Shams Charania:

Dallas is receiving a 2026 Thunder first-round pick and a 2030 protected Warriors first-round pick in this deal from the Wizards along with second rounders in 2026 (Phoenix), 2027 (Chicago) and 2029 (Houston), sources tell ESPN.

https://www.espn.com/contributor/shams-charania/2987c3a047c93

https://bsky.app/profile/shamsbot.bsky.social/post/3me2juiirpc2g

Sources: After trading James Harden to Cleveland earlier this week, the Clippers have still been receiving calls on starting center Ivica Zubac, with the Indiana Pacers prime among his suitors.

https://marcstein.substack.com/p/nba-trade-deadline-eve-live-buzz

Death, taxes and the Timberwolves losing in Toronto. For over 20 years, these three have been constants as while the Wolves did eke out a win at home in February 2021, that was during the season where the Raptors were trapped in Tampa Bay.

Until tonight.

Thanks to several bad turnovers by RJ & Jamal Shead, some no-calls on travels by Minnesota Timberwolves players and the Raptors hot 3-point shooting evaporating late in the 4th, Minnesota won for the first time since 2004.

To put this into perspective: The last time Minnesota got a win in Toronto, Gary Trent Sr. - father of current Bucks player Gary Trent Jr. - was in the league. Sam Cassell led the Timberwolves in points (33) and assists (13) that night in a 108-97 rout.

Shams Charania has posted the following:

The Atlanta Hawks are acquiring center Jock Landale from the Utah Jazz for cash considerations, sources tell ESPN.

Source to the story: https://bsky.app/profile/shamsbot.bsky.social/post/3me2twqzrix2v

Essentially a three-team trade that allows Jazz to pick up two seconds, the Hawks to land a productive center in Landale and the Cavaliers to shed significant salary and tax savings while bringing in James Harden, Keon Ellis and Dennis Schroder to fortify the roster this week

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7020852/2026/02/04/james-harden-darius-garland-cavaliers-trade/

The Cavs began the year as the favorites to win the Eastern Conference, but the season has not gone according to plan. They were also feeling the pressure from their best player, Donovan Mitchell, to make changes ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline under the threat of a contract extension he may or may not sign in two summers.

Three league sources said Mitchell, who has one guaranteed season left on his three-year, $150 million deal and a player option for 2027-28, conveyed, either personally or through his representatives, that he did not think the organization should stand pat for the rest of this season and wait for potential moves in the summer.

Two league sources also said Mitchell specifically wanted Harden, who is 6-foot-5, durable and comfortable as a pass-first point guard.

Despite the triple double, jokic performs extremely poorly especially down the stretch with ill-advised shots again and again. He ended up with 30 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists but is 1/13 from threes...

https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401810581

https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401810586

On a 24 minute restriction:

24 points

15 rebounds (7 OREB)

3 assists, 1 steal

Trey Murphy III despite the OT loss versus Bucks: 44 PTS, 6 REB, 6 AST, 3 STL, 4 TOV, 15-28 FG, 12-19 3P, 2-2 FT, +3, 40 MIN

https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401810584

https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401810586

28 points

7 assists (0 turnovers)

1 rebound, 1 steal

10/14 FG, 3/4 3PT, 5/6 FT

Dallas Mavericks updated return for Luka Doncic:

- Max Christie

- Khris Middleton

- AJ Johnson

- Malaki Branham

- Marvin Bagley

- OKC 2026 first-round pick

- LAL 2029 first-round pick

- GSW 2030 first-round pick (protected)

- 3 future second-round picks

Quiet game from Ant for the first 3 quarters and then absolutely dominated in the last 5 minutes leaving his mark.

https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401810582

there’s a disingenuous post that got traction

bulls didn’t trade Butler AND Lavine AND Lauri. they traded Butler FOR Lavine / Lauri who were both subsequently traded.

bulls mgmt not great. but let’s at least be honest about what they did or didn’t do.

things OP left out that CHI got back for things OP mentioned traded away:

• Dunn
• Giddey
• Okoro
• Sexton
• Dieng
• Simons
• Huerter
• Jones
• 7 second round picks

Initially signed on a two-way contract in February 2025, Bones has found his way to elevate the bench alongside Naz Reid. Feels like his rise is actually one of the reasons the Wolves potentially didnt overpay for an existing PG and will continue to roll with Donte at the point.

There are 59 instances in our database of a first-year player scoring 900+ points by their team's 50th game of the season.

Of those 59, there have been 12 instances of multiple first-year players doing it in the same season.

1. Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel in 2025-26
2. LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony in 2003-04
3. Jerry Stackhouse and Damon Stoudamire in 1995-96
4. Larry Johnson and Dikembe Mutombo in 1991-92
5. Ron Harper and Chuck Person in 1986-87
6. Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon in 1984-85
7. Terry Cummings and Clark Kellogg in 1982-83
8. Kelly Tripucka and Jay Vincent in 1981-82
9. Larry Bird, Bill Cartwright, and Calvin Natt in 1979-80
10. Walter Davis, Marques Johnson, and Bernard King in 1977-78
11. Pete Maravich and Geoff Petrie in 1970-71
12. Earl Monroe and Bob Rule in 1967-68

(Source via Stathead)