The NBA Trade Deadline passed on Thursday. This was easily the craziest trade deadline of any sport in my lifetime, and it would not surprise me if it were the craziest one in sports history. Not only did we get one of the biggest blockbuster trades in NBA history, but many other All-Stars were dealt, too.
Whenever a trade deadline comes and goes, people start to think about who came out on top.
With that said, here are my winners and losers of the trade deadline.
Winner: Los Angeles Lakers
After making moves on the margins for the last three seasons, the Lakers made one of the biggest splashes in NBA history by trading for 25-year-old superstar Luka Doncic. As much as a lot of Lakers fans will miss Anthony Davis, that is a price literally any fan will pay. Luka has five First-Team All-NBA honors and led his team to the NBA Finals last year.
When you have the chance to go after a player with Doncic’s resume at such a young age, you do it.
Lakers’ Starting Five
Point Guard – Luka Doncic
Shooting Guard – Austin Reaves
Small Forward – Rui Hachimura
Power Forward – LeBron James
Center – Jaxson Hayes
The main concern with the Lakers now is their depth. A world where Jaxson Hayes and Shake Milton are getting a ton of minutes is risky, to say the least. However, when you get the chance to add Doncic, you do it.
All American Hoops: Instant Reaction to the Luka Doncic Trade
Loser: Dallas Mavericks
Contrary to the Lakers, when you have a 25-year-old superstar, you do everything in your power to hold onto him for as long as you can. Not only did Dallas not do everything they could to hold onto him, they went out of their way to get rid of him.
While I have been on the record critiquing Doncic’s defense, he is one of the best offensive players of all-time.
With this being said, even if the Mavericks’ future is significantly worse off, they still have a very fun team this year.
Winner: San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs have been reluctant to make big moves in recent history. However, now that they have the best prospect since LeBron James on their team, they figured they should waste no time and make some moves.
Trading for De’Aaron Fox was a no-brainer. He is the fastest player in the league and a great two-way threat. Pairing up Fox with Victor Wembanyama will be a match made in heaven and a fun duo to watch for at least until the end of next year.
Loser: Phoenix Suns
Here is one question I have for the Suns: What are you doing?
Phoenix has the highest payroll in the league (by far), and what do they have to show for it? The ninth-best record in the West and no future.
Trading Jusuf Nurkic was good, but surrendering a first-round pick for it is an inconvenience.
I’m not sure if I would have traded Kevin Durant (to start over), but it feels like they are stuck in no man’s land now.
Winner: Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavs are at the top of the East. However, not many fans trust them because they do not believe Donovan Mitchell is “that guy.” So what do you do when you are unable to get that guy? Make some moves on the margins.
Cleveland did exactly that by trading for De’Andre Hunter. They already have one of the best overall offenses in the league, in addition to a defense with an extremely high ceiling. Adding Hunter while trading away some inconsistent guys has the potential to be a huge difference-maker.
De’Andre Hunter thoughts on being traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in his interview:
“I was definitely excited to come here, to come a winning organization. I think I will fit in great.” pic.twitter.com/3M4w6h7Qqw
— ¹⁰ (@HoodiGarland) February 9, 2025
Losers: Brooklyn Nets
The Nets made a couple of good moves earlier in the season by trading away Dennis Schroder and Dorrian-Finney Smith, but it still feels like they could be re-building a little better.
Cam Johnson is one of the more underrated players in the league. The Nets could have easily gotten a first-round pick, or maybe even two, for him.
While you probably want to hold onto at least one of your guys for continuity’s sake, it would have been better if one of Johnson or Nic Claxton were gone by now.
Winner: Golden State Warriors
I am no fan of Jimmy Butler, but this was a move that the Warriors needed to make. The Warriors started the season as one of the best teams in the West before dropping to below .500 and out of the play-in tournament.
Trading for Butler adds another shot-creator and more experience in the playoffs. For now, the Warriors have a relatively low ceiling, but adding Butler gives them some relevance for the next year or two.
Losers: Toronto Raptors
I like Brandon Ingram; I think he is super talented. However, I do not like this trade. The Raptors did not give up a ton, but they will likely have to extend him after this season, and I do not believe he falls in line with their timeline.
Toronto got rid of some of their cornerstone pieces to rebuild, and it feels like they just have a bunch of slightly below-average players around Scottie Barnes.
Maybe I will be wrong and Barnes and Ingram will be a great duo, but I do not see many scenarios where this team can win a playoff series next year or the year after.
Toronto Ingram 🍁
Open Gym: Moment presented by @Bell pic.twitter.com/PChQj9sIpU
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) February 8, 2025
Conclusion
The 2025 NBA Trade Deadline delivered a ton of chaos. Blockbuster deals, surprising moves, and questionable decisions reshaped the league in days. As always, only time will tell which trades will be remembered as game-changers and which will go down as mistakes. One thing is certain: the second half of the season just became a whole lot more interesting.
More Analysis
Interested in more in-depth analysis of the trade deadline? Check out the latest episode of All American Hoops.
Main Image Credit:
February 8, 2025, Orlando, FL:
San Antonio Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox talks to officials during the second quarter against the Orlando Magic at the Kia Center in Orlando, Florida Saturday, February 8, 2025.
(Photo by Reginald Thomas II/San Antonio Spurs)
