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Trade Packages and Landing Spots for Top 10 NBA Trade Assets
As NBA teams near the start of their training camps, their front offices might feel like they've already put the finishing touches on their rosters.
We're here to question those assessments.
That's right, we're firing up the trade machines and reshuffling rosters around the league by building hypothetical deals for the top 10 trade assets on (or realistically within arm's reach of) the market. Some of these swaps would make sense sooner than others, but all could hold appeal at a certain point during the upcoming campaign.
10. Portland Picks up an All-Star Guard
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Portland Trail Blazers receive: Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Terry Rozier
Miami Heat receive: Jerami Grant, Shaedon Sharpe, Robert Williams III and a 2029 first-round pick (most favorable of POR, BOS and MIL)
Between the trade for Jrue Holiday and the return of Damian Lillard, the Blazers have sent signals about their desire to win sooner than later. And based on this team's quietly strong showing down the stretch (13-14 with a plus-2.6 net rating after the All-Star break), sooner could arrive faster than folks think.
If Portland opens the season in convincing fashion and sits firmly in the playoff race by the time Herro is ready to return from foot and ankle surgery, it could make an aggressive move for the All-Star scoring guard. The Blazers need an offensive focal point—they didn't have a 20-point scorer last season and only finished with two players averaging better than 15 points—and they might have enough defensive protection in the frontcourt to cover for Herro's biggest weakness.
Since his game works both on and off the ball, he shouldn't have trouble slotting alongside Holiday, Scoot Henderson and Lillard, whenever he's ready to return. Herro's shooting efficiency would check a big box for this bunch, as the Blazers ranked 26th in shooting percentage from all three levels last season.
The Blazers would also get their crack at reviving Jaquez, whose skills and smarts landed him on the 2023-24 All-Rookie first team. They'd get nothing more than money-matching out of Rozier, but thankfully his $26.6 million salary expires after this season, so there would be some financial relief (and wiggle room if they wanted to extend Herro's pact, which runs through 2026-27). Shedding Williams would also free up more developmental minutes to split between Donovan Clingan and Yang Hansen.
Miami, meanwhile, would shift its focus further into the future while betting on its ability to mold Sharpe's raw ability into something greater and maximizing what could be an early pick in 2029. Grant's contract is bloated, but the Blazers probably don't cough up Sharpe and the 2029 pick without shedding it. Finally, if the Heat could ever keep Williams healthy, they'd fill their void at backup center.
9. Thunder Turn Topić's Potential into Proven 3-and-D Wing
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Oklahoma City Thunder receive: Keegan Murray
Sacramento Kings receive: Nikola Topić, Ousmane Dieng, a 2026 first-round pick (top-four protected, via OKC, HOU or LAC), a 2027 first-round pick (top-five protected, via DEN) and a 2028 second-round pick (via UTA)
The Thunder have as many obvious needs as you'd expect to find in a 68-win champion who just set the high-water mark for scoring differential. There's nothing they actually need.
They might have a few wants, though. They aren't particularly big on the wings, for instance, and they'll always look to maximize spacing around MVP guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and non-stretch big man Isaiah Hartenstein.
Could that steer them toward Murray? Maybe. They'd have to buy his ability to get back to his rookie year shooting (41.1 percent from three) without giving up the defensive gains he's made since. So long as they deem that doable, though, there'd be obvious appeal in adding a 6'8" stopper and shot-maker.
They'd also have to want to pay him, since restricted free agency awaits him after this season. That could get tricky given the rising cost of this young core, but the fact he fits their same timeline could convince the front office he's worth some financial gymnastics.
As for the Kings, they'd have to make two concessions to sign off on this trade. First, that their roster can't keep up in the perpetually improving Western Conference. Second, that their point guard problems didn't go away with the Dennis Schröder signing. Both seem like reasonable admissions.
If Sacramento agreed, then it might see this package as a rebuilding starter kit. While Topić lost his rookie year to a partially torn ACL, there's still plenty to like about his potential as a 6'6" playmaker and shot-creator. The incoming firsts would both be lightly-protected, and the second-rounder might function more like a late first given Utah's starting-from-scratch state. There's also still hope that Dieng, a 22-year-old who went 11th overall in 2022, might find his footing if given a real chance to stick in an NBA rotation.
8. Rockets Swap Sheppard for Established Scorer
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Houston Rockets receive: Norman Powell
Miami Heat receive: Reed Sheppard, Steven Adams, a 2026 second-round pick (via CHI) and a 2027 second-round pick (via MEM)
While Sheppard's best-case-scenario version would be a massive boon for Houston's offense, there's no telling what level of play the Rockets will actually get from him. He didn't play much as a rookie, and frankly wasn't very good when his number was called.
So, while his role could rapidly expand in light of Fred VanVleet's ACL tear, the Rockets may not want to entrust so much responsibility on Sheppard. Especially when they've got Kevin Durant on a ticking clock, by virtue of both his expiring contract and the fact he'll turn 37 before this season tips.
Maybe that would nudge the Rockets toward Powell, who has routinely popped as an efficient off-ball play-finisher in recent years and would fit comfortably into the 2 slot if Houston decides to start Amen Thompson at the 1. Powell has had better than a 48/41/80 shooting slash each of the past two seasons and just poured in a career-high 21.8 points on a 50-win Los Angeles Clippers team.
As for Miami, it could take Herro's injury as a sign this season is already lost, in which case it would start embarking on a long-term path toward something better than mediocrity. There's no telling Sheppard will ever max out his potential, but he has plenty to offer, and the Heat have a knack for nailing developmental projects. Adams' big contract would be tough to stomach, but if Miami fully focused on the future, it could see more benefit in adding Sheppard and the picks than damage done by Adams' deal.
7. Warriors Solve Kuminga Stalemate While Adding Scorer and Frontcourt Depth
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Golden State Warriors receive: Coby White and Jalen Smith
Chicago Bulls receive: Jonathan Kuminga (sign-and-trade), Moses Moody and a 2028 first-round pick
With the entire hoops world—Jimmy Butler included, apparently—waiting on a resolution to Kuminga's restricted free agency, the Warriors have to be searching for a solution that, in their minds, better prepares this roster to win right now. Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green all have two years left on their contracts, so the organization should feel much more urgency than the sticky situation with Kuminga otherwise reflects.
Would this trade hurt the Warriors' long-term outlook? No question. Regardless of one's opinion of Kuminga and his impact on winning, losing an unprotected first always carries risk, and Moody is a proven, generally reliable contributor.
That said, Golden State's first chapter without Curry is bound to be a bummer, so it might as well try to make its final chapters with him as great as they can be. Who knows when the next generational Warrior is walking through that proverbial door, after all.
While they wouldn't snag a star in this swap, they would check off a couple of nagging boxes. They need players who can pressure defenses off the dribble, and White offers not only that skill, but also enough shooting to maintain value off the ball. Smith, meanwhile, could cement his spot in the center rotation if he can rediscover his shooting touch (42.4 percent from three in 2023-24) and remain a rim deterrent on defense.
As for the Bulls, they should be distancing themselves from their prosaic present and pushing toward a brighter future. Betting on Kuminga's ability to thrive in a larger, more consistent role than he's handled in Golden State would be a big part of that plan. Adding the unprotected first might be an even bigger piece of the puzzle. And Moody is someone who can support a winning team whenever the Bulls are able to assemble one.
6. Thunder Consolidate With Wallace Trade for Big Wing
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Oklahoma City Thunder receive: Trey Murphy III
New Orleans Pelicans receive: Cason Wallace, Isaiah Joe, Ousmane Dieng, a 2026 first-round pick (top-four protected, via PHI) and a 2030 first-round pick
As previously mentioned, the Thunder have no obvious reason to tinker with their title-winning roster. In this exercise, though, they have no other choice. Their trade assets are among the league's very best, and they probably have more roster pieces than they can put to use.
Consolidating them for a difference-maker could be in the cards, then. They'd have to jump through some financial hoops long-term to keep their core together, but that seems bound to happen even if they don't make a deal.
This trade would just help ensure the good times are as good as they can be before the inevitable cap crunch. Murphy's four-year, $112 million deal would make the future even trickier to navigate, but he'd be a hand-in-glove fit on the court. And if any franchise can afford to prioritize the present, it's probably the one that just spent a not insignificant chunk of the offseason in a champagne-soaked state of celebration.
Murphy is a 6'8" swingman who is overqualified for the three-and-D duties he'd likely handle in the Sooner State. He'd downshift his game a bit to fit, but that could make him all the more efficient off-the-ball on offense and all the more disruptive on defense.
As for the Pelicans, they could see head-of-the-snake potential in Wallace, who might one day form a brilliant offense-defense combo with this summer's No. 8 pick, Jeremiah Fears. Gaining two first-round picks would have obvious perks for a non-contender, while Joe (26) and Dieng (22) are young enough to fit a rebuilding effort should New Orleans opt to head that route.
5. Future First Helps Philly Subtract George and Add Markkanen
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Philadelphia 76ers receive: Lauri Markkanen
Utah Jazz receive: Paul George, a 2028 first-round pick (via LAC), a 2028 second-round pick (via GSW) and a 2030 second-round pick (via WAS)
Back in April, Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey said his aim for the 2025-26 season was fielding "a younger, more dynamic group." Now, this was in relation to still building around George, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, but would Morey consider swapping out George for a younger, arguably more dynamic at this stage Markkanen?
He probably should. If you're betting on a bounce-back, it's probably safer to wager on the 28-year-old 7-footer instead of the 35-year-old swingman, right?
Markkanen's size and movement as a shooter might be even better fits with Philly's stars than George's on-and-off-ball utility. If nothing else, Markkanen is a more natural and comfortable 4, which could be massive when Philly needs to carve out major minutes at the 1-through-3 spots for Maxey, Jared McCain, VJ Edgecombe, Kelly Oubre Jr. and a hopefully re-signed Quentin Grimes.
With any kind of good fortune on the health front, a big three built around Embiid, Maxey and Markkanen should be a contender in this season's watered-down East. And while that's probably true with George, too, Markkanen would give Philly a longer runway and relieve some of the win-right-now pressure on its current core.
The Jazz may not view George as anything more than a means to an end: i.e., they'd be doing this deal for the picks. The Clippers and Warriors could both be messes by the time these selections convey, and the Wizards are a mess right now. And should Utah ever see enough encouragement from its young core to start wanting to build around it, it might matter that George's contract runs one fewer season than Markkanen's.
4. Pistons Part with Holland in All-In Blockbuster
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Detroit Pistons receive: Devin Booker
Phoenix Suns receive: Ron Holland II, Jaden Ivey, Tobias Harris, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2029 first-round pick and a 2031 first-round pick
General consensus suggests the Pistons need a legitimate co-star for Cade Cunningham if they want to take the next step. Opinions are split on where and when they should go about finding one.
Some will preach patience and wonder whether this call could be answered in-house, with someone like Ivey, Holland, Ausar Thompson or Jalen Duren making that kind of jump. Others will cite Cunningham's readiness as a reason to aggressively pursue this player from outside the organization. Pistons governor Tom Gores might be in the latter camp, having stressed back in May that, "Our urgency is not going to stop."
Detroit must be careful that recklessness doesn't get confused for urgency, but this deal wouldn't do that. Booker has all of the bona fides needed to handle second-star (or 1A-1B) duties alongside Cunningham.
Booker, who hails from Grand Rapids, Mich., is precisely the kind of shot-maker and creator who would prevent defenses from overloading on Cunningham—or punish those that did. Over the past two seasons, Booker has been a nightly source of 26.3 points and 7.0 assists, and that scoring output actually lags behind his career postseason output (28).
With Booker and Cunningham leading the offense, and the key components of Detroit's top-10 defense still in place, the Pistons could power their way into the East's elite tier already this season. And since Booker only turns 29 in October, Detroit might have a contending combo on hand for the next half-decade.
A Booker blockbuster would fly in the face of everything coming out of Phoenix, but it might be an overdue acceptance of fate. The Suns are seemingly going nowhere fast, and that could be painfully obvious by the time Booker becomes trade-eligible in mid-January.
Maybe by then, both sides will have figured out how incredibly difficult it'll be to win big together and could be ready for a split. If that happens, Phoenix would have to appreciate the many incoming assets here. The picks are the top prizes, but Ivey looked like a near-star before having his campaign cut short by broken left fibula, and Holland might be a reliable three-ball away from having a major two-way impact. Harris, finally, is a wholly serviceable vet whom the Suns could probably flip for another asset or two ahead of the deadline.
3. Heat Give Up Ware To Go For It
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Miami Heat receive: Trey Murphy III, Jordan Hawkins and Yves Missi
New Orleans Pelicans receive: Andrew Wiggins, Kel'el Ware and a 2029 first-round pick (top-three protected)
Heat fans are probably reacting to this suggestion with either the thinking face emoji or some choice words we're not allowed to print. That's fine. The Heat wouldn't give up Ware for Kevin Durant, so it'd be fair for the fanbase to wonder why they'd now be moving him in a deal for no All-Stars.
While it's true they wouldn't bring back an established star, they might see Murphy as something pretty close to an ideal two-way wing to slot in between Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo. And if Nikola Jović makes the leap he hinted at with his sizzling play at EuroBasket, maybe Miami would see a cleaner frontcourt fit with him and Adebayo as opposed to having Ware manning the middle.
Add Norman Powell to the mix, and that feels like a fully loaded starting five, particularly in an Eastern Conference that was just conquered by the superstar-less Indiana Pacers and now figures to be without Tyrese Haliburton and Jayson Tatum all season. With Erik Spoelstra behind the wheel, and Missi and Hawkins fleshing out what's already a deep rotation, Miami might feel pretty good about its chances to make noise in a weakened East.
As for the Pelicans, they were considering changes of all kinds this offseason, so there's at least some curiosity regarding different ways to build around Zion Williamson (or even rebuilding something new without him). While Ware's blend of shot-blocking and floor-spacing would fit snugly alongside Williamson, that's a coveted enough archetype for the Pelicans to seek it out even if they opt to move on from their oft-injured centerpiece.
The value of a lightly-protected first speaks for itself—and wouldn't otherwise be easy to acquire without parting with an established star—but don't discount the inclusion of Wiggins. If the Pelicans want to compete, his two-way play has already contributed to one title run. And if they want to tear it down, it wouldn't be difficult to find interested suitors.
2. Rockets Aggressively Fill Point Guard Void With an All-Star
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Houston Rockets receive: Tyrese Maxey and Eric Gordon
Philadelphia 76ers receive: Reed Sheppard, Tari Eason, Fred VanVleet, Clint Capela, a 2027 first-round pick (via PHO) and a 2029 first-round pick (most favorable of HOU, DAL and PHO)
VanVleet's injury doesn't necessarily have to send Houston scrambling for a replacement. It isn't certain the ailment will cost him the entire campaign, so the Rockets could try waiting this out. They have internal options to try—including Sheppard, but also more on-ball responsibilities for Amen Thompson—and they could dip their toes in the remaining free agent pool in search of backcourt depth.
That said, VanVleet's absence is a big deal, and maybe it's the kind of setback that has this club spiraling. If things are looking really bleak through the first couple of months, maybe Houston feels it has to hit the trade market to find someone who can salvage this season.
Someone like Maxey. While he'd awfully hard to pry out of Philadelphia, he'd be all-caps GREAT if the asset-rich Rockets could pull it off. He's a star in his own right, but the fact he can play on or off the ball means he's built to shine bright alongside other stars, like Kevin Durant and Alperen Şengün. That's a terrifying-on-paper trio on the offensive end, and remember, the Rockets had the fifth-best defense this past season.
Since this deal couldn't go down until mid-December—and, notably, would require VanVleet's approval, since he has an implied no-trade clause—that's just enough time for the Sixers to potentially realize that their current core is doomed. They might have to start considering their long-term future, one that might be navigable without Maxey, depending on how the front office feels about Jared McCain, VJ Edgecombe and a potentially re-signed Quentin Grimes.
If the Sixers decide they can't make this work—or, at the very least, aren't contenders this season—then they might pounce on a couple of building blocks in Sheppard and Eason, plus the juicy, unprotected firsts they'd be getting here. While Capela would simply be a money-matcher, VanVleet would have value when he's healthy enough to return, either as another trade chip or even as the floor general who finally brings out the best in Joel Embiid and Paul George.
1. 76ers Turn McCain and Picks Package into Booker Blockbuster
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Philadelphia 76ers receive: Devin Booker
Phoenix Suns receive: Jared McCain, Paul George, a 2028 first-round pick (via LAC), a 2029 first-round pick and a 2031 first-round pick
While the Sixers' strategy of stockpiling stars hasn't worked out yet, they have enough assets to keep aiming for the right alignment. And you'd have to think they'd be even more open to making such an attempt if they could do so while also getting out of the remainder of George's contract.
Doing so would be awfully costly, but Philly might have just enough trade chips to make it work. The price tag would be three unprotected firsts and the subtraction of McCain's sky-high ceiling, but the potential of a Booker-Tyrese Maxey-Joel Embiid trio would be incredible (with the if-healthy caveat perpetually attached, of course).
For all that's gone sideways with the Suns, Booker has continued to rank as one of the Association's premier perimeter players on the offensive end. While an uncharacteristic drop in efficiency and Phoenix's team-wide turmoil denied him an All-Star spot this past season, he still posted a 25-plus-point scoring average for the seventh consecutive campaign while also dishing out a career-best 7.1 assists.
In Philadelphia, he could seamlessly toggle between carrying the offense or merely supporting it as both an off-ball marksman and reliable table-setter. He could create easy looks for Embiid and Maxey and convert the easy looks they find for him. If the Sixers could somehow leave their injury problems in the past, that trio alone might deliver an elite offensive rating and the championship dreams that should come along with it.
Phoenix would have to concede that a forward step isn't happening without a Booker trade, but it feels like that's an admission this franchise will begrudgingly make at some point, right? The Suns clearly aren't contending with Booker now, and they don't have the draft capital or young talent needed to quickly assemble that caliber of supporting cast while the soon-to-be 29-year-old is still within his prime.
So, the Suns could opt to just finally ditch this dream and start from scratch, inheriting a fascinating 21-year-old talent in McCain plus three unprotected future firsts from teams with very uncertain futures ahead of them. Getting back George's albatross contract would be a drag, but if Phoenix realizes it must bottom out to ever get on the right path, then it should do what bottom-feeders do and be willing to take back bad money in order to collect as many rebuilding tools as possible.
