1 Ambitious Trade Target for Every NBA Team This Season
As preseason games get rolling, most NBA teams and their fanbases are pretty optimistic about the 2024-25 campaign.
But a little losing streak or a disappointing individual start to the season can change feelings quickly. In some cases, even too many wins can get running to the trade machine.
Rest assured, at some point during 2024-25, each and every team will be connected to some trade rumor. Some ideas will be underwhelming. Others will read like pie in the sky.
The ambitious (but realistic) trade targets below are closer on the spectrum to the latter and are based on team need and where we think each team will be between now and February's trade deadline.
Atlanta Hawks: Michael Porter Jr.
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The Atlanta Hawks have already streamlined their team ahead of 2024-25, moving Dejounte Murray to the New Orleans Pelicans and opening up the offense for Trae Young to once again take full control.
The front office has already started assembling a supporting cast filled with length and (potentially) three-point shooting around him, too. There are several switchable forwards and wings, including 2024's No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher, Jalen Johnson and De'Andre Hunter.
But the floor spacing from that trio ranges from unproven to theoretical, while Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. has long been one of the league's most effective shooters.
Stephen Curry, Desmond Bane and Klay Thompson are the only players in NBA history who match or exceed both of MPJ's career marks in three-point attempts per game (5.9) and three-point percentage (41.0).
And Atlanta may have an intriguing trade package to go get him. Denver would likely have to send out another small contract and would likely insist on getting some draft capital back, but the Hawks could improve the Nuggets' depth with Nikola Jokić's countryman Bogdan Bogdanović and a reserve forward in Hunter.
Moving forward with a starting five of Young, Risacher, Porter, Johnson and Clint Capela (or Onyeka Okongwu) would raise Atlanta's ceiling.
Boston Celtics: Kevin Love
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This is a tricky exercise for the Boston Celtics. They don't have any roster needs. They just won the title. And a massive shake-up involving one of their big-money rotation players doesn't make any sense.
So, "ambitious" takes on a little different meaning for Boston. In this team's case, which doesn't really need to do anything, simply upgrading the 10th or 11th man in the rotation could be the only realistic move on the table.
If the Miami Heat get off to a slow start and move Jimmy Butler (who didn't sign an extension this summer), they may start unloading other veterans, as well. Kevin Love is a floor-spacer with championship experience who'd fit Boston's culture and three-point-heavy offense.
Brooklyn Nets: Fred VanVleet
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The Houston Rockets have a number of young guards who may be ready to run the team sooner rather than later, including Jalen Green, Amen Thompson and incoming rookie Reed Sheppard.
But there's an established veteran floor general who'll take up 30-plus minutes per game in Fred VanVleet. If Houston looks to move him in an effort to open up some backcourt playing time, the Brooklyn Nets should be interested.
And that's not because they're in the hunt for a better 2024-25 record. After reacquiring control of their 2025 first-round pick this past summer, the Nets should actually be angling for losses and a chance to pick Cooper Flagg.
What landing VanVleet would really do for Brooklyn is improve its future flexibility. It has multiple rotation-level forwards under contract beyond this season that it could send to the Rockets for VanVleet, whose money could be wiped off the slate next summer (his 2025-26 salary comes in the form of a team option).
And in the short term, though VanVleet is good, he's not the kind of star who'd elevate an otherwise bland roster above the tank race.
Charlotte Hornets: Jarrett Allen
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The sort-of cookie cutter alignment of a "Big Three" is a high-end creator, three-and-D-plus wing and a big man who can either shoot, do some playmaking or impact his offense as a rim-runner.
In other words, a guard, a wing and a center.
The Charlotte Hornets look to have two of those boxes checked for the foreseeable future with LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller. On the increasingly rare nights when he's available, Mark Williams looks like the kind of big who can round out that trio.
But injuries are a concern for him. And Charlotte could speed up its timeline a bit by replacing him with a center who can make an impact right away. The Cleveland Cavaliers potentially have that player, assuming they come out of the gates slowly and are looking to break up the spatially challenged Jarrett Allen-Evan Mobley frontcourt.
If Ball could stay healthy (there are big concerns there, too), Miller could take a step forward in Year 2 and Allen could join them as a rim protector and lob threat, the Hornets might challenge for a playoff spot as early as this season.
Chicago Bulls: Rui Hachimura
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Whether the front office wants to acknowledge it or not, the Los Angeles Lakers are always in title-or-bust mode. At least those are the expectations the fans and media have established for them. And there's an extra layer of that when LeBron James is on the team.
Right now, L.A. has a roster that's unlikely to live up to that expectation.
The Lakers have been in the play-in tournament in three of the four years since winning the 2020 championship in the bubble. The one year they weren't in the play-in tournament, they missed the postseason altogether.
And they're running it back with a 2023-24 team that had shockingly good injury luck with LeBron James (who'll turn 40 this December) and Anthony Davis.
If L.A. struggles to play like a title contender for the fifth year in a row, it might get desperate to live up to those expectations and start looking at trade targets like Zach LaVine (who's been a rumored potential target for months).
Assuming that happens, the Chicago Bulls would probably push someone like Austin Reaves, but listing him here might take us beyond "ambitious" and into "unrealistic."
Rui Hachimura is more gettable, is still only 26 years old and would give Chicago's new playmaker, Josh Giddey, a good target on offense.
Cleveland Cavaliers: Trey Murphy III
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Trey Murphy III is another extension-eligible wing who hasn't quite signed a new deal. And, as we've seen plenty of times in recent NBA history, failing to check that box is often the first step toward a trade.
Of course, the New Orleans Pelicans aren't necessarily keen on moving Murphy, an athletic 3/4 who can get threes up in volume, but they're in dire need of a center. And the Cavaliers have one to offer.
Unless Mobley shows some dramatic early-season improvement as a floor-spacer, there's an obvious logjam inside for Cleveland. The court can start to feel might cramped when he's sharing the floor with Allen and both are starter-level talents.
Moving the more experienced big for Murphy (or someone like him) would make the Cavs' first five more balanced and potentially more dangerous.
Dallas Mavericks: Kenrich Williams
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Though it's not quite to the same degree, the Dallas Mavericks' situation is similar to Boston's.
The level of the individual players isn't quite as high (outside the top duos), but the Mavs also have just about every need met. And dramatic shake-ups would probably require moving Kyrie Irving or Dereck Lively II. That's just not realistic.
So, we're left looking at a little less flashy (though still ambitious) targets like Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kenrich Williams.
With Dante Exum's history of injuries (he's hurt again this preseason), Dallas could use another perimeter defender. And if he can shoot threes, even better.
Williams is a 6'6", multipositional wing who's shot 38.8 percent from deep over the last four seasons. He'd be another solid potential kickout option for drives from Luka Dončić and Kyrie.
Denver Nuggets: Cody Martin
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The Denver Nuggets have already exhausted the bulk of their draft capital. So, even if they were to move someone like MPJ or Jamal Murray, it might be hard to guarantee improvement for the team. There's real risk in breaking up a relatively young core that's already won a title together, too.
Here again, we're looking at slightly less glamorous options.
But assuming the Hornets might have any interest in someone like Zeke Nnaji, a 23-year-old big who showed some shooting upside in his first two seasons, Cody Martin is a playmaking wing who could bolster the Nuggets' depth.
Detroit Pistons: Brandon Ingram
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The Detroit Pistons probably shouldn't be in the market for blockbusters either, but for much different reasons than the Celtics, Mavericks and Nuggets.
They've been bad for a while, but they still don't have the requisite young talent to justify a rebuild-accelerating move. This past summer suggests the Pistons might be willing to speed things up anyway.
And adding Brandon Ingram to a suddenly more experienced group of receivers that includes Tobias Harris, Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr. could make life easier for Cade Cunningham and put Detroit in the hunt for a play-in berth.
As mentioned earlier, New Orleans needs a center. Ingram may be disgruntled. And the Pistons can send Isaiah Stewart and salary filler for him.
Golden State Warriors: Jimmy Butler
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Working through trades is a lot more complicated under this new collective bargaining agreement. And barring a trade of Draymond Green (in addition to Andrew Wiggins, of course), it's tough for the Golden State Warriors to piece together enough salary to bring in a star like Jimmy Butler.
But we're undoubtedly at the tail end of Stephen Curry's window for contending for titles. And the Warriors should be exploring every possibility for extending that timeline.
If the Heat stumble out of the 2024-25 gates and start shopping Butler (who again, didn't get an extension this past summer and can enter free agency next summer), Golden State should explore the possibility.
The Warriors might have to part with three or four players on top of Wiggins, including some intriguing young talents like Jonathan Kuminga or Brandin Podziemski. Golden State and Miami might have to rope in a third team to help facilitate the deal.
But if the Warriors wound up with Curry, Butler and Green, they might have one last legitimate shot to get Curry his fifth title. After he brought four to the organization, it owes him that.
Houston Rockets: Kevin Durant
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Adrian Wojnarowski sent waves through NBA Twitter this past summer when he reported that the Houston Rockets had interest in acquiring Kevin Durant.
A few days later, The Athletic dumped some water on that fire, saying Houston would be more interested in players "whose timelines fit better with their young core."
But the rumor is out there.
And if the Suns get off to a less-than-stellar start in the jam-packed Western Conference, it may gain some traction again. Houston would be uniquely positioned to pounce.
The Rockets will have to consolidate at some point anyway. They have seven potential role players on their rookie deals, and they may not be able to afford to give all of them their second contracts.
Combining a couple of them with some salary filler (like VanVleet and Dillon Brooks) and picks could make Houston a near playoff lock as early as this season.
Now, there's a real debate whether that would be the right approach to team-building. Durant just turned 36, and the Rockets could easily justify slow-playing things with the amount of young talent they have on the roster.
But you couldn't fault the front office for at least thinking about this possibility.
Indiana Pacers: Jerami Grant
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The Indiana Pacers are another team that can probably play things pretty conservatively in 2024-25.
They already made a dramatic move last season, when they acquired Pascal Siakam from the Toronto Raptors. Having him for a full offseason and training camp should help a team that already exceeded expectations last season with chemistry and continuity.
But the Pacers also have a few contracts worth around the mid-level exception that they can combine to go after an impact rotation player like Jerami Grant.
If they aren't there already, the Portland Trail Blazers will likely reach "fire sale" mode at some point this season. And Indiana could take advantage by upsizing an already big frontcourt with Siakam and Myles Turner.
Add Andrew Nembhard and All-Star Tyrese Haliburton to round out the starting five, and the Pacers would have a better shot to get back to the conference finals.
Los Angeles Clippers: Zach LaVine
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With the Los Angeles Clippers opening a swanky new arena for 2024-25, an underwhelming campaign led by 35-year-old James Harden and oft-injured Kawhi Leonard might not be what Steve Ballmer is looking for.
But with those two and a good-to-solid supporting cast, that's what the Clippers might get in the jam-packed Western Conference.
Zach LaVine wouldn't necessarily guarantee a different outcome, but a consistent 20-point-per-game scorer could go a long way toward filling the gaps on nights when Leonard is unavailable or Harden looks a bit slower than he did in his prime.
Los Angeles Lakers: Trae Young
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The Lakers are another team that's been connected to LaVine over the last several months, but they may want to set their sights a little higher.
Despite his oft-discussed shortcomings, particularly as a defender, Young is still one of the NBA's best and most consistent offensive engines. Making him the third member of a "Big Three" with AD and LeBron would push L.A. closer to title contention.
And with multiple future first-round picks, some good salary-matching contracts (including Rui Hachimura and D'Angelo Russell) and a young prospect or too (like Dalton Knecht or Max Christie), the Lakers can make a pretty competitive offer.
Of course, Young's availability depends on how the Hawks (or maybe Risacher) look early in the season. But if Atlanta does indeed start shopping Trae, L.A. should call.
Such a move wouldn't just make the Lakers better now. It'd give them a star duo to take beyond the LeBron era.
Memphis Grizzlies: Cameron Johnson
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Given the contracts currently on the Memphis Grizzlies' books, a superstar trade for someone like KD or Jimmy Butler would probably require unloading Desmond Bane, one of Marcus Smart or Jaren Jackson Jr., some young talent and picks.
And that would take us out of the realm of "ambitious" and into "unrealistic."
Bane is significantly younger than both, and his production isn't far behind either of the bigger names.
But Memphis could use a more traditional forward than Smart (who seems like the obvious choice to start at the 3). If and when Brooklyn fully embraces the tank, Cameron Johnson is exactly the kind of forward the Grizzlies should chase.
He's a good three-point shooter who won't demand a ton of usage from Bane and Ja Morant. And though he's not a high-end athlete or All-Defensive contender, he has good size for his position and is typically in the right spots.
Miami Heat: Trae Young
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Again, the big “if” here is whether Trae becomes available. And after Atlanta jettisoned Murray, it’s safe to assume Young will get a bit of a runway as the unquestioned offensive hub.
But if things don’t go well and Atlanta makes Young available, the Miami Heat are another team that should call the Hawks.
Whether as the third member of a trio with Butler and Bam Adebayo, or as Bam’s future running mate post-Butler, Young would brighten the Heat’s future.
And if there’s a coach and culture that can either cover for or fix Young’s defensive shortcomings, it’s Erik Spoelstra and Miami.
They’d obviously have to part with some picks and young talent, but the offensively challenged Heat could justify a fairly steep price for an offensive superstar.
Milwaukee Bucks: Jordan Clarkson
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Backcourt depth was an issue for the Milwaukee Bucks last season. And while they seemingly tried to address that by signing Delon Wright and Gary Trent Jr., the latter isn’t a creator, and the former was limited to 97 games over the last two seasons by injuries.
Jordan Clarkson is a spark-plug scorer who’s come a long way as a distributor in recent years. And he’s on a tanking team that has to be considering moving some veterans before February’s trade deadline.
The problem, of course, is that landing him might mean losing the heat-check guy who’s already there (Bobby Portis), but the front office could look at this roster and reasonably think backcourt help is more important.
It might just mean more minutes at the 5 for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Jerami Grant
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The Minnesota Timberwolves are in an interesting spot, having just shaken up the roster pretty dramatically by flipping Karl-Anthony Towns in a trade that brought back Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo.
The front office, at the very least, probably wants to give the new group a couple months to mesh.
But Randle’s ball-dominance and iffy jump shot make him a tricky fit with Anthony Edwards and a non-shooting center in Rudy Gobert. And he might get more expensive as early as this summer (when he can become a free agent).
Minnesota could justify re-routing him to the Portland Trail Blazers (who could use the flexibility of an expiring deal) for Grant, who’s a better outside shooter and requires fewer isolations to be effective.
At least in theory, Grant is the more versatile, switchable defender, too.
New Orleans Pelicans: Deandre Ayton
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Another team without a center, the Pelicans could probably justify taking a shot at Deandre Ayton for a few reasons.
There's the obvious roster imbalance, but Ayton has been a solid mid-range shooter over the last three seasons, too. He's hit 50 percent of his two-point attempts from 16 feet and out in that stretch, and it's fair to think he might be able to stretch that beyond the three-point line.
If he can, Ayton would be exactly the kind of floor-spacing, rebounding 5 that Zion Williamson needs alongside him.
And given Portland's need to unload experienced players and angle toward better lottery odds, a rebuilding trade involving Ingram's expiring deal could make some sense.
New York Knicks: Marcus Smart
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After splashy, expensive trades that landed them Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns, it sure feels like the New York Knicks are done.
They're leveraged to the hilt, already have one of the best-fitting starting lineups in the NBA, and could reach a breaking point if they aggregate more outgoing contracts.
And that's almost certainly what they'd have to do to land Marcus Smart, their latest rumored trade target.
Still, even if it might be hard to cobble together a decent second unit after such a trade, a top six of Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Bridges, OG Anunoby, KAT and Smart would rival just about any other in the league.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Trey Murphy III
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If the Pelicans aren't able to find a taker for Ingram, it might be hard to get Trey Murphy III the minutes he probably deserves. And that, in concert with the fact that Murphy and New Orleans failed to agree on an extension, could make him a dark-horse trade candidate.
The Oklahoma City Thunder don't have a player who makes a ton of sense as the return for Murphy (outside of maybe Cason Wallace), but they have a boatload of draft picks. If they were willing to a throw a few the Pelicans' way, New Orleans might be tempted.
And though Murphy would face a similar potential logjam in OKC, the Thunder's post-trade upside would be absurd. The lineup of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Murphy, Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein would be loaded with scoring, shooting and defensive versatility.
Orlando Magic: Darius Garland
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The Orlando Magic have one of the most exciting young cores in the NBA, with a pair of 6'10" forwards with All-NBA upside in Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero.
But that potential is translating to team-wide success on the defensive end of the floor a lot quicker than it is on the other, and the lack of a traditional playmaker may have something to do with that.
If Orlando's offense stumbles out of the gate in 2024-25, it might want to start looking into more offensively oriented point guards, and the Cleveland Cavaliers might have one who isn't a great fit with his current backcourt partner.
Cleveland obviously deserves a little time to figure out how this season will go too, but Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell make up a pretty small guard duo. Pairing Mitchell with a bigger, more defensive-oriented wing who needs the ball a little less than Garland might make some sense.
And the Magic have Jalen Suggs, enough salary-matching contracts to get to Garland's cap number and plenty of draft assets to sweeten a potential deal.
Philadelphia 76ers: Kevin Huerter
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From the moment the Philadelphia 76ers signed Kenyon Martin Jr. to a two-year, $16 million deal, it felt like he was a walking trade exception.
And when you combine his 2024-25 money with one or two of Kelly Oubre Jr. and Caleb Martin, Philly can get to the salary range of some pretty interesting floor spacers.
Kevin Huerter is one who may suddenly be in a roster crunch, with Keon Ellis and Malik Monk both having solid arguments to start over him this season.
If the Sacramento Kings feel comfortable with either of those two in the starting five, they may want to turn Huerter into a little more depth, and Oubre and Martin would add some defensive versatility to a reserve unit that's often lacked it.
For the Sixers, Huerter is a far more consistent shooter than either of the aforementioned forwards. And in lineups with Joel Embiid and Paul George, his defensive shortcomings might be less of a concern.
Phoenix Suns: Kelly Olynyk
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Three-point shooting centers have long been a staple of Mike Budenholzer offenses. And while it's fair to give Jusuf Nurkić a little time to become that, the Toronto Raptors have an interesting shortcut to that outcome potentially available.
Over the last two seasons, Kelly Olynyk averaged 11.0 points, 4.1 assists and 1.0 threes in just 25.3 minutes while shooting 39.1 percent from deep.
Dropping his offensive versatility into lineups with Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal would raise the Phoenix Suns' ceiling on that end of the floor.
The issue, of course, is that Phoenix is over the second apron and can't aggregate outgoing salaries in trades. The Suns have also pretty much tapped out their draft assets.
A deal isn't impossible. Either Nurkić or Grayson Allen both make enough to make it work under the collective bargaining agreement, but neither really fits the rebuilding timeline Toronto should be embracing.
It may come down to how much interest the Raptors might have in a future second-round pick.
Portland Trail Blazers: Rui Hachimura
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If they make him available, Anfernee Simons is probably the Blazers' best trade asset (at least among players). But a move involving Grant feels more likely.
For much of last season and into this past summer, Grant has been linked to a number of teams as a potential target, and that includes the Lakers.
If they do indeed pursue him, Portland should insist on Rui Hachimura being in the deal.
He and Deni Avdija could combine to make a big, versatile forward duo who'd make life easier for Scoot Henderson while giving Washington Wizards fans a little déjà vu.
And while Hachimura certainly isn't a prospect anymore, he's also on the right side of his prime. He turns 27 in February and shot 42.2 percent from deep last season.
Sacramento Kings: Marcus Smart
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The Kings have plenty of offense from De'Aaron Fox, DeMar DeRozan, Domantas Sabonis and still developing Keegan Murray. It's why a defensive specialist like Keon Ellis makes sense as a fifth starter.
But even with him, Sacramento is probably short on defense. And if the Grizzlies do indeed make Smart available, he'd provide a boost on that end while also adding some experience and leadership.
And for a team that looks poised to play a lot of two-man game in the middle of the floor with Ja Morant and Zach Edey, floor spacers around them will be crucial. Kevin Huerter could be a nice fit.
San Antonio Spurs: Jimmy Butler
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The San Antonio Spurs already look poised to speed up the timeline a bit. Signing Chris Paul and trading for Harrison Barnes could have them competing for a play-in spot as early as this season.
And they have the trade assets necessary to make that push even easier.
Adding up the salaries of Keldon Johnson, Barnes and Julian Champagnie totals enough to bring Butler in. And the Spurs have more than enough draft assets to make such a swap intriguing for a Heat team that might be looking beyond the Butler era.
With CP3 entering his age-39 season and Butler being 35, the resulting Spurs team wouldn't have a long window to contend. But giving Wemby and Devin Vassell a taste of playoff basketball this early would still help the organization in the long run.
Toronto Raptors: Goga Bitadze
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The Raptors already have a solid young(ish) core in place with Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett and Scottie Barnes. And if Gradey Dick can consistently hit threes (he made 39.1 percent of his attempts after the calendar flipped to 2024), they might have an answer at the 2.
What they don't have is a starting-caliber center who fits the developmental timeline of those four. The Magic, on the other hand, might have three.
And with Wendell Carter Jr., Jonathan Isaac and Goga Bitadze all under contract, Orlando might be willing to move one for the right offer.
Ideally for Toronto, that'd be Carter, but he signed his extension too late to be traded this season.
Bitadze is (perhaps surprisingly) the same age as Carter. And though he's only started 55 games in his career, Bitadze has averaged a solid 9.4 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.7 blocks in just 24.5 minutes in those 55 games.
The fit would be even better if Bitadze could stretch his shooting range out to the three-point line, but the Raptors have plenty of time for him to figure that out.
Utah Jazz: Trae Young
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The likeliest outcome for this Utah Jazz season is a couple months of pluckier-than-expected play, followed by a couple rebuilding trades that send veterans elsewhere and a subsequent late-season tank job.
That's the script they followed in 2022-23 and 2023-24, and there may still be some value to be extracted from trades involving Jordan Clarkson and Collin Sexton.
But a true tank job would probably require moving Lauri Markkanen. And with him truly unavailable (because of the timing of his extension, he's not trade-eligible until after the trade deadline), Utah could justify going the other way.
It has plenty of salary-matching contracts to get to Young's number. The Jazz have tons of draft capital to offer, too.
And even if it may take a couple of years to build up a supporting cast worthy of title contention, a top two of Young and Markkanen would be one of the best offensive duos in the NBA.
Washington Wizards: Jaden Ivey
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Jaden Ivey's role with the Pistons was a mystery for much of last season under Monty Williams. And if new coach J.B. Bickerstaff can't clarify that in 2024-25, Detroit may entertain moving on before Ivey gets to his second contract.
It already has a lot of potential usage tied up in Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson and Ron Holland.
The Washington Wizards, meanwhile, don't have a single surefire answer for the long-term lead playmaker's role. Even if you're high on Bub Carrington, he's far from a can't-miss prospect.
Ivey isn't necessarily one either, but he's averaged 15.8 points and 4.5 assists during his two NBA seasons and would increase the team's upside. Washington has a boatload of picks to pull from to sweeten a deal, too.
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