1 Trade Every NBA Team Wishes It Could Make Right Now
Even with the NBA trade deadline in the rearview and the postseason less than two months away, there can't be many (if any) organizations completely satisfied with their current rosters.
So, we combed through the entire league and did some wishcasting for all 30 teams.
If every squad was given one more day to make some swaps for the last several weeks of 2024-25, these are the kind of deals they would (or should) wish for.
Atlanta Hawks: Clint Capela for Draft Capital
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Clint Capela is on an expiring contract and no longer starts for an Atlanta Hawks team that's on pace for 37 wins.
They should've moved him for any kind of draft capital ahead of the deadline. The imaginary trade window we're opening up gives them another chance to do it.
The obvious potential landing spot is with the Los Angeles Lakers, who made a deal for a starting-caliber center in Mark Williams before later nixing it, citing red flags in Williams' physical.
L.A. has since looked good playing small-ball lineups, but another rim-runner, especially one who can protect the rim a bit, would help for a postseason push.
But even if it's not the Lakers, Atlanta turning Capela's deal into anything—even second-rounders—would be better than the likely scenario of him walking for nothing this summer.
Boston Celtics: Al Horford for a Wing (but Really Nothing)
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If you want to get real nitpicky, you might be able to call this season underwhelming for the reigning champions.
After coughing up a 22-point lead to the Cleveland Cavaliers last week, the Boston Celtics are probably too far back of first place to have a realistic shot of finishing there.
So, you'd think there's a marginal move that could make them better.
Perhaps moving Al Horford (who turns 39 in June) for a switchy wing like Cody Martin or Royce O'Neale might make some sense. Boston has decent depth at the 5 with Kristaps Porziņģis, Luke Kornet and Neemias Queta, and a wing in place of Horford would make the defense a bit more mobile.
But even if Boston isn't cruising toward a win total in the high 60s like Cleveland or the Oklahoma City Thunder, it has a near-ideal roster already. The Celtics have just spent chunks of this season in a sort of cruise control that's typical of defending champions.
They already have a ton of highly switchable guards and wings. And the ability to shift on a dime and play big is part of what makes them so dangerous in the postseason.
Brooklyn Nets: Cameron Johnson for Draft Capital
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Like Atlanta with Capela, the Brooklyn Nets really should've moved Cameron Johnson at the deadline.
They made moves this past offseason to regain control of their 2025 first-round pick. They found new homes for Dennis Schröder and Dorian Finney-Smith. All signs were pointing to them bottoming out and aggressively chasing this summer's top pick.
But good coaching and hanging onto the 29-year-old Johnson may keep them just competitive enough to wind up in the back half of the lottery.
Ideally, with the fantasy trade day we're dealing with here, Brooklyn would send Johnson just about anywhere in an effort to lose more consistently over the last several weeks of the season.
As we work our way through the rest of this exercise, you'll see multiple spots where the sweet-shooting, highly malleable forward would fit well.
Charlotte Hornets: Mark Williams to the Lakers
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The Charlotte Hornets put out an official statement welcoming Mark Williams back after the Lakers nixed the trade that would've sent him to L.A., but they were reportedly looking for ways to formally dispute the Lakers' characterization of Williams' physical at the same time.
With our imaginary post-trade-deadline trade day, Charlotte could perhaps push this deal through by taking one less pick from L.A. The return would still be solid.
A draft pick and another shooter in Dalton Knecht to deploy alongside LaMelo Ball could have slightly higher long-term upside than the oft-injured Williams.
Chicago Bulls: Nikola Vucevic for Draft Capital
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Like the Nets, the Chicago Bulls should be a lot more intent on losing.
The Zach LaVine trade was a good start (although the return wasn't inspiring), but they should've moved Nikola Vučević as well, even if they only could've gotten salary filler and second-round draft capital for him.
A team like the Golden State Warriors (who might just be happy with Quinten Post at this point) might've been able to cobble together exactly that kind of trade package, even after the Jimmy Butler trade.
While Vučević obviously wouldn't do much for Golden State on defense, his outside shooting and passing would make him a nice fit on the other end.
Cleveland Cavaliers: Isaac Okoro for a Veteran (but Really Nothing)
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Like the Celtics, the Cleveland Cavaliers already have about as close to a complete roster as an NBA team can possibly have, especially after adding De'Andre Hunter in the middle of his breakout season.
But if they did want to nudge themselves forward a tad more, moving Isaac Okoro for a veteran might accomplish just that.
Cleveland has two bigs playing at an All-Star level in Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, but it doesn't have a ton of depth in the frontcourt.
Swapping Okoro for Kelly Olynyk could check the boxes for more experience and more size while adding shooting and passing to the frontcourt rotation.
Dallas Mavericks: More of the Young Core for Kevin Durant
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Most of the wishes to this point have been heavily influenced by the writer's perspective. Some are as much about who teams should wish for as they are about what they might actually wish for.
Here, we'll try to really get inside the head of perhaps the most infamous front-office decision-maker in professional sports right now: Nico Harrison.
The Luka Dončić trade made absolutely no sense from the moment it happened. With every passing day, even with all of the cliches about defense winning championships and all of the leaks intended to diminish Luka's value, the move somehow seems to get more nonsensical.
But if we just try to recreate the surface-level elements of the trade—a young star with untapped upside for one who's well past his prime—it doesn't take long to start thinking about Kevin Durant in a Dallas Mavericks uniform.
In fact, Dallas may have already thought about it as well.
So, with apologies to the Mavericks fans still mourning the loss of their homegrown, 26-year-old, five-time first-team All-NBA playmaker, the kind of trade the Mavs might be wishing to make right now would send out salary filler, someone like Dereck Lively II and maybe even a draft pick for KD.
The resulting Big Three of Durant, Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis would've been truly spectacular seven years ago.
Denver Nuggets: DaRon Holmes and Hunter Tyson for a Backup 5
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No, that's not DaRon Holmes or Hunter Tyson in the picture. It's Zeke Nnaji, who seemed like the only non-starter on the roster who might be anywhere near a trade asset ahead of the deadline. But that was based on little more than his $8.9 million salary that felt easily movable.
Nnaji barely played prior to February. He's since upped his trade value. In fact, he's upped it to the point Denver that probably isn't dying to move him.
In February, often filling in for Aaron Gordon, Nnaji averaged 7.0 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in just 20.2 minutes while shooting 42.9 percent from deep.
So, to the extent the Nuggets even have any trade assets left on the roster—the two rumored targets for Michael Porter Jr. trades were Jimmy Butler and Zach LaVine, both of whom were moved elsewhere—they can't bring back as much salary as Nnaji's deal can.
Tyson and Holmes, who's still recovering from a torn Achilles, combine to make just under $5 million. Would sending both with a future pick swap be enough to pry someone like Day'Ron Sharpe from the Brooklyn Nets?
Detroit Pistons: Hardaway, Stewart, Thompson(?) and Picks for Zion Williamson
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Zion Williamson has been healthier as of late, so the idea of the New Orleans Pelicans trading him is tougher to imagine.
Since January 17, Zion has appeared in 15 of New Orleans' 19 games and averaged 26.0 points, 7.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists while shooting 61.4 percent from the field.
But if the Pelicans ever were to cut ties with the oft-injured Williamson, the Detroit Pistons could put together a compelling package for him.
Tim Hardaway Jr. and Isaiah Stewart check the salary-matching box. From there, Detroit has tons of draft capital and young talent. In particular, Ausar Thompson is one of the most intriguing young playmakers and defenders in the league.
While it would probably take a lot to pry Zion from New Orleans, pairing him with Cade Cunningham would give the Pistons one of the NBA's most dynamic one-two punches.
Golden State Warriors: One of the Cameron Johnson Suitors
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The Golden State Warriors have to be feeling good about where they stand after the Jimmy Butler trade. They're 7-1 in games Butler has played, and the depth behind him and Stephen Curry is starting to coalesce.
Even if they aren't in as strong a position as Boston or Cleveland, it'd be easy to understand the Warriors mostly standing pat during our day of post-deadline trading.
But Golden State has enough salary-matching contracts left over after the Butler deal to make an offer for Cameron Johnson. He'd be a heck of an analog for Klay Thompson in the new Curry-Butler ecosystem.
The Warriors would have to send out three or four players to make the money work, but lineups with Curry, Butler, Johnson and Draymond Green would be a nightmare to defend.
Houston Rockets: Fred VanVleet and Picks for a Star
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From the moment the Houston Rockets signed Fred VanVleet to his three-year, $128.5 million contract in 2023, it felt like he was destined to become a trade chip.
With the emergence of Amen Thompson as a playmaker—he's averaged 5.9 assists over his last 17 games—it might make sense to move FVV.
Houston, like Detroit, has some picks to move. It also has young, intriguing talent in Cam Whitmore and Jabari Smith Jr. VanVleet, picks and one or two of those up-and-comers could be enough to entice a team like the Pelicans to move Zion or the Utah Jazz to move Lauri Markkanen (whose trade restriction expired just after the deadline).
Indiana Pacers: Another Cameron Johnson Suitor
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The Indiana Pacers also make a lot of sense for Cameron Johnson. The 6'8", high-volume three-point shooter would feast off Tyrese Haliburton's playmaking ability.
Unlike several other teams that might be trying to sell Brooklyn by including draft picks, Indiana might be able to offer enough young talent to avoid sending first-rounders.
Bennedict Mathurin is only 22 years old, and he has the potential to develop into more of an on-ball threat than Johnson has ever been. He may be already.
Mathurin and Obi Toppin almost make enough to make a swap for Johnson work under the collective bargaining agreement. One more small-ish contract would get it done money-wise.
Los Angeles Clippers: Drew Eubanks and Amir Coffey for Kelly Olynyk
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For years, the Los Angeles Clippers' ability to play small has been one of their biggest strengths. So, upgrading at the backup 5 spot may not be crucial.
But Kelly Olynyk, who's averaged 12.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.0 threes in just 24.8 minutes while shooting 38.5 percent from deep in his five games with the New Orleans Pelicans, could give L.A. a lot of the benefits of those small-ball lineups without actually decreasing in size.
His shooting and passing would open the floor up for James Harden and Kawhi Leonard's slashing.
Los Angeles Lakers: A Move for a Center
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The Los Angeles Lakers' backpedal out of the Mark Williams deal makes plenty of sense.
Through his young career, Williams has missed more games than he's played. And in the wake of the non-trade, L.A. has been forced to play some dynamic small-ball lineups with LeBron James and Rui Hachimura up front.
But the Lakers could still add more size without necessarily including Hachimura in any deals.
Two of the salaries of Gabe Vincent ($11 million), Maxi Kleber ($11 million) and Jarred Vanderbilt ($10.7 million) could be combined to get to the salary range of Clint Capela or Nikola Vučević. All three could get to Nic Claxton.
Since Kleber was recently acquired in a trade, he can't be combined with other salaries in deals until early April, but we never said when the imaginary post-trade-deadline trade day would be.
Memphis Grizzlies: Yet Another Cameron Johnson Suitor
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There were whispers of the Memphis Grizzlies being a potential landing spot for Cameron Johnson prior to the deadline. Our post-deadline window would give them the chance to make it happen.
Memphis has enough salary-matching contracts to get to Johnson's number, some intriguing young talents they could include to sweeten the deal and movable picks.
Emerging from the trade with a starting five of Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Johnson, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Zach Edey would make the Grizzlies a very real threat to make the Finals.
Miami Heat: Andrew Wiggins, Terry Rozier and Picks for Kevin Durant
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Here's one of the reasons we imagined an entire day of post-deadline moves, rather than each team just getting to make a single trade.
Under the old collective bargaining agreement, combining the contracts of Andrew Wiggins and Terry Rozier would allow the Miami Heat to go after Kevin Durant. Under the current agreement, the Phoenix Suns are a second-apron team. They can't take back more money than they send out, and this deal barely crosses that line.
So, as long as we're imagining things, pretend that the Suns are able to find a separate deal to salary-dump someone.
Why, you ask, would they do that for a pair of role players in Rozier and Wiggins? Well, Phoenix needs a fresh start. Wiggins and Rozier are both on movable contracts that could be dealt next season. And the organization is in dire need of draft capital.
But this isn't about the Suns. Miami has long been resistant to full-scale rebuilds. The Jimmy Butler trade they already made could spur just that for plenty of teams, but not this one.
And there's actually a stout supporting cast in place if the Heat could just add one star (KD) to Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo.
Milwaukee Bucks: Pat Connaughton and a Young Player for Royce O'Neale
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As long as we have the Phoenix Suns rebuilding, players like Royce O'Neale and Grayson Allen should be available. (Anyone other than Devin Booker—and maybe even him.)
O'Neale is a defense-first wing who can also knock down open threes and is an underrated passer. The 31-year-old would be a near-ideal, low-usage complement to lineups with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard.
Since the Bucks don't have much draft capital to offer in deals, O'Neale is the kind of target who'd be in their price range. The rebuilding Suns might have some interest in a young player like Chris Livingston or Andre Jackson Jr. coming back with Pat Connaughton.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Another Cameron Johnson Suitor
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When the Minnesota Timberwolves traded Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks, they were seemingly destined to be one of the more cramped offenses in the league. In reality, Minnesota is in the top five in both threes made per game and three-point percentage.
But that somehow hasn't equated to a championship-caliber offense. The T'Wolves are middle of the pack in both points per 100 possessions and effective field-goal percentage.
The attack could still use some juice. Johnson's outside shooting would provide that.
Landing him would require Julius Randle and much of the small stash of draft capital Minnesota has left, but lineups with Anthony Edwards, Johnson, Naz Reid and Rudy Gobert would give the T'Wolves a better shot at getting back to the conference finals than they have now.
New Orleans Pelicans: Bruce Brown for a Shooting 5
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There's a temptation to look at rebuilding trades here. The New Orleans Pelicans aren't going to make the play-in tournament. Veterans like CJ McCollum, Herb Jones and Kelly Olynyk could have some value to contenders.
But New Orleans could easily sell this season as an injury-induced gap year, make a win-now move and hope for better health next season.
In 2024-25, the Pelicans are plus-4.7 points per 100 possessions when Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III and CJ McCollum are all on the floor. Adding a center who can shoot to that mix makes sense.
It just so happens that they have a large expiring contract in Bruce Brown which could be salary-matching for someone like Nikola Vučević or John Collins. Either of them could open up the floor up for Zion's drives without sacrificing traditional size.
New York Knicks: Precious Achiuwa and Tyler Kolek for a Wing
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It may seem counterintuitive for the New York Knicks to trade away frontcourt depth, but it's hard to imagine them trading any members of the core that's played the bulk of their minutes this season.
Beyond those players, the one that may be easiest to move is backup big Precious Achiuwa.
With Mitchell Robinson recently returning to the rotation, perhaps New York could flip Achiuwa and a young(ish) prospect to the rebuilding (in this imaginary world) Phoenix Suns for someone like Cody Martin.
There's no guarantee Tom Thibodeau would trust Martin, but he's a good passer for his position and has been well-above-average in defensive estimated plus-minus in each of the last two seasons.
Having him in the rotation might prevent Thibodeau from running OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart into the ground.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Hartenstein, Dort and Picks for Durant (but Really Nothing)
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The Oklahoma City Thunder could easily stand pat on the extra day of transactional fun. They're going to finish with well over 60 wins, have an MVP candidate and have the kind of lineup flexibility that just about every other team wants.
But just imagine a reunion with OKC and Kevin Durant.
Because of the hefty contract the Thunder gave Isaiah Hartenstein, it's not all that hard to add up enough salary to bring KD back. Losing him and Luguentz Dort would hurt OKC's depth, but Chet Holmgren and Alex Caruso would make up for a lot of their loss.
And an offense with a one-two-three punch from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Durant and Jalen Williams would be nearly unstoppable.
Orlando Magic: KCP, Suggs, Black and Draft Capital for Trae Young
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The Orlando Magic have one of the most intriguing young duos in the league with Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero, but their offense is a full-blown disaster. The Charlotte Hornets and lowly Washington Wizards are the only teams in the NBA scoring fewer points per 100 possessions than Orlando.
Cue Trae Young, the one-man offense that's been languishing in mediocrity for most of his career with the Atlanta Hawks.
Despite his team's struggles, Young is still one of the most dynamic shot-creators in the league. Having Franz and Paolo as his targets would instantly charge the Magic offense.
While the trade package detailed above may feel like a lot to Orlando fans, Young is only 26 and would likely be a perennial All-Star in this situation.
Philadelphia 76ers: Joel Embiid to Anywhere
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Despite recent reports suggesting the Philadelphia 76ers still see Joel Embiid as their franchise cornerstone, there must be some voices in the front office who are ready to move on from the Process.
He turns 31 in mid-March and has chronic injuries, including the one with his knee that cut this season short. In the 11 years that he's been with the organization, Philadelphia has never made it past the second round.
All of that and a recently extended contract that now runs through 2028-29 (when Embiid has a $67.3 million player option) has to be a scary combination for plenty of Sixers fans.
If the Sixers could find another team to take that monster deal off their hands, they'd have to think long and hard about doing it.
Phoenix Suns: Bradley Beal to Anywhere
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From one onerous (and possibly untradable) contract to another, the Phoenix Suns have Bradley Beal on the books through 2026-27, when he has a $57.1 million player option.
While his long-term health is a safer bet than Embiid's, he's still making max money for a below-average box plus/minus.
If the Suns could sell anyone on his outside shooting (he's still hitting 40.7 percent of his threes) and secondary playmaking, they'd have to jump at the chance at freeing up that money, especially if it gave them shorter-term contracts.
Portland Trail Blazers: Jerami Grant and a Sweetener for Julius Randle
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We're on a roll with bad deals now.
Jerami Grant turns 31 in March. He's making over $30 million per year through 2027-28 (when he has a $36.4 million player option). And this season, he's averaging a paltry 3.5 rebounds.
It makes no sense to keep him alongside the Portland Trail Blazers' young core for three more years after this one.
So, attaching him to one younger player (like Jabari Walker or Rayan Rupert) for Julius Randle (whose deal could expire this summer, if he declines his player option) would make a ton of sense for Portland from a cap-management perspective.
The Minnesota Timberwolves might want more compensation to take on Grant's deal, but his three-point shooting (he's hit 39.1 percent of his triples over the last three seasons) and theoretically switchable defense could be helpful.
Sacramento Kings: DeMar DeRozan for Jonathan Isaac and Draft Capital
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It's still hard to believe the Sacramento Kings used the real trade deadline to reunite Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan.
From 2021-22 through 2023-24, those two were teammates for the Chicago Bulls. In that span, the Bulls were minus-1.9 points per 100 possessions with both on the floor. They had a positive net rating when either played without the other.
Splitting them up for one of the best and most versatile defenders in the NBA almost feels like a no-brainer, but even at his advanced age, DeRozan should have more trade value than Jonathan Isaac. So, Sacramento could likely extract some draft capital from Orlando in a deal like this as well.
San Antonio Spurs: Keldon Johnson, Harrison Barnes and Draft Capital for Zion
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If the New Orleans Pelicans were willing to turn the page on the Zion Williamson era, the San Antonio Spurs are perhaps the most interesting potential suitor.
Because the Sacramento Kings didn't extract a ton from the Spurs in the De'Aaron Fox deal, they'd still have plenty of draft capital to send the Pelicans way.
The resulting duo of Zion and Victor Wembanyama would have some injury concerns, but when healthy, it'd be a juggernaut.
Williamson is unstoppable as a slasher. Wembanyama's shooting ability would make him even harder to stop. Bigs have to chase Wemby outside the three-point line, which would open up the middle of the floor for Zion.
Toronto Raptors: Jakob Poeltl to the Lakers
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For years, plenty of Toronto Raptors fans have been pining for a more aggressive rebuild. What they've gotten is middling win-now moves like the acquisitions of Kelly Olynyk and Brandon Ingram.
Our imaginary post-deadline window would give the organization a chance to finally do something more forward-thinking. The Los Angeles Lakers' need for a center would help them do that.
Even without including Rui Hachimura, the Los Angeles Lakers have enough salary-matching fodder (by combining two of Gabe Vincent, Jarred Vanderbilt and Maxi Kleber) to get Jakob Poeltl. Pairing that with some future picks would give Toronto more optimism for the future.
Utah Jazz: John Collins to the Los Angeles Lakers
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The Dallas Mavericks' inability (or unwillingness) to get anywhere near market value for Luka Dončić means the Los Angeles Lakers still have a covetable trade package for a center. They might even be able to start a mini bidding war among teams with movable centers for their own movable contracts and draft capital.
The Utah Jazz might have a big man who would raise the Lakers' ceiling higher than Jakob Poeltl, Clint Capela or any of the others mentioned here.
He's long been seen as more of a power forward, but Collins has effectively played some 5 in Utah. He stretches the floor as an outside shooter (he's hit 38.8 percent of his three-point attempts over the last two years), has a decent block rate and would feast as a lob threat playing alongside Luka and LeBron James.
Washington Wizards: Jordan Poole for Jonathan Isaac and Draft Capital
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Jordan Poole represents the final Hail Mary for more offense for the Orlando Magic. While he's not quite as explosive as Trae Young or steady as DeMar DeRozan, he may be sort of the middle of the road between those two.
Poole's shot creation and outside shooting would take some pressure off Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, and he probably wouldn't cost much more than Jonathan Isaac and some highly protected draft capital. He might even be gettable for salary and second-rounders.
For Washington, at this stage in the rebuild, more picks and flexibility wouldn't be hard to sell to the fanbase.
