The 2026 NBA Trade Deadline was full of moves and featured plenty of surprises.

Which players are on the rise, and whose arrow is pointing down following a flurry of transactions?

Here are the biggest fantasy winners and losers of the 2026 NBA Trade Deadline.

For details of every deal that went down, check out: 2026 NBA Trade Deadline Tracker: Live updates, news, rumors, deals, analysis of all the action - NBC Sports

▶ Fantasy WinnersTop-5 Biggest Winners

1. Jalen Smith

2. Santi Aldama

3. Onyeka Okongwu

4. Darius Garland

5. Kristaps Porzingis

Jalen Smith — Chicago Bulls

Smith is the biggest winner of the trade deadline following the trade of Nikola Vucevic to the Boston Celtics for Anfernee Simons. Like a maniacal villain looking to deplete the world’s natural resources, Chicago has stockpiled roughly 80% of the Association’s guards. Smith was starting in double-big lineups alongside Vooch, but his path to increased production has become clear. Smith will get some competition from Nick Richards, but the former has a stranglehold on the starting center job, and he’s a must-add option off the waiver wire.

De’Anthony Melton/Brandin Podziemski — Golden State Warriors

Jimmy Butler is out for the season. Steph Curry is banged up. Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield are gone. Someone’s got to step up for Golden State, and Melton and Podz are the two most likely to answer the call.

Nick Richards — Chicago Bulls

The starting center job is Jalen Smith’s to lose, but there’s no frontcourt depth on this team. Richards emerges from the big man logjam in Phoenix and will have a new opportunity to earn meaningful rotational minutes in Chicago.

Kelly Oubre Jr./Quentin Grimes — Philadelphia 76ers

Jared McCain was beginning to hit his stride before he was traded, and his absence frees up some additional minutes and scoring chances for Oubre Jr. and Grimes.

Walter Clayton Jr. — Memphis Grizzlies

Clayton was stuck behind breakout Keyonte George and stellar backup Isaiah Collier in Utah, but he has a chance to earn some additional run for the Grizzlies down the stretch. Ty Jerome and Cam Spencer have been great, but “silly season” is fast approaching.

Ayo Dosunmu — Minnesota Timberwolves

The Timberwolves’ search for a capable backup ball-handler and scorer ended with the deal to acquire Dosunmu, and he should see quality minutes in Minnesota. Moving from a crowded Chicago backcourt is a clear lateral move for Dosunmu’s fantasy value.

Kyshawn George/Bilal Coulibaly — Washington Wizards

Washington was shockingly giving Khris Middleton 24.3 minutes per night despite the team’s terrible record and focus on the future. Middleton’s departure shores up big minutes for George and Coulibaly for the rest of the season.

Darius Garland — Los Angeles Clippers

Garland will move to a team with less depth across the board, and he won’t have to contend for touches with another ball-dominant guard. Expect more scoring and more assists in LA.

Kristaps Porzingis — Golden State Warriors

Availability notwithstanding, KP’s move to Golden State is a good one for his fantasy value. Atlanta’s frontcourt depth features standouts Onyeka Okongwu and Jalen Johnson, but Golden State is bereft of talent and size there. Porzingis should see big minutes and usage with his new team.

Baylor Scheierman — Boston Celtics

Scheierman has started two games with Payton Pritchard shifting to a bench role. Pritchard has still seen big minutes and shot opportunities, but Scheierman has some additional runway now that Anfernee Simons is gone. Scheierman is more of a deep-league guy at this point, but he’s worth keeping an eye on in standard leagues.

Marvin Bagley III — Dallas Mavericks

Dallas’ center rotation is Daniel Gafford and Moussa Cisse. Gafford’s injury history is a long and storied one, and Cisse is on a two-way contract. Bagley III should see backup center minutes right away, and spot starts are surely in his future when Gafford inevitably misses time.

Malik Monk — Sacramento Kings

Sacramento dealt Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis, freeing up more playing time for Monk moving forward. Monk has flashed big upside throughout his career as a microwave scorer and three-point shooter, and he could see increased run during “silly season.”

Tristan Vukcevic — Washington Wizards

With Bagley III gone, Vukcevic is Alex Sarr’s top backup at center. He’s not worth a look in standard leagues yet, but he has streaming appeal if Sarr misses time.

Brook Lopez/Isaiah Jackson — Los Angeles Clippers

Ivica Zubac’s departure should mean more run for both centers in LA, but it’s yet unknown how the minutes will shake out.

Onyeka Okongwu — Atlanta Hawks

He’s been excellent as Atlanta’s starting center, and he’ll no longer have the spectre of Kristaps Porzingis hanging over him.

Santi Aldama — Memphis Grizzlies

Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jock Landale were shipped out of town this week, and Zach Edey is still on the shelf. Memphis’ frontcourt rotation is the thinnest in the Association, so Aldama should see monster minutes once he’s back on the court.

▶ Fantasy LosersTop-5 Biggest Losers

1. Neemias Queta

2. Jay Huff

3. Jaren Jackson Jr.

4. Dennis Schroder

5. James Harden

Jaren Jackson Jr. — Utah Jazz

JJJ will no longer be the first or even second option on his team, and he’s stuck in a crowded big-man rotation in Utah. He’s still got fantasy value in all formats, but expect a downtick in scoring and rebounding.

Jusuf Nurkic/Kyle Filipowski — Utah Jazz

Both big men will have to relinquish some minutes and production to the newly acquired Jackson Jr. Nurkic is still worth holding, but Filipowski is a drop.

James Harden — Cleveland Cavaliers

Cleveland’s roster is deeper than LA’s, so Harden won’t be relied on as much for scoring or rebounding. He could see an uptick in assists, but he gets a slight downgrade here.

Neemias Queta/Luka Garza — Boston Celtics

Queta has played some great basketball this season, and he’s been a standard league guy thanks to his rebounding and defense. Garza has soaked up backup minutes and made an impact when inserted into the starting lineup. The arrival of Nikola Vucevic drastically lowers Queta’s value and makes Garza a drop in most formats.

Dennis Schroder/Keon Ellis — Cleveland Cavaliers

They go from playing behind Russell Westbrook to playing behind James Harden and Donovan Mitchell. That won’t be good for Schroder’s or Ellis’ fantasy value.

Jay Huff — Indiana Pacers

Huff has been an elite shot-blocker this season, and he’s provided solid value for fantasy managers who scooped him up. His run as Indiana’s starting center is over, and his fantasy value takes a massive hit with the arrival of Ivica Zubac.

Chicago Bulls Guards

It’s unclear how this rotation is going to shake out, but the team has all of Jaden Ivey, Anfernee Simons, Tre Jones and Collin Sexton on the roster. All of them get a downgrade until we get some clarity on playing time.

▶ Fantasy NeutralNikola Vucevic — Boston Celtics

Vooch saw big minutes in Chicago, leading the center rotation on a team thin on depth at the position. That will be the case in Boston, too. Fantasy managers should expect the durable big man to offer up points, rebounds, assists and triples while staying available.

Trayce Jackson-Davis — Toronto Raptors

TJD will be buried in a busy frontcourt behind Collin Murray-Boyles, Sandro Mamukelashvili and Jakob Poeltl. There’s nothing to see here.

Luke Kennard — Los Angeles Lakers

Kennard will operate as a spot-up three-point shooter in LA, just as he did in Atlanta. His move to the Lakers doesn’t move the needle on his fantasy value.

Khris Middleton — Dallas Mavericks

Middleton won’t be in Dallas next year, and his usage with the team this season will surely be comparable to what it was in Washington. The Mavs have no incentive to give him meaningful run.

Jock Landale — Atlanta Hawks

Landale had a monster game in his Hawks debut, going for 26/11/5 with four blocks and five triples. He won’t make that kind of impact on a nightly basis, especially once Onyeka Onkongwu returns. Still, Landale could have standalone value if he sees 20 minutes per game off the bench.

Gabe Vincent — Atlanta Hawks

Vincent wasn’t on the fantasy radar with the Lakers, and nothing has changed with his move to the Hawks.

Vince Williams Jr. — Utah Jazz

Not much changes for V-Dub in Utah. He’ll still be competing for rotation minutes, and his usage will be heavily dependent on injuries to players ahead of him on the depth chart.

Bennedict Mathurin — Los Angeles Clippers

Mathurin will go from one of the worst teams in the NBA to a team that’s gaining momentum after a rough start. He’ll be asked to operate as a primary bucket-getter and occasional rebounder for the Clippers, in the same way he was asked to do so for Indiana. New location, same responsibilities.

▶ Teams Stock UpCharlotte Hornets

They’re riding an eight-game win streak, looking to end a 10-year playoff drought and added a strong backup guard to shore up a rotation that has had trouble staying healthy.

Washington Wizards

A starting lineup of Trae Young, Anthony Davis, Kyshawn George, Bilal Coulibaly and Alex Sarr is intriguing to say the least. The Wizards have two superstars surrounded by a young, athletic and defensively-gifted core. This team is going to be fun next season.

Boston Celtics

Brad Stevens’ system and Joe Mazzulla’s coaching have propelled the Jayson Tatum-less Celtics to a top-3 seed in the Eastern Conference, and the C’s traded a backup guard for a reliable, starting center. Big dub.

Oklahoma City Thunder

The rich get richer, as the defending champs add a talented PG in Jared McCain.

Cleveland Cavaliers

The swap of Darius Garland for James Harden should be a good move for the Cavs and the Clippers. Harden is joined by Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis as new additions who shore up Cleveland’s backcourt rotation.

▶ Teams Stock DownChicago Bulls

The rebuild is officially in place, but what the heck is this team doing? The guard-heavy Bulls lack an identity, and Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis are the only two guys on the roster around which you can build.

Golden State Warriors

The Dubs are barely treading water, and their season won’t magically turn around by adding a usually-unavailable Kristaps Porzingis.

Sacramento Kings

They’re arguably the worst team in the NBA with no franchise cornerstones, identity or direction. They’re not winning now, and they probably won’t be winning anytime soon.

Miami Heat

They made no moves, and they’ll be lucky to escape the Play-In Tournament.