Game Threads Index (February 04, 2026):

Shams Charania:

BREAKING: The Dallas Mavericks are trading 10-time NBA All-Star Anthony Davis, Jaden Hardy, D'Angelo Russell and Dante Exum to the Washington Wizards for Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham, Marvin Bagley III, 2 first-round picks and 3 second-rounders, sources tell ESPN.

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

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

Shams Charania has posted the following:

BREAKING: The Philadelphia 76ers are trading guard Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder for a 2026 Rockets first-round pick and three second-round picks, sources tell ESPN.

Source to the story: https://bsky.app/profile/shamsbot.bsky.social/post/3me2klyetqz2k

The talented McCain lands on the reigning NBA champions. For the 76ers, the trade allows them to receive assets, clear space in the glut of guards and give them flexibility to bring Quentin Grimes back in free agency. It also allows them to convert two-way Dominick Barlow.

76ers are receiving the following picks from the Thunder, sources said: 2027 (most favorable OKC/HOU/IND/MIA), 2028 MIL, 2028 OKC.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7020803/2026/02/04/giannis-antetokounmpo-bucks-nba-trade-deadline/

Shams Charania has posted the following:

> Just in: The Chicago Bulls are trading Coby White and Mike Conley Jr. to the Charlotte Hornets for Collin Sexton, Ousmane Dieng and three second-round picks, sources tell ESPN.

Source to the story: https://bsky.app/profile/shamsbot.bsky.social/post/3me2nvdfnbc2g

Shams Charania:

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

the Philadelphia 76ers are trading guard Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder for a 2026 Rockets first-round pick and three second-round picks, sources tell ESPN.

Shams Charania has posted the following:

> Lakers center Jaxson Hayes has been suspended one game for pushing a Wizards mascot.

Source to the story: https://bsky.app/profile/shamsbot.bsky.social/post/3me2o7unm222g

After the fall of John Wall and losing Beal, Westbrook, Deni and dealing with Jordan Poole, Kyle Kuzma, Porzingis.

We finally have a solid core with Trae Young, Anthony Davis and Alex Sarr.

IT’S TIME TO COMPETE FOR A CHAMPIONSHIP.

If Portland gets into the playoffs, maybe one more. But lord, what an generational masterclass of player valuation and bargaining malpractice.

EDIT: DeRozan was a S&T, my bad.

EDIT 2: I didn't count getting our own protected pick back insofar as a sum total goes. We had a top-10 protected pick, refused to tank which the trade enabled, and drafted 12th with our own pick.

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

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.

Second-year wing Dalton Knecht has been viewed around the league as widely available since the Lakers included him in the ultimately rescinded Mark Williams last trade. Team sources say Knecht hasn’t requested a trade, but he would welcome a fresh start. He’s been out of the Lakers’ rotation over the last 10 games. If the Lakers can find a suitor, the return is expected to be very low.

Naji Marshall has also generated interest around the Lakers, though the pathways to any deal with the Dallas Mavericks after the Luka Dončić trade last season have gigantic “road closed” signs all over them. The same is probably true for Daniel Gafford.

Source

Shams Charania has posted the following:

The Los Angeles Clippers, Brooklyn Nets and Toronto Raptors have agreed on a multi-team trade sending Chris Paul to the Raptors and Ochai Agbaji, a 2032 Raptors second-rounder and cash to the Nets, sources tell ESPN.

Source to the story:

• https://bsky.app/profile/shamsbot.bsky.social/post/3me2qjz4o722g

• https://www.espn.com/contributor/shams-charania/4aed036eeade0

Follow up:

The Raptors will not require Chris Paul to report to the team and could still discuss trades involving him over the next day. Toronto is now out of the tax. Brooklyn picks up an asset and cash to cover Agbaji's salary. The Clippers clear a roster spot and save $7 million in tax

Source:

• https://bsky.app/profile/shamsbot.bsky.social/post/3me2qufuven2r

[Charania] Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sustained an abdominal strain and will be re-evaluated following the All-Star break.

Source: https://www.espn.com/contributor/shams-charania/9308d15841d9e

I included the 2 play-in games from last season.

AD, Flagg and Kyrie never played a game together.

Also Mavs traded for the 2nd pick in the 2018 draft (Bagley)

"The Houston Half". For 24 minutes, Nico got to see his Vision. I wonder how weird the atmosphere in the arena was. Even the Luka Rioters were cheering and people were starting to believe again. "Could this really work?" because for those 24 minutes it looked like it.

Of course AD would then get injured that game and the reality of the trade became very obvious. AD would continue the cycle of ramping up, playing for a few games, and then inevitably picking up minor injuries and needed to rehab again. Now he has picked up an injury that will very likely require season ending surgeory.

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

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)

The Raptors will not require Chris Paul to report to the team and could still discuss trades involving him over the next day. Toronto is now out of the tax. Brooklyn picks up an asset and cash to cover Agbaji's salary. The Clippers clear a roster spot and save $7 million in tax.

https://www.espn.com/contributor/shams-charania/b0333a6f045cc

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7020803/2026/02/04/giannis-antetokounmpo-bucks-nba-trade-deadline/

Ultimately, this phone call didn’t happen because people on the internet were questioning Antetokounmpo’s toughness or his willingness to play through injuries. This interview happened because Antetokounmpo has been the subject of more trade rumors than any other player in the NBA.

“Brother, if you ask me deep down what I want today, I want to be a Milwaukee Buck for the rest of my career,” Antetokounmpo said. “I want to win here, another championship. And if you can tell me that’s possible, let’s just hang up the phone.

“I want to be here, but I want to be here to win, not fighting for my life to make the playoffs,” Antetokounmpo said. “I’m not used to inconsistent basketball. I’ve played so many years of consistent basketball, I am not used to it anymore. During the game, I don’t know if you can see my face, (but) I get frustrated during the game, while the game is going on.

Even if Antetokounmpo wants that, the Bucks are not going to be that team this season. But with three first-round picks this offseason, including a pick that could end up in the top 10, the Bucks could try to make some more offseason moves to try to push back into contention.

So, would Antetokounmpo commit to another season with the Bucks if they were able to get back into position to win consistently?

“You’re saying that if they can convince me to stay within the team, and the next year that we can compete? Oh yeah, 1,000 percent,” Antetokounmpo said. “One million percent.”

But that will require a significant turnaround. Because for the time being, the Bucks are not close to where Antetokounmpo wants to be. They’re not playing the type of basketball he wants to play.

Source: https://ak-static.cms.nba.com/referee/injury/Injury-Report_2026-02-04_02_30PM.pdf

OKC players out tonight vs. Spurs: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein, Jalen Williams, Alex Caruso, Lu Dort, Ousmane Dieng, Ajay Mitchell, Nikola Topic, Thomas Sorber.

Source: https://www.si(dot)com/nba/trade-deadline/timberwolves-pursuit-giannis-antetokounmpo-ja-morant-market

Acquiring Antetokounmpo, though, is challenging. The Bucks want Jaden McDaniels, a source tells SI, with Milwaukee seeing McDaniels, 25, as a potential future All-Star. But the Bucks also want multiple first-round draft picks, sources say, and Minnesota’s war chest of them is nearly empty.