The Athletic NBA Daily – Trade Deadline Recap with John Hollinger

Date: February 6, 2026
Host(s): Dave DuFour, Esper Henny
Guest: John Hollinger

Overview of the Episode

This NBA Daily episode delivers an in-depth and fast-paced recap of the 2026 NBA trade deadline with special guest John Hollinger, a leading basketball analyst and columnist. The discussion centers on notable trades, non-moves, and the broader implications for franchises and the evolving NBA landscape. The team evaluates which teams improved their postseason prospects, which are playing the long game, and highlights puzzling and impactful deals shaping the league’s immediate and long-term future.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Giannis Antetokounmpo Non-Trade & Milwaukee's Strategy

[00:49 – 02:20]

• The Bucks surprised many by keeping Giannis at the deadline.
• John Hollinger: "I had always thought that they would have better offers this summer than they would get right now. It's unfortunate for Giannis because it burns another year of his prime. But the fact of the matter is the Bucks have a duty to their franchise and their future to secure the best deal." (01:31)
• John speculates that major offers from teams like OKC, Houston, and San Antonio will be even stronger in the summer than the current ones.
• Milwaukee's "tankathon" prospects: They could land a high draft pick despite swap complications with the Pelicans.

2. Notable Trades and Creative Draft Protections

[02:58 – 04:51]

• Vita Zubots traded to the Pacers for two first-round picks, one with unusual protections: top-4 protected and 10-30 protected.
• John Hollinger: "It's rare. It is more rare now because you don't see teams extending the protections out for three, five, seven years anymore... This is a rare exception because it only applies for one year and then skips ahead to a much later year." (03:26)
• He labels the move "a really creative solution for both sides," protecting the Pacers while giving the Clippers a chance at a high pick.

3. Impactful Trades for Contenders & Playoff Implications

[04:51 – 06:12]

• Pistons, currently East’s #1 seed, add shooter Kevin Huerter:
  • "Did they solve their problem? Kevin Herder going to Detroit? ... The lack of shooting has been glaring. So you bring in Kevin Herder… hoping he can kind of refind his mojo." (05:05)
• Luke Kennard sent elsewhere, surprising given his superior shooting to Huerter.
• Detroit’s approach characterized as "keeping the powder dry" for a future offseason move.

4. Blockbuster: Anthony Davis to the Wizards & Future-Oriented Deals

[06:12 – 06:45]

• Anthony Davis lands with Washington alongside Trey Young, but Hollinger doubts their immediate impact:
  • "Trey Young and Anthony Davis get you to respectable certainly, but I don't think they're at a level where they can carry you to the top of the east by themselves." (06:45)
• More weight given to the Pacers’ Zubots trade for future impact.

5. Memphis Grizzlies Enter a Full Reset

[07:36 – 08:34]

• Hollinger discusses Memphis’s complete teardown, forced by Ja Morant's unreliability, and predicts Morant will also be traded soon:
  • "I'm sure they're going to move Ja at some point now. I mean it's, it's the only thing that makes sense now. Just fully pivot toward younger guys." (07:40)

6. The Non-Movers: Miami, Houston, and San Antonio

[08:38 – 10:20]

• Surprised Miami and Houston didn't make a move, especially post-Kevin Durant deal in Houston:
  • "Houston a little surprised because once you push the chips in for Kevin Durant, it's like, okay, what are we doing here?" (09:02)
  • Hollinger feels Houston's lack of floor spacing and Miami's focus on a possible Giannis run this summer kept them quiet.
• San Antonio’s inactivity also noted as surprising.

7. Most Confusing Trades

[11:49 – 13:10]

• Hollinger didn't understand the Nets’ Hunter Tyson deal: "You’re doing Denver a favor at the same time, like, what was that?" (12:10)
• Dissects Sacramento’s DeAndre Hunter trade as puzzling:
  • "You have the worst record in the league. You need to be tanking... That was a puzzling deal." (12:54)

8. Best & Worst Deals (Excluding the Pacers’ Move)

[14:08 – 15:20]

• Best under-the-radar deal: Atlanta getting Jock Landale "for nothing."
  • "That was amazing that they were able to get him for absolutely nothing." (14:21)
• Worst deal: Chicago eating $6 million of Gershon Yabusele’s salary from the Knicks for no return.
  • "I'm flabbergasted by that... Let's just eat his $6 million for next year and not ask for anything in return." (15:30)

9. The Second Apron & New CBA as Trade Drivers

[16:54 – 19:20]

• The NBA's new financial restrictions (the "second apron") heavily influenced deals and non-deals:
  • "Eventually the second apron is going to get you, the repeater is going to get you, and you can't do that ad infinitum." (19:20)
• Harden-Garland swap cited as a function of tight salary constraints.

10. Shifts in Free Agency & the New Path for Team Building

[19:09 – 20:21]

• Major takeaway: Free agency is "just isn’t a thing anymore."
  • "The Wizards had a bunch of cap room and they weren't going to be able to sign anybody with it. Right?" (19:19)
• Emphasis on the need to "move off guys sooner" and not overplay your hand, a recurring lesson from this year's market.

11. Looking Ahead: Who's Ready for a Wild Summer?

[20:21 – 21:22]

• Miami, Golden State listed as teams poised to get aggressive this summer, plus Minnesota (despite limited assets).
• The Jared McCain trade discussed: Philly sold "high" at the right time.

12. Kuminga Fresh Start & Final Winner/"Loser" Picks

[22:15 – 23:51]

• Kuminga's move to Atlanta described as a fascinating unknown for his development.
• Biggest Loser: "In a way, it's Dallas, right? Like you started with Luka and you ended with this like, okay, great." (23:15)
• Biggest Winner: "I just really like what Indiana did. I think Zubots is on a great contract... I thought that was absolutely the right move for Indiana to come back strong next year." (23:23)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "It burns another year of [Giannis'] prime. But the fact of the matter is the Bucks have a duty to their franchise and their future to secure the best deal.” – John Hollinger (01:31)
• “This is a rare exception because it only applies for one year… a really creative and fair solution that the two sides came up with.” – Hollinger on the Zubots trade protections (03:26)
• “Eventually the second apron is going to get you… you can't just pay guys $40 million and figure you're going to be able to trade them later. It doesn't work like that anymore.” – Hollinger on new CBA realities (19:20)
• “Free agency just isn't a thing anymore.” – John Hollinger (19:09)
• On Dallas: "You started with Luka and you ended with this like, okay, great." (23:15)
• On Indiana: "I really like what Indiana did... that was absolutely the right move for Indiana to come back strong next year." (23:23)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Giannis & Milwaukee’s Strategy: 00:49 – 02:20
• Pacers-Clippers Draft Pick Swap / Zubots Trade: 02:58 – 04:51
• Contender Upgrades & Huerter to Pistons: 04:51 – 06:12
• Anthony Davis to Wizards & Impact: 06:12 – 06:45
• Grizzlies’ Full Reset: 07:36 – 08:34
• Why Miami/Houston/San Antonio Stayed Quiet: 08:38 – 10:20
• Most Confusing Trades: 11:49 – 13:10
• Best/Worst Deals: 14:08 – 15:20
• Impact of the Second Apron/CBA: 16:54 – 19:20
• Biggest Takeaways for Front Offices: 19:09 – 20:21
• Looking Ahead to Summer Moves: 20:21 – 21:22
• Kuminga in Atlanta/Final Winner & Loser: 22:15 – 23:51

Summary

In this lively post-trade deadline episode, John Hollinger and hosts break down the league’s most intriguing moves (and non-moves), analyze the underlying financial and strategic motivations, and explore which franchises positioned themselves best for the present and future. The Cleveland-LA Harden/Garland swap, Indiana’s big pivot, and Memphis’s full tank all serve as prime illustrations of seismic change in the NBA's trade and team-building environment. The panel closes with clear warnings about overcommitting to big contracts and failing to act decisively – and a forecast of big action in the summer, particularly from teams with playoff ambitions that sat out this deadline.