It's the thick of the NBA's trade season, as the deadline to make deals is only a few days away. Things are about to get very heated really soon, with the Milwaukee Bucks' impending decision on whether or not to trade Giannis Antetokounmpo set to define the NBA for the next few days. Just to make things even crazier, the Los Angeles Clippers may be on the cusp of trading James Harden away to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Darius Garland.
Given the uncertainty that comes with being dangled in trade rumors, the locker room has to be a very emotional environment. But some players are using this opportunity to pull off some jokes at the expense of their teammates, if Gilbert Arenas' story is to be believed.
“You wanted to mess with somebody? All you had to say is [the SportsCenter theme]. Breaking news. What happened. Who? Your a** been traded bro,” Arenas recalled in the latest episode of his podcast. “Every locker room got at least one dude walking around like ‘yo bro, you got traded’ every 10 minutes.”
“Every locker room got at least one dude walking around like ‘yo bro, you got traded’ every 10 minutes.”
Gilbert Arenas says that players pull pranks on other teammates during the trade deadline 😂
(via @NoChillGilZero)
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— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 3, 2026
If Luka Doncic, an MVP candidate in the middle of his prime, was somehow traded, then no one in the NBA is truly safe — making these jokes sting all the more.
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Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) shoots the ball against Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) during the second quarter at Chase Center.
Robert Edwards-Imagn Images
The Oklahoma City Thunder may be the favorite to win it all, but many teams believe as though they have a real shot at a run at the Larry O'Brien trophy. Where Antetokounmpo goes (or doesn't go) may go a long way towards deciding the fate of the playoff race, while other teams, such as the Clippers and Cavs, are looking to figure it out.
The next few days are about to get very intense, and fans should be tuned in to the many developments that are happening on the trade market.