1 Trade Every Team Should Propose on the 1st Day of the 2025 NBA Offseason
The 2025 NBA trade deadline was the most shocking one we've seen in a long time, setting us up for another busy summer of player movement.
Kevin Durant doesn't look likely to stay with the Phoenix Suns. The Philadelphia 76ers could (and should) completely revamp the roster around Tyrese Maxey. Players like LaMelo Ball, Zion Williamson and Lauri Markkanen will inevitably pop up in trade rumors as well.
With the offseason not coming soon enough for some franchises, these are the trades all 30 teams should already be conjuring up.
Note: All trades are based on the 2025-26 operating year and have been successfully run through Spotrac.com's trade machine.
Atlanta Hawks
1 of 30
Atlanta Hawks Receive: F Kevin Durant
Phoenix Suns Receive: F Zaccharie Risacher, C Onyeka Okongwu, G/F Terance Mann, 2025 first-round pick (top-12 protected via Sacramento Kings)
The Atlanta Hawks will need to aggressively improve the roster this summer, as Trae Young can become an unrestricted free agent in 2026. As good as the four-time All-Star is, Young is probably best suited to be a No. 2 option on a championship team rather than a leading man.
A trade for Durant makes the Hawks competitive immediately, which is important since the San Antonio Spurs control Atlanta's next two first-round picks.
Adding Durant to a roster with Young, Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels is a great start, especially if the team can bring back veterans like Clint Capela, Caris LeVert and Larry Nance Jr. in free agency.
Boston Celtics
2 of 30
Boston Celtics Receive: F Tobias Harris, G Marcus Sasser, 2025 second-round pick (via Toronto Raptors)
Detroit Pistons Receive: G Jrue Holiday
Trading Jrue Holiday isn't necessarily what the Boston Celtics will want to do, but with Jayson Tatum's massive $314 million extension kicking in next year and the emergence of backup point guard Payton Pritchard this season, moving the 34-year-old now while he still has value makes sense.
Holiday will turn 35 in June and is having arguably his worst season since his rookie year in 2009-10. He's no longer an elite defender and is owed $104.4 million over the next three seasons.
Harris can be a useful rotation piece next year and will be on an expiring contract. Sasser, 24, can fill some of Holiday's backcourt minutes and Boston gets a pick in the 30s in this year's draft.
Brooklyn Nets
3 of 30
Brooklyn Nets Receive: F Jabari Smith Jr., C Jock Landale
Houston Rockets Receive: F Cameron Johnson
Swapping out Johnson (29) for Smith (21) just makes sense for the rebuilding Brooklyn Nets, a franchise that could offer the No. 3 overall pick of the 2022 draft a far bigger role than the one he's currently playing in Houston.
Smith has elite potential as a 6'11" power forward who can score inside and out yet has watched his minutes and shot attempts either stay stagnate or drop as the talent around him with the Rockets grows.
If Houston doesn't want to commit a big contract to Smith this summer and value Johnson as a floor-spacing four, a trade would satisfy both teams.
Charlotte Hornets
4 of 30
Charlotte Hornets Receive: C Deandre Ayton
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: G/F Josh Green, C Jusuf Nurkić
The Charlotte Hornets must have some serious doubts about Mark Williams as their franchise center if they tried to trade him to the Los Angeles Lakers at the deadline.
If Williams continues to have injury issues, Charlotte should be looking for another center who's capable of starting and playing a larger offensive role for a team that ranks just 29th in scoring (106.4 rating).
Ayton, 26, is averaging a double-double for the seventh straight season and has a far bigger offensive bag than Williams. With Donovan Clingan set as the center of the future in Portland, Ayton should be available.
Chicago Bulls
5 of 30
Chicago Bulls Receive: F Rui Hachimura, G Shake Milton, 2025 second-round pick
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: C Nikola Vučević
The rebuilding Chicago Bulls finally found a buyer for Zach LaVine in the Sacramento Kings at the deadline. Now, they should be shopping the 34-year-old Vučević aggressively this summer before he becomes a free agent in 2026.
Vučević isn't the best stylistic fit next to Luka Dončić and LeBron James with the Los Angeles Lakers, although he's a huge upgrade from Jaxson Hayes and can be a reliable third-to-fourth scoring option on a nightly basis while providing good rebounding and passing.
Hachimura, 27, has become one the NBA's best shooting forwards (41.0 percent from three this season) who should thrive playing next to pass-first guards like Josh Giddey and Lonzo Ball.
Cleveland Cavaliers
6 of 30
Cleveland Cavaliers Receive: 2029 second-round pick (via Dallas Mavericks)
Brooklyn Nets Receive: F Isaac Okoro
Following the trade for De'Andre Hunter and Evan Mobley now the favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year (which would cause his max salary to jump from 25 percent of the cap to 30 percent next year), the Cleveland Cavaliers look destined to become a second-apron team in 2025-26 unless they cut some salary this summer.
Okoro, 24, is perhaps the team's best perimeter defender and is shooting 39.2 percent from three this season, yet he has fallen behind guys like Hunter and Max Strus in the wing pecking order.
A rebuilding team with cap space like the Nets should be happy to take on Okoro and his $11 million salary, especially if it only costs a future second-round pick or two.
Dallas Mavericks
7 of 30
Dallas Mavericks Receive: G Austin Reaves, F Jarred Vanderbilt
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: G/F Klay Thompson, C Daniel Gafford
Mavericks fans may start to twitch when seeing the Lakers as a trade partner, and understandably so. This deal would actually work out in their favor, however, giving Dallas some much-needed offensive creation now with Luka Dončić gone.
Reaves is having the best season of his career (19.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, 6.0 assists 1.1 steals per game) and would help take playmaking pressure off of Kyrie Irving, who's now likely to miss the beginning of 2025-26 following a torn ACL. A starting five of Irving, Reaves, Naji Marshall, Anthony Davis and Dereck Lively II would be younger, more athletic and carry more offensive pop.
Thompson should be thrilled to play with Dončić again and the Lakers get an ideal starting center with Gafford taking over for Jaxson Hayes.
Denver Nuggets
8 of 30
Denver Nuggets Receive: G/F Donte DiVincenzo
Minnesota Timberwolves Receive: F Peyton Watson, F/C Zeke Nnaji
The Nuggets are elite when it comes to three-point efficiency (38.0 percent, third overall) yet rank near the bottom of the league in total made shots from the outside (12.0, 28th overall).
This team could use another gunner off the bench, someone who would capitalize on open looks coming from Nikola Jokić, Jamal Murray and others.
DiVincenzo's 2.8 made threes per game rank 27th overall in the NBA, with the veteran guard knocking down 39.4 percent of his looks.
Detroit Pistons
9 of 30
Detroit Pistons Receive: PF Lauri Markkanen, SG Collin Sexton
Utah Jazz Receive: SG Jaden Ivey, SF, Ron Holland II, F/C Isaiah Stewart, F Tobias Harris, 2027 first-round pick (top-10 protected)
A 35-28 record this season even with Ivey sidelined with a broken leg should have the Pistons eyeing some big win-now trades this summer.
Markkanen will be trade eligible this offseason and would be the perfect starting power forward to place alongside players like Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson with his scoring and floor-spacing ability.
Now in a full-scale rebuild, the Jazz flip Markkanen (who turns 28 in May) for a pair of high-ceiling prospects, role players and yet another future first-round pick.
Golden State Warriors
10 of 30
Golden State Warriors Receive: C Jakob Poeltl
Toronto Raptors Receive: G Moses Moody, SG Buddy Hield
With a core of Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green, Jonathan Kuminga (restricted free agent) and Brandin Podziemski in place, the Warriors could use some more size in the middle.
Poeltl is averaging 14.1 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.2 blocks on 61.2 percent shooting overall this season. He'd be the perfect dirty-work player for a Golden State team that features plenty of scoring options.
Toronto ranks 29th overall in three-point makes per game (11.4), a stat both Hield and Moody would instantly help improve.
Houston Rockets
11 of 30
Houston Rockets Receive: F Kevin Durant
Phoenix Suns Receive: PF Jabari Smith Jr., G Reed Sheppard, SF Dillon Brooks, C Jock Landale, 2027 first-round pick (via Phoenix Suns)
The Rockets can afford to go big-game hunting this summer thanks to a collection of prospects and future first-round picks.
If the Suns decide to trade Durant, Houston owns multiple Phoenix first-round picks and swap rights that the franchise will undoubtedly want back. Smith and Sheppard are both No. 3 overall picks who are 21 and 20 years old respectively and Brooks helps Phoenix stay competitive now.
Durant should be intrigued by joining a team with Jalen Green, Alperen Şengün, Amen Thompson, Fred VanVleet (team option), Tari Eason and others.
Indiana Pacers
12 of 30
Indiana Pacers Receive: F Cameron Johnson
Brooklyn Nets Receive: PF Jarace Walker, SF Aaron Nesmith, SG Johnny Furphy
The Pacers are a good team. Adding a talent like Johnson while keeping Tyrese Haliburton, Pascal Siakam, Bennedict Mathurin, Andrew Nembhard (and hopefully free agent Myles Turner) would truly make them a great one.
Johnson is averaging a career-high 18.8 points on 39.8 percent shooting from three. His efficiency would likely only go up playing alongside elite passers like Haliburton and T.J. McConnell.
The Nets get back a trio of prospects to help their rebuild, including Walker, the No. 8 overall pick in the 2023 draft.
Los Angeles Clippers
13 of 30
Los Angeles Clippers Receive: F Kevin Durant
Phoenix Suns Receive: F Kawhi Leonard, SG Cam Christie, 2031 first-round pick (unprotected), 2030 first-round pick swap rights
Durant and James Harden had some great moments together with the Brooklyn Nets. Although a few years older, both were still All-Stars this season and continue to play at a high level.
A core of Durant, Harden, Norman Powell, Ivica Zubac, Bogdan Bogdanović, Derrick Jones Jr., Kris Dunn and others would make a real statement in the West, especially with Tyronn Lue captaining the ship.
Leonard hasn't made his usual impact on the Clippers this season (11-9 with him, 22-20 without). Los Angeles should move Leonard if the deal is right.
Los Angeles Lakers
14 of 30
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: C Walker Kessler
Utah Jazz Receive: SG Dalton Knecht, 2031 first-round pick (unprotected)
After the trade for Mark Williams fell through, the Lakers made a similar offer now to get another young, franchise center.
Kessler, 23, is a massive presence in the middle who's averaging a double-double (11.5 points, 12.5 rebounds) while swatting 2.3 shots a game and leading the NBA in field goal percentage (72.7 percent).
Utah may not be shopping Kessler, although a future unprotected first and a good prospect in Knecht (14.3 points, 39.3 percent from three as a starter) should at least start a conversation.
Memphis Grizzlies
15 of 30
Memphis Grizzlies Receive: F Keldon Johnson
San Antonio Spurs Receive: F/C Brandon Clarke, SG John Konchar, 2027 second-round pick (via Atlanta Hawks), 2031 second-round pick
Memphis doesn't have any glaring weaknesses, although bringing in a multi-level scorer to provide some offensive pop to the wing would help balance the roster out.
Johnson, 25, is averaging 12.2 points and 4.5 rebounds in just 23.6 minutes a game for San Antonio and has a favorable contract moving forward.
The Spurs get another insurance big in Clarke in case Victor Wembanyama has to miss more time and collect a few more future picks.
Miami Heat
16 of 30
Miami Heat Receive: F Kevin Durant
Phoenix Suns Receive: F/C Kel'el Ware, G Terry Rozier, F Duncan Robinson, 2025 first-round pick (top-10 protected via Golden State Warriors), 2031 first-round pick (unprotected)
Miami and Phoenix were already discussing Kevin Durant deals at last month's deadline according to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne and Brian Windhorst, talks that could be revisited this summer.
Pairing Durant alongside Bam Adebayo and All-Star guard Tyler Herro would make the Heat a threat in the East once again, especially with players like Andrew Wiggins, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kyle Anderson, Nikola Jović, Haywood Highsmith, Kevin Love and others balancing out the roster.
The Suns recoup a pair of first-round picks and should be thrilled to acquire Ware, one of the top rookies in the 2024 class.
Milwaukee Bucks
17 of 30
Milwaukee Bucks Receive: F/C Jalen Smith
Chicago Bulls Receive: G/F Pat Connaughton, 2031 second-round pick, 2032 second-round pick
Brook Lopez will turn 37 in April and become a free agent this summer. The Bucks should be on the lookout for frontcourt help, regardless if the veteran center returns or not.
Smith, 24, has been very productive in his first season in Chicago, averaging 8.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and 0.7 blocks in just 15.3 minutes (19.6 points, 13.2 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per 36 minutes of play).
Finding bigs who can space the floor around Giannis Antetokounmpo will forever be important, and Smith has converted 37.9 percent of his threes the past two seasons.
Minnesota Timberwolves
18 of 30
Minnesota Timberwolves Receive: F Kevin Durant
Phoenix Suns Receive: SF Jaden McDaniels, G Rob Dillingham, SG Donte DiVincenzo, 2025 first-round pick (top-13 protected via Detroit Pistons)
Brooklyn Nets Receive: PG Mike Conley Jr., 2025 second-round pick (from Timberwolves via Utah Jazz)
Anthony Edwards gets to play with his GOAT as the new Dur-Ant duo terrorizes opposing defenses.
With Rudy Gobert protecting the paint and the window for Naz Reid and Julius Randle to return still open, this would be a big swing for the Wolves to try and get back to the West Finals and beyond.
Phoenix would save $11.3 million in player salary not to mention a ton of luxury tax money while getting three good, young players and a mid first-round pick in this 2025 draft. Brooklyn uses its cap space to take on Conley and receives a high second round pick as a reward.
New Orleans Pelicans
19 of 30
New Orleans Pelicans Receive: PF Jabari Smith Jr., G Reed Sheppard, F Tari Eason, C Jock Landale
Houston Rockets Receive: PF Zion Williamson
Williamson has been healthy and productive lately (26.5 points, 6.9 rebounds, 4.9 assists over his last 15 games), only missing three of his past 18 contests.
The Pelicans should use this rare opportunity to trade the oft-injured 24-year-old now and reset the roster around a new group of young talent.
If the Rockets bow out of the West playoffs early and talk themselves into pairing Williamson with Jalen Green, Alperen Şengün, Dillon Brooks, Fred VanVleet and Cam Whitmore, the Pelicans should be thrilled to add Smith, Sheppard and Eason to a core of Dejounte Murray, Trey Murphy III, Herb Jones, CJ McCollum, Yves Missi, Jordan Hawkins and others.
The Williamson era in New Orleans has been a huge disappointment. The Pels need to trade him now while there's still value before another injury-plagued season unfolds.
New York Knicks
20 of 30
New York Knicks Receive: SG Dalton Knecht, F Rui Hachimura, F Dorian Finney-Smith
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: F OG Anunoby
The Knicks gave Anunoby $212 million last offseason before trading for Mikal Bridges. Moving Anunoby now frees up a lot of future money while making the top-heavy Knicks deeper overall.
A New York team featuring Jalen Brunson, Knecht, Bridges, Josh Hart and Karl-Anthony Towns with Hachimura, Finney-Smith, Mitchell Robinson and Miles McBride is better balanced overall and gives the team more shooting from the wing.
Owed an average of $44 million over the next four years, Anunoby has become a very expensive role player for the Knicks. Trading him makes it easier to sign Bridges to a long-term deal and avoid running the starters into the ground during the regular season.
Oklahoma City Thunder
21 of 30
Oklahoma City Thunder Receive: F Lauri Markkanen
Utah Jazz Receive: PG Nikola Topić, G Isaiah Joe, G Aaron Wiggins, F Kenrich Williams, F Ousmane Dieng, 2025 first-round pick (top-14 protected via Miami Heat), 2026 first-round pick
Adding Markkanen to a core of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein, Lu Dort, Alex Caruso, Cason Wallace and others doesn't seem fair for the rest of the NBA, but this is precisely the kind of move the asset-rich Thunder can afford to make.
OKC is deep enough to be able to acquire a former All-Star like Markkanen without giving up any of its core pieces and still has a massive amount of first-round picks to offer as well.
Markkanen is a low-maintenance star who would fit in well with this group as a third-fourth scoring option who brings size and floor-stretching to the starting frontcourt.
Orlando Magic
22 of 30
Orlando Magic Receive: PG Trae Young
Atlanta Hawks Receive: G Anthony Black, G Cole Anthony, SG Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, F Tristan Da Silva, 2025 first-round pick (top-5 protected via Denver Nuggets), 2027 first-round pick
No team needs a point guard upgrade more than the Magic, a franchise that ranks 28th in offense only ahead of the tanking Charlotte Hornets and Washington Wizards.
Young is an ideal fit for this Orlando team that features plenty of dishes, knives and forks yet has no one to set the table. Plugging him into a starting lineup with Jalen Suggs, Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero instantly makes this one of the best teams in the East.
Armed with all of their future firsts and a bonus one coming from Denver, it's time the Magic pooled together their assets and chased a franchise point guard.
Philadelphia 76ers
23 of 30
Philadelphia 76ers Receive: F Kyle Kuzma, F/C Bobby Portis, G/F Pat Connaughton
Milwaukee Bucks Receive: G/F Paul George, 2027 second-round pick, 2028 second-round pick
The Sixers should be listening to offers for George, Joel Embiid or both this offseason in an attempt to find some younger, healthier talent around Tyrese Maxey.
Moving George isn't going to be easy with three years and $162.4 million left on his deal, especially since the veteran forward will turn 35 in May.
The Bucks are one franchise that may be desperate enough to win a title and George should theoretically fit well between Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard. Philly will almost certainly have to throw in some draft capital as well.
Phoenix Suns
24 of 30
Phoenix Suns Receive: G/F Klay Thompson, PF P.J. Washington, C Daniel Gafford, SG Max Christie, 2029 first-round pick (via Los Angeles Lakers)
Dallas Mavericks Receive: F Kevin Durant
One last Durant trade idea? Fine.
The Mavs should be desperate to appease their fanbase given the way this season is going, and landing Durant to team up with Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis is a heck of a Big 3 to build around for the next few seasons.
The Suns need to stay competitive with first-round picks still going out in 2025, 2027 and 2029 from the acquisition of Durant. Thompson, Washington, Gafford and Christie are all starting-caliber players and the Lakers' unprotected pick in 2029 gives Phoenix a little more trade ammo.
A Durant trade seems inevitable for the Suns, a team that will undoubtedly only get back a fraction of what they gave up for the now 36-year-old in 2023.
Portland Trail Blazers
25 of 30
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: F Nikola Jović, G Terry Rozier, 2026 second-round pick (via Los Angeles Lakers)
Miami Heat Receive: F Jerami Grant
The longer the Blazers hold on to Grant the more his value seemingly drops, which is why it was surprising to see them keep the veteran forward at the deadline.
The 30-year-old is still a good two-way starter at either forward position, although Portland has younger options that they need to develop.
Flipping him to the win-now Heat for an intriguing prospect (Jović), expiring contract (Rozier) and a draft pick satisfies a lot of needs for the Blazers while clearing up future salary.
Sacramento Kings
26 of 30
Sacramento Kings Receive: PG Andrew Nembhard, PF Jarace Walker
Indiana Pacers Receive: G/F DeMar DeRozan, 2025 second-round pick (via Chicago Bulls)
The Kings need a new franchise point guard after trading away De'Aaron Fox at the deadline. Nembhard has shined in this role when given the opportunity and the 25-year-old would look good in a starting lineup alongside Malik Monk, Zach LaVine, Keegan Murray and Domantas Sabonis.
Walker has been buried in a crowded Pacers frontcourt, yet the former lottery pick could find a bigger role in Sacramento as a primary backup to Murray.
DeRozan is having another big year (22.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists) but isn't needed as much now with LaVine on board. Swapping him for a true point guard better balances this roster while improving the team's defense.
San Antonio Spurs
27 of 30
San Antonio Spurs Receive: F/C Isaiah Stewart
Detroit Pistons Receive: F Keldon Johnson
A blood clot suffered by Victor Wembanyama revealed how shallow the Spurs are up front as the team could use another big man to play alongside or behind the All-Star center when he returns to action.
Stewart, 23, is another elite rim protector who's a good enough three-point shooter (34.3 percent for his career) to mix and match alongside Wembanyama. He's holding opponents to a stingy 46.2 percent shooting at the rim, a mark even lower than Wemby himself (50.0 percent).
This is the first time in his six-year career that Johnson has yet to start a single game with the Spurs. Swapping him for Stewart makes sense for this current roster.
Toronto Raptors
28 of 30
Toronto Raptors Receive: SG Dalton Knecht, F Jarred Vanderbilt
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: C Jakob Poeltl
Toronto's rebuild has yet to include a center, as the franchise should be shopping the 30-year-old Poeltl while eyeing a new big man with its projected No. 5 overall pick in the 2025 draft.
Knecht, 23, is averaging 9.1 points on 36.4 percent shooting from three as a rookie while Vanderbilt, 25, is an extremely versatile defender who can play and guard multiple positions.
With the Lakers in desperate need of a center, there's a deal to be found between these two teams.
Utah Jazz
29 of 30
Utah Jazz Receive: F/C Kel'el Ware, F Nikola Jović, F Duncan Robinson, G Terry Rozier, 2025 first-round pick (top-10 protected via Golden State Warriors), 2026 second-round pick (via Los Angeles Lakers)
Miami Heat Receive: F Lauri Markkanen, G Jordan Clarkson
Markkanen's time with the Jazz the past three seasons has been a feel-good story, yet it's time the 27-year-old joined a contender while still in the prime of his career.
Utah should ask for (and receive) a collection of young talent and draft picks for Markkanen, especially with Clarkson going out as well.
Ware, 20, is nearly averaging a double-double in 18 starts as a rookie (10.8 points, 9.9 rebounds, 1.3 blocks) and Jović, 21, is putting up a career-high 10.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists in his 25.1 minutes a night. Both Robinson and Rozier will be on expiring deals.
Washington Wizards
30 of 30
Washington Wizards Receive: PF Zion Williamson
New Orleans Pelicans Receive: G Marcus Smart, SF Corey Kispert, G Kyshawn George, 2030 first-round pick (top-20 protected via Golden State Warriors)
There's not much to get excited about for Wizards fans this season, as even their first-round picks from 2024 don't look anywhere close to becoming future stars.
If Washington doesn't land a top-three pick in the 2025 draft, bringing in a talent like Williamson would create a buzz in the nation's capital.
If the Wizards can find their franchise point guard in the draft, pairing them with Williamson, Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly, Bub Carrington and Jordan Poole would finally be a core worth getting invested in.
