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Trade Ideas and Landing Spots for NBA's Top 5 Trade Chips
Back in July, B/R's Zach Buckley put together a list of the top 10 trade chips in the league. Several weeks deeper into the offseason, it's now time to check in on some of the NBA's hottest commodities.
Buckley laid out the criteria for inclusion as follows: "We’re not discussing the best players who could possibly be involved in a trade. Rather, the idea is to highlight (and rank) the top trade tools used to acquire those elites. These players and draft picks must be feasibly available, too."
In other words, the future picks and developing players here must come with a reasonable likelihood of being dealt for immediate help.
Let's run through why the top five assets belong in the "trade chip" category and where they might fit best.
5. LA Clippers 2028 1st-Round Pick (via 76ers)
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Why so valuable?
Kawhi Leonard and James Harden had their moments last season. The former looked a lot like his "best player on a title team" self for stretches of LA's short playoff run, while the latter made his first All-Star team since 2022. That doesn't change the fact that they're also aging, injury-prone and under contract through the 2026-27 season.
The Clips could be picking atop the lottery in 2028 after those two age out or sign elsewhere, making this pick one of the league's crown jewels.
Why is it a trade chip?
The Philadelphia 76ers currently own this selection, and they're built around Joel Embiid and Paul George, a pair of expensive, oft-injured, aging stars. While it could be part of a reset effort, the Sixers might also want to shop it for more win-now help on the off chance Embiid and George stay healthy enough to make contention realistic.
Alternatively, Philadelphia could use it to get off George's contract.
Landing spot: Utah Jazz
Trade Idea: Philadelphia 76ers acquire Lauri Markkanen from the Utah Jazz for Paul George and a 2028 first-round pick (via LAC)
Depending on how things go with George's health, the Sixers could use this pick as a sweetener in a trade that exchanges his salary for a smaller one—or for a player with a better health outlook.
Utah is hoarding other teams' future firsts and might be amenable to snaring this one along with several smaller contracts in exchange for Markkanen. Though the Finnish forward has had his own struggles staying on the floor of late, his movement shooting and efficient scoring would make him a fascinating addition to the Embiid-Tyrese Maxey combo.
4. Ron Holland II, Detroit Pistons
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Why so valuable?
Summer league showings warrant skepticism, but Ron Holland II's effort in Vegas featured offensive flourishes that suggest the incoming sophomore might be closer to stardom than he appeared as a rookie, when he brought relentless defensive intensity but struggled to make a positive impact on the other end.
Holland isn't exactly a buy-low candidate, but a continuation of what he showed over the summer could take the former No. 5 pick off the market entirely.
Why is he a trade chip?
The Detroit Pistons tripled their win total last year, but that doesn't change anything about the looming positional glut they face on the wing. What's more, it isn't clear that any of their current prospects—Ausar Thompson, Jaden Ivey or Holland—has the two-way upside to deserve co-star status next to Cade Cunningham.
Thompson's defense is probably too valuable for Detroit to trade, and Ivey's value is relatively low with restricted free agency looming next summer.
Landing Spot: Boston Celtics
Trade Idea: Detroit Pistons acquire Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtics for Ron Holland II, Jaden Ivey, Tobias Harris and a 2027 first-round pick (protected 1-4)
The Celtics get $7.7 million in 2025-26 salary savings—not enough to get them out of the tax this season, but every little bit helps. When Harris' $26.6 million comes off the books after the season, Boston will be free and clear.
Meanwhile, the Pistons add Brown to a core of Cunningham, Thompson and Jalen Duren. That group should be able to better last season's No. 6 seed in the East while moving up Detroit's timeline a bit. With Cunningham already an All-NBA player, the time to add high-end (and high-cost) talent is now.
3. Kel'el Ware, Miami Heat
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Why so valuable?
The single-season sample is small, and the outside shot that'd really vault him into "future star" territory remains speculative, but Kel'el Ware showed enough as a rookie to warrant attention throughout the league.
Per-36 averages of 15.1 points , 12.0 rebounds, 1.8 blocks and 0.9 made triples tantalized in 2024-25, and Ware is a good bet to build on that stellar age-20-season effort as he matures.
Why is he a trade chip?
The Miami Heat are always big-game hunting, and Ware seems like their best tool to secure high-end talent that can help them win in the short term. Plus, if Ware's three-point shot falls at a mere 31.5 percent clip for another year, he might not be nearly as intriguing going forward. The Heat might want to act quickly.
Landing spot: Milwaukee Bucks
Trade idea: Miami Heat acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks for Tyler Herro, Andrew Wiggins, Kel'el Ware, 2027 first-round swap, 2029 first-round swap, 2030 first-round pick, 2031 first-round swap, 2032 first-round pick
This would have been a much more logical trade before the Bucks stretched Damian Lillard so they could sign Myles Turner, but we haven't exactly gotten total certainty on Antetokounmpo's future. Ware-to-Milwaukee presupposes a Bucks reset.
If Giannis ultimately asks to be traded, the Heat could pounce with a pick-heavy offer that also includes Ware as the keeper alongside the necessary matching salary.
2. Phoenix Suns' 2027 and 2029 1st-Round Picks (via Rockets)
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Why so valuable?
The Phoenix Suns are on a rocket ship to nowhere after spending two years experimenting with the worst possible asset and roster management under the new CBA. They're bereft of future picks, can't surround Devin Booker with win-now talent and are one of the most capriciously run organizations in the league ever since Mat Ishbia took over as the owner.
If you're shorting one NBA team's future, it should probably be the Suns'.
Why are they trade chips?
The Houston Rockets are in a very different position than Phoenix is, and they could use these future picks to serve their more immediate plans for contention.
Houston already pried Kevin Durant away from the Suns but didn't have to surrender either of these selections in the process. That means the Rockets can use them to chase another veteran star if they wants to.
Landing spot: Phoenix Suns
Trade idea: Houston Rockets acquire Devin Booker from the Phoenix Suns for Fred VanVleet, Reed Sheppard, Steven Adams, Jeff Green, 2027 first-round pick, 2029 first-round pick
Devin Booker can't be traded until January, and it'd be admittedly weird if the Suns and Rockets transacted again so soon after the Durant deal. But there's just no other logical destination for this pair of future first-rounders. That also helps overcome the reality that Booker has never shown a willingness to leave the Suns.
The Suns need these picks back. Otherwise, the non-playoff seasons ahead won't feature the typical payoff: high lottery position. The key to ensuring Phoenix's fallow period lasts only a couple of seasons is regaining control of those 2027 and 2029 selections. Otherwise, the dark days could stretch well into the 2030s.
Oh, and if this feels like the player package accompanying these valuable picks is a little underwhelming, remember that Booker's massive extension might not actually be that great of a value from Houston's perspective. He's on the books through 2029-30 (player option), when he'll earn $69.2 million in his age-34 season.
1. Jared McCain, Philadelphia 76ers
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Why so valuable?
If not for the torn meniscus that ended his season in December, Jared McCain might have gone on to win Rookie of the Year. Despite playing in only 23 contests, he still finished seventh in the voting.
A more capable on-ball scorer than most scouting reports suggested, the Duke product predictably excelled as a spot-up threat, hitting 38.3 percent of his 5.8 three-point attempts per game.
Though perhaps not a future first option, McCain's scoring versatility and efficiency make him one of the more promising offensive prospects in the league.
Why is he a trade chip?
In addition to the appeal generated by the qualities above, McCain also profiles as a potential mover because the Sixers have something of a logjam at his position. Rookie VJ Edgecombe has a better draft pedigree than McCain did last year, and restricted free agent Quentin Grimes looked like a surefire starter in his late-season cameo with Philly.
Either of those two more recent additions might be stronger fits next to Tyrese Maxey.
Take those factors and add the Sixers' veteran-driven win-now posture, and there are plenty of reasons they might consider flipping McCain while his value is relatively high.
Landing spot: Sacramento Kings
Trade idea: Philadelphia 76ers acquire Keegan Murray from the Sacramento Kings for Jared McCain and Kelly Oubre Jr.
McCain played 23 games last year with minimal stakes, so let's be sure not to overstate how much he's proved as a pro to this point in his career. His profile might be on equal footing with Murray's, but should it be?
Murray set the rookie record with 206 made triples, has been a durable three-year starter and would give the Sixers some badly needed three-and-D support alongside (or as a replacement for an injured) Paul George.
Meanwhile, the Kings can't feel good about an offense run by some combination of Dennis Schroder and free-agent target Russell Westbrook. Murray is a favored son in Sacramento, but he's approaching restricted free agency and makes more sense on the Sixers' roster.
Stats courtesy of NBA.com, Basketball Reference and Cleaning the Glass. Salary info via Spotrac.
Grant Hughes covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Bluesky and subscribe to the Hardwood Knocks podcast, where he appears with Bleacher Report's Dan Favale.
