theScore's NBA editors answer some of the biggest questions around the league with the Feb. 6 trade deadline now in the rearview.
Which player are you shocked wasn't traded?
Cam Johnson: The Nets were the most active team early on, shipping out Dennis Schroder, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Shake Milton in exchange for a quartet of second-round picks. Those moves were consistent with a team triggering an aggressive rebuild, especially after GM Sean Marks claimed the club's present ambitions "may not always be in line with winning." It only made sense to off-load Cam Johnson amid a career season with two years left on a thrifty four-year, $94-million deal. The Cavaliers were reportedly interested, yet Johnson was still in Brooklyn once the clock struck 3 p.m. on Thursday. Make it make sense. - Michael J. Chandler
Jonathan Kuminga: We knew the Warriors were hell-bent on bringing in another star to pair with Stephen Curry. What we didn't expect was how determined they'd be to not trade Kuminga to get that done. Adding Jimmy Butler while retaining Kuminga helps keep the rotation stacked for a (possible) playoff run this season, but the financial crunch will be felt this summer when the latter becomes a restricted free agent, especially in light of Butler's two-year mammoth extension worth $121 million. The Warriors are slated to be $19.3 million under the 2025-26 luxury tax, courtesy ESPN's Bobby Marks, and Kuminga was last reported to be seeking an extension worth $35 million annually. If Golden State intends to keep the 22-year-old long term, good luck to the team's cap crunchers this summer. - Jonathan Soveta
Clint Capela: Capela's demotion to the bench seemed to foreshadow the end of his Hawks tenure. Onyeka Okongwu was showing his potential in extended minutes and entering the first season of a four-year, $62-million contract. It made sense for Atlanta to prioritize the younger center it's invested a lot of money in. Capela's numbers have gradually declined over the past two campaigns and there was an opportunity to acquire an asset or two in exchange for his expiring contract. Atlanta isn't any closer to a title with Capela on the roster and will now likely lose the veteran big man for nothing this summer. - Chicco Nacion
Who's the happiest player after the deadline?
Jimmy Butler: After a drama-filled situation this season, Butler ultimately got his way, being traded to the Warriors and signing a handsome two-year extension. The 35-year-old joins Curry, a better star compared to Butler's former Heat teammates. He also gets the chance to help lead the 25-26 squad back into the play-in tournament bracket this campaign, while also giving Golden State an extended window of potential contention as Curry's career winds down. At the end of the day, Butler got his way without sacrificing money. - Donald Higney
Jusuf Nurkic: It's been a struggle for the 30-year-old big man in his 11th NBA season. Nurkic only appeared in two games in 2025 and recently said he hadn't spoken to Phoenix Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer in months. Nurkic will have an opportunity to rehab his value playing alongside LaMelo Ball and a Hornets roster with a lot of offensive talent. Charlotte has a void in the middle after Mark Williams was shipped to the Lakers and Nick Richards was moved to Nurkic's old team, Phoenix, ahead of the deadline. - Thomas Tittley
Mark Williams: Perhaps it's a result of toiling with the NBA's most irrelevant franchise, but Williams flew under the radar in three seasons with the Hornets. Obscure no more, he now gets to play alongside LeBron James and Luka Doncic in L.A. while filling the frontcourt void left by Anthony Davis' departure. The 7-footer doesn't turn 24 until December, and considering he's an elite rim-runner, he should be the perfect partner for Doncic's penchant for pinpoint lobs. Much like Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington improved exponentially playing alongside with Doncic last season in Dallas following spells in Washington and Charlotte, respectively, expect Williams to experience a similar rise with the Lakers. - Chandler
Update: the trade sending Williams to the Lakers was rescinded Saturday.
Which team will regret not doing more?
Chicago Bulls: Chicago finally parted with Zach LaVine by inserting itself into the De'Aaron Fox deal between the Spurs and Kings, allowing the Bulls to recoup their own first-rounder in this year's draft. But that was the only draft capital they got for the 29-year-old shooting a career-best 51.1% from the floor and 44.6% from deep in one of his best offensive seasons in Chicago. They also didn't cash in on Nikola Vucevic, who's in the midst of his own scoring resurgence and whose contract expires after next season. The front office feels Vucevic will garner more value in the offseason, according to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, but that reasoning is confusing at best considering the 6-foot-10 center will be 35 when next season tips off. The Bulls and falling flat at the trade deadline: name a more iconic duo. - Soveta
Denver Nuggets: The Nuggets are back in the championship mix, but they aren't without their flaws. The Nuggets rank 27th in bench scoring (28.1 points per contest) and 29th in triples made (167). The team could've also used a backup center with DeAndre Jordan, Zeke Nnaji, and Dario Saric not inspiring much confidence. Michael Malone's offense has struggled immensely when Jokic sits. They're scoring 10.8 fewer points per 100 possessions when Jordan's on the floor and 26 fewer with Nnaji on the court. Meanwhile, Saric has completely fallen out of the rotation - his last appearance came nearly a month ago. An inability to buy minutes for Jokic could come back to haunt Denver in the playoffs. - Nacion
Milwaukee Bucks: After failing to land Butler or a player of his caliber, the Bucks acquired Kyle Kuzma in a trade that sent former All-Star Khris Middleton to the lowly Wizards. Middleton's underwhelming performance limits Milwaukee's championship window, sure, but so does Kuzma, who's shooting career-worst percentages from everywhere on the court. The Bucks also didn't add a significant bench piece, taking swings on end-of-rotation players like Kevin Porter Jr. and Jericho Sims. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard will have to carry more of the load on this thin team. - Higney
Which front office best achieved its goals?
Cleveland Cavaliers: The Cavs have been trying to fill an Isaac Okoro-sized hole as the former top-five pick is expected to be sidelined past the All-Star break with a shoulder issue. Since Okoro's injury, the Cavaliers are 7-4 and have struggled against teams above .500. Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland are both small for their position, which raises questions about their ability to defend at a high level. Hunter ticks all the necessary boxes for a 3-and-D wing: he's a high-level, multipositional defender averaging a career-best 19 points while shooting nearly 40% from downtown. If he can stay healthy, Hunter will be a valuable piece on a Cleveland squad primed for a postseason run. - Tittley
Washington Wizards: There's no point in half-assing a tank with a generational star like Cooper Flagg available in the 2025 draft. The Wizards, who enter Friday's action in dead last, three games back of the Pelicans in the win column, made their intentions very clear. Kuzma, Jonas Valanciunas, Marvin Bagley, and others were discarded. In return, the Wizards bolstered an already bountiful draft haul with three first-round picks, four second-round picks, and a first-round pick swap. They also acquired Alex Len's expiring deal, Reggie Jackson (who was immediately waived), and veteran duo Marcus Smart and Khris Middleton, who should both be easy to move in the offseason. This is how you tank. - Chandler
San Antonio Spurs - You're forgiven if a whirlwind deadline finale made you forget how well the Spurs set themselves up for years to come. San Antonio took its biggest step toward building a contender in the Victor Wembanyama era Sunday by landing De'Aaron Fox from the Kings in a three-team swap while coughing up very little. Not only did they hold on to Rookie of the Year front-runner Stephon Castle, they also know the 27-year-old Fox is highly likely to extend his stay past next season and well into his prime. With Wembanyama (21), Castle (20), Devin Vassell (24), and Keldon Johnson (25) all under contract through 2026-27 at minimum, Fox's presumed long-term addition will have the Spurs on the up right as the window closes shut on most of the West's aging heavyweights. - Soveta
Which player's the best buyout candidate?
Gary Harris: Harris is a buyout candidate with his role greatly reduced from previous seasons and a logjam in the Magic backcourt. The veteran guard isn't having the greatest offensive campaign, but he's a career 36.9% 3-point shooter and would bolster any team in need of floor spacing. Harris has remained an effective perimeter defender in limited minutes. The Magic are allowing seven fewer points per 100 possessions this season when he's on the floor. He was an important part of Orlando's third-ranked defense a year ago, ranking fifth on the team in steals and sixth in deflections. - Nacion
Bruce Brown: The 28-year-old wing doesn't entirely fit the Pelicans' timeline after coming over in the Brandon Ingram trade. Brown's playoff pedigree would better be served for a contender rather than the basement-dwelling Pelicans. The versatile wing contributed 12 points, four rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.1 steals over the Nuggets' championship run in 2023. Despite recent injury trouble, Brown's averaged 10.3 points over his last 10. Teams like the Nuggets, Lakers, and Celtics could use Brown's services. - Higney
Larry Nance Jr.: Atlanta's front office decided to embrace its youth and build around the young, athletic wings on the roster. It's become clear the Hawks are trying to rebuild on the fly even though they don't possess their 2025 first-round pick, making Nance's versatility and expiring deal surplus to requirements. Nance’s 3-point shooting, defense, and elite cutting will attract multiple suitors, the most intriguing being the Rockets and Kings. Pairing the Wyoming product with a playmaker like Alperen Sengun or Domantas Sabonis would be fascinating. Nance is an elite passer in his own right: he's been in the 90th percentile in assist-to-usage ratio in four of his last six seasons, per Cleaning The Glass. - Tittley
