The 2026 NBA playoffs have plowed forward into the conference semifinals, and that means eight teams are still active … which therefore means that 22 teams are now watching from home, thinking about the draft, free agency and NBA trade rumors. It does not take long after those seasons end for teams to swing into action on the offseason, and that is certainly the case for teams like the Magic, who fired coach Jamahl Mosely a day after his bunch was eliminated.
But setting up for player transactions is the next big thing for most teams, and in the modern NBA, that means trades. The 2026 offseason will be a hotbed of NBA trade rumors, and there will be significant names being shopped–or at least being inquired about–in the coming weeks.
And good news: We’ve added some more names to the trade board based on what’s being heard and said around the league, starting with outspoken Celtics star Jaylen Brown, who was KO’d from the playoffs on Saturday.
NBA Trade Rumors: New Guys on the Board
Jaylen Brown, Celtics. (Remaining contract: three years, $183 million.) It is highly unlikely that, coming off a mostly successful year in which the Celtics were the No. 2 seed in the East despite playing without Jayson Tatum, team prez Brad Stevens is going to turn around and break up the Tatum-Brown tandem. But Brown has never had more value than he does now, and Stevens has shown he will be aggressive when the chips are down.
Jamal Murray, Nuggets. (Remaining contract: three years, $160 million.) One exec said it would be a “seismic” move to trade Murray, but given where this franchise is now, it’s something it would have to consider. Like Brown, he has peak value right now.
Kyrie Irving, Mavericks. (Remaining contract: two years, $81 million.) The Mavericks are looking to clear the decks around Cooper Flagg, and if they can find a taker to Irving, they’re expected to move on.
Anthony Davis, Wizards. (Remaining contract: two years, $121 million.) He has yet to play a single game for the Wizards, but he already is dropping not-subtle hints that he wants out.
Aaron Gordon, Nuggets. (Remaining contract: three years, $110 million.) Gordon has struggled to stay healthy, but is still a valued connective piece when he plays. But he needs to be a No. 3/4 option on a good team, and teams aren’t falling over themselves to cough up assets for that.
De’Aaron Fox, Spurs. (Remaining contract: four years, $220 million.) The presumption is that, eventually, the Spurs are going to hand the keys to their young guards, Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle. They already look ready, and moving Fox while he still is at the top of his value would be wise.
Jalen Suggs, Magic. (Remaining contract: four years, $124 million, team option.) He has yet to play up to his contract, which is going to make it very difficult to find a landing spot for him.
Brandon Ingram, Raptors. (Remaining contract: two years, $81 million, team option.) After Ingram was injured and mostly ineffective against the Cavs, Sportsnet’s Michael Grange floated the possibility that the Raptors could use Ingram’s contract to find a scoring upgrade.
NBA Trade Rumors: The Superstar Section
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks. (Remaining contract: two years, $120 million.) Yawn. Antetokounmpo trades have been headlining for more than a year now. It’s time for both sides to cave in and make a deal.
Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers. (Remaining contract: two years, $104 million, player option.) The Cavaliers do not want to trade Mitchell, but if he indicates he won’t sign an extension–and if Cleveland flops again in the playoffs after barely surviving the first round–his name will hit the NBA trade rumor mill.
Ja Morant, Grizzlies. (Remaining contract: two years, $86 million.) Another yawn. The Grizzlies want a deal in which they do not have to give up draft picks to get another team to take Morant, and if they can find one, they’ll take it.
Karl-Anthony Towns, Knicks. (Remaining contract: two years, $1118 million.) If the Knicks are to make a major move, it will be KAT who gets sent out of town because his $57 million contract for next season is easier to match. He has been turning around his fortunes, though, in the past week.
Kawhi Leonard, Clippers. (Remaining contract: one year, $150 million.) The Clippers say they’re not trading him. But logic dictates they should consider it.
Jimmy Butler, Warriors. (Remaining contract: one years, $57 million.) The Dubs know it would be a cold move to trade Butler as he is rehabbing from an ACL tear, but moving Butler’s contract is their only path to a major trade addition.
Kevin Durant, Rockets. (Remaining contract: two years, $90 million, player option.) A report from The Ringer says he is on the market. But is there any team left in the NBA that wants to take on his drama?
Joel Embiid, Sixers. (Remaining contract: three years, $187 million.) Like Morant, the Sixers may need to give up draft picks to get off of the remaining $188 million on his contract. But he has shown the impact he can have on the playoffs.
Bam Adebayo, Heat. (Remaining contract: three years, $160 million.) He’s still the centerpiece in Miami, but this team has gone nowhere. Longshot that they’d trade him.
GettyBam Adebayo #13 of the Miami Heat
Other Top Eastern Conference Possibilities
Evan Mobley, Cavaliers. (Remaining contract: four years, $223 million.) He’s early on in a max deal and has underachieved in general. The Cavs still love him, but when it comes to overhauling the roster, he would bring back the most value.
Jarrett Allen, Cavaliers. (Remaining contract: three years, $90 million.) It’s more likely that Allen gets traded than Mobley, and they could get a good package in return. Allen is a standard offensive center but is a valued rim-runner who can protect the paint.
Myles Turner, Bucks. (Remaining contract: three years, $80 million.) This was a disaster move for the Bucks, but teams still value Turner. There’s been talk that the Bucks will send out Antetokounmpo and Turner in a package deal.
Mikal Bridges, Knicks. (Remaining contract: four years, $150 million.) The five first-round picks the Knicks sent out for Bridges might be the only reason he does not move–it would be a horrible admission of failure on the team’s part to trade him. Some wonder whether the Knicks would even get one first-rounder in return.
Tyler Herro, Heat. (Remaining contract: one year, $33 million.) Injury woes crushed him this season after a very good 2024-25. But the time has come for Miami to move on from Herro, no matter what it does with Adebayo.
Paolo Banchero, Magic. (Remaining contract: five years, $240 million.) The Magic fired their coach and will see how things play out before they trade away their stars, but Banchero figures to come up in chatter in the coming year. His contract likely means the Magic keep him around for a while, no matter what.
Michael Porter Jr., Nets. (Remaining contract: one year, $40 million, partial guarantee.) The Nets thought they’d get better value for him in the summer than at the trade deadline, though they were not expecting the trade market to be this crowded.
NBA Trade Rumors, Western Conference
Zach LaVine, Kings. (Remaining contract: one year, $49 million, player option.) LaVine has the player option worth $49 million and almost certainly will pick it up. Does his expiring contract become easier to dump?
Domantas Sabonis, Kings. (Remaining contract: two years, $93 million.) The remaining money on his contract is not pretty, and he is coming off knee surgery, but he could be due for a bounce-back year. He’s likely to find a new home.
Klay Thompson, Mavericks. (Remaining contract: one year, $17 million.) Thompson does not fit Dallas’s timeline, and if the Mavs can get anything–youth, a few second-rounders–for him, they will. He’s still a 38% 3-point shooter.
Zion Williamson, Pelicans. (Remaining contract: two years, $87 million.) Williamson averaged 21.0 points in 62 games, and New Orleans will be tempted to keep him on board because of it–or, just as likely, they’ll be tempted to sell high.
Trey Murphy, Pelicans. (Remaining contract: three years, $88 million.) The Pelicans would not entertain trade offers for Murphy in February, but they’re expected to at least listen as they look to reshuffle this summer.
Cam Johnson, Nuggets. (Remaining contract: one year, $23 million.) Johnson has been a disaster in Denver, but he still has enough of a reputation around the league to warrant trade interest. He did not fit with the Nuggets, but he was a very good 3-and-D player before that.
Jerami Grant, Blazers. (Remaining contract: two years, $70 million.) A brutal postseason won’t do much for Grant’s value, but he is 32, averaged 18.6 points this year, and is a known commodity around the league. His absurd five-year, $160 million deal is down to two years, which makes it moveable.
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