Blockbuster NBA Trade Ideas to Move Jimmy Butler, Brandon Ingram, Trae Young

We're still a few weeks away from the 2024 NBA offseason, but the rumor mills is churning fierce, with names such as Brandon Ingram, Jimmy Butler, Trae Young and Donovan Mitchell very much in the mix.

Any of the above being moved would probably qualify as a blockbuster (with the possible exception of Ingram), but we're going to imagine an even wilder summer.

Below, you'll find reasonable deals for all four.

Brandon Ingram to the Kings

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Domantas Sabonis and Brandon Ingram

Brandon Ingram for Harrison Barnes, Kevin Huerter and a 2027 first-round pick

Reports in early May suggest the New Orleans Pelicans will "aggressively explore" Brandon Ingram trades this summer, but it's fair to wonder how robust his market will be.

The 2019-20 season was the only time in his career he's had an above-average effective field-goal percentage, and he barely got there that year. Now, the 26-year-old is coming off a postseason in which he averaged 14.3 points and shot 34.5 percent from the field without Zion Williamson.

Still, he'd be closer to a third option with the Sacramento Kings, which means he'd probably face the opposition's best perimeter defender less often than he has in New Orleans. And he's a far better creator and distributor than either Harrison Barnes or Kevin Huerter.

Losing the shooting of those two isn't ideal, but having three playmakers with Ingram, De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis would give Sacramento one of the league's more unpredictable offenses.

For New Orleans, this deal is a bet on Williamson, who missed the playoffs with a hamstring injury but played a career-high 70 games in the regular season.

It would be easier to tailor the offense around him with Barnes and Huerter, both of whom are more comfortable playing off the ball than Ingram.

The maximized version of Zion (and the Zion-led Pelicans) needs to be surrounded by shooting. Let him create from the top and have his drives flanked by some combination of CJ McCollum, Herbert Jones (who improved to 41.8 percent from deep this season), Trey Murphy III, Barnes and Huerter.

Jimmy Butler to the Spurs

Set Number: X164459

Jimmy Butler, Jeremy Sochan and Victor Wembanyama

Jimmy Butler for Keldon Johnson, Jeremy Sochan, Zach Collins, a 2024 first-round pick (via Toronto) a 2027 first-round pick and a 2029 first-round pick

It should be noted at the outset that there's a very real argument for the San Antonio Spurs to tank again.

Victor Wembanyama had a borderline All-NBA campaign as a rookie, and if San Antonio could land the No. 1 pick again and pair him with Cooper Flagg or Ace Bailey, it would have perhaps the best young duo in the league.

But Wemby might simply be too good to tank (at least to the point where the Spurs would have decent odds for that top pick). San Antonio was minus-6.3 points per 100 possessions this season, but that was the result of ill-fated experiments such as the attempt to make Jeremy Sochan a point guard.

When Wembanyama was on the floor with Tre Jones (an actual point guard) and Devin Vassell (a decent floor spacer), San Antonio was plus-10.2 points per 100 possessions.

If we assume even moderate improvement from the Frenchman this offseason, it's hard to imagine the Spurs at the bottom of the standings again.

So, instead of angling for an outside shot at Flagg or Bailey, San Antonio could make a win-now move, nabbing one of the league's best playmaking wings and an all-time great playoff performer in Jimmy Butler.

Though the current expectation is that Butler plays for the Miami Heat in 2024-25, there's a case for moving him. Durability is becoming a real question for the 34-year-old, and Miami was nowhere near contention this season.

Retooling with draft picks and multiple potential rotation players who are closer to the age and developmental timelines of Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Nikola Jović would have them in better shape for the future than pushing for another around-.500 season with Butler, who can become a free agent in 2025.

Trae Young to the Magic

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Trae Young

Trae Young for Cole Anthony, Anthony Black, Jett Howard, a 2025 first-round pick (via Denver), a 2027 first-round pick and a 2029 first-round pick swap

The Orlando Magic already have one of the league's brightest futures. Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner are both future stars, and the Magic had the league's No. 2 defense behind them.

However, there are real offensive concerns with this group. And though it's cool to boast two forwards who can create for themselves and others, having a real, high-end point guard to take some of that responsibility from them could push Orlando to the next level.

Despite the steady criticism over Trae Young's ball-dominance and lack of defense, he's still one of the league's most consistent and dynamic offensive engines. And the easy looks he'd create would do wonders for Banchero (who was one of the league's least efficient scorers) and Wagner.

Balancing the shot attempts might take some time. In that trio, Young could be the third option on some nights, which would take some getting used to. But the upside there, especially in concert with the defense of Jalen Suggs, Jonathan Isaac and Wendell Carter Jr., is high.

For the Atlanta Hawks, this certainly isn't the kind of win-now trade Dejounte Murray would probably want (it might make sense to move him too), but a core with Murray, Bogdan Bogdanović, Jalen Johnson, Onyeka Okongwu and the incoming talent in this deal probably wouldn't have them much further from contention than they are right now.

And this timeline gives them more financial flexibility and picks going forward.

Donovan Mitchell to the Nets

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Mikal Bridges and Donovan Mitchell

Donovan Mitchell for Cameron Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith, Cam Thomas, a 2027 first-round pick (via Phoenix), a 2029 first-round pick (via Phoenix) and a 2031 first-round pick

For years, Donovan Mitchell and the New York Knicks have been circling each other in the rumor mill, but the ascension of Jalen Brunson might have ended that notion.

Two undersized, ball-dominant guards in the same starting five could throw off the Knicks' budding chemistry on both ends, but it's not the only team in the city for the New York native.

The Brooklyn Nets would probably be wise to move Mikal Bridges, bottom out, be patient and wait to regain control of some future picks.

However, they might also have enough contracts, young talent and picks from other teams to entice the Cleveland Cavaliers (who are likely to trade Mitchell if he doesn't sign an extension this summer).

A Nets squad with Mitchell, Bridges and Nic Claxton might not be much closer to contention than the current Cavs, but they are in a big market and the city Mitchell has seemingly wanted to be in since he was with the Utah Jazz.

And that trio might have enough talent to attract solid role players to go with them.

For Cleveland, this gives the roster a lot more depth on the wing, a 22-year-old heat-check scorer in Cam Thomas, picks and a rebalanced roster that would revolve around Darius Garland and Evan Mobley.