Trade Deadline Regrades: Jared McCain, Trae Young, Anthony Davis

Merlin sees the league regrading the biggest deadline deals a month later and finding some early verdicts hold while others shift. Oklahoma City’s Jared McCain upgrade still looks like a win as he’s scoring efficiently and the Thunder offense hums with him on the floor, while Philadelphia’s move to shed him lands worse after the fact. Atlanta’s Jonathan Kuminga is torching short samples, Golden State worries about Kristaps Porziņģis’ availability, Utah’s Jaren Jackson Jr. trade accelerates a rethink of their timeline, and Cleveland’s James Harden swap tightens a short championship window. The report calls out the obvious and the subtle, from salary chess to on-court chemistry. Merlin notes a pattern: teams swapping future upside for present pieces or vice versa, often hinging on health and summer choices. There are still mystery variables, like Harden missing games for "personal reasons" and Porziņģis barely playing. Watch for extensions and returns to truly settle these grades.