Seven Major Trades + Ratings! Anthony Davis Traded for 9 Players to Wizards; Chris Paul Sent from Clippers; McDaniels Goes to Thunder

On February 5th Beijing time, seven trades occurred overnight in the NBA. Anthony Davis moved to the Wizards in a 4-for-9 trade, teaming up with Trae Young. Chris Paul was sent to the Raptors in a three-way deal, with expectations of a subsequent trade or release. The Thunder acquired McDaniels from the 76ers, the Bulls traded White and Conley to the Hornets, and Garland was dealt from the Cavaliers to the Jazz, with a likely waiver. Below are the detailed trades and media ratings—

Anthony Davis Joins Wizards in 4-for-9 Trade

According to Shams, the Mavericks traded star Anthony Davis to the Wizards, along with Hardy, Russell, and Exum. In return, the Mavericks received Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham, Marvin Bagley III, plus two first-round picks and three second-round picks.

The two first-round picks are specifically: the "worst pick" in 2026 (almost certainly the Thunder’s pick), and a 2030 Warriors pick protected for the top 20 selections. The three second-round picks include the Suns’ 2026 pick, Bulls’ 2027 pick, and Rockets’ 2029 pick.

For most of this season, Davis was available on the Mavericks’ trade block, but after suffering a hand injury expected to sideline him at least through February (possibly longer), there was doubt about whether the trade would go through. Previous rumored suitors like the Hawks and Raptors backed out, opening the door for a "dark horse" team like the Wizards to make the deal.

Although the Wizards aren’t an ideal destination for a veteran star like Davis, the team, currently at 13-36, is clearly building toward a playoff push next season — they recently acquired four-time All-Star Trae Young from the Hawks and now have the ten-time All-Star Davis joining to form a two-star core.

Similar to acquiring Trae Young, the Wizards capitalized on Davis’s injury-plagued "down period" to get him at a bargain price. Davis has played only 20 games this season due to multiple injuries. Although the draft picks sent by the Wizards seem substantial, the 2026 first-rounder will likely be the 30th pick, and if the 2030 pick lands in the top 20, it will convert into a second-round pick.

Trae Young is currently sidelined with a knee injury and has yet to play for the Wizards; likewise, Davis is unlikely to see much court time in the season’s second half and may miss it entirely. Notably, if the Wizards’ 2026 first-round pick falls outside the top eight, it will be sent to the Knicks, so the team will probably try hard to avoid that, resting veteran stars being one way to do so.

Besides shedding Davis’s max contract (with $58.5 million salary in 2026-27 and a $62.8 million player option in 2027-28), the Mavericks also clear Hardy’s $6 million guaranteed contract next season and Russell’s $6 million player option for 2026-27 from their salary books.

More importantly, this trade helps the Mavericks start rebuilding around rookie star Flagg. They now hold two 2026 first-round picks (including their own, likely lottery-bound), and 2026 is expected to be a strong draft year. Even with long-term contracts for role players like P.J. Washington and Gafford, the team’s salary structure is now much clearer and healthier.

However, the assets the Mavericks gave up to get Davis contrast sharply with what they paid just a year ago. Then, under former basketball operations VP Harrison, the Mavericks traded their franchise player Luka Doncic to acquire 32-year-old Davis. Since that deal, Harrison was fired, and now Davis is being traded away, effectively acknowledging that the 2025 trade deadline decision was a major mistake.

Trade Rating: Mavericks B, Wizards C

Thunder Acquire McDaniels in 4-for-1 Swap

According to Shams, the 76ers and Oklahoma City Thunder reached a deal: the 76ers send rookie guard Jared McDaniels to the Thunder in exchange for the Thunder’s 2026 first-round pick from the Rockets (currently held by OKC) plus three second-round picks. These second-rounders are: the highest pick among the 2027 Thunder, Rockets, Pacers, and Heat second-rounders; Thunder’s own 2028 second-round pick; and the Bucks’ 2028 second-round pick.

McDaniels, turning 22 later this month, was the 16th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. The Duke University guard had a strong start to his rookie season, playing 23 games (25.7 minutes per game), averaging 15.3 points, 2.6 assists, and 2.4 rebounds, with shooting splits of 46.0%/38.3%/87.5%. However, he later underwent season-ending knee surgery and missed the rest of the 2024-25 season.

McDaniels’ 2025-26 season debut was delayed due to a torn thumb ligament, an injury sustained during a pre-season training camp workout, which required surgery.

Although McDaniels has recently shown some improvement, his overall performance is well below his rookie level. This season he has played 37 games (16.8 minutes per game), averaging just 6.6 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.7 assists, with shooting splits of 38.5%/37.8%/88.0%. He has also been assigned multiple times to the G League to gain more playing time and regain rhythm.

If the 76ers do not receive any other players in this trade, they will generate a trade exception worth $4.22136 million, matching McDaniels’ salary this season.

The 76ers likely chose to move McDaniels because their backcourt already features All-Star Maxey and impressive rookie VJ Echikson, making McDaniels more of a luxury than a necessity. Notably, all three players are relatively small in stature, making it difficult to play them all together on the floor.

On the other hand, the Thunder, holding many future first-round picks, are betting that McDaniels can regain his rookie form in a new environment. His rookie contract has two years remaining after 2025-26, with a total guaranteed value of $11.2 million.

Trade Rating: Thunder B+, 76ers B+

Thunder Acquire Plumlee in 2-for-1 Deal

The Thunder and Hornets officially announced a trade: the Thunder send forward Ousmane Dieng and a 2029 second-round pick to the Hornets in exchange for center Mason Plumlee.

22-year-old Dieng was the 11th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. After being selected, the Thunder also picked Jalen Williams. However, Dieng never developed into a reliable rotation player, appearing in 136 regular-season games over three and a half seasons, averaging 12.0 minutes, 4.2 points, and 2.1 rebounds per game.

The main purpose of this trade for the Thunder is to optimize their salary structure. Dieng has a $6.7 million expiring contract, while Plumlee’s contract is a one-year minimum at $2.3 million. The $4.4 million saved will allow the Thunder to keep McDaniels’ salary under the luxury tax threshold after signing him. McDaniels’ salary this season is $4.2 million. The Thunder are expected to waive Plumlee soon to free a roster spot for McDaniels.

The Hornets, with salary space below the luxury tax line, absorb the Thunder’s salary burden and gain an additional second-round pick. This pick is the better of the 2029 second-rounders from the Atlanta Hawks and Miami Heat. Since the Thunder hold many future second-round picks, giving up this asset won’t significantly impact their draft reserves.

Bulls and Hornets Complete 2-for-5 Trade

After acquiring Dieng from the Thunder, the Hornets made a deal with the Bulls. The Bulls traded guards Kobe White and Mike Conley to the Hornets, receiving guard Sexton, forward Dieng, and three second-round picks in return.

White, turning 26 later this month, is a talented scorer who has averaged 19.5 points since becoming a full-time starter at the beginning of the 2023-24 season. In 182 games played, he also averages 4.8 assists and 4.1 rebounds, with shooting splits of 44.8%/36.9%/85.9%.

Although White was considered the Bulls’ primary trade candidate during the offseason, his value has declined this season due to calf injuries limiting him to 29 games and his contract situation.

The veteran guard holds a $12.9 million expiring contract, meaning if he re-signs with the Bulls, he could get up to a four-year, $87 million deal. However, reports say White told the team before the season started that he would not re-sign and plans to test free agency fully to seek a higher salary.

Because teams see White as a "rental" player, the Bulls failed to get a first-round pick for him but managed to secure three second-round picks: the lower of the 2029 Nuggets and Hornets picks, the 2031 Nuggets pick, and the 2031 Knicks pick.

The Hornets will likely try to re-sign White, a North Carolina native who played college basketball at UNC. However, Conley is unlikely to stay long with the Hornets and is viewed as a buyout candidate. Notably, Conley will undergo two trades within this week, which allows him to return to the Timberwolves after a buyout without violating NBA rules that prohibit waived players from returning directly to their original team.

Meanwhile, the Bulls may have further moves in the next 24 hours. After acquiring Sexton, their backcourt remains crowded, with guards Josh Giddey, Ayo Dosunmu, Jalen Duren, Anfernee Simons, and Tre Jones already on the roster.

Trade Rating: Bulls B, Hornets B

Clippers, Raptors, and Nets Complete Three-Team Trade

Shams reports that the Clippers, Raptors, and Nets have agreed on a three-team trade, sending guard Chris Paul from the Clippers to the Raptors, with details as follows—

Nets Receive: Abaki, Raptors’ 2032 second-round pick, $3.5 million cash

Raptors Receive: Chris Paul

Clippers Receive: Marinkovic’s signing rights

Shams adds that the Raptors will not require Paul to report to the team; the veteran point guard is expected to be traded again before Thursday’s trade deadline. If no second trade happens, Paul will likely be waived by the Raptors.

This trade is financially motivated for both the Clippers and Raptors. The Clippers free a roster spot and gain salary cap flexibility, likely converting two-way players Jordan Miller and Kobe Sanders to standard contracts. The Raptors swap Abaki’s $6.4 million expiring contract for Paul’s $2.3 million salary, keeping their payroll below the luxury tax line and generating a $6.4 million trade exception.

The Nets, currently the only team with salary cap space, benefit greatly: they get Abaki for half a season, receive cash covering his remaining salary, and add another second-round pick to their large draft assets. After signing Abaki, the Nets’ remaining cap space drops below $9 million but they can still use over $15 million in another trade to sign this forward using the mid-level exception.

The Clippers announced their split with Paul over two months ago but only meant he wouldn’t practice or play with the team, not that he was removed from the roster. They avoided waiving him earlier because that would require paying his full guaranteed salary and keep his $2.3 million salary cap hit on their books, limiting roster flexibility.

Salary expert Gozlan notes that this trade lowers the Clippers’ payroll about $3.4 million below the first luxury tax threshold (hard cap) and frees two roster spots. The Raptors’ payroll is about $3.1 million below the luxury tax line, also freeing two roster spots.

Trade Rating: Raptors B, Nets B, Clippers A

Cavaliers Send Two Second-Round Picks + Garland to Jazz

According to Shams, the Cavaliers included two second-round picks to send former No. 2 pick Lonzo Ball to the Jazz. This trade is purely for acquiring draft assets, and the Jazz are expected to waive Ball after the deal. Once the waiver period ends, Ball can sign with any team except the Cavaliers.

Salary expert Gozlan states that through this trade, the Cavaliers expect to save about $65 million, with their payroll currently exceeding the second luxury tax threshold by only $3.9 million. The team is likely seeking more salary reductions to avoid restrictions on their 2033 first-round pick being "frozen" in offseason trades. Gozlan revealed the Cavaliers have saved about $115 million in salary through recent moves.

Fisher comments that even after acquiring Jaren Jackson in a blockbuster trade with the Grizzlies, increasing payroll, the Jazz’s payroll remains well below the luxury tax line with ample flexibility. The team used this to absorb the Cavaliers’ unwanted salary and gained the Cavaliers’ 2028 and 2032 second-round picks — the only two second-round picks the Cavaliers currently have available for trade.

The Jazz still hold a trade exception worth over $12 million from last summer’s John Collins deal, which they will use to absorb Ball’s "near-expiring contract" (Ball has a $10 million team option next season that will be void if waived). This exception initially was worth over $26 million and has been used to acquire Georges Niang and John Konchar.

Jazz Trade Randall to Hawks for Cash Consideration

Randall was one of three role players the Jazz acquired in the Grizzlies trade alongside Jackson but is not part of the Jazz’s long-term frontcourt plans. He is now headed to the Hawks, with the Jazz receiving cash compensation.

The 30-year-old Australian center was having his best career season before the trade: he played 45 games (25 starts), averaging 23.6 minutes, 11.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game. He attempted 2.9 three-pointers per game, hitting 38.0%, both career highs. For the injury-plagued Hawks frontcourt, Randall’s addition strengthens their depth.

The Hawks must waive a player to make room for Randall, but that should be easy — both Dupree Reese and Enfaly Dante are out for the season due to injury and are likely candidates. Since Randall’s contract is a minimum salary deal, the Hawks can sign him without sending out matching salary.