is far from ideal, but the Mavericks seem poised to start anew with number one overall pick Cooper Flagg leading the way. ClutchPoints' Brett Siegel previewed a potential massive, five-team deal involving Davis, Zach LaVine, Trae Young , Domantas Sabonis, and others that would certainly set the NBA world on fire.

New Orleans Pelicans

This version of the New Orleans Pelicans would normally be the poster boy for trade deadline sellers. The team is in last place in the Western Conference, yet they have several intriguing players on reasonable contracts that other teams would love to trade for. However, straight-up tanking doesn't do the Pelicans much good.

They owe their 2026 first-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks , so vying for a better draft position does the Pelicans nothing. Even though a typical tank job is out of the question, the Pelicans still need to make the moves that prepare them for the future. If that means trading players for draft capital and further sacrificing wins, then so be it.

The team will even have to consider a Zion Williamson trade. The former number one overall pick was one of the most highly touted prospects in NBA history once upon a time. Injuries have prevented him from reaching his potential, and at some point, the Pelicans may have to cut their losses.

Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics won the NBA Finals in 2024. They fully intend on winning more titles with their current core, too. However, Boston is in a gap year of sorts. Jayson Tatum tore his Achilles tendon, which led to Boston trading Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis . Because the Celtics weren't going to contend without their best player, they decided to fix their financial situation.

The team might not be done doing that, either. The Holiday trade netted the Celtics Anfernee Simons, but the guard is on an expiring contract and might not be in Boston's future plans. The Celtics might flip Simons for pieces and/or assets that can help come next season, when the Celtics are ready to contend again.

Los Angeles Clippers

The Los Angeles Clippers are the oldest team in the NBA. The core of Kawhi Leonard and James Harden hasn't worked out, and it has only gotten worse this year after the team tried to retool in the offseason. Both of those stars are no strangers to being dealt. Harden, in particular, has requested a trade on numerous occasions.

The Clippers may want to trade their aging stars before it is too late. Leonard would be one of the top players on the trading block , but his future is unclear because of the allegations related to salary cap circumvention. Other players besides Harden and Leonard could demand interest on the trading market, though, including John Collins , Derrick Jones Jr. , Bogdan Bogdanovic , Brook Lopez , and, for a steep price, perhaps even Ivica Zubac .

Chris Paul is also destined for a trade or a buyout, although the latter may be more likely. Paul was sent home by the Clippers because of disagreements with Ty Lue and the organization. The all-time great point guard likely wants to end his career on a contender before he retires at season's end.

Milwaukee Bucks

Giannis Antetokounmpo is the top name on the trading block. The two-time MVP is arguably the best player in Milwaukee Bucks history . He even won a championship with the team, but in recent years, Antetokounmpo has grown increasingly frustrated with the team's inability to build a contender around him.

Now, it seems like Antetokounmpo will be the next megastar to be traded away from the team that drafted him. Antetokounmpo and the Bucks were reportedly working out their future before the Greek Freak suffered a calf injury. Upon his return, a full-blown trade request wouldn't surprise anybody.

If Antetokounmpo is, in fact, shipped away, the Bucks might as well embrace a full-blown rebuild. Myles Turner would garner plenty of interest on the trade market, and Kevin Porter Jr. , Bobby Portis , Kyle Kuzma , and A.J. Green could have some trade value, too.

Brooklyn Nets

It isn't 100% certain that the Brooklyn Nets will be trade deadline sellers rather than buyers. After all, they've been rumored to have interest in a superstar trade in recent years, and Antetokounmpo is even someone who has been linked to the team. The Nets have plenty of draft capital to make a splashy trade, too.

However, not even a deal for a star would make the Nets NBA Finals contenders. The team is still in the midst of a rebuild. They are developing recent draftees, five of whom were taken in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft. They are also letting Michael Porter Jr. prove himself as a star. His numbers have drastically improved since he was acquired from the Denver Nuggets .

Porter has found success in Brooklyn, but that may just mean he has more value in a trade now. The Nets seem likely to continue adding future draft capital. They have more cap space than any other team, so they could be a salary dump destination, too.

Washington Wizards

The Washington Wizards' priority is developing their young talent. Alex Sarr , Bub Carrington , Kyshawn George , Bilal Coulibaly , Corey Kispert , Tre Johnson , and Will Riley are all recent first-round draftees of the Wizards whom the team has big plans for. None of them are likely to be traded. The Wizards also have some young reclamation projects on the roster, such as AJ Johnson and Cam Whitmore .

In addition to this surplus of developmental projects, the Wizards have a number of veterans on the roster. CJ McCollum , Khris Middleton , and Marvin Bagley don't fit the Wizards timeline. Therefore, they could very well be moved ahead of the 2026 NBA trade deadline.

Keeping a leader with experience on the roster may be important for Washington, as somebody needs to teach the youngsters the ropes. The Wizards don't need all of these veterans, though, so they should trade most of them for even more draft capital.

Trade deadline buyers

Golden State Warriors

The Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry /Draymond Green-led dynasty has been nearing its end for quite some time now. The team wants to make the twilight of the careers of Curry and Green count. Last year, they made a huge trade deadline move for Jimmy Butler.

The team isn't good enough as it stands now, so they will need to continue wheeling and dealing. Most notably, the Warriors need help at center. Fans have long wondered how the team that thrives at small ball would fare with a high-quality center on the roster. The need for interior help is more prevalent than ever before, though.

Al Horford is a shell of himself, and Trayce Jackson-Davis and Quinten Post are both poor paint protectors. The Warriors need an impressive trade deadline performance in order to give Curry and Green one more shot at another ring.

Los Angeles Lakers

Any team with LeBron James on it will be an NBA trade deadline buyer. Just last year, the Los Angeles Lakers acquired Luka Doncic in one of the most shocking trades in NBA history. Lakers fans should temper their expectations because a one-sided megadeal like that isn't happening again.

The team still has weaknesses to address, though. James, Doncic, and Austin Reaves provide plenty of offensive firepower, but the defense in Los Angeles is nothing to write home about. That is why Herb Jones, one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA, has already been linked to the team.

Portland Trail Blazers

The Portland Trail Blazers have been competitive in the Western Conference. However, they need more to have a chance to push for the playoffs. Deni Avdija has taken a few steps forward this year, and Damian Lillard will return to the fold next season, but it still seems like Portland is a star short.

The team has plenty of depth and youth, but the roster may be lacking another player who can make the clutch shot late. Portland should scour the trade market for a star who can get them to the next level. They have plenty of assets to give up in a trade, including matching salaries, young players, and draft picks.

San Antonio Spurs

The San Antonio Spurs have quickly become a scary team. They are the two-seed in the Western Conference, and they've beaten the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder three times over the last couple of weeks. The Spurs can get even better, though, because they have tons of intriguing trade assets.

The Spurs are arguably the best Giannis Antetokounmpo trade fit. San Antonio is young, and an aggressive move like that could ensure they have enough experience heading into the playoffs, where they hope to contend for a championship. A move for Antetokounmpo would, of course, cost a pretty penny. The team doesn't have to get that aggressive, but they will likely be trade deadline buyers no matter what.

Denver Nuggets

The Denver Nuggets have been quiet when it comes to adding talent to the roster in recent years. That changed during a fantastic offseason in which Denver traded for Cam Johnson and added Jonas Valanciunas, Tim Hardaway Jr. , and Bruce Brown in free agency. These moves help fix Denver's depth problem.

Unfortunately, the Nuggets have been bitten by the injury bug. Nikola Jokic , Christian Braun , Aaron Gordon , and Johnson are all sidelined right now. Denver might need to trade for reinforcements in order to stay afloat. If they can get healthy, the Nuggets have a championship core, so a blockbuster deal is unlikely, especially after the Johnson-Michael Porter Jr. trade happened in the offseason.

The Nuggets will certainly be trade deadline buyers ready to make moves on the margins, though. They might even have to jump the gun on making a trade soon. If they don't, they risk losing a lot of games from now to the trade deadline because of how depleted they are.

Oklahoma City Thunder

The Thunder don't necessarily need to make a move, but they certainly can if they want to. The team is the reigning world champions, and they got off to one of the hottest starts in NBA history this year. They've faltered late, but the Thunder should still be viewed as the NBA Finals favorites.

Despite how obvious Oklahoma City's championship-caliber roster is right now, they still have more future draft picks than any other team. The team's depth is unmatched, and they haven't even played either of their past two first-round picks yet. If the Thunder want to chase another championship with this roster, they can. If they want to make a consolidation move, they can. They can go all in on a blockbuster if they so desire, too. The Thunder can outbid any other team, and Sam Presti is a trading genius.

Charlotte Hornets

Although there have been rumors hinting at a potential LaMelo Ball trade, the Charlotte Hornets should be trade deadline buyers, not sellers. The Hornets have sold in recent years, but they keep ending up near the bottom of the standings. There was a clear organizational shift during the 2025 NBA Draft, when the team selected a bunch of polished prospects who play hard and can shoot.

This philosophical change should lead to more effort in adding talent through the trade market. The center position is where Charlotte should start in their trade search.

Detroit Pistons

The Detroit Pistons tied the record for the longest losing streak in NBA history just two years ago. Now, they are atop the Eastern Conference standings, making them clear-cut NBA trade deadline buyers. The Eastern Conference is wide open this year because of injuries to Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton .

Because of that, Detroit would be justified in going all in. The Pistons' biggest weakness is 3-point shooting. Look for that to be the main area they address in the trade market.

Mobilize your Website

View Site in Mobile | Classic

Share by: