Trade Deadline Frenzy: Warriors Land "The Unicorn," CP3 Heads North, and McCain Joins OKC

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The NBA trade deadline on Thursday, February 5, 2026, has seen a flurry of activity as teams scramble to reposition themselves for the postseason—or for the draft lottery. In three distinct moves that highlight the different directions franchises are taking, the Golden State Warriors, Toronto Raptors, and Oklahoma City Thunder have all made major splashes.

Warriors Go Big: Porzingis Heads to the Bay

In a move that finally ends the long-simmering tension between the front office and their young core, the Golden State Warriors have acquired center Kristaps Porzingis from the Atlanta Hawks.

The Trade: Golden State sends Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to Atlanta in exchange for the 7-foot-2 “Unicorn.”
The Strategy: With Stephen Curry still playing at an elite level, the Warriors opted for a proven floor-spacer to maximize their spacing. Porzingis, though often hampered by injuries, is averaging 17.1 points and 1.3 blocks this season.
Fresh Start for Kuminga: After requesting a trade earlier this season due to a fractured relationship with the coaching staff, Kuminga gets a chance to lead a rebuilding Hawks wing rotation alongside Trae Young’s replacement, CJ McCollum.

The Point God in Toronto: A Financial Masterstroke

The Toronto Raptors emerged as the “facilitator” in a three-team trade that officially ends Chris Paul’s tumultuous second stint with the L.A. Clippers.

The Three-Team Swap: * Raptors Get: Chris Paul

Clippers Get: Draft rights to Vanja Marinkovic (saves $7M in luxury tax)
Nets Get: Ochai Agbaji, 2032 2nd-Round Pick (via Toronto), and $3.5M cash.
The Catch: Don’t expect to see CP3 in a Raptors jersey. Reports indicate the 40-year-old legend is not required to report to Toronto and is expected to be waived or rerouted before the 3:00 PM deadline. For the Raptors, this move was purely about the balance sheet, as it successfully moved the franchise out of the luxury tax.

Thunder Strike for McCain: Sixers Focus on Draft Assets

In a move that surprised many in Philadelphia, the 76ers have traded second-year guard and TikTok sensation Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Trade: Philly sends McCain to OKC in exchange for a 2026 first-round pick (the most favorable between Houston, L.A. Clippers, and OKC) and three second-round picks.
Why Philly Did It: With the rise of rookie VJ Edgecombe and the dominance of All-Star Tyrese Maxey, the Sixers viewed McCain as an expendable asset to recoup draft capital and dodge the luxury tax.
Why OKC Did It: With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander currently sidelined with an abdominal strain, the Thunder needed immediate backcourt depth. They are betting that McCain can recapture the 15 PPG form he showed during his rookie season before a meniscus tear slowed his progress.