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NBA Trade Block Big Board with Deals for Top 10 Targets
If the early indications prove prescient, the 2025-26 version of NBA trade season should be a wild one.
Multiple stars are already whirling around the rumor mill. Impact plug-and-play starters are seemingly at the ready, too. And since teams haven't even reached the first-quarter mark of the 82-game marathon, it's entirely possible things get even more active between now and the Feb. 5 trade deadline.
Now, there's obviously a difference between being mentioned in trade whispers and actually popping up on the league's official transaction log, but the old adage about fire being at the source of most trade smoke exists for a reason. Again, it's too early to guarantee hyperactivity, but it sure looks like basketball's biggest swap meet might be a star-studded affair.
To help highlight what that means, we've ranked the top 10 players already generating trade buzz based on everything from ability and potential impact to age and contract status. Taking things a step further, we've also pieced together hypothetical deals to paint a clearer picture of these players' trade value.
10. Jonathan Kuminga, Golden State Warriors
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Trade idea: Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, Buddy Hield, a 2026 first-round pick (top-four protected) and a 2028 first-round pick swap to the Brooklyn Nets for Michael Porter Jr.
While Kuminga signed a new pact with Golden State this summer, making him ineligible for a trade until mid-January, it felt like less of a long-term commitment and more of a short-term solution to a long-held problem. He's always been a tricky fit for this system (at least in head coach Steve Kerr's eyes), and he has yet to enjoy the kind of featured role typically handed to someone of his draft caliber (No. 7 pick in 2021).
The Warriors could use someone who makes quicker decisions with the basketball and helps better space the floor. Someone like Porter, who was an ultra-efficient play-finisher alongside Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray in Denver and has remained nearly as efficient despite handling a much more featured role in Brooklyn.
Porter's shot-making could be a godsend for Golden State, which has struggled to find consistent scoring around Stephen Curry. And while Porter is arguably overpaid ($38.3 million this season), the Warriors might be willing to stomach that blow since his contract will expire at the same time when Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green all exhaust their current deals (2027).
The Nets, meanwhile, sure feel like they're showcasing Porter for this exact type of trade. They already landed a juicy unprotected 2032 pick from the Nuggets to take on his contract (and give up Cameron Johnson), but now they could increase their return with a current pick (in a loaded draft), a future swap, two possible building blocks in Kuminga and Moody and a proven veteran in Hield who might attract a shooting-starved suitor at some point down the line.
9. Nic Claxton, Brooklyn Nets
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Trade idea: Nic Claxton to the Boston Celtics for Anfernee Simons, a 2026 second-round pick (via ORL, DET or MIL) and a 2027 first-round pick (top-five protected)
The Nets, who should be laser-focused on improving their draft-lottery odds, could be open to moving the few veterans remaining on their restructured roster. Claxton cracks the short list of their most logical relocation candidates with a low-maintenance play style that would allow for a smooth transition amid a mid-season trade.
While by no means a behemoth big man (6'11", 215 lbs), he fits into the rim-running archetype with impressive defensive mobility for the role. He's also successfully dabbled in more of an offensive playmaking role this season (career-high 4.3 assists against just 1.5 turnovers), perhaps convincing would-be suitors that he can offer more on that end than just interior scoring.
The Celtics, admittedly, thinned their own frontcourt with the financially-driven subtractions of Kristaps Porziņģis, Luke Kornet and Al Horford, but they'll want to have their big-man collection in better shape for whenever Jayson Tatum is ready to return from his torn Achilles. Claxton would immediately be the best interior anchor in Boston, essentially serving as a more skilled version of current starter Neemias Queta.
The Nets might want a touch more than this for Claxton, unless they could envision a future with Simons (who would at least offer an alternative to re-signing Cam Thomas). Still, for a non-shooting center who hasn't been a big-time rebounder, they could do worse than a lightly-protected future first, a playable 26-year-old scoring guard and a second-round pick that could wind up modestly high depending on how things go for Orlando and Milwaukee.
8. Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies
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Trade idea: Ja Morant to the Toronto Raptors for Immanuel Quickley, Gradey Dick, a 2026 second-round pick (via LAL) and a 2028 first-round pick (top-three protected)
With the Grizzlies struggling to gain traction in the West, and Morant looking as unproductive as ever before his latest bout with the injury bug, it feels like either his days in Memphis are numbered or they should be. As ESPN's Tim Bontemps recently relayed, "sources expect Memphis to explore the trade market for Morant."
Between Morant's ongoing issues with availability, and his sagging stat line—career lows in field-goal and three-point percentages; career-high in turnovers—most would-be suitors might simply stay away. A select few, though, might sense there is bargain potential here for one of the league's most obvious scenery-change candidates.
The Raptors have exceeded expectations so far, but they might still be one star short of cracking the contender ranks. While Morant hasn't worn that label in a while, he's still just 26 years old and coming off a four-season stretch in which he averaged 25.7 points on 47.2 percent shooting and 7.4 assists. If the Raptors could help bring out his best—their coach, Darko Rajaković, was an assistant in Memphis during Morant's best seasons—they could add a legitimate difference-maker for relatively cheap.
Memphis, of course, would have to allow for this kind of dented-can discount, but maybe the Grizzlies are ready to move on. Morant has already been suspended once and appears to be less than a full-throated supporter of head coach Tuomas Iisalo's style. Memphis wouldn't be getting top dollar here, obviously, but Quickley is a capable starter, Dick is a recent lottery pick with an ignitable three-ball and the picks would add to the draft capital the Grizzlies started to amass in this summer's Desmond Bane blockbuster.
7. Daniel Gafford, Dallas Mavericks
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Trade idea: Daniel Gafford to the Los Angeles Lakers for Jarred Vanderbilt, Dalton Knecht and a 2031 first-round pick (top-three protected)
While Gafford isn't the highest-profile player in Dallas, he is, in the words of NBA insider Marc Stein, "widely regarded as the most tradeable Maverick between now and the Feb. 5 trade deadline." That's partly due to Gafford's digestible deal (three years, $54.5 million), but it's also a reflection of the fact he isn't buried beneath the availability concerns that hover above Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving.
That reliability is key here, too, because if the Lakers are going to dip into their limited draft-pick collection, they'd need to feel confident about seeing a return on that investment. And they absolutely would with Gafford, who's already handled a starting gig on a previous NBA Finals run steered by Luka Dončić.
Gafford's low-maintenance, rim-running style would be perfect for the Purple and Gold. Deandre Ayton has had his moments in L.A., but he's less than an ideal stylistic fit. Gafford is the opposite. His willingness to consistently set screens and explode downhill would quickly make him the preferred pick-and-roll partner for Dončić, Austin Reaves and LeBron James.
If Dallas is ready to reset the roster around top pick Cooper Flagg—and you'd figure there'd be urgency to do so, since the Mavs have already ceded control of their first-round picks from 2027 through 2030—this trade package would help fuel that process. The lightly-protected future first would drive most of the appeal, but Vanderbilt is a helpful, versatile defender, and Knecht is, at least in theory, a 24-year-old sharpshooter.
6. Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks
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Trade idea: Trae Young to the Phoenix Suns for Jalen Green, Nick Richards, Rasheer Fleming, a 2027 first-round pick (via UTA, CLE or MIN) and a 2029 second-round pick
Trade winds aren't swirling around Young at the moment, but that dam might break as soon as he's back from an MCL sprain. Atlanta has hardly missed a beat in his absence and has, in fact, fared a whopping 14.2 points better per 100 possessions without him this season.
Maybe that has the Hawks envisioning a future without him—this is the last guaranteed season on his contract—and maybe the Suns would help bring that vision to the present. They're off to a surprisingly successful start, but it's easy to question its sustainability when they don't have a starting-caliber point guard and are so far leaning on Dillon Brooks, a defensive pest, as their No. 2 scorer.
If Phoenix wants to lighten the load on Devin Booker, Young could make that happen. He commands constant attention from opposing defenses for both his prolific playmaking (the reigning assists champion) and deep scoring range. Let those two loose in the backcourt, add in the Suns' size and length up front, and maybe you've just made the Suns into a true two-way problem.
The Hawks, who won't control their own first-round pick until 2028, wouldn't want to use a Young trade to bottom out, but they might sidestep that kind of slippage with this swap. Green's play-finishing would help highlight the playmaking punch of both Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels, while Richards could serve as either a trade chip or a younger, more reliable alternative to Kristaps Porziņģis, who's slated to hit unrestricted free agency next summer. Throw in the draft assets and Fleming, this year's 31st pick, and Atlanta would be getting both immediate support and long-term flexibility.
5. Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento Kings
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Trade idea: Domantas Sabonis to the Golden State Warriors for Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, Buddy Hield, Trayce Jackson-Davis and a 2028 first-round pick (top-five protected)
With four 30-somethings ranking among their top-six minutes leaders, the Kings surely held hopes of competing for something of significance this season. Sacramento might want to ditch that dream already, considering it's saddling around both a sub-.300 winning percentage and a deep-in-the-red minus-10.6 net rating (27th).
If Sacramento opts for the rebuild route, teams would have interest in Sabonis. And Golden State could rank high on that list. His passing and vision should be simple system fits, and the Warriors could use a lift on the interior, since they aren't getting the shooting they expected from Quinten Post or the...well, anything they wanted from Al Horford.
The rest of Sabonis' game is a trickier sell. The offensive end could get awfully congested with him, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green all on the floor. Defensively, Sabonis has neither the quickness needed for a switch-heavy scheme nor the paint protection needed to justify moving away from that approach. That said, he's just a far more talented player than any of Golden State's centers, and this team might just take talent where it can get it as it rides out the Stephen Curry era until the wheels fall off.
Sacramento, meanwhile, had interest in Kuminga over the offseason, and it could covet him even more if it adopted a more future-focused mindset. That same line of thinking could increase the appeal of Moody, Jackson-Davis and draft capital, too. Hield, who previously spent parts of six seasons with the Kings, wouldn't fit a youth movement, but he could emerge as a trade candidate if his perimeter shot heated back up.
4. LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets
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Trade idea: LaMelo Ball to the Washington Wizards for C.J. McCollum, Bub Carrington, a 2027 second-round pick (via BRK or DAL), a 2027 second-round pick (via GSW or PHO), a 2029 first-round pick (via BOS, MIL or POR) and a 2031 first-round pick (top-five protected)
Ball's desire for a scenery change is apparently up for debate, but you wonder whether these rumblings have the Hornets ready to embrace change. They appear no closer to snapping out of a playoff drought that dates back to 2016, and they've never seen a less efficient version of their floor general (39.3 percent shooting, 28.6 percent from three, 15.0 turnover percentage—tied for his highest since 2021-22).
If nothing else, this could convince Charlotte to at least gauge his market, which, Hornets fans should know, isn't as rich as Ball's name power would lead you to believe. Still, his creativity, vision and powerful (if streaky) scoring punch will interest some teams, like maybe the Wizards, who could use an alpha scorer and table-setter to guide their young attack.
The hope for Washington—beyond trying to solve Ball's availability issues—would be that the assists added would impact everyone on the roster. He'd be tasked with finding cleaner scoring chances for the likes of Alex Sarr, Tre Johnson and Cam Whitmore or even (if the Wizards really wanted to get greedy) helping Bilal Coulibaly uncover his offensive identity.
If the Hornets did a deal like this soon, they'd be washing their hands of the Ball situation more than they would selling at top dollar. Still, four draft picks and one possible building block (Carrington) isn't an awful haul for such a polarizing, injury-impacted player. And maybe there'd be time to route McCollum elsewhere, since he could draw suitors for both his smooth offensive game and his expiring $30.7 million salary.
3. Trey Murphy III, New Orleans Pelicans
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Trade idea: Trey Murphy III and Saddiq Bey to the San Antonio Spurs for Keldon Johnson, Jeremy Sochan, Carter Bryant, a 2026 second-round pick (via NOP or POR), a 2027 first-round pick (via ATL), a 2028 second-round pick (via NOP) and a 2031 first-round pick (via SAS or SAC)
Murphy may lack some of the league-wide accolades of players ranked lower on this list, but plenty of factors should put his trade value ahead of his name recognition. His three-and-D game is both helpful to have and easy to assimilate, his $25 million salary is reasonable for his production and his trajectory is still pointing up as he only turned 25 in June.
It's entirely possible, in fact, for the Pelicans to deem this potential trade package as not rich enough to give him up. And if it came to that, the Spurs, who've been linked to Murphy before, have enough assets to improve this offer if needed.
Murphy, while not quite a great player, could be a great get for San Antonio. As long as Victor Wembanyama's calf strain doesn't become a bigger issue, the Spurs have all the indicators of a top-shelf contender. But they could use more consistent, complementary play on the wings, and Murphy would easily scratch that itch.
As for New Orleans, which is already knee-deep in its latest disaster season, it might see keeper potential in all three of Johnson, Sochan and Bryant (this year's No. 14 pick). And if it made that conclusion, that turns this offer into quite a haul, since the Pels would be collecting four draft picks, including two juicy first-rounders.
2. Anthony Davis, Dallas Mavericks
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Trade idea: Anthony Davis to the Chicago Bulls for Coby White, Kevin Huerter, Zach Collins, a 2030 first-round pick (top-three protected) and a 2031 first-round pick swap
Davis boasts one of the richest resumes among active players, but that won't be totally reflected by his trade market. His absences are perpetually piling up, his 33rd birthday is coming in March and his contract cost is going to the moon ($112.6 million over this season and next with a $62.8 million player option for 2027-28).
That combination will convince a lot of teams to stay away, but those who don't bolt might be able to sniff out a bargain. Because Davis, when healthy, remains every bit the elite player his resume says he is. He was an All-Star just last season and an All-Defensive first-teamer the campaign prior.
Returning to his hometown of Chicago would be both a fun narrative and maybe a better basketball story. There is lots to like about his potential fit with Nikola Vučević, a true floor-spacing 5 who could use a defensive deterrent like Davis at his side. The Brow's finishing might also perk up Josh Giddey's playmaking and help Chicago guard against throwing too much too fast at 21-year-old swingman Matas Buzelis.
Mavericks fans might claim to be insulted by this offer, but we'd point them toward the limitations of Davis' market listed above. Because with those in mind, this feels...fine. White's scoring and creation (and to a lesser extent, Huerter's shooting) would make things easier on top pick Cooper Flagg, and the draft assets could help Chicago attack more deficiencies in future deals. Collins would mainly make the money work, but when he's healthy, he can contribute on both ends.
1. Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz
10 of 10
Trade idea: Lauri Markkanen to the Detroit Pistons for Tobias Harris, Jaden Ivey, Ron Holland II, a 2028 first-round pick and a 2030 first-round pick
If the basketball gods turned the NBA's injury settings off 2K-style, Markkanen would lose this spot to Davis. With those taken into account, though, it's Markkanen standing above the rest while playing perhaps the best basketball of his career: 28.5 points on 47.3/37.7/89.3 shooting with 6.1 rebounds, 3.4 three-pointers, 2.2 assists and 1.5 combined steals and blocks.
Normally, this would all make him too good to trade, but in Salt Lake City, he might be too good to keep. The Jazz have been bad, but not brutally so (tied for 22nd in winning percentage). That's a quietly key distinction, since they only have top-eight protection on the 2026 first-round pick they owe Oklahoma City.
The Jazz have secretly strong incentive to sell Markkanen, then, and rival executives have circled him as an ideal addition for the Pistons, per Jake Fischer of the Stein Line. Detroit could use more star power and better spacing around Cade Cunningham, and Markkanen, who played for coach J.B. Bickerstaff in Cleveland, would check both boxes.
The complication here is the potential asking price. Per Fischer, the Jazz would likely covet 22-year-old swingman Ausar Thompson in a Markkanen move, and the Pistons almost certainly aren't doing that. But maybe that's just Utah's initial ask, and Detroit could negotiate its way down to a package built around Holland, Ivey and a couple of unprotected future firsts (plus Harris to make the math work).
Holland lacks polish, but the tools are there to one day become both a three-level scorer and a disruptive, all-purpose defender. Ivey is an ignitable scorer with elite burst, and he can operate both on or off the ball and on or off the bench (helpful versatility given how many young guards Utah already has). Unprotected picks are always a plus, and if this deal were done sooner than later, the Jazz could try selling Harris to win-now shoppers as a steady veteran shot-maker.
Statistics used courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com and NBA.com and current through games played on Monday.
