Ja Morant and 4 Other Players Likely To Be Moved At The NBA Trade Deadline
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With the date of Feb. 5 creeping up (NBA trade deadline), the noise of potential trade packages continues to get louder. Here are five of the most likely NBA players to be on different teams after the trade deadline passes.
Ja Morant
The likelihood of Ja Morant leaving the team that drafted him back in 2019, the Memphis Grizzlies, feels to be high. NBA insider Shams Charania, one day after the Hawks dealt Trae Young, broke the news that the Grizzlies were listening to offers regarding Morant. This is the first time Memphis has ever engaged in conversation about moving him.
With Morant already being visibly not happy in moments throughout this season, this news could not have done any good in getting him and the organization on the same page. The main stipulation of whether this deal will get done is what the Grizzlies are willing to settle for. Dealing a superstar whose trade value just a few seasons ago was towards the top in terms of value, in the entire association, is now down tremendously. Memphis has said they would want picks and young players for Morant, but judging what Young went for, this may not be possible. Even if Memphis may not get its ideal offer for Morant, an agreement to move him still feels likely with the growing tension between him and the organization.
BREAKING: The Atlanta Hawks are trading four-time NBA All-Star Trae Young to the Washington Wizards for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/WIf8rhrRFu
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 8, 2026
Michael Porter Jr.
With the Brooklyn Nets, struggling to get wins once again this season with a record of 11-26, trade talks are heavy in the organization. Their roster is littered with young talent, a lot of that thanks to them bringing home five rookies in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft. These rookies have shown flashes of being good NBA players, but they are still growing into becoming winning NBA players. With that, a veteran bright spot for the Nets, Michael Porter Jr., has been brought up in trade rumors.
Porter Jr. does not fit the timeline of this young Brooklyn team, and with them still being heavy in a rebuild, the former NBA Champ should guarner interest from contenders. He has proven he can contribute to winning at the highest level and is posting career highs statistically. The Nets could likely get a good chunk of draft capital for Porter Jr., which would help them get players on the same timeline as their current core of talent.
Immanuel Quickley
Immanuel Quickley, guard for the Toronto Raptors, has popped up sparingly in rumors. And despite the Raptors doing well with a record of 24-17, it makes sense for them to move on from him. Toronto, with RJ Barrett, who can be a primary playmaker, makes Quickley expendable. Also, Quickley is averaging a large chunk of shots per game, currently averaging a career high of 13.5. Next to players like Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram, who deserve a good volume of shots in game, this also goes into making him expendable. Then, tacking on to the fact that he has a fairly big contract makes him even more so. Quickley, in June of 2024, signed a five-year $175 million dollar extension with the Raptors.
With his name hitting the airwaves of trade rumors, it would be no surprise for the Raptors to deal Quickley to open up cap space to give them flexibility, along with the other reasons listed above.
Anfernee Simons
First Year Boston Celtic, Anfernee Simons’ time in green and white may come to a quick end. His name floated around in trade talk as soon as he was acquired via trade from the Portland Trail Blazers over ths Summer, and those talks have ramped back up again.
Simons is having an efficient year, shooting 40.2% from three on 6.3 attempts per game, playing into his 13.5 points per game average. With that, his fit in Boston has been better than expected. For him to be dealt, it feels like it would be in a meaningful trade package. So if the Celtic go big game hunting, keep an eye on Simons, as he would likely be involved.
Jonathan Kuminga
This is long overdue. Fromer lottery pick for the Golden State Warriors, Jonathan Kuminga needs a change of scenery. He has shown signs of being a great player, but on the Warriors, his line in showing that has not been linear whatsoever. His playing time has been on a seesaw for the better part of two seasons. He just needs a place where he can have consistency and grow into whatever he can be at the NBA level.
Kuminga’s name was a popular one near the deadline last year, and with the Warriors trying to make one last run at a title with Draymond Green, Jimmy Butler, and Steph Curry. An offer involving Kuminga that may help make that become more of a real possibility. Overall, with this in mind and his name continually coming to the surface around this time for the last two seasons, it would be no shock to see him with a different team come Feb. 5.
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Gray Deyo is a Nashville-based sportswriter who graduated with a sports management bachelor's degree from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He has covered prep sports, college sports, the WNBA, and the NBA for the past four years. In addition to writing for SI, Gray also currently contributes to Prep Girls Hoops