2025 NBA Offseason Trade Board: Ranking the Top 10 Realistic Targets
As the NBA races through the final stretch of the 2024-25 regular season, attention will soon shift toward the playoffs and the offseason to follow it.
Well, for certain sections of the basketball world, focus on the future has been there all along. And no, we aren't just talking about teams tanking for Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper or whichever prospect they prefer in this year's well-regarded draft class.
There are other, more present- or near-future-minded teams that will covet established players who are capable of making a more immediate impact. For those teams, the trade market might have what they're after, and this summer's offerings could be loaded.
While there are a number of fascinating trade candidates—and perhaps every player should be considered in a reality where Luka Dončić is somehow not untouchable—we're focused on finding (and ranking) the top players who could realistically be on the move. That's a subjective designation, but after scanning through the rumor mill and reading the tea leaves, we're confident the following 10 players either could or will be available come summertime.
10. Mark Williams, Charlotte Hornets
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While no trade deadline deals—or even rumblings—rivaled the internet-breaking Dončić-Anthony Davis blockbuster in shock value, a sleepier trade season might've considered Charlotte's willingness to move building-block big man Mark Williams as a legitimate stunner. And the Hornets weren't merely open to discus deals involving the 15th pick of the 2022 draft; they actually signed off on a trade, only for the Los Angeles Lakers to later back out due to (a conveniently?) failed physical.
Charlotte's stance on Williams seemingly hasn't changed. Per NBA insider Marc Stein, "some rival executives expect the Williams trade market to be re-explored this summer."
That's good news for any center-needy shoppers. Williams has ample room to grow as a defender, but the 23-year-old is still a bouncy 7-footer who's a career 61.9 percent shooter overall and churns out double-doubles with impressive regularity.
9. Jabari Smith Jr., Houston Rockets
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To get back into legitimate title contention, the Rockets might need a major trade to make it happen. While they reportedly didn't want to break up their young core for Giannis Antetokounmpo earlier this season, they have "let it be known that they are Devin Booker fans," per ESPN's Tim MacMahon.
To get a player of that caliber, Houston will have to part with some prime assets, which means more than draft picks. The Rockets surely want to keep some of their young core intact, but they'll still need sweeteners to get a handshake agreement on something substantial.
Jabari Smith Jr., the No. 3 pick of the 2022 draft, could be the odd man out. He's been squeezed out of the starting lineup by Tari Eason and sits lower on the offensive food chain than you'd expect for some selected so high (seventh in average field-goal attempts, 10th among rotation regulars in usage rate).
With that said, the 21-year-old still offers an attractive blend of size, shot-blocking and shooting, and his offensive game might blossom in an expanded role elsewhere.
8. Nic Claxton, Brooklyn Nets
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The Nets seem like obvious wheelers-and-dealers for a few different reasons. For starters, this roster needs a significant refresh. However, they may not be down for long. They want to go "star-searching," per ESPN's Brian Windhorst, and they possess both the cap space to sign elite players and the trade chips to acquire them.
It's tough to gauge how many (if any) long-term keepers the Nets feel they already have, but they were "willing to listen to offers" for Nic Claxton ahead of the trade deadline, per The Athletic's Sam Vecenie. It's tough to imagine anything has taken Claxton off the table since.
Frankly, this has been a bit of a down season for him, though his rim-running and finishing could perk back up with better playmakers than he has in Brooklyn. But teams in the Claxton market will mostly want his defense, as it can be among the most versatile and impactful at the center position.
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7. Cam Johnson, Brooklyn Nets
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If the NBA awarded the Most Surprising Player To Not Get Traded, Cam Johnson might've been a unanimous MSPTNGT winner. (Rolls right off the tongue, doesn't it?) In fact, before the deadline, ESPN's Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst said Johnson was the player most cited when canvassing the league "for the most likely players to be moved."
The fact Johnson wasn't moved then has no bearing on his potential to be moved soon. Contenders will always be drawn to players like him: a 6'8" sharpshooter who won't get skewered on defense and plays a low-maintenance game that can fit in any style and alongside any stars.
Johnson's 18.9 points per game average is a bit bloated by Brooklyn's general lack of scorers, but it's notable that he's managed to absorb a heavier offensive workload without harming his shooting rates. His 47.6 field-goal percentage is actually the highest of his six-year career, and his 39.8 three-point percentage eclipses an already impressive 39.3 percent career splash rate.
6. Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz
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The five-year, $238 million renegotiation and extension Lauri Markkanen signed with the Jazz in August was timed in a way that took him off the trade market for this season. That protection is gone now, though. With Utah having taken up residence in the cellar of the league's standings, it's fair to wonder whether the 27-year-old forward and rebuilding franchise feel they're still right for one another.
Perhaps the ball is already rolling that direction. As ESPN's Brian Windhorst recently reported, Markkanen's commitment to the Jazz "came with an understanding, league sources said, that the Jazz would have a timely turn toward competing." With Utah's current winning percentage lower than it's ever been in franchise history, how is that vision being communicated?
Maybe the Jazz get the No. 1 pick and promptly dip into their draft-pick collection to pursue some win-now talent, but there are plenty of other scenarios in which Markkanen's future with the franchise appears murky at best. If he's made available, teams will be calling.
Markkanen's contract isn't cheap, and he hasn't had a great season. But before Utah torpedoed into a tank this year, the skilled 7-footer was on a two-year run of averaging 24.5 points on 49.0/39.5/88.5 shooting.
5. LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets
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This feels like the first time in this exercise that we're testing the limits of the word "realistic." There's been no indication that the Hornets are hurrying to move their biggest box-office draw, but there are "several executives" who "will be monitoring" LaMelo Ball this summer, per HoopsHype's Michael Scotto.
Ball's trade price is tricky to pin down. On one hand, he is a mega-star in name recognition and an All-Star in game. On the other, he is on the inefficient side of high-usage hoopers, hasn't done a lot of winning in his career, has issues staying on the floor and is only just starting his colossal five-year, $203.9 million, option-free contract.
Certain teams will talk themselves out of a Ball pursuit. Those in the mix, though, might put aggressive offers on the table. The list of players with his blend of size (6'7"), shooting range, passing vision and creativity could be counted on one hand. And he's still only 23 years old. He could be labeled as both an established and ascending star.
4. Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans
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A healthy Zion Williamson is a destroyer of defenses, a rocker of rims and and an overstuffer of stat sheets. If any of those descriptors sound mythical, that's because they should. While a healthy Zion is seen slightly more often then Bigfoot, the sightings might feel as rare for Pelicans fans and front office members.
Williamson's ongoing availability issues could be the reason why New Orleans decides to cut bait. Well, that and the fact this club has struggled to be more than first-round-competitive since his arrival as the top overall pick of the 2019 draft.
If the Pelicans opted to go a different direction, there are "some teams that would have significant interest," per ESPN's Tim MacMahon. That checks out, because a healthy Williamson is a true franchise talent. He isn't even playing 30 minutes per game this season, yet he's still averaging 24.6 points (on 56.7 percent shooting), 7.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists.
3. Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks
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Trae Young is no stranger to trade talks. It's possible those finally manifest as an actual blockbuster exchange this summer, when the prolific point guard becomes eligible for a four-year, $229 million extension.
Atlanta may not want to pay him that kind of coin. Not when this squad seemingly keeps moving farther away from championship contention since its 2021 trek to the Eastern Conference Finals. The Hawks have assembled an impressive young core, and it might be easier to build around that nucleus without major money to Young bogging down the books.
Young won't be for everyone, since he plays such a ball-dominant style and is an obvious target on defense. For teams with offensive shortcomings, though, he's the potential solution to their problem. He's basically a walking top-10 offense on his own, and he routinely gets the scoreboard spinning with his distance shooting, table-setting and scoring touch.
2. Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento Kings
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You could argue there are a few players ranked lower on this list that have higher ceilings than Domantas Sabonis. And you'd be right. What gets him the No. 2 spot, though, is his tiny-by-comparison gap between floor and ceiling. Teams know what they'd be getting with the three-time All-Star—one of the most productive players at the center position.
Why would the Kings want to part with him, then? Well, they probably wouldn't. Remember, though, trade availability came stem from either side of the relationship. And just like his old running mate, De'Aaron Fox, did, Sabonis might question if Sacramento remains the best spot for him.
Sam Amick and Anthony Slater of The Athletic recently reported that Sabonis "is expected to seek clarity about the organization's plan in the offseason."
If Sabonis decides he wants out, any team in the frontcourt market will probably want him. He is leading the league in rebounding for the third consecutive year, having his best season ever as an outside shooter (57 threes on 42.5 percent shooting) and piling up production few can match.
Sabonis is currently on course to average at least 18 points, 12 boards and five assists for the sixth time in his career. That's already the most in NBA history, and the five other players with multiple such seasons—Kevin Garnett, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokić—are either current or future Hall of Famers.
1. Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns
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Kevin Durant's availability in trade talks initially might have been a surprise to him, but they've since become the NBA's worst-kept secret. In fact, it's become such a big talking point that we even know what Phoenix hopes to get in return for him: "three-first round picks and a young player as part of a multi-team deal tied to getting under the second apron," per Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic.
Given Durant's prodigious talent, that sounds like a reasonable request. Even if the 36-year-old is no longer at his apex, he's still one of the best net-shredders in the business. His 26.4 scoring average is seventh-best in the league, and he's one of only three top-20 scorers—along with Jokić and Karl-Anthony Towns—shooting at least 50 percent from the field and 40 percent from three.
Durant would only appeal to win-now teams, but any team in that category should consider him their top priority. He's not just a magical scorer; he's also perhaps the easiest-to-fit superstar this league has ever seen. He might tire of his hoops home sooner than some would like, but he'll be an elite offensive force and versatile defender for as long as he's there.
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