Now that we know the order players will be picked in next month’s draft, and now that we are nearing a Final Four in the playoffs, expect the NBA trade rumor market to start picking up steam. And expect it to be a wild ride between now and the draft, and again, more wildness in July.
That’s because, although there are teams with cap space, the league does not work on free agency anymore. As one NBA executive told Heavy Sports this week, “We used to love expiring contracts because you could clear your books and get into free agency, but now, free agency is dead, and you need to keep salary slots alive to make trades.”
It behooves us, then, to get a complete look at how the NBA trade rumor market is shaping up this offseason. The list is long, so settle in …
NBA Trade Rumors: Latest on the Lakers, Giannis & More
Quick hitters to start us off:
- Increasingly, it looks like the massive changes fans want for the Lakers aren’t quite what the team has in mind. The plan appears to be to keep Austin Reaves, at something less than the maximum $240 million-plus, and to seek solutions at the center spot, an annual tradition in LA. Beyond that, dreams of adding restricted free agents Walker Kessler or Peyton Watson or Jalen Duren are almost certainly not happening. A LeBron James retirement would leave open some free-agent money, and a sign-and-trade elsewhere might be an opportunity to add (Jarrett Allen, perhaps), but if he returns, the Lakers won’t look drastically different.
- If the Lakers do not make a run at Kessler with an offer in restricted free agency, the Bulls will be the team to watch. The last front office was keen on making a bid for Kessler, and we’ll have to see if the new front office feels the same.
- The smoke continues to build around the possibility of Giannis Antetokounmpo landing in Boston. It’s not certain Brown would land in Milwaukee, or if he would be sent to a third team for younger assets. It’s still only smoke, and believe it or not, there is still a possibility he winds up returning to the Bucks.
- Back on May 11, a Western Conference GM told Heavy Sports about the Warriors and the No. 11 pick: “I’ve not heard anything like they want to shop that pick. You wouldn’t start doing that now, necessarily, anyway. But they want to have youth be part of that mix, and with the contracts they have already, they need that cheap labor.” And, indeed, the Warriors have since indicated they want to keep the pick.
- Even as Anthony Davis appears to be talking his way out of Washington, around the league, the feeling is the Wizards are not going to trade him in the coming months. Ideally, he will come back, show he is healthy and be put on the trade market next January. Davis does not appear to understand how little trade value he has just now, and it needs to be rebuilt.
NBA Trade Rumors: 7 Superstars Who Could Hit the Market
Note that we have removed Karl-Anthony Towns of the Knicks from the list, at least for now. New York should land in the NBA Finals, which is likely to reduce the chances of a Towns trade drastically.
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.
Kawhi Leonard, Clippers. (Remaining contract: one year, $150 million.) The Clippers say they’re not trading him. But logic dictates they should consider it.
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 Game 7 of the conference semis–his name will hit the NBA trade rumor mill.
Jaylen Brown, Celtics. (Remaining contract: three years, $183 million.) Would team prez Brad Stevens really break up the Jayson Tatum-Brown tandem? If the Antetokounmpo rumors play out, Brown would have to go. He 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.
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, but it’s worth considering.
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?
NBA Trade Rumors: 25-and-Under-and-Trade-Bait
Not every NBA trade rumor target is old and overpaid. Teams do not want to give up players in this range, but there can be extenuating circumstances.
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 another year.
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.
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.
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.
GettyZion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans
Bargain Bin: The Dented Can Section
Torn ACLs, bad hamstrings, back issues and poor decisions: This part of the list is packed with players who are far from their peak in terms of value.
Kyrie Irving, Mavericks. (Remaining contract: two years, $81 million.) The Mavericks are saying they like Irving as a veteran mentor but in reality, they need to clear the decks around Cooper Flagg and move on. Even coming off a knee injury, Irving has value.
Anthony Davis, Wizards. (Remaining contract: two years, $121 million.) He has yet to play a single game for the Wizards and has played just 71 games in two seasons, but he already is dropping not-subtle hints that he wants out. He might have to wait, though.
Tyler Herro, Heat. (Remaining contract: one year, $33 million.) Injury woes crushed him this season after a very good 2024-25. The time has come for Miami to move on from Herro, but finding a taker will be tough.
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.
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.
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.
NBA Trade Rumors: Top Eastern Conference Targets
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.
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.
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.) Can a playoff renaissance save his Knicks tenure? It would take a lot to erase what a struggle this season has been for him.
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.
Western Conference Rumor Mill
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.
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.
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?
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. 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.
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.
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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