NBA trade grades: Breaking down the most impactful deals
The weekend heading into Thursday’s NBA trade deadline produced two major deals that will shake up the league for seasons to come.
Early Sunday, Luka Doncic was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers as part of a three-team deal that saw Anthony Davis head to the Dallas Mavericks. Later that day, Sacramento’s De’Aaron Fox joined the San Antonio Spurs, with Zach LaVine going from the Chicago Bulls to the Kings.
The Phoenix Suns made two notable deals in January. After acquiring center Nick Richards from the Charlotte Hornets, the Suns traded their 2031 first-rounder to the Utah Jazz in a deal that triples Phoenix’s allotted first-round draft capital.
In December, the Lakers acquired Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton from the Brooklyn Nets for D’Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis and three second-round picks. It was the second big transaction for the Nets this season after they sent Dennis Schroder to the Golden State Warriors.
We grade all sides of the NBA’s major deals and break down the ramifications for all teams and players involved.
Jump to a major deal:
Fox to Spurs; LaVine goes from Bulls to Kings
NBA shocker! Luka to Lakers; Mavs get AD
Clippers make space, another move coming?
Suns restock draft picks in deal with Jazz
Suns upgrade at center; Hornets pile up assets
Spurs get Fox; LaVine joins Kings from Bulls
San Antonio Spurs get:
G De’Aaron Fox
G Jordan McLaughlin
Sacramento Kings get:
G Zach LaVine
G Sidy Cissoko
2025 first-round pick (top-14 protected; via Charlotte)
2025 second-round pick (via Chicago)
2027 first-round pick (via San Antonio)
2028 second-round pick (via Denver)
2028 second-round pick (own)
Chicago Bulls get:
F Zach Collins
G Tre Jones
G Kevin Huerter
2025 first-round pick (own; via San Antonio)
San Antonio Spurs: A-
It’s unclear if a perfect trade target would have ever come available for the Spurs, considering Fox named the team as a desired destination. Victor Wembanyama’s precocious ability puts inherent pressure on the Spurs to build a team capable of making a playoff run sooner rather than later. I think San Antonio played this right by being aggressive in pursuit of Fox without being reckless.
Sacramento Kings: B-
Dare we consider the possibility the Kings will actually improve over the rest of this season thanks to this trade? LaVine has managed to come back looking much like the high-flying star who was an All-Star in 2021 and 2022. For this trade to work, the Kings will need LaVine to keep that up over the remaining two seasons on his deal beyond 2024-25.
Chicago Bulls: B+
The trade appeals more from the big-picture standpoint than in terms of the details. Moving LaVine while he’s healthy and playing well is the kind of realistic self-assessment we haven’t seen from Chicago in recent years, when the Bulls have resisted tearing down a roster with little upside.
Los Angeles Lakers get:
G Luka Doncic
F Maxi Kleber
F Markieff Morris
Dallas Mavericks get:
C Anthony Davis
G Max Christie
2029 first-round pick
Utah Jazz get:
G Jalen Hood-Schifino
2025 second-round pick (via LA Clippers)
2025 second-round pick (via Dallas)
Los Angeles Lakers: A
Given that Doncic will turn 26 later this month and has a full season on his contract before a 2026-27 player option, there’s a reasonable argument that he is the most valuable player at the time of being traded in modern NBA history. For the Lakers to land Doncic without even exhausting their supply of draft picks is an incredible coup that sets up the next generation of success for one of the league’s most storied franchises.
Dallas Mavericks: F
The biggest issue here is simply the aging curve. As he approaches his mid-30s, Davis is likely to see his production decline just as Doncic is reaching his peak years. By 2027, when Dallas will send a top-2 protected pick to the Charlotte Hornets from the P.J. Washington deal, Davis will be 34. By 2030, when the last of the Mavericks’ pick obligations (a swap with the San Antonio Spurs) conveys, Davis will be 37. It’s probable Davis will still be a good player by then, perhaps even an All-Star. It’s unrealistic to expect he’ll be as good as Doncic.
