The NBA trade deadline saw plenty of movement. While Giannis Antetokounmpo ended up not being traded, despite no shortage of rumors, a number of players found new homes before Thursday’s deadline. Today, we will take a look at which five NBA trades will have the biggest impact on the fantasy basketball world this season.
Cavs Acquire Harden for Darius Garland
The Cleveland Cavaliers acquired James Harden for Darius Garland and a future second-round pick on Wednesday.
At 31-21 and in fourth place in the Eastern Conference, the Cavs clearly feel that Harden will give them the best opportunity to play for a championship. Meanwhile, the Clippers traded Harden and Ivica Zubac (more on that later) and are seemingly resetting around Kawhi Leonard.
At 36 years old, Harden is still a strong fantasy basketball option. Through 44 games this season, he is averaging 25.4 points, 8.1 assists, and 4.8 rebounds per outing. Donovan Mitchell is the Cavs’ primary scoring option, but Harden should still receive plenty of opportunities. A fresh start could lead to even better performance from Harden.
Garland is a 26-year-old who could help the Clippers for years to come. He is currently dealing with an injury, but the guard may return soon. Garland has appeared in 26 games during the 2025-26 campaign and is averaging 18.0 points and 6.9 assists per outing.
The Clippers and Cavs both received new point guards in this deal. Harden and Garland will likely both benefit from the move as they get fresh starts. Fantasy managers should feel confident about both players, assuming injuries don’t prove to be an obstacle, as Garland is currently recovering from a toe sprain.
Pacers Trade for Ivica Zubac
The Clippers also traded Zubac, moving him to the Indiana Pacers along with Kobe Brown for Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, two first-round picks, and a second-round pick.
Zubac and Mathurin stand out as the big names in the deal.
Beginning with Mathurin, Los Angeles is clearly trying to go in a new direction, and the 23-year-old projects to be an impactful player with the Clippers. He has appeared in only 28 games this year, but Mathurin is averaging 17.8 points and 5.4 rebounds. Mathurin could start alongside Garland in the backcourt in Los Angeles.
Zubac, meanwhile, heads to an Indiana squad that has struggled this year but may be able to get back on track in 2026-27. Tyrese Haliburton is out this season, but he should be a good partner for Zubac next year.
Zubac, a 28-year-old center, is averaging 14.4 points and 11.0 rebounds per contest in 43 games played. Although the Pacers are not competing this season, Zubac could see his statistics increase as Indiana may run the offense through him at times.
Warriors Acquire Kristaps Porzingis for Jonathan Kuminga, Buddy Hield
The Warriors finally traded Jonathan Kuminga after months of rumors and speculation. Kuminga and Buddy Hield ended up in Atlanta as part of the team’s deal for Kristaps Porzingis. It’s an interesting trade, as the Warriors seem to be hoping to give Stephen Curry an opportunity to win with Porzingis on the roster.
Porzingis, 30, is a versatile big man averaging 17.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per game across 17 games in 2025-26. Porzingis’ ability to stretch the floor should translate well to the Warriors’ offensive style. He has missed time this year, but Golden State is hopeful he can play sooner rather than later.
Kuminga and Hield join a Hawks team that is building around Jalen Johnson and Zaccharie Risacher following their Trae Young trade. Kuminga is only 23 years old, but he received inconsistent playing time with the Golden State Warriors. If there is any player on this list who needed a fresh start, it was Kuminga.
Hield may not be part of the Hawks’ long-term plans, but he’s a quality three-point shooter who can help the team. When healthy, Kuminga should be a better all-around fantasy basketball option in Atlanta.
Mavericks-Wizards-Hornets Anthony Davis-Led 3-Team Deal
The Wizards surprised the NBA world not only by acquiring Young but also by later trading for Anthony Davis from the Mavs. While there’s a chance neither player will see any action on the floor in Washington this season, the Wizards are clearly planning for next year.
With Davis currently out with an injury, he won’t have much of a fantasy impact this season. This trade involved a number of moving parts, though.
The trade turned out to be a three-team deal. The Wizards acquired Davis, Dante Exum, D’Angelo Russell, and Jaden Hardy. Dallas added Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Tyus Jones, Marvin Bagley III, two first-round picks, and three second-round picks. The Charlotte Hornets also got involved, sending Jones to Dallas for Malaki Branham.
To me, the Anthony Davis trade signals one thing for the Wizards: a new era has begun.
Will they compete for championships immediately? No. But the days of waiting for big-name talent to come in the door are over.
People need to pay attention to the Wizards now. pic.twitter.com/I5ZLGoqe9O
— Bijan Todd (@bijan_todd) February 6, 2026
After the trade was initially made, it seemed as if Middleton would be a buyout candidate. Now it appears he will play with the Mavericks, though. Middleton could receive a respectable amount of minutes for a Mavs team that desperately needs more offense.
Jones is also a good point guard who could see an uptick in minutes in Dallas, as the Mavs don’t have a true and healthy point guard at the moment.
Exum is out for the season, but Russell and Hardy could make an impact with the Wizards. Neither player received much playing time in recent action with the Mavericks, but that could change in Washington.
A number of these players will likely benefit from this three-team trade in fantasy basketball.
Jazz Adds Jaren Jackson Jr. in Grizzlies Trade
A trade that went overlooked to an extent but is impactful nonetheless was the Jazz-Grizzlies Jaren Jackson Jr.-led trade. In addition to Jackson, the Jazz received Jock Landale, John Konchar, and Vince Williams Jr. for Walter Clayton Jr., Kyle Anderson, Taylor Hendricks, Georges Niang, and three first-round picks.
Jackson is the standout player of the trade. The 26-year-old is a two-time All-Star who is averaging 19.2 points and 5.8 rebounds per game this season. Utah is trying to build a competitive roster around Lauri Markkanen, and this move could certainly help matters.
Jackson will instantly become one of the primary options in Utah. As a result, he will make a significant impact in fantasy basketball moving forward.
