Trae Young Sparks Every NBA Team Deadline Plan

Bleacher Report ran the league through a deadline checklist, showing how 30 GMs would act if Feb. 5 were today. The picture is deliberate: contenders mostly hold, middling teams shop veterans or trim salary, and several franchises are set up for resets. Big takeaways include Boston eyeing repater-tax relief and Denver prioritizing health over trades. Merlin sees pattern and purpose, not panic. Young cores will be protected, cheap veterans will become trade currency, and role-player swaps will hum quietly. Golden State’s Jonathan Kuminga has a one-plus-one with a literal "get out of jail free" team option, so his exit feels imminent. Merlin tells the high school fan to watch the small moves; they often tell the bigger story.