5 Wild NBA Trades That Can Happen Right Now
There is still some post-play-in dust to settle, but 10 of the NBA's teams are officially in offseason mode. And that means it's time to start thinking about trades.
Several of the already eliminated squads have players who'll surely hit the rumor mill over the next several months, including Zion Williamson, Kevin Durant, Lauri Markkanen, Joel Embiid and Devin Booker.
And we have some fun destinations for all of them.
Lauri Markkanen to the Pelicans
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CJ McCollum, Jordan Hawkins, a 2026 first-round pick and a 2028 first-round pick for Lauri Markkanen
The Markkanen situation is interesting. Had he signed this past summer's extension one day earlier, the Utah Jazz could have traded him this season. Because of his timing, he was ineligible to be moved. And a regression in 2024-25 may have impacted his trade value.
That may all be fine for Utah. Despite drops in points per game (from 23.2 in 2023-24 to 19.0 this season) and three-point percentage (from 39.9 to 34.6), it's still easy to see Markkanen as a highly malleable play finisher who will fit alongside whoever the Jazz get in the draft.
But he's now nearly 28 years old. Utah doesn't have a cornerstone-level talent to build around. And even if it did, he would probably be in his 30s by the time that player was ready to start contending at a high level.
So cashing in now, even if his value isn't quite as high as it was 12 months ago, may make some sense.
And if the New Orleans Pelicans plan to stick with Zion Williamson (we'll talk about the opposite approach later), they're among those who could justify unloading some real assets for Markkanen.
His outside shooting and size could force opposing rim deterrents away from the paint, opening things up for Zion inside. He'd also be a fun pick-and-roll (or pick-and-pop) option when Zion's on the ball as the lead playmaker.
The defense from that frontcourt would be a question mark. Durability would be a concern, too. But the offensive upside is massive.
And thanks to the number of big contracts and picks New Orleans already has, landing the Finn wouldn't gut the team. CJ McCollum is on an expiring contract. Swapping that for Markkanen's deal (which runs through 2028-29) gives Utah near-term flexibility. Jordan Hawkins is a potential floor spacer for whatever the next core looks like. And of course, draft picks are always crucial for rebuilding teams.
Kevin Durant to the Spurs
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Devin Vassell, Jeremy Sochan, Malaki Branham, Julian Champagnie, a 2026 first-round pick and a 2029 first-round pick swap for Kevin Durant
Given his name and historical standing, the Phoenix Suns are likely expecting a hefty return in a potential Durant trade, but the initial offers may remind them that he turns 37 in September, has worked through several injuries in recent years and has been on multiple teams that have fallen apart within a couple years of his arrival.
If some team is willing to give Phoenix multiple picks and even a hint of young talent, it will have to think about taking the deal.
And the San Antonio Spurs are a team that can maybe justify sending that (and maybe a little more).
The Spurs already have Victor Wembanyama and another lottery pick on the way this summer. They landed De'Aaron Fox at this past trade deadline. And all the chemistry issues of recent campaigns aside, it's not hard to imagine Durant's fit between Wemby and Fox.
Like Markkanen, he's malleable (at least on the court). And flanking Wemby-Fox pick-and-rolls with Durant's shooting would make that an incredibly difficult action to defend.
For the Suns, again, getting any draft picks at this point in KD's career is probably a win. And this deal also gives them at least one intriguing young talent in Jeremy Sochan and a solid three-and-D wing in Devin Vassell. Malaki Branham and Julian Champagnie are mostly here for salary-matching purposes, but they're only 21 and 23, respectively.
Devin Booker to the Trail Blazers
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Anfernee Simons, Matisse Thybulle, Shaedon Sharpe, a 2028 first-round pick swap, a 2029 first-round pick swap, a 2030 first-round pick and a 2031 first-round pick
It would make plenty of sense for the Suns to trade Durant, keep Booker and try to retool around the younger wing going forward.
But few teams, really in the history of the NBA, have had as little flexibility as Phoenix has right now. The quickest and most logical shortcut to more is probably a Booker trade.
He is, without question, the most valuable player on the roster. And if the Suns made him available, multiple teams would pony up offers that included young talent and picks.
The Portland Trail Blazers, of course, can put together a mighty competitive offer.
Anfernee Simons, 25, is a young-ish scorer and outside shooter who's averaged over 20 points per game over the last three seasons. Shaedon Sharpe is only 21, one of the league's premier athletes and broke out with 18.5 points per game this season. And while Matisse Thybulle is mostly here for salary-matching purposes, his perimeter defense could make him a target for other teams as we work our way into 2025-26.
The most important part of this deal, though, even with what we've seen from Simons and Sharpe, is almost certainly the picks. Two swaps and two firsts, especially in connection with the players above, is a big price tag.
That doesn't mean it's too much for Portland to surrender. Even after giving up this package, the Blazers would have a wing/forward trio of Booker, Deni Avdija and Toumani Camara that would likely have this team competing for a playoff spot as early as next season.
Depending on the development of Scoot Henderson and Donovan Clingan, they might even be ready for more than that within the next couple years.
Joel Embiid to the Wizards
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Khris Middleton, Marcus Smart, a 2027 first-round pick and a lottery-protected 2029 first-round pick for Joel Embiid
Less than a year after he signed a three-year, $193 million extension that secured him through the 2028-29 season (when he has a player option), Joel Embiid is already finding himself headlining plenty of lists like this: Predicting the Worst-Value NBA Contracts in 2 Years.
Given his injury history and what now appears to be chronic knee problems, that amount of money and years could doom the Philadelphia 76ers' team-building abilities for the foreseeable future. Add Paul George's deal (which runs through 2027-28, when he has a $56.6 million player option) to the mix, and this situation looks dire.
So, Philly should be open to moving Embiid to any team that might be willing to take that deal of its hands, and the Washington Wizards might be uniquely positioned to take that flier.
Regardless of who Washington gets in the draft, it isn't likely to be competing for titles in the near future. So, it can maybe risk more injuries and unavailability from Embiid while the rest of the roster develops.
And considering the fact that Khris Middleton and Marcus Smart are both post-prime veterans on contracts that expire in 2026 (the former has a player option for 2025-26), it's maybe not even that big a risk.
On the other hand, if Embiid does get back to anywhere near the level he played at when he was a perennial MVP candidate, he would supercharge a core that includes Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly and potentially Cooper Flagg.
Zion Williamson to the Hornets
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Miles Bridges, Tidjane Salaün, a 2026 first-round pick and a 2028 first-round pick for Zion Williamson
We already detailed a trade New Orleans could target for a Williamson-centric team, but the Pelicans, like the Suns, could probably justify moving their best player.
The reasons are a little different, though. Staying on the floor has been a massive challenge for the 2019 No. 1 overall pick, and that will impact New Orleans' asking price for him.
But the Charlotte Hornets are a team that could maybe justify giving up real assets for him.
The idea of a LaMelo Ball-Zion two-man game is enticing. The lobs would be electrifying. And Ball's mega-high-volume outside shooting would be a solid complement to Williamson's ability to dominate the paint.
Assuming decent health (a bold assumption for both Zion and LaMelo, to be sure), a team with those two, Brandon Miller and Mark Williams could be pushing for the playoffs or play-in as early as 2025-26.
For New Orleans, Miles Bridges' deal ends a year earlier than Zion's and pays him about half as much per year. That's real savings and flexibility. It would also get a flier on a young wing with size in Tidjane Salaün. And again, given Williamson's checkered history with injuries, getting multiple picks for him should feel like a win.
