1 Trade Every NBA Team Wishes It Could Make Right Now
We're nearly a month beyond the NBA's trade deadline. Releases and free agency are the only mechanisms for moving players now.
But if the league were to lift the ban on trades for a couple days (and maybe play a little fast and loose with the rules on aggregation of contracts that have already been moved this season), we'd almost certainly see a flurry of activity.
Every team in the NBA has a swap or two it'd make if it could, and we're to explain one for each of the league's 30 organizations.
Atlanta Hawks and Sacramento Kings
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Zaccharie Risacher and Gabe Vincent for DeMar DeRozan and a 2027 second-round pick
This is undoubtedly selling low on Zaccharie Risacher, but nearly all the way through his second NBA season, he's playing nowhere near a starter's level. And with the Jalen Johnson is performing, it's fair to be a little impatient with Risacher.
Johnson is ready to win now, and having DeMar DeRozan available to run reserve lineups could help Atlanta do that. He has his own basketball warts, but in the appropriate role (a super Sixth Man), he can still be productive.
For the Sacramento Kings, although this particular deal costs them a future second-round pick, unloading DeRozan, Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis should've been a priority for at least the last year. It's time to meaningfully start over. Those veterans haven't worked together. We already knew there was little to no shot for LaVine and DeRozan, given how poorly that duo worked out for the Chicago Bulls.
This trade helps them accomplish that.
Risacher is a three-and-D wing with uninspiring defense, a below-average three-point percentage and a near-total lack of ancillary production, but he's also 6'8" and still just 20 years old. A young core with him, Keegan Murray and whoever Sacramento lands in the 2026 would inspire a lot more hope than the current one.
Boston Celtics and Memphis Grizzlies
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Sam Hauser and a 2026 first-round pick for Ty Jerome
The Boston Celtics already managed to duck the tax by trading Anfernee Simons for Nikola Vučević and moving Xavier Tillman in a separate move.
With that goal accomplished, and given how well they're playing without Jayson Tatum, Boston doesn't really need to make a deal at all.
But this one saves it a little more money and gives it a playmaking boost without sacrificing shooting.
Since the start of last season, Ty Jerome is 12th in the league in box plus/minus, with averages of 23.9 points, 6.5 assists and 2.0 steals per 75 possessions and a 64.7 true shooting percentage. His heady, team-first game would make him an easy and obvious fit with the Celtics.
He's worth a late first-round pick. In fact, the Memphis Grizzlies might be right to insist on more than that.
But Jerome is a win-now player. And the Grizzlies, despite their inability to move Ja Morant, have clearly signaled a rebuild by moving Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr.
Adding to the growing stash of draft assets and getting another manageable contract in Sam Hauser that could easily be flipped later is a good bit of business for a team starting over.
Brooklyn Nets and Detroit Pistons
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Michael Porter Jr. for Tobias Harris, Caris LeVert, a 2026 first-round pick and a 2030 first-round pick swap
The Detroit Pistons are another team that really doesn't need to make a deal.
They're cruising toward the best record in the East. And though Tobias Harris' numbers (13.0 points with a 34.1 three-point percentage) don't scream "invaluable forward," his experience and leadership are undoubtedly ingredients in their success.
But with Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren playing at their current levels, the Pistons have a legitimate chance to win the title this season. Swapping Harris and Caris LeVert for one of the best high-volume shooters in the league would inch them even closer.
Michael Porter Jr. could thrive as a release valve for Cade-Duren pick-and-rolls, but he's proven capable of far more in his lone season with the Brooklyn Nets. He can score off the bounce and even provide some secondary playmaking in ways we never really saw when he was with the Denver Nuggets.
Detroit's offense, currently 10th in the league, would look much closer to championship caliber with MPJ at one of the forward spots.
For the Brooklyn Nets, deciding to keep Porter at the deadline was probably fine. They're heading toward good lottery odds, even with MPJ on the team. And he should be an easy fit next to whatever high-end prospect lands on the team this summer.
But there's also a good chance Porter will be past his prime by the time the Nets are contending again. Turning him into draft capital, Harris' expiring contract and another player who could potentially be moved later would give Brooklyn flexibility and assets, two ingredients for a successful rebuild.
Charlotte Hornets and New Orleans Pelicans
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Josh Green and a top-five protected 2028 first-round pick swap for Herb Jones
Injuries and a cratering three-point percentage have almost certainly had a negative impact on Herb Jones' trade value, but he's still an elite defender.
And despite their recent surge up the standings, the Charlotte Hornets are still below average on that end.
Jones would raise their ceiling on defense, give them a better option to throw at the opposition's best perimeter player and spare offensive stars like LaMelo Ball, Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller from having to take on those assignments.
Getting him for a player who's been on the fringes of Charlotte's rotation is almost certainly a win for this season.
The deal should still be intriguing for New Orleans, too. Green is two years younger than Jones and is a far more reliable shooter. Plus, there's the prospect of moving up a few spots in the 2028 draft.
Chicago Bulls and Denver Nuggets
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Tre Jones for Zeke Nnaji and a 2026 second-round pick (via Atlanta)
Between Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray, the Denver Nuggets have plenty of playmaking in their starting five, but the dropoff when either or both are on the bench has been steep.
Denver's 28th in the league in bench assists per game, and Tre Jones' low-mistake game would make the second unit more difficult to guard.
He's not a reliable three-point shooter, and he's undersized on defense, but the uptick in creation would still be worth one of the last draft assets Denver has to spend.
For the Chicago Bulls, this deal would free up some minutes for one or both of the recently acquired backcourt prospects (Rob Dillingham and Jaden Ivey), while giving them another shot at the late stages of a loaded draft.
Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers
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Jarrett Allen for Rui Hachimura, Adou Thiero and a 2031 first-round pick
The Cleveland Cavaliers have looked a lot more like a legitimate title contender since acquiring James Harden. And the effect he has on Jarrett Allen is a big reason why.
But it still feels like Evan Mobley's full potential is most likely to be reached at the 5. He could benefit from Harden's creation and passing there in the same way Allen has, while also providing more perimeter skill.
And while replacing Allen with Rui Hachimura is probably a slight talent downgrade and a definite production downgrade, lineups with him and Mobley in the frontcourt would be more dynamic offensively and more switchable defensively.
Over the last three seasons, Rui has hit 42.4 percent of his three-point attempts. Having him, Max Strus and Donovan Mitchell flanking Harden-Mobley pick-and-rolls would give Cleveland some nearly unguardable offensive sets.
For the Los Angeles Lakers, Allen may not be the kind of superstar their fans are used to acquiring in deals. They might bristle at the thought of giving up a prospect and a draft pick for Allen, but he's exactly the kind of rim-running and rim-protecting 5 that Luka Dončić has thrived with in the past. And, when healthy, Austin Reaves is the kind of star L.A. would want to pair with Luka.
Dončić, Reaves and Allen, surrounded by a little more defense and athleticism than the current supporting cast has could be a title contender as soon as next season.
Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat
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Kyrie Irving for Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and a 2031 first-round pick swap
The Dallas Mavericks likely (and understandably) want to see how Kyrie Irving will play alongside Cooper Flagg before doing anything drastic, but turning a 34-year-old coming off a torn ACL into a 26-year-old, perennial 20-point-per-game scorer, a 25-year-old with potentially starting-caliber point forward chops and a first-round pick would be mighty tempting.
There's a lot of skill overlap between Flagg and Jaime Jaquez Jr., but the latter already has plenty of experience coming off the bench. He would make it easier for Dallas to play a consistent style when Flagg is off the floor. And Herro, with his catch-and-shoot prowess and secondary playmaking ability, could make life easier for both.
For the Miami Heat, this is sort of a short-term fix, but Bam Adebayo can't be the only member of the organization who's sick of the play-in tournament. Pairing him with Kyrie and surrounding them with shooting would give Miami a good shot of rising above that mix.
Golden State Warriors and Milwaukee Bucks
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Jimmy Butler, first-round picks in 2027, 2029 and 2031 and first-round pick swaps in 2026, 2028, 2030 and 2032 for Giannis Antetokounmpo
The Golden State Warriors clearly wanted to make a splash and land Giannis Antetokounmpo ahead of the deadline. And the Milwaukee Bucks clearly weren't moved by whatever offer Golden State extended.
But getting three unencumbered first-round picks and the chance to move up in four other drafts between now and 2032 is good value for Giannis.
He's a superstar. There's no question about that. He's still one of the 3-5 best players in the world. But he's 31, has a game largely predicated on athleticism and has been plagued by ill-timed injuries over the last few years.
The Bucks could justify starting over, and those picks and swaps after 2030 could be extremely valuable. Stephen Curry will be retired, and Giannis will be post-prime. The next face of the franchise could be in one of those drafts.
And this is one of those trades that could grow in the future if Milwaukee could move Jimmy Butler during the last year of his contract.
For Golden State, it's risky to give up control of your draft that far into the future. It's extremely risky.
But Curry has more than earned one last real shot at a title, and pairing him with Giannis would give the Warriors that.
With Curry's three-point shooting and Giannis' dominance inside, their games would complement each other perfectly. And a defense with Giannis, Draymond Green and Kristaps Porziņģis (when available) could be dynamic enough to win it all.
Houston Rockets and Portland Trail Blazers
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Jabari Smith Jr. and Dorian Finney-Smith for Jrue Holiday
Availability has been a concern for Jrue Holiday for a few years. He's only appeared in 31 games this season, and he turns 36 in June.
But acquiring Kevin Durant (37 already) immediately (and firmly) put Houston in a win-now window. And with coach Ime Udoka's year-long hesitance to trust Reed Sheppard, the Rockets have never really filled the hole left by Fred VanVleet's torn ACL.
A healthy Holiday would do that, while providing better and more versatile defense than FVV did. He's big enough to play alongside Sheppard, too.
And though it'd be tough to give up on Jabari Smith Jr. before his extension kicks in, including him means Houston probably wouldn't have to surrender any future picks. In fact, in this framework, the Rockets might even ask the Portland Trail Blazers to send some draft consideration.
Getting Smith without doing so would obviously cost Portland loads of experience and defensive know-how. And Smith's game overlaps a bit with Deni Avdija and Jerami Grant, but a longterm forward duo of Avdija and Smith has loads of length and potential.
And next season, the Blazers should have both of Damian Lillard and Scoot Henderson available to soak up some of the minutes vacated by Holiday.
Indiana Pacers and New Orleans Pelicans
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Obi Toppin, Jarace Walker, a 2031 first-round pick and a top-five protected 2032 first-round pick swap for Trey Murphy III
Depth is one of the strengths that carried the Indiana Pacers to the Finals last year, so trading two forwards (both of whom were former top-10 picks with some untapped potential) for one could hurt that a bit.
But Trey Murphy III has star upside and is under contract through 2028-29. And assuming the ping pong balls bounce right, the Pacers will have another high-end prospect headed to the lineup this summer.
Coming back from this gap year with Tyrese Haliburton, Pascal Siakam, Ivica Zubac, Murphy and one of AJ Dybantsa, Cam Boozer or Darryn Peterson would make Indiana a nightmare in the East. It'd still have Aaron Nesmith, Andrew Nembhard and Jay Huff off the bench, too.
For New Orleans, this would mostly be about the two draft picks, but Walker is only 22 years old. He could be an intriguing option at the 4, especially if the Pelicans ever decide to move Zion Williamson.
And Obi Toppin could play his way into some trade value next year, giving New Orleans the potential of eventually expanding this deal.
Los Angeles Clippers and Miami Heat
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Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Dru Smith and a 2029 first-round pick for Kawhi Leonard
When the Los Angeles Clippers surprisingly moved both James Harden and Ivica Zubac, some understandably wondered if Kawhi Leonard would be next.
Several of the teams that may have been in the market for Giannis Antetokounmpo could've repurposed much of what they intended to offer Milwaukee for him and instead offered it to L.A.
Miami, of course, could've been such a team, with plenty of young talent and a little draft capital to offer, too.
In this case, there's only one pick going out because Leonard (who's 34) is older and has a more concerning injury history than Giannis.
Miami's resulting core would still be a potential contender in the East, with Kawhi, Bam Adebayo, Norman Powell and Andrew Wiggins, but the title window wouldn't be open too wide.
For the Clippers, this deal would better equip them for the next era, with plenty of talent, from a variety of positions, to surround Darius Garland and Bennedict Mathurin.
Minnesota Timberwolves and Milwaukee Bucks
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Rudy Gobert, Jaden McDaniels, a 2029 first-round pick, first-round pick swaps in 2028, 2030 and 2032 and four second-round picks for Giannis Antetokounmpo
When the Minnesota Timberwolves emerged as one of the teams Giannis Antetokounmpo would consider staying with long term, acquiring him was far more complicated by the team's salary situation.
They're now under the first apron, which means they can aggregate salaries and make a pretty compelling offer for Antetokounmpo without roping in a third team.
This particular deal gives the Bucks a high-end three-and-D forward who might be able to develop into a star in a bigger role in Jaden McDaniels, a perennial Defensive Player of the Year contender who could fetch more assets in a trade down the road and all the draft picks Minnesota can muster.
If our hypothetical "trade season has been reopened for a couple days" scenario actually happened, Milwaukee would have no shortage of offers for Giannis. And this one would seriously make the Bucks think.
New York Knicks and Milwaukee Bucks
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Karl-Anthony Towns, Pacôme Dadiet, first-round pick swaps in 2026, 2028, 2030 and 2032 and five second-round picks for Giannis Antetokounmpo
The New York Knicks are another team that might be willing to ante up a bigger offer for Giannis Antetokounmpo if the trade window reopened.
Depending on what Milwaukee preferred, New York could maybe craft a deal around OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges, or they could take a more direct route with the Karl-Anthony Towns package laid out above.
It doesn't come with as much draft capital as some of the other suitors can pony up, but the Knicks hold the ultimate trump card in that they seem to be Giannis' preferred suitor. That can scare other interested teams out of offering everything they have.
If it did, New York would instantly have, almost certainly, the best duo in the East in Giannis and Jalen Brunson, flanked by Bridges, Anunoby and Josh Hart.
That isn't just a title contender. It's maybe the title favorite.
Oklahoma City Thunder and New Orleans Pelicans
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Luguentz Dort, a 2026 first-round pick (via Philadelphia), a 2027 first-round pick (via Denver) and a 2028 first-round pick (via Dallas) for Trey Murphy III
The Oklahoma City Thunder are another a team that could put together a pretty compelling offer for Trey Murphy III.
They have a movable salary that doesn't need any other players attached to it (though the New Orleans Pelicans might insist on a prospect or two) in Luguentz Dort. And they have so many future draft picks that there's simply no way they can use them all.
Sending a few of those to New Orleans in exchange for a 25-year-old forward who's averaged 21.6 points and shot 36.9 percent from deep over the last two seasons would make the already dangerous Thunder positively terrifying.
Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Clippers
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Jonathan Isaac and Goga Bitadze for John Collins
Even after the costly acquisition of Desmond Bane, the Orlando Magic are a below-average offensive team with two stars in Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner that still haven't really jelled.
Years of numbers suggest Franz is the better player, but trading Paolo is nearly impossible during the season (thanks to the poison-pill provision on his contract). Instead of trying to break those two up, the Magic may just need to lean harder into building the supporting cast around them.
They already spent much of their available draft capital in the Bane trade, but John Collins may be gettable without using a pick.
His rebounding is way down in L.A., and he still comes with some defensive concerns, but Collins has hit 39.6 percent of his three-point attempts for the last three seasons. That should be intriguing for a mediocre (at best) offensive team that's 25th in the league in three-point percentage.
For the Clippers, though they may be high on Yanic Konan Niederhauser, they could use a little frontcourt depth after trading Ivica Zubac. Goga Bitadze provides that. And Jonathan Isaac is on a highly movable contract that could be attached to future deals in need of some salary filler.
Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets
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Paul George, a 2028 first-round pick (via Los Angeles) and a top-five protected 2031 first-round pick for Michael Porter Jr. and Ziaire Williams
The Philadelphia 76ers are another interesting potential landing spot for Michael Porter Jr., whose shooting would make actions involving Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey in the middle of the floor even tougher to defend.
Porter isn't the defender Paul George is, but he's a better rebounder and a much higher-volume shooter.
For the Brooklyn Nets, this one would obviously be about getting multiple first-round picks and leaning even harder into the rebuild they're already in.
Phoenix Suns and San Antonio Spurs
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Kelly Olynyk, Carter Bryant and a 2028 first-round pick (via Boston) for Grayson Allen
The Phoenix Suns have been one of the biggest surprises of this 2025-26 campaign, which makes it pretty unlikely that they'd want to give up their third leading scorer.
But with injuries to Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks slowing the team's momentum, now may be just the right time to sell high on Grayson Allen and to add another intriguing young forward in Carter Bryant.
Bryant's size and defensive upside would make him an obvious fit on a gritty Suns team that plays hard against every opponent. Getting a late first-rounder in a future draft is nice, too.
For the San Antonio Spurs, this is a move that nudges the ahead-of-schedule contender a little closer to a title.
Neither Kelly Olynyk nor Bryant have been significant pieces of San Antonio's rotation, so swapping them and a late first for a career 40.6 percent three-point shooter who can get the team closer to an average three-point percentage would be worth it.
Toronto Raptors and Chicago Bulls
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RJ Barrett for Anfernee Simons
You don't see too many one-for-one swaps in the NBA these days, but RJ Barrett and Anfernee Simons have played at roughly the same level this season and are within a year of each other in age.
Barrett is bigger and theoretically more switchable on defense, while Simons is a far more reliable and higher-volume shooter.
And what sets each player apart from the other could help the respective teams landing them.
The Chicago Bulls have a glut of guards after the trade deadline. Upsizing at least one of those roster spots to a forward makes sense. And the Toronto Raptors already have much of Barrett's skillset covered by Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram. What they need, as evidenced by their 24th-ranked three-point percentage, is Simons' jumper.
Utah Jazz and Washington Wizards
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Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk for D'Angelo Russell
The Utah Jazz's Jaren Jackson Jr. trade signaled their pivot toward competitiveness. So, while it's been fun to cook up Lauri Markkanen deals over the last couple years, it's hard to imagine one actually happening now.
Instead, Utah could be looking to shore up its backcourt rotation (it already has plenty of size and talent inside) with an experienced guard who can show the NBA ropes to younger playmakers like Keyonte George and Isaiah Collier.
Of course, D'Angelo Russell's career doesn't exactly scream "positive veteran presence," but he's now in his 30s, has averaged 17.0 points and 5.6 assists for his career and has more playoff minutes than most of Utah's young core combined.
As for the Washington Wizards, they already have Trae Young and some up-and-coming guards who'll also need minutes in Bub Carrington and Tre Johnson. Swapping Russell for more of an off-ball, catch-and-shoot threat who can flank pick-and-rolls with Young and Anthony Davis makes sense.
And over the last four seasons, Svi Mykhailiuk has hit 38.4 percent of his three-point attempts.
