Buy or Sell NBA Trade Rumors Surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant, More
If the rumblings from the trade rumor mill are to believed, the 2025 NBA offseason will be unforgettable.
Multiple All-Stars are seemingly up for grabs. For that matter, so, apparently, is an entire team that is only one season removed from winning 49 games and making the playoffs. An Eastern Conference powerhouse, which has stacked up 163 triumphs over the past three seasons, is another candidate to radically reshape its roster.
The offseason isn't even officially on yet, and it already looks like a wild one. Will it live up to that billing, though? To get a better sense of that answer, we're here to buy or sell the latest big-name trade buzz around the basketball world.
Giannis, Raptors Share Interest?
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With Giannis Antetokounmpo being "open-minded" about a possible scenery change, might he be mulling a move north of the border?
Well, the two-time MVP reportedly shares "mutual interest" with the Toronto Raptors, per Doug Smith of the Toronto Star. Plus, the Raptors theoretically have enough assets to swing a megadeal for him without leaving the cupboards bare.
Toronto could presumably position any one of Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram, Immanuel Quickley or RJ Barrett as the centerpiece of a swap (although Barnes figures to be the hardest to pry loose) and then flesh out the offer with picks and prospects. The Raptors own all of their first-rounders, and they could sweeten the pot with up-and-comers such as Gradey Dick, Ja'Kobe Walter and Jonathan Mogbo.
Giving more credence to this idea, the Raptors sound ready to make an aggressive move up the ladder in the wide-open Eastern Conference. Plus, Antetokounmpo has an established relationship with Raptors president Masai Ujiri.
So, might we soon see the Greek Freak become the Ontario Oddity? It's certainly possible, although if you ranked the list of realistic landing spots for Antetokounmpo, the Raptors aren't sitting in the No. 1 spot.
Buy or Sell? Soft sell. Toronto can and may well factor into the Antetokounmpo trade talks, but more asset-rich teams will ultimately drive those discussions.
Timberwolves Targeting Durant as Ant Man's Co-Star?
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The Minnesota Timberwolves have plenty to think over following their second consecutive loss in the Western Conference Finals. And, no, that isn't just a reference to the potentially impending free agencies of rotation regulars Julius Randle (player option), Naz Reid (player option) and Nickeil Alexander-Walker (unrestricted).
The Wolves also need to ask themselves whether they've provided soaring superstar Anthony Edwards with the proper support to lead a championship run. Or rather, they might have to revisit that question, since they've already tried to tackle the issue a couple of times.
Just before training camp, they swapped out All-Star big man Karl-Anthony Towns for Randle and Donte DiVincenzo. They tried to engineer another substantial shakeup ahead of the trade deadline, showing "significant interest" in 15-time All-Star (and Edwards' basketball idol) Kevin Durant, per NBA insider Marc Stein.
Now, a previous pursuit may not forecast a future one, but Minnesota could be open to another big-game hunt. And it sure sounds like KD's days in the desert are numbered.
After falling short with Randle and Towns serving as Edwards' co-stars, could the Wolves look at someone other than a scoring forward to fill that void? It's definitely possible. There's an argument to be made for a floor general with Mike Conley winding down and Rob Dillingham having yet to really ramp up.
Having said that, the sales pitch of putting a fire-baller of Durant's caliber next to a star as bright as Edwards sort of makes itself. At 36 years old (37 in September), the 15-time All-Star probably isn't at the peak of his powers anymore, but he's not far removed from his apex, having just netted an uber-efficient 26.6 points per contest on 52.7/43/83.9 shooting.
Buy or Sell? Mostly sell. We're buying Minnesota's interest, but selling Durant as both being the team's top offseason priority and fitting into its trade budget.
Only Two Untouchables in Cleveland's Core Four?
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Last summer, the Cleveland Cavaliers seemed like roster-reshaping candidates given the logistical issues of their undersized backcourt and space-killing frontcourt.
Then, they reeled off 64 wins (second-most in franchise history) thanks in no small part to Darius Garland getting his groove back and Evan Mobley engineering an All-NBA breakout.
And yet, none of the above has quieted trade chatter around this core. If anything, it might be louder now than it was before.
In fact, Cleveland.com's Chris Fedor relayed on the Wine and Gold Talk podcast that the Cavaliers could be "more willing to entertain and at least consider possibilities for Jarrett Allen and Darius Garland than they have in the past." He added that Mobley and Donovan Mitchell are the only "two untouchables" on this roster.
It makes sense to make Mobley and Mitchell off-limits. The former is a 23-year-old who just capped his leap year by earning Defensive Player of the Year honors and an All-NBA second-team spot. The latter is the brightest star in Cleveland's orbit, having just made a sixth consecutive All-Star appearance and earning All-NBA first-team honors for the first time.
Would pivoting away from Garland or Allen make sense, though? Garland is equal parts net-shredder and table-setter, but the concerns about the lack of size and defense with him and Mitchell in the same backcourt are legit. And while Allen is awesome at what he does, it's possible the center spot he occupies might be the best long-term position for Mobley.
The Cavs did just win those 64 games, though, and they perhaps could've pushed farther in the playoffs with better fortunes on the injury front. This would seem a strange time to switch things up, barring Cleveland being blown away by an offer.
Buy or Sell: Sell. The Cavaliers could take calls to test the market for better fits, but they won't find offers that make them a better team.
Pelicans Taking Trade Calls on Everyone?
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The New Orleans Pelicans were supposed to break out during this past campaign. They had just won 49 games, featured a number of up-and-comers among their rotation-regulars and gave up multiple long-term assets for the instant-impact addition of Dejounte Murray.
But New Orleans' ongoing injury issues played out like the league's saddest broken record, the loss column swelled to 61 (second-highest in franchise history), Brandon Ingram was sent packing at the deadline and former front-office architect David Griffin was shown the exit at season's end.
The Pelicans could, in theory at least, try running things back again and hope better luck finally finds them. They certainly aren't locking themselves into that strategy, though. According to Yahoo Sports' Kevin O'Connor, "there are no untouchables in New Orleans," where the Pelicans are "gauging the market for everyone on their roster."
As extreme as it sounds to shop an entire roster, this largely checks out.
Zion Williamson's consistently inconsistent availability always keeps him within arm's reach of the rumor mill. CJ McCollum might be best utilized as a spark-plug sixth man, but he's handled (and paid) like a starter. Trey Murphy III might be the closest New Orleans has to a building block, but the soon-to-be 25-year-old could top out as a high-end support piece and not an untouchable star.
O'Connor cautioned that the Pels "very well could end up keeping their core pieces," so maybe this mindset doesn't amount to more than a few conversations with rival franchises. Saying that, the degree of this season's disappointment coupled with the front-office change suggests this organization can and should be open to anything.
Buy or Sell: Buy. New Orleans may not embark on a fire sale, but it's right to realize a win-now roster that managed just 21 wins might require an entirely different approach.
Rockets Moving Out of the No. 10 Spot?
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The Houston Rockets are coming off a 52-win campaign that earned them the No. 2 seed in the loaded Western Conference. They're also in possession of the No. 10 pick thanks to a previous deal with the colossally disappointing Phoenix Suns.
While there's some embarrassment-of-riches potential with adding yet another prospect to this young core, the organization could also see it as overkill. Remember, Reed Sheppard, last summer's No. 3 pick, couldn't crack the regular rotation. Neither could Cam Whitmore, the No. 20 pick from the summer prior.
This pick has felt like a logical trade chip ever since the draft lottery, and nothing has changed there. Per Yahoo Sports' Kevin O'Connor, the Rockets are expected "to look into trading this pick, whether it's a trade way up, a trade out for a star, or a trade out for a group of future picks."
That's all a long-winded way of saying whichever prospect goes 10th overall in the upcoming draft is probably not helping Houston next season. Certainly not the same way an established elite would, and not even how a higher regarded NBA newbie might.
If the Rockets can't sniff out the right trade swap or pave a path into one of this draft's top tiers, then swapping out this selection for future draft assets might be the way to go. That would at least give Houston additional flexibility and time to figure out the size, scope and schedule of whatever trades they need.
Buy or Sell? Easy buy. The Rockets are the clearest trade candidates in the lottery, and they look incredibly likely to move the No. 10 pick either for an established star or some package of future picks.
