Underrated NBA Trade Targets Nobody Is Talking About
Players like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Ja Morant, De'Aaron Fox and Michael Porter Jr. are going to dominate trade talks in the NBA this offseason. We'll likely see a heavy dose of fake trades involving Jaylen Brown, Trey Murphy III, Julius Randle and Myles Turner as well.
What about the players we don't see coming?
After another first-round exit, will the Orlando Magic part with a core piece? Will new front offices in Chicago and Dallas lead to player movement? The guard-heavy Oklahoma City Thunder may have to shed major salary this summer to stay out of the second apron. Which of their players could become available?
The following nine players should be on every front office's wish list.
Jalen Suggs, G, Orlando Magic
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Change is inevitable for the Orlando Magic this summer.
This is projected to be one of the NBA's most expensive rosters next season with Paolo Banchero's max deal kicking in. Four players will be making at least $32 million, putting Orlando in danger of crossing into the second apron. Anthony Black is eligible to sign an extension as well.
If the Magic want to keep their core of Banchero, Franz Wagner and Desmond Bane, Suggs may be on the block.
The 25-year-old is coming off a solid season (13.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.8 steals) yet isn't a true point guard like this team needs. Swapping out his $32.4 million salary for a floor general making far less would be one way for Orlando to solve its financial issues.
Think of Suggs like a San Antonio Spurs version of Derrick White. He's a terrific defender who can play with or without the ball in his hands and will regularly impact winning even if the numbers don't jump off the screen. White's never made an All-Star team, although he's a three-time All-Defensive Team member and was a key piece of the Boston Celtics' title run in 2024.
Teams needing a defensive-minded guard who should be approaching the prime of his career should call about Suggs.
Jalen Smith, F/C, Chicago Bulls
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Everything is on the table for the Chicago Bulls, who are now being run by new executive vice president Bryson Graham.
Lost in the muck of the 2025-26 season was the play of Jalen Smith, the 26-year-old former lottery pick who made a big impact on both ends. He had a swing rating of plus-13.1 for Chicago, good enough for the 98th percentile among all NBA players while averaging 12.1 points and 7.1 rebounds on 52.2/37.8/81.0 shooting splits in his 21 starts.
His ability to stretch the floor is a unique weapon for a big, and a 7'2" wingspan helps to challenge a lot of shots in the paint. Mix in a team-friendly $9.4 million expiring salary and Smith will be one of the most underrated players at his position on the trade block.
Armed with the Nos. 4 and 15 overall picks in the 2026 draft, the Bulls should go with the best players available while seeing if Smith can land them a third first-round pick to help jumpstart a rebuild.
Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins, G's, Oklahoma City Thunder
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Playoff injuries were the first wave of adversity to hit the Oklahoma City Thunder after their 2025 championship. Payroll will be the second.
After avoiding the luxury tax altogether in 2025-26, the Thunder roster is expected to jump by roughly $70 million with two max extensions kicking in. This puts them at a projected $39 million over the second apron if they bring everyone back.
With the emergence of guards like Ajay Mitchell, Cason Wallace and the trade for Jared McCain coupled with the need to slash payroll, we could see both Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins hit the market.
Joe, 26, averaged 11.1 points on 42.3 percent shooting from three this past season. It's the fourth-straight year he's nailed at least 40.9 percent of his threes, becoming one of the most reliable outside threats in the NBA. Every team needs more shooting, especially contenders like the Orlando Magic, Detroit Pistons, Portland Trail Blazers and Toronto Raptors who finished in the bottom-10 in three-point makes, percentage or both last year.
Wiggins, 27, is the bigger of the two who can spend more time at small forward. Although mostly used as a reserve due to the ridiculous amount of talent on the roster, Wiggins was good as a starter (12.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.6 steals, 38.5 percent from three in 29.1 minutes) and could be relied upon in a bigger role with a new team.
Both players are on super team-friendly deals, with Joe (two years, $22.6 million) and Wiggins (three years, $25 million) making 6.9 percent or less of the projected 2026-27 cap.
Dejounte Murray, G, New Orleans Pelicans
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NBA fans know Dejounte Murray from his time with the San Antonio Spurs and Atlanta Hawks, although a torn Achilles has interrupted his stint with the New Orleans Pelicans. Now healthy and with Jeremiah Fears looking like the future of the point guard position in New Orleans, Murray could be shopped to a contender.
The 29-year-old former All-Star, All-Defensive Team member and 2021-22 steals champion looked good in his return to play this spring. Over his final eight games, Murray averaged 17.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 7.1 assists and 1.5 steals in 29.4 minutes. New Orleans was 8.2 points per 100 possessions better with Murray on the floor (90th percentile via Cleaning the Glass), as he had a swing rating in the 83rd percentile or better on both sides of the ball.
If teams believe that his 14 games back from injury are enough to prove he has his quickness back, Murray would be a sneaky-good starting point guard for a number of franchises.
Although not a great three-point shooter, Murray is a big guard (6'4" with a 6'10" wingspan) who can attack, rebound, make plays and defend at a high level. He's not the shooting guard that the Hawks tried to make him alongside Trae Young and should be operating with the ball in his hands.
The Minnesota Timberwolves and Houston Rockets would both be intriguing fits for Murray, who's owed $32.8 million this season with a $30.8 million player option in 2027-28.
Naji Marshall/PJ Washington, F's, Dallas Mavericks
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If the NBA wasn't wing-crazy already, watching the New York Knicks win the title with OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart in the starting lineup will get it there.
It's unclear if PJ Washington and Naji Marshall, both acquired in the Luka Donฤiฤ era, still fit on this Cooper Flagg timeline. New team president Masai Ujiri will undoubtedly want to put his own stamp on this roster.
Washington, 27, is about to begin a four-year, $90 million extension that seems like it should age fine. He put up 14.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.0 steals, 1.1 blocks and started 53 of his 56 games for the Mavs this year and at 6'7", 230 can play some small-ball five.
Marshall, 28, averaged a career-high 15.2 points to go along with 4.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.1 steals. He uses his strong, 6'6" frame to get to his spots inside the arc and finish around and through contact. An expiring $9.4 million contract is easy to trade for.
The Dallas Mavericks should be open for business this summer, with Flagg likely the only untouchable player on the roster.
Davion Mitchell, G, Miami Heat
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Davion Mitchell has quietly become one of the NBA's best 3-and-D guards while establishing himself as one of its better passers as well.
In his 70 starts for the Miami Heat, Mitchell ranked 16th in the league in assists per game (6.5), just below MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Tyrese Maxey. He's connected on 41.0 percent of his threes since joining the Miami Heat, an area Mitchell struggled in earlier in his career.
Miami shouldn't be shopping Mitchell, although he could be moved if the team goes All-Star hunting this summer. This leaves the door open for a third team to get involved.
There's no shortage of contenders who should want a tough-nosed defender who's finally discovered his three-point shot. At 27, Mitchell should be entering the prime of his career and has one year and $12.4 million remaining on his contract.
If the Heat make a play for Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, Kevin Durant or another star and need to send Mitchell out to help salaries match, teams should be lining up to try and get involved.
Jabari Smith Jr., F, Houston Rockets
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Jabari Smith Jr. has long taken a backseat with the Houston Rockets to players like Jalen Green, Alperen ลengรผn, Amen Thompson and now Kevin Durant. It's time another team makes a strong offer for the 23-year-old forward and lets him fully spread his wings.
Smith's usage rate actually peaked in his rookie season after being taken No. 3 overall by the Rockets in a draft when many experts thought he would be named the first overall pick. He did average a career-high 15.8 points per game this season, although this still ranked fourth in Houston.
The Rockets may also have to make a choice between Smith and Tari Eason, a restricted free agent who needs a new contract. Reed Sheppard can sign an extension next offseason as well.
Smith's contract (five years, $122 million) has a chance to age extremely well if he's given a bigger role and opportunity. Even entering his prime in 2030-31, Smith will be earning $27.4 million, or a projected 13.7 percent of the cap.
Going into his fifth season, contenders and rebuilding teams alike should have interest in the 6'11" forward, who still has a lot of room to grow.
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