Trade Ideas from Latest NBA Offseason Buzz
With the NBA draft complete and most of the big free agents signed, all eyes turn to the trade market this summer.
The Damian Lillard watch is still on. While the superstar point guard reportedly prefers the Miami Heat, a number of other teams have inquired about his services, including one that could have a former teammate of Lillard's do some serious recruiting.
The future of James Harden is still up in the air, as is Pascal Siakam's with the Toronto Raptors.
The following trade ideas based on the latest reporting would find new homes for some of the biggest names in the news and create arguably the biggest threat in the West to the Denver Nuggets.
San Antonio Gets Jusuf Nurkić in Salary Dump from Portland
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San Antonio Spurs Receive: C Jusuf Nurkić
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: C Khem Birch, $16.9 million trade exception
In addition to finding a Damian Lillard trade, the Blazers will likely want to find a new home for Jusuf Nurkić, as the 28-year-old no longer fits Portland's rebuilding timeline.
As HoopsHype's Michael Scotto writes, "Portland is also expected to discuss Jusuf Nurkić as part of trade packages surrounding Lillard, league sources told HoopsHype."
Trying to match salaries with Lillard, who's set to earn $45.6 million this upcoming season, is one thing. Adding Nurkić's money onto a deal brings the total to $62.4 million, as the veteran center still has three years and $54.4 million remaining on his own deal. Finding a separate deal for Nurkić would be far easier.
Without including Lillard, Portland and San Antonio work as trade partners for Nurkić.
The Spurs were interested in signing Jakob Poeltl this summer before he ultimately agreed to return to the Toronto Raptors. Having a big, physical center like Poeltl or Nurkić on the roster is smart, as it prevents Victor Wembanyama from having to defend opposing centers night after night.
San Antonio still has $26.1 million of cap space according to HoopsHype's Yossi Gozlan, the most of any NBA team. They can take on Nurkić without having to send any salary back at all if needed.
For Portland, swapping Nurkić for Birch saves the team $9.9 million immediately off the cap. Birch's expiring $7 million contract could go into an existing $8.3 million trade exception, which would create a new trade exception equal to Nurkić's $16.9 million contract. The Blazers would then have one calendar year to take in a player (or players) up to this amount without having to send salary back in return.
This would be a smart deal for both sides, as the Spurs get a quality center and some Wembanyama insurance with Nurkić while Portland saves nearly $50 million in salary moving forward and creates a significant trade exception.
Grant Williams to Dallas in 3-Team Sign-and-Trade
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Dallas Mavericks Receive: PF Grant Williams
San Antonio Spurs Receive: C Richaun Holmes, 2030 first-round pick swap rights with Dallas
Boston Celtics Receive: 2030 second-round pick (via Dallas)
Grant Williams is one of the best remaining free agents and a player the Mavericks have interest in signing, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.
There's some issues in getting Williams to Dallas, however. The 24-year-old is a restricted free agent, so even if Williams signs an offer sheet with the Mavericks, Boston could match it.
The Celtics are in bad financial shape moving forward, however, and if Williams gets a contract around the non-taxpayer mid-level exception of $12.4 million, Boston would fly past the second tax apron line of $182.8 million. Already $12.1 million into the luxury tax, adding Williams' deal would mean an additional tens of million in luxury tax payments, something the Celtics may not be willing to do.
Boston, like the Miami Heat in the Max Strus sign-and-trade, collects a future second-round pick to ensure it doesn't lose a key player for nothing.
Also like in the Strus sign-and-trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Spurs are used as a third team to absorb salary here. San Antonio agrees to take on Richaun Holmes and his remaining two-year, $25 million contract by collecting first-round pick swap rights with the Mavericks in 2030. Adding a veteran center like Holmes also helps make sure Victor Wembanyama doesn't have to defend some of the league's best and biggest centers as well.
Grant brings his three-point shooting, defense and playoff experience to the Mavs frontcourt without adding any money to Dallas' books.
James Harden to Chicago, Zach LaVine to Philly
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Chicago Bulls Receive: PG James Harden, PF P.J. Tucker
Philadelphia 76ers Receive: SG Zach LaVine, F Patrick Williams
With the asking price for a Harden trade still "extremely high," according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, a package of role players from the Los Angeles Clippers may not be enough for the 10-time All-Star.
Philly isn't going to get a superstar in return, but acquiring a younger guard who's been an All-Star two of the past three years would keep the Sixers in the title hunt.
A swap of Harden and LaVine (as well as Tucker and Williams) works for a number of reasons.
For the 76ers, a starting five of Tyrese Maxey, LaVine, Williams, Tobias Harris and Joel Embiid packs a ton of offensive punch, with a bench of De'Anthony Melton, Patrick Beverley, Furkan Korkmaz, Danuel House Jr. and restricted free agent Paul Reed providing some defense to mix in. LaVine is under contract for the next four seasons, giving Embiid some stability from a co-star.
For the Bulls, this is a chance to be competitive in 2023-24 while also clearing future salary-cap space for a potential rebuild.
Harden is still one of the best playmakers in the NBA, breathing life into a Bulls offense that ranked just 24th overall with Lonzo Ball missing the season with a knee injury. With Ball once again projected to be out for 2023-24, Harden takes over as the team's starting point guard, joining an opening lineup that features Alex Caruso, DeMar DeRozan, Tucker and Nikola Vučević. Chicago would still have Coby White, Andre Drummond, Torrey Craig, Dalen Terry, Jevon Carter and others off the bench as well.
This trade removes LaVine's remaining four-year, $178 million contract from Chicago's books. Harden and DeRozan will both become free agents next summer, opening up $64.2 million worth of cap space for the Bulls in 2024.
Pascal Siakam Bolsters the Brooklyn Nets
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Brooklyn Nets Receive: PF Pascal Siakam, F/C Thaddeus Young
Toronto Raptors Receive: SG Cam Thomas, PF Dorian Finney-Smith, G/F Ben Simmons, 2025 and 2027 unprotected first-round picks (via Phoenix Suns)
Although a possible suitor for Damian Lillard, the Nets could set their sights on a different star instead.
As Michael Grange of Sportsnet notes: "An interesting player to monitor as the NBA transaction market heats up is Raptors Pascal Siakam. Keep hearing his name out there, per multiple sources."
Brooklyn would be a perfect landing spot for Siakam, a 29-year-old, two-time All-Star who averaged 24.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 5.8 assists and shot 48.0 percent overall last season.
A Nets starting lineup of Spencer Dinwiddie, Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Siakam and Nic Claxton would be one of the best in the East and still feature a bench with Royce O'Neale, Lonnie Walker IV, Dennis Smith Jr., Day'Ron Sharpe, Noah Clowney, Young and others as well. The trade also removes Simmons' two-year, $78 million contract from the books.
For a Raptors team that just lost Fred VanVleet in free agency and faces the danger of Siakam walking next summer, this is a chance to add young talent and future first-round picks around Scottie Barnes, O.G. Anunoby, Jakob Poeltl and Gary Trent Jr.
Finney-Smith is a versatile 3-and-D forward who is ready to plug into the starting lineup next to Barnes, while Thomas, 21, has averaged 33.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists and shot 44.9 percent from three in six career starts. He could break out in a bigger role with the Raptors now.
Simmons has the chance to rehab his career as an All-Star-level point guard with VanVleet gone, especially being out of the spotlight of the Philadelphia and New York media markets.
Damian Lillard to Pelicans, Zion Williamson Gets Fresh Start with Blazers
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New Orleans Pelicans Receive: PG Damian Lillard
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: PF Zion Williamson, PG Kira Lewis Jr., G/F Garrett Temple, 2024 first-round pick (via Milwaukee Bucks)
While the Miami Heat are the favorites to ultimately land Damian Lillard, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reports that the Blazers are "not impressed" with what Miami has to offer and that Portland "doesn't have interest in bringing in Tyler Herro."
Among a handful of other teams to call about Lillard, according to Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes on the #thisleague UNCUT podcast, are the New Orleans Pelicans.
No team is going to want to trade for Lillard unless he's blessed the deal, and the Pelicans have a powerful recruiting tool in former teammate CJ McCollum. Who better to convince Lillard to leave Portland, the only NBA city he's ever known, and come to New Orleans than someone who's already made the switch?
A backcourt of Lillard and McCollum could finally win a title together, especially with Brandon Ingram, Jonas Valančiūnas, Herb Jones, Trey Murphy III, Dyson Daniels, Larry Nance Jr., Jose Alvarado, Naji Marshall and Jordan Hawkins by their side. This also ends the guessing game of Williamson's availability for New Orleans and gives the Pels a proven superstar coming off a 32.2 point-per-game season.
For a rebuilding Blazers team eager to add young frontcourt talent around Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe and Anfernee Simons, perhaps no player has as high of a ceiling as Williamson.
The 22-year-old power forward would get a fresh start with Portland and is just starting a five-year deal. The ideal pick-and-roll partner for Henderson, Zion would make the Blazers must-watch TV every night and give them one of the best young cores in basketball.
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