As the NBA trade deadline approaches, the Cavaliers secure Hunter, while Nurkic heads to the Hornets in a key roster shakeup.
As the NBA trade deadline looms, multiple big moves are reshaping the league, with the Cleveland Cavaliers acquiring forward De’Andre Hunter and the Phoenix Suns sending Bosnian center Jusuf Nurkic to the Charlotte Hornets.
According to reports, the Atlanta Hawks traded Hunter to Cleveland for guard Caris LeVert, forward Georges Niang, three second-round picks, and two future pick swaps. Hunter, who is averaging 19 points per game, joins a Cavaliers team that leads the Eastern Conference with a 41-10 record, just behind the Oklahoma City Thunder for the best record in the NBA.
Meanwhile, Charlotte sent center Mark Williams to the Los Angeles Lakers and replaced him with Nurkic. The Suns packaged Nurkic and a 2026 first-round pick in exchange for swingman Cody Martin, Serbian guard Vasilije Micic, and a 2026 second-round pick. Nurkic has been out of Phoenix’s rotation since early January.
Additional deals are unfolding following Luka Doncic’s move to the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors’ acquisition of Jimmy Butler from the Miami Heat. Reports indicate that Phoenix’s Kevin Durant did not want to return to Golden State, so the Heat and Warriors completed a trade for Butler without him. The Warriors sent Andrew Wiggins, Dennis Schroder, Kyle Anderson, and a first-round pick to Miami in exchange for Butler.
The 35-year-old Butler, who helped lead Miami to the NBA Finals in 2020 and 2023, is expected to decline his player option next season and sign a two-year, $121 million contract with Golden State. He now joins Stephen Curry and Draymond Green as the Warriors push for a playoff spot in the competitive Western Conference.
The Lakers, fresh off acquiring Doncic in a blockbuster deal that sent Anthony Davis to Dallas, continued to bolster their roster by acquiring Mark Williams from the Hornets for rookie Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, and future draft picks. Williams is averaging 16.0 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game and is expected to fit well alongside Doncic and LeBron James.
In another set of moves, the Toronto Raptors, struggling at 13th in the East, picked up forward P.J. Tucker from Miami just hours after he arrived from Golden State in the Butler trade. The Raptors also landed injured forward Brandon Ingram from New Orleans. Ingram, who has been sidelined for two months with an ankle injury, is averaging 22.2 points, 5.2 assists, and 5.6 rebounds. Toronto sent Bruce Brown, Kelly Olynyk, and future picks to the Pelicans for Ingram. Tucker and a second-round pick came from Miami in exchange for guard Davion Mitchell.
Lastly, the Washington Wizards, who recently made trades for Milwaukee’s Kyle Kuzma and Sacramento’s Jonas Valanciunas, reportedly acquired guard Reggie Jackson and a 2026 first-round pick from the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Jared Butler and four second-round picks.
As the final hours before the trade deadline tick away, the NBA landscape continues to shift, with more moves expected to shake up rosters and playoff aspirations.
Leave a Reply