Thursday’s NBA trade deadline was an extremely active one. Nearly every one of the league’s 30 teams were involved in trades of varying shapes and sizes. The Anthony Davis blockbuster headlined the action of the week, but there were plenty of impactful moves involving smaller names, from the Warriors’ Kristaps Porziņģis swing to the Pacers’ risky acquisition of Ivica Zubac that included their 2026 pick (top-four protected).
The NBA’s transaction season isn’t over yet, though. With all the movement around the deadline every year, there are a handful of players who (sometimes unexpectedly) wind up free agents afterwards via buyout or being waived. Teams choose to move on from these players for a multitude of reasons. Some were part of a larger deal and don't fit into the vision of the team. Others have zero desire to play for their new teams and both parties are willing to move on. Others still were hoping to get traded and didn’t, leading to a parting of ways.
