5 Teams That Blew It At the 2025 NBA Trade Deadline

We may never see another NBA trade deadline like this one.

The Luka Dončić-Anthony Davis blockbuster is the obvious headliner, but we also saw big names like Jimmy Butler, De'Aaron Fox, Brandon Ingram, Zach LaVine, Kyle Kuzma, Khris Middleton, Marcus Smart, De'Andre Hunter and others all change teams.

While there were plenty of winners, we're going to look at five teams that flunked the trade deadline, either by inactivity or making some questionable deals.

Notable Additions: Terance Mann, Bones Hyland, Caris LeVert, Georges Niang, 2026 first-round swap (least favorable from Cleveland, Utah and Washington), 2028 first-round swap (least favorable of Cleveland and Utah), 2027 second-round pick, 2029 second-round pick, 2031 second-round pick

Notable Subtractions: De'Andre Hunter, Bogdan Bogdanović, Cody Zeller, Minnesota's 2025 second-round pick, Memphis' 2026 second-round pick (protected Nos. 43 to 60), 2027 second-round pick (their own), 2028 second-round pick

Losing starting forward Jalen Johnson to a shoulder injury should have had the Atlanta Hawks searching for replacements at the trade deadline.

Despite a 23-28 record, tanking was never an option for Atlanta with the San Antonio Spurs holding the rights to their unprotected 2025 first-round pick.

Instead of finding someone who can make up for some of Johnson's production, the Hawks decided to trade their next-best forward for some reason.

Hunter, 27, is enjoying the best year of his career, averaging 19.0 points and shooting 39.3 percent from three. Sending him to the best team in the East in the Cleveland Cavaliers was a bizarre move, especially since the Cavs got to keep their young wings (Isaac Okoro, Jaylon Tyson) and 2031 first-round pick.

Bogdanović was having a down year, and moving him for Mann and Hyland is fine, but doing so at the cost of three second-round picks was an overpay.

This sets up a lot of questions for Trae Young's future, with Chris Haynes dropping a lot of breadcrumbs on NBA TV that would seem to indicate the three-time All-Star isn't thrilled with the team's direction as he approaches free agency in 2026.

It's extremely fair to question the vision in Atlanta, a franchise that appears doomed to miss the playoffs and not have its own first-round pick.

Notable Additions: N/A

Notable Subtractions: N/A

After trading Dorian Finney-Smith to the Los Angeles Lakers in December, the Brooklyn Nets seemed poised to complete their teardown and shop veterans such as Cameron Johnson, D'Angelo Russell and possibly even Nic Claxton before Thursday's deadline.

Instead, all three stayed put, making for an extremely disappointing deadline for the rebuilding Nets.

Now was the time to trade Johnson, who was thought to be one of the best players on the market coming into the deadline. His 19.3 points per game are a career high, and the 6'8" forward is shooting a sparkling 41.9 percent from three to go along with 4.0 rebounds and 2.9 assists.

Johnson, who turns 29 in a few weeks, doesn't fit the Nets' timeline and would have been the perfect addition to any contender in need of floor-spacing. ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported that he had "many suitors," yet Brooklyn obviously didn't find a deal it liked enough.

This is reminiscent of the Washington Wizards holding on to Kyle Kuzma at the deadline last year, turning down two first-round picks for the veteran forward. He has since tanked his value with poor play this year, leading to the Wizards only receiving Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson and a 2028 first-round pick swap now instead.

Keeping Claxton, 25, is fine for now, and there may not have been strong offers for Russell, who's on an expiring deal.

Not trading Johnson now at his peak value was baffling, though, and only hurts the Nets' chances at a top pick in the 2025 draft.

Notable Additions: Brandon Ingram

Notable Subtractions: Bruce Brown Jr., Kelly Olynyk, Indiana's 2026 first-round pick (top-four protection through 2027), 2031 second-round pick

The package that the Toronto Raptors gave up for Ingram looks like fair value on the surface for a 27-year-old borderline All-Star.

The move creates more questions than answers moving forward, though, all while hurting Toronto's chances at the top pick in a loaded 2025 draft.

It's well-documented that Ingram will be entering free agency in a few months and he wanted $50 million a year on a new contract from the New Orleans Pelicans, a salary they wisely declined.

Ingram isn't going to get a max deal from Toronto, but the Raptors have a lot of incentive now to keep the 22.2 point-per-game scorer after giving up a first-round pick and more for him.

The Raptors are only projected to be about $40.5 million below the luxury tax next season before factoring in a new deal for Ingram. Scottie Barnes is starting a max contract while the trio of Immanuel Quickley, R.J. Barrett and Jakob Poeltl will combine to earn just under $80 million. Finances are going to become a real factor now that Toronto has used Brown's expiring deal to get Ingram.

This is a fairly young roster, so adding a player like Ingram (who will turn 28 before the start of next season) isn't a perfect fit. It also means moving promising 21-year-old shooting guard Gradey Dick to the bench following a strong sophomore season (15.6 points, 37.9 percent on catch-and-shoot threes).

Who exactly were the Raptors bidding against for Ingram, especially since the Pelicans failed to find a trade partner for him all last summer? Was giving two of the best return assets from the Pascal Siakam deal really worth it given the next contract they'll now have to give Ingram?

This seems like an unnecessary move from Toronto, a franchise that should have kept its picks and prioritized a top pick and growth from the young core over the second half of the season.

Notable Additions: Cody Martin, Vasilije Micic, 2026 second-round pick

Notable Subtractions: Jusuf Nurkić, 2026 first-round pick

All eyes were on the Phoenix Suns leading up to the trade deadline.

Would Jimmy Butler make a new Big 3 alongside Kevin Durant and Devin Booker? Would the team use their three newly acquired first-round picks to land an upgrade at center? Would Durant himself be traded for a monster haul from the Golden State Warriors or Miami Heat?

In the end, the Suns acquired a few role players from the lowly Charlotte Hornets, having to sacrifice one of their precious few remaining first-round picks to do so.

For a team that's 25-25 and clinging to the last play-in spot in the West, this was a failure of a deadline.

ESPN's Ramona Shelburne described the energy in the Suns locker room as "toxic." Phoenix tried to shop Bradley Beal to "almost every team," according to ESPN's Brian Windhorst and Durant was "blindsided" by his own involvement in trade rumors, per ESPN's Shams Charania.

So…not great.

The Suns have become a three-ring circus, with every acrobat, clown and tightrope-walker looking over his shoulder to see if he's next on the trade block.

With teams such as the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs and others all getting better at the deadline, Phoenix remains stuck in mediocrity.

Notable Additions: Anthony Davis, Max Christie, Caleb Martin, 2019 first-round pick (unprotected via Los Angeles Lakers), 2030 second-round pick (via Philadelphia 76ers)

Notable Subtractions: Luka Dončić, Quentin Grimes, 2025 second-round pick (via Philadelphia 76ers)

Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison has been bashed a lot online the last few days, and honestly, he's probably still gotten off too easily.

Victor Wembanyama is the only player in the NBA who should have been more untouchable than Dončić, who just carried the Mavs to the Finals last year while leading the league in scoring.

Yes, Davis is still a tremendous talent. Yes, Christie has become a solid rotation player and the 2029 pick may help bring in another star. But this is Luka Dončić, owner of the second-highest playoff scoring average (30.9 points per game) in NBA history behind only Michael Jordan.

You don't trade this player unless he demands to be dealt. Even then, you still don't trade him (a la Kobe Bryant circa 2007).

Dončić, 25, is going to be one of the greatest players in NBA history. Calling one team (!) and negotiating only with them should have been a fireable offense and a move ownership should have blocked.

Yes, this deal looks horrible now. In three years, when Dončić is finally hitting his prime and Davis is getting set to turn 35 and making $63 million, it will somehow be worse.