Jaren Jackson Jr. Is Headed To Utah And James Harden Could Soon Be A Cavalier

We're back with NBA Brain Food. Here is the latest happenings and trends for every team in the Western Conference from the fans that know their teams best. Stay tuned Friday for the Eastern Conference update on Friday.

1) Oklahoma City Thunder (39-11, 1st in the West) via Nick C

• OKC’s defense is still severely undermanned with Alex Caruso, Ajay Mitchell and Jalen Williams sidelined, but Isaiah Hartenstein recently returned and, shocker, the Thunder’s biggest weakness (rebounding) has started to level out. In a handful of recent games, OKC has actually had an edge on the glass and in second-chance points, which is a pretty massive development for this group.

• Cason Wallace just had the best game of his career Sunday night in Denver, going for 27 points and seven threes in a statement win. For a team that’s been searching for confidence from deep, that game was exactly what the Thunder needed to see.

• The Nuggets game also mattered in the MVP conversation. Nikola Jokic is back from injury and back in the mix from an eligibility standpoint, but Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was clearly the best player on the floor in that matchup. It was a signature performance that strengthens his case.

• OKC’s recent stretch has been a lot shakier than the season-long numbers. Over the last five games, the Thunder has just a +0.4 net rating (16th in the NBA), which shows how uneven things have been lately, even while they still lead the league on the season at +12.1.

• One of the most concerning short-term trends: OKC has basically lost its transition punch. Over the past five games, the Thunder is near the bottom of the league in fast break points at 9.4 per game, which is notable because pace, turnovers, and easy points have been a core piece of their identity all season. With the trade deadline on Thursday, it’s something worth monitoring.

2) San Antonio Spurs (33-16, 2nd in the West) via Rob G

• Watching the Spurs right now is so frustrating as a fan, betting on them is a struggle because you just don't know which team is going to show up.  They are 6-4 in their last 10, looking amazing in wins against the Rockets and the Jazz, but then losing to teams like the Hornets and the Pelicans.  The Spurs are 2-1 this past week, covering the spread 2 out of the 3, all games hitting the under.  Spurs have averaged 109.6 ppg over the past 3 games, Spurs have lost their last 6 games when scoring under 110.
• Victor Wembanyama has come out and looked unstoppable at times, but teams have been playing him tough over the past 2 weeks or so with smaller more physical gaurds.  He gets frustrated with the lack of calls at times, you see him hit the floor every game and what seems like a new scar after every game.  Over his last 5 games he's averaged just 20 ppg and scored 16 or less in 3 of the 5.  Dillon Brooks came out said he's got Wembanyamas number and the league took his game plan on how to gaurd him.  You can bet Wembanyama goes off on Feb 19th when the Suns and Dillon come to town.
• Dylan Harper bounced back this week, averaging 17 ppg over the past 3 games all while coming off the bench in limited minutes.  The Spurs don't win some of these games without him, he continues to show he can finish at the rim better than most.  He looks comfortable shooting from behind the three point line, his percentage is still far below league average at just 24.8%, but over his past 5 games hes averaged 30%.  
• San Antonio doesn't look to be a team making any huge moves at the trade deadline.  Jeremy Sochan has received permission to find a trade partner.  Spurs could use shooting, but look for them to sign someone who gets bought out rather than making any trades.  Spurs have games against the Thunder, Lakers and 2 vs the Mavericks.  San Antonio is 3-1 vs the Thunder, 2-1 vs the Lakers with both wins by average of 14.5, and 1-0 vs the Mavericks. 

3) Denver Nuggets (33-17, 3rd in the West) via Grant M

• Ladies and Gentlemen, Nikola Jokic is back. While his return maintains his eligibility (for now) for MVP and All-NBA, it more importantly inches the team closer to full-strength. He recorded 31 Pts, 12 Reb, 5 Ast in his first game back on Friday in under 25 minutes, becoming the first player in NBA history to record that stat line in that amount of time. He’s still the best player in the world. 
• For the first time in his career, Nikola Jokic has an all-star teammate, as Jamal Murray has been named to the team. Jamal is having the best season of his career thus far averaging 25.5 PPG/7.5APG/4.4RPG. He is the main reason the Nuggets went 10-6 in Nikola Jokic’s absence and still maintain the 3rd seed in the west. This version of Jamal is the best we’ve seen, and, as a notorious playoff riser, he could be on a different level come playoff time.
• While Jokic returned, his frontcourt mate Aaron Gordon re-aggravated his hamstring injury and he will be evaluated in 4-6 weeks. Another blow for the Nuggets but the emergence of Peyton Watson and return of Jonas Valanciunas make it easier to stomach this time around. Also, Christian Braun nears a return as he is listed as questionable for Tuesday’s game in Detroit
• The Nuggets went 2-2 last week, beating the Nets and Clippers, and losing to the Thunder and Pistons. A difficult stretch continues this week on the road as they take on the Pistons, Knicks and Bulls before getting the Cavs at home.

4) Houston Rockets (31-17, 4th in the West) via Freddy V

• The Rockets ended the month of January with a win against in state rival Dallas Mavericks on Saturday night (111-107). The Rockets had a bumpy month finishing with a record of 10-7 but were able to put that behind them and start off with a nice win over the Indiana Pacers Monday night (118-114). Alperen Sengun scored 39 points which tied a season high for him. 
• Jabari Smith Jr. was in a huge slump in the month of January where he averaged 13.6 PPG 7.0 RPG 1.2 BLK 38% FG and 30% 3P and believe me, it looked a lot worse. However, Jabari started the new month with some heat scoring 19 points, making 3 three pointers, and shooting 50% from the field. The Rockets are now 20-7 on the season when Jabari Smith Jr. scored 15 or more points. 
• Steven Adams had season-ending surgery on his left ankle which he hurt on January 18th versus the Pelicans. This is a huge blow to an in already hurt Rockets team as Adams was top 5 in offensive rebounds in the NBA this season. 
• Kevin Durant missed Monday night's game with a ankle injury that isn't regarded as long term but could keep him sidelined for one more game. Ime Udoka said Kevin Durant injury happened during Saturday's game by stepping on a fan’s foot. The Rockets are 3-0 when KD not playing. Kevin Durant was named an NBA All-Star for the 16th time in his career, he is the oldest Houston Rocket to have been named an All-Star

5) Minnesota Timberwolves (31-20, 5th in the West) via Steven Cheah

• The T'Wolves are coming off a bad loss to the Grizzlies where they got a paltry 13 points from their bench
• Before that, Minnesota had won three straight games including a huge win vs. the Thunder where they played SGA super well, with the Thunder finishing with a -22 with him on the floor.
• Anthony Edwards has been attacking the rack with 16 and 14 free throw attempts in his past two games
• Minnesota also was involved in a deal where they sent veteran PG/Titus' best bud, Mike Conley Jr. to the Bulls. So now we'll likely see Donte DiVincenzo at full-time PG and maybe a bit more of Bones Hyland and potentially even Rob Dillingham.

6) LA Lakers (29-19, 6th in the West) via Andrew K

• The Lakers wrap up their “Grammy Trip” tomorrow with a game against the Nets. Over the course of this trip the Lakers have beat the teams they should beat, while taking frustrating losses to the Cavs and Knicks. Both games escaped the Lakers due to pace changes in the third quarters.
• Austin Reaves has a chance to make his comeback against the Nets, making it a legit 6 weeks of missed time. Austin coming back will bring lots of stability to the rotation offensively.
• The Lakers have been playing a lot of zone lately, which is a sign of a poor defensive team. In the last six losses, on average, opposing teams are making 16 3s a game. Just past halfway through the season, the Lakers allow the 5th best opponent shooting from 3 in the league.
• The Lakers love to iso and have the defense react to them, and this is nothing new since LeBron chose to come to the Lakers. As defenses rotate to help, the Lakers are shooting ~37 open/wide-open 3s a game, while only hitting at a 30% rate, which is abysmal.
• As the trade deadline looms, it appears that the Lakers will not be active. Mark Walter, the Dodgers owner and new Lakers owner, needs to take command and ruffle some feathers in the front office. After breaking up the 2020 team rosters have been very stale. 

7) Phoenix Suns (30-20, 7th in the West) via Connor F

• Devin Booker remains out with a sprained ankle
• Jalen Green took a hard fall and remains out with a hamstring strain and hip contusion.
• The Suns have a 30-20 record and sit in the 7th seed, similar to recent weeks.
• Dillon Brooks has been huge with the absence of Devin Booker, scoring 40 points in a win.
• Oso Ighadoro has been a revelation with his all-around defense leading the Suns to recent success.

8) Golden State Warriors (27-23, 8th in the West) via TJ B

• The slide has been immediate for this team following Jimmy Butler's ACL tear. They are in the midst of a 2-4 stretch, and the injuries continue to pile up. Jonathan Kuminga was reinserted into the lineup to take some of Jimmy's minutes and was scoring at about a point per minute pace (scoring has never been his issue, just all the other skills Basketball requires). He was injured in his 2nd game back in the lineup, with ankle and knee injuries… his return is unknown at this point. JK was once considered a sure trade candidate, but now, with Jimmy's injury and little to no interest in the trade market, he may remain on the team if the Warriors don't get the return they want… more on that later. 12x All-Star and this year's starting AS guard, Steph Curry, also left the end of Friday's loss to the Pistons with knee soreness (runner's knee) that he has been dealing with over the last few weeks. He is out tonight vs. the Sixers and is expected to miss the next few games. The Warriors are 4-7 in the 11 games he has missed this season, averaging a lowly 103.9 ppg. 
• They face a crossroads with Jimmy Butler out and Steph's sore knee. Despite showing some signs before these injuries of being able to compete in the West, they still faced an uphill battle and a team that needed to add to their talent through trade. Which brings us to Giannis…The Warriors and their owner, Joe Lacob, have been rumored to be pursuing a Steph/Giannis pairing for the last half-decade. They have been hoarding draft picks/young players, while passing on trades that could have helped them (OG/Siakam) to keep their war chest ready, just in case Giannis became available. That day has finally come. 
• On the DraftKings Sportsbook, Giannis' next team (after the trade deadline) odds:
• - Milwaukee Bucks (+150)
• - Miami Heat (+175) - Heavy action recently due to a report that they are is his preferred destination
• - Golden State Warriors (+350) - Odds lowered after a report that he may not want to be in Steph's shadow (like KD) and face the public scrutiny.
• - T'Wolves (+800) 
• - New York Knicks (+900)
• The Warriors have supposedly told Jimmy Butler that he will not be included in trade talks, but his contract is the most straightforward path to a deal, given the matching salary. The Warriors' advantage over other teams pursuing Giannis is their ability to offer more future picks, and the fact that those picks could be high lottery picks in the post-Steph era. A hypothetical deal involving Jimmy would be - Jimmy/Kuminga/Podz + all the picks (2026 1st, 2028 1st, 2030 1st, 2031 1st swap, and 2032 1st) for Giannis/Myles Turner. If Jimmy is left out of the deal, the Warriors would need to part with Warriors legend Draymond Green. A move they and Steph have resisted for years, despite declining play. That deal could look something like: Draymond/Kuminga/Moses Moody/Podz + the draft picks (max they can offer) for Giannis/Gary Harris (or Kuzma if the Warriors throw in Buddy Hield). Warriors fans' hopes for this season (and possibly next) will rest on a Giannis trade, as they are not expected to pursue other deals until Giannis' next team is known.

9) LA Clippers (23-26, 9th in the West) via Jeremiah D

• The Clippers are 12th in offensive rating (116.0) and 21st in defensive rating (116.0).
• The Clippers and 11-time All-Star James Harden are working through whether the sides can find a deal by Thursday's NBA trade deadline. Both sides are aligned in conversations together and with interested teams. Clippers, Cavs, have had advanced discussions on a James Harden-Darius Garland swap. Harden is averaging 25/8/5. 
• The Clippers have two games remaining as of Monday where both Jordan Miller and Kobe Sanders can be active for the same game, due to under-15 rules. LA could pause that counter by signing a player to a 10 Day contract. In addition, Sanders has used 43 of his 50 active NBA games, leaving 7 games remaining.
• Kawhi Leonard is having the best year of his NBA career while leading the league in steals and free throw percentage. Not a 2026 NBA All-Star. James Harden is having his best scoring season since his final full season with the Houston Rockets and is 3rd in assists per game. Not a 2026 NBA All-Star.
• Kawhi Leonard since Dec. 20: he leads the NBA in both points per game 32.1 AND deflections 4.6. He ranks 2nd in both plus/minus +10.4 and steals 2.5.
• Bogdan Bogdanović was active and available for the Clippers last two games but did not log any minutes. Bogdanović has been out since Dec. 26.
• The Clippers (23-26) are 1 of 3 teams to have a 16-3 stretch over a 19-game span this season. The other two teams? The Eastern Conference leading Detroit Pistons (34-11) and the Western Conference leading Oklahoma City Thunder (38-10).
• The Clippers are the first team in NBA history to have a stretch where they lost at least 16 of 19 and a stretch where they won at least 16 of 19 at any point in the same season.
• Jordan Miller has been excellent averaging 15/5/2 over his last 10 games. Kobe Sanders has really stepped up especially starting for Kawhi and Harden if they’re out over his last 10 games he’s averaging 11/3/2.

10) Portland Trail Blazers (23-27, 10th in the West) via Casey G

• Portland has lost five games in a row while failing to crack 100 points in three of those five games.
• Something is certainly up with Deni Avdija as he is missing games where is a probable, and when he’s playing he doesn’t seem like himself. However, he did officially get named to the All star team is our first one since Dame
• The Blazers made a trade! They traded fan favorite Duop Reath and two second round picks for Vit Krejci, a sharpshooter for the Hawks. This is a good move for us as this team desperately needs shooting
• Lastly, the Blazers need to make some more deals as Caleb Love and Sidy Cissoko both need to be elevated to full time NBA contracts and the blazers do not have those roster spots available. Some think that we have the best capital to trade for Giannis (myself included) however I doubt Cronin truly pulls the trigger 

11) Memphis Grizzlies (19-29, 11th in the West) via Alex B

• News broke Tuesday afternoon that the Grizzlies were sending Jaren Jackson Jr., Jock Landale, and Vince Williams Jr. to the Utah Jazz for Walter Clayton Jr., Taylor Hendricks, Georges Niang, Kyle Anderson, and three future first-round picks. It was announced that Utah is sending their most favorable first-round pick (Cleveland/Minnesota/Utah), the Lakers' 2027 first-round pick, and Phoenix's first-round pick to Memphis. 
• I'm writing this about three minutes after the trade broke, and I still find it hard to believe that GM Zach Kleinman managed to get seven first-round picks for Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr.. They created a $28.8 million trade exception in this deal, which is the largest ever in the NBA and has 13 firsts in the next seven years. The big question is what the Grizzlies do with this money? I think this can be a win for both teams. For Utah, it gives them a real interior presence along with some helpful role players. For Memphis, it shows that they are fully committed to rebuilding this roster around their young core.
• There "was definitely a chance" that Ja Morant would be traded before the deadline, per Shams. Grizzlies are fielding offers still and my final prediction is he is moved to Sacramento for Zach LaVine and a future first-round pick. I truly believe his time in Memphis is coming to an end and would be best for both sides to split up now. I would also keep an eye out for Chicago as a potential destination for Morant. 
• Other sneaky players I could see moved at the deadline for the Grizzlies include Santi Aldama, Jaylen Wells, Kentavious Caldwell Pope, and John Konchar. Any other names moved off this roster, I would be surprised. Memphis would be smart to keep stockpiling picks.
• Ty Jerome has been cleared to play and been on a minutes restriction in his first two contests back (20 minutes). Memphis has desperately missed his ability to score in big situations with 19 and 20 points, respectfully, in his first two games. Jerome should help the scoring in the Memphis backcourt and provide stability until Scotty Pippen Jr. is ready to return to action shortly.

12) Dallas Mavericks (19-30, 12th in the West) via J.D.

• The Mavs have lost 4 straight.
• Cooper Flagg erupted for 49 points against the Hornets, the most points ever scored by a teenager. He followed this up with 34 points against the Rockets. He is attacking the basket efficiently and getting up more shots.
• With the Trade deadline approaching, the Mavs seem to be at an impasse. They want to come off salary to stay under the 2nd Apron next year and give themselves flexibility around Cooper Flagg.
• Reports are showing that the Mavs are not interested in trading Max Christie or Naji Marshall (arguably their best trade chips) but open to trading AD, DLo and Klay Thompson (aging players on multi year deal).
• Their best chance to shed salary and get decent return is probably to trade Daniel Gafford, but injuries to Derek Lively II and AD leave the Mavs already thin at the Center position.

13) Utah Jazz (15-35, 13th in the West) via Collin T

• Utah traded three 1st round picks, Walter Clayton Jr., Kyle Anderson, Taylor Hendricks, and Georges Niang to the Grizzlies for Jaren Jackson Jr., Vince Williams Jr., Jock Landale, and John Konchar. 
  • The front office is clearly starting the rebuild here as Keyonte George has shown enough. Keyonte, Lauri Markkanen, and JJJ provide three stable pieces with promising rookie Ace Bailey and triple double machine, Jusuf Nurkic (with Walker Kessler back next year).
• Lauri Markkanen is still the sun — everything else is just rotating. No matter how chaotic things get around him, Markkanen keeps doing Markkanen things. Over the last five games, he’s pouring in ~27.7 points per night, effortlessly carrying the scoring load. The shots are clean, the confidence never dips, and the All-Star buzz isn’t hype — it’s math.
• Keyonte George is growing up right in front of us. This isn’t just a scorer getting hot — it’s a guard learning how to run a team. George is handing out ~6.8 assists per game, touching nearly every possession, and making real decisions with the ball. You can feel the shift: less chaos, more control, more “this is my offense now.”
• Jusuf Nurkić has unlocked “Point Center” mode — and it’s historic. Three straight triple-doubles. No Jazz player has ever done that before. Over that stretch: ~16.7 points, 13 rebounds, 12 assists. Nurkić isn’t just finishing plays — he’s directing them. He’s turning handoffs into actions and reads into buckets, and the offense visibly breathes easier when he’s orchestrating.

14) New Orleans Pelicans (13-39, 14th in the West) via Colby J

• New Orleans has lost 6 of their last 9 games after blowing a 22-point second half lead to the red-hot Charlotte Hornets on Monday evening. With the trade deadline coming up this Thursday lets look at some Pelicans who could be on the move.
• Trey Murphy III and Herb Jones are both players that are on reasonable contracts and would fit perfectly on any contending team. Murphy III is averaging a career high 21.6 PPG in his age 25 season and Jones, who has struggled with injuries recently, was First Team All-Defense just two years ago. Unless the Pels receive a haul similar to the one that the Nets received for Mikal Bridges or that the Grizzlies received for Desmond Bane, I don’t expect either Trey or Herb to be dealt this week.
• Jose Alvarado, Yves Missi, and Jordan Poole are the most likely Pelicans to be on the move this Thursday. Alvarado is a fan favorite and it would hurt to see him go but he has a $4.5M player option this summer and the Pels should try to get as much value as possible while they can. Missi is a promising 2nd year center but he’s seen inconsistent playing time all season with the emergence of Derik Queen, Yves may be better off with a fresh start. Jordan Poole has completely fallen out of the Pelicans rotation and he’s set to make $34M next season, if any GM trades for him they should be fired immediately. 
• Zion Williamson has played in over 25 straight games. He deserves some credit for having a healthy stretch for what feels like the first time ever. Zion is averaging 19/7/3 over the last 10 games. 
• Saddiq Bey deserves another shoutout for his play so far this year. Over the last 10 games, Bey is averaging 20 and 6 on 46-43-89 shooting splits. In a mostly lost season, Saddiq has been consistent all year and plays hard every single night.  
• The Pelicans will have two road games this week: Wednesday @ Milwaukee and Friday @ Minnesota before starting a 5 game home-stand at the Smoothie King Center. 

15) Sacramento Kings (12-39, 15th in the West) via Ben M

• The Sacramento Kings hold an abysmal 12-39 record through early February 2026, placing them dead last in the Western Conference and on pace for a 19-63 finish, marking one of the franchise’s worst seasons in recent memory. 
• In their most recent game on February 1, 2026, the Kings fell 112-116 to the Washington Wizards, extending a nine-game losing streak that highlights defensive struggles, allowing an average of 120.4 points per game. Wizards benched their starters in the 2nd half and still came out victorious against the Kings starters. 
• On January 31, the Kings executed a three-team trade, acquiring forward De’Andre Hunter from the Cleveland Cavaliers while sending Keon Ellis and Dennis Schröder to Cleveland, and Dario Saric plus a 2029 second-round pick to the Chicago Bulls.
• Rumors indicate the Kings are pursuing a full fire sale ahead of the trade deadline, with Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, and Malik Monk all available for the right package to facilitate a complete rebuild.
• The Toronto Raptors have emerged as a primary suitor for Sabonis, with exploratory talks centering on RJ Barrett, Jakob Poeltl, and first-round picks, though Sacramento has resisted including Toronto’s Immanuel Quickley or other young assets.

Thanks for reading and enjoy the trade deadline!