5 NBA Trades to Jumpstart the Next Inevitable Tank Jobs
The unofficial opening of the NBA trade market is Dec. 15, when most of the players who signed contracts this season become trade-eligible.
As any hoops head can attest, though, it's never too early to start talking trades.
Or tanking.
We'll lump the two together here by authoring five hypothetical deals that could help four clubs pull ahead in the annual race to the bottom of the standings.
Hornets Focus on Future
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Philadelphia 76ers receive: Gordon Hayward
Charlotte Hornets receive: Marcus Morris Sr., Nicolas Batum, Jaden Springer and a 2026 first-round pick (via OKC, HOU or LAC)
Charlotte's future is less exciting than it should be considering its best player, LaMelo Ball, is 22 years old. The Hornets need to keep hunting for assets that not only brighten their outlook around their young floor general but help put the buzz back in Buzz City.
The Sixers could help with that at the trade deadline. They have some assets to throw around, and they might be willing to invest some in a rental, allowing them to upgrade the roster without spoiling the more than $50 million in cap space they're on course to have next summer. Hayward, whose deal expires at season's end, sure seems to fit the bill of what the Sixers are after.
"They need to be pretty solid on both ends," 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey said on the Rights to Ricky Sanchez podcast regarding the type of player he'd target in trades. "As you get into the playoffs, it gets very hard for your top guys to be elite one way. ... The other thing would be we probably need them to have a bit of playmaking—sort of connector, ball-movement aspects."
Hayward's skill set leans toward the offensive end, but he's a fine team defender who can make all the right-place, right-time rotations. He's also equipped to perk up the club's playmaking collection, which currently features only Tyrese Maxey, De'Anthony Melton and Joel Embiid. Hayward is averaging 5.2 assists (matching his career high) and only 1.9 turnovers.
Hayward would fit in a complementary role, since he can operate both on and off the ball. He could set up Philly's stars or drive the offense when they take a seat. His shooting stroke would shine, and he could leverage the gravity of the Sixers' top players by sliding into open spaces on timely off-ball cuts.
The Hornets, meanwhile, would essentially swap out Hayward's expiring deal for the expiring contracts of Morris and Batum, both of whom could become buyout candidates. For doing so, they'd fetch a future first-round pick and Springer, a 21-year-old recent first-round pick who'd give a defensive jolt to a backcourt that could use it.
Raptors Finally Reset
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New York Knicks receive: OG Anunoby and Otto Porter Jr.
Toronto Raptors receive: Immanuel Quickley, Evan Fournier, a 2024 first-round pick (top-12-protected, via WAS), a 2028 first-round pick and a 2024 second-round pick (via DET)
This season's Raptors have picked up where last season's group left off—and not in a good way. Toronto is toting around the same .500 record it posted over the 2022-23 campaign, which should be all the convincing this organization needs to know this roster isn't contending any time soon.
So, with free agency looming as a potential poacher of both Pascal Siakam and Anunoby (who can beat his $19.9 million player option on the open market), Toronto might finally be ready to plunge into a reset around Scottie Barnes. Unless, of course, it's comfortable losing those players for nothing the way it just did with Fred VanVleet this offseason.
If the Raptors dangled Anunoby, they could command a monster return. The Knicks may willingly pay such a price. It's easier to buy New York's roster as being one player away from a major jump, and Anunoby might be that player.
The 6'7" swingman is essentially an all-purpose stopper. His matchup list is basically a who's who of scoring greats, and he's still managed to slice a full seven percentage points off their normal conversion rates. His offense isn't quite as impactful, but he is clearing 16 points per outing for the third consecutive season while shooting 51.0 percent overall and 39.3 percent from range.
Slot him in the same lineup as Jalen Brunson, Julius Randle, RJ Barrett and Mitchell Robinson—with Josh Hart, Donte DiVincenzo, Quentin Grimes and Isaiah Hartenstein behind them—and the 'Bockers could be in business. While Porter would be in this trade to make the money work, he might find a fit as a part-time backup 4.
Toronto might be able to fetch more picks in different deals—three firsts were on the table last season—but it could be drawn to this offer if it viewed Quickley as a long-term running mate for Barnes. Plus, it would still walk away with two firsts (one unprotected) and an early second, which is a hefty haul for a non-star who is effectively on an expiring deal. Fournier, included to make the money work, might even offer a pinch of on-court value for this shooting-starved squad.
Bulls Cash in Top Trade Chip...
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Indiana Pacers receive: Alex Caruso
Chicago Bulls receive: Isaiah Jackson, Ben Sheppard, Jordan Nwora, a 2024 first-round pick (lottery-protected) and a 2030 first-round pick swap
While it's interesting to hear the Bulls are showing "increased openness" to a Zach LaVine trade, per Shams Charania of The Athletic, the real story is whether Chicago is willing to talk shop on Caruso. LaVine may have more accolades and name recognition, but Caruso is someone who might (should?) be on the radar of every win-now shopper.
This would be an aggressive offer for a 29-year-old non-star, but Caruso will fetch far more in a trade than his box scores would lead you to believe. His low-maintenance, high-energy game would fit anywhere, but the 2022-23 All-Defensive first-teamer would look particularly appealing in the Circle City, where the Pacers have the Association's best offense and third-worst defense.
"He's our Ray Lewis," Bulls swingman DeMar DeRozan told ESPN's Jamal Collier. "He's the Deion Sanders. He's the Charles Woodson. He definitely is one of those great, vocalist, communicators and competitors when it comes to that end of the ball."
Between Caruso and Myles Turner, the Pacers would have a lockdown perimeter stopper and an elite paint protector. That might be enough to make this at least a league-average defense, which in turn would transform Indy's high-octane attack from a League Pass favorite to one that potentially impacts the championship race. If the Pacers feel they're that close to a breakthrough, they can absolutely justify this cost.
The Bulls, meanwhile, would officially enter tank mode if they make a Caruso trade. Again, that might seem like a strong take given his stature among casual fans, but he isn't expensive ($9.5 million this season) and is hugely helpful for the defense and culture. If Chicago would rather flip him for picks and prospects, that would be the clearest indicator this franchise is fully in asset-accumulation mode.
While there isn't necessarily a marquee asset in this offer, Chicago would essentially have a slew of scratch-off tickets. If the Pacers wind up good but not great, the upcoming first might land in the middle of the round. Anything could happen with a pick swap this far into the future. Jackson, Sheppard and Nwora are all 25 or under, with the two former being recent first-round picks and the latter having established himself as a high-level shooter over his first three-plus seasons (career 38.4 percent from three).
...and Chicago Doesn't Stop at One Deal
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Los Angeles Lakers receive: Zach LaVine
Chicago Bulls receive: D'Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura, Jalen Hood-Schifino, Maxwell Lewis and a 2029 first-round pick
A semi-reset for the Bulls would accomplish nothing. If they're going to pluck pieces out of this core, they need to demolish the whole thing.
Chicago could take the plunge with this type of trade.
LaVine isn't as marketable in trades as his stature would suggest. His contract is enormous. His injury history is lengthy. His skill set doesn't stretch beyond the offensive end. And yet, he'd still make tons of sense for a Lakers team hoping to squeeze everything it can out of the remainder of LeBron James' prime.
L.A.'s 17th-ranked offense is light on shot creation and essentially nonfunctional when James, who turns 39 in December, needs a breather. Just that one subtraction torpedoes its output by 13 points per 100 possessions.
LaVine, one of five players to average at least 24 points, four assists and 2.5 three-pointers each of the past four seasons, could help prevent those drop-offs while also enhancing the effectiveness with James on the floor. Each could create for the other, and both are dynamic finishers. If they hit the ground running, they could steer this offense into the top 10 or higher.
The rebuilding Bulls wouldn't have a ton of use for Russell, but they could give him temporary control of the offense in hopes he'd drive up his trade value and help bring back additional assets. Hachimura might see similar treatment, though he's just young enough (25) to potentially keep if Chicago sought a rapid rebuild.
The real prizes, though, would be Hood-Schifino (this summer's No. 17 pick) and that future first, which could prove immensely valuable given all the uncertainties with L.A.'s long-term outlook. Lewis, this draft's 40th pick, is merely a wild card, but the Bulls would have the time and patience to see whether the 21-year-old could turn his physical tools into anything.
Wizards Lean into Long-Term Rebuild
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Memphis Grizzlies receive: Kyle Kuzma and Daniel Gafford
Washington Wizards receive: Brandon Clarke, Luke Kennard, Ziaire Williams, Kenneth Lofton Jr., a 2024 first-round pick (top-four-protected), a 2026 first-round pick (top-four-protected) and a 2028 first-round pick swap
The Wizards (finally) got rolling on their housecleaning this offseason when they traded away both Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porziņģis. But they stopped short of a total demolition and even paid a premium to keep Kuzma around.
Why? What are the odds that Washington—which has wound up being woefully short on both established talent and potential-rich prospects—gets any good while Kuzma, who turned 28 in July, is still in his prime? He might be quietly emerging as one of the league's better two-way wings, which means next to nothing for a Wizards team with zero shot at competing this season.
It could be incredibly meaningful to a hopeful contender like the Grizzlies, though, especially if they're still struggling to gain traction when Kuzma becomes trade-eligible in mid-January.
While they were obviously going to have some challenges with Ja Morant serving a 25-game suspension, their disastrous 2-9 start loudly suggests this club needs more than its star point guard back. The offense is light on support scorers and shot-makers, areas Kuzma can address as a nightly source of 24.1 points on 48.5/35.3/78.1 shooting. The defense, meanwhile, has been unable to hide the voids created by injuries to Clarke and Steven Adams, but Gafford would give them a presence in the paint.
The Wizards don't have a ton of trade chips to throw around, so they'd need to maximize their return in a Kuzma deal. This package should suffice. The draft assets speak for themselves, and the Wizards would get a chance to see whether Williams (22 years old) or Lofton (21) might be worth keeping. Clarke, who's recovering from a torn Achilles, and Kennard would be money-matchers in this deal, but each could eventually have enough trade value to fetch more assets in down-the-road deals.
Statistics courtesy of Basketball Reference and NBA.com and current through games played on Nov. 14.
Zach Buckley covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on X, @ZachBuckleyNBA.
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