Ranking the Top 10 Realistic NBA Trade Targets After Jaylen Brown Blockbuster
The NBA's summer of stunners continues.
And the shock factor somehow keeps climbing.
The latest jaw-dropper came courtesy of the Boston Celtics, who reportedly routed Jaylen Brown—an All-NBA second-teamer and sixth-place finisher in MVP voting—to the Philadelphia 76ers for...well, let's just say less than 40 cents on the dollar.
The total "haul," per ESPN's Shams Charania, wound up being only Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-round picks. Given that the Sixers presumably would've needed to send draft assets to incentivize someone else to take George's contract off their hands, this feels pretty close to a free trade for Brown.
The trade twists just keep on coming. They might be forming a trade tornado at this point, what with Giannis Antetokounmpo finally in Miami, Kawhi Leonard back north of the border, LaMelo Ball joining forces with 2020 draft classmate Anthony Edwards and Ja Morant joining Portland's crowded point guard group for some reason.
It's already an exhaustive list, but with the basketball gods cooking up blockbusters at this rate, the changes to the NBA landscape might actually be far from finished.
Let's take a revised look, then, at the top names left on the trade market and subjectively rank them before another one gets swept up in swap season.
10. Brandon Ingram, Los Angeles Clippers
1 of 10
While Brandon Ingram just served as the headliner of the Los Angeles Clippers' return for Kawhi Leonard, they did that deal to reset the organization with a good deal of draft assets: unprotected firsts in 2031 and 2033, a first-round pick swap in 2027 and a couple of second-round selections.
Maybe L.A. hopes to hang onto Ingram, but he might have been more of a means (as a salary-matcher) to an end (those draft picks). The Clippers could try building things up around No. 5 pick Keaton Wagler and 26-year-old Darius Garland. Ingram, who turns 29 in September, might be a touch too old and too expensive to fit a future-focused approach.
Ingram, who doesn't always crank up the volume with his outside shot, won't be a fit for everyone, but he is a two-time All-Star who is more than qualified to be a second or third option on a good team. Teams that haven't added established wing talent yet but still want to could come calling with the right kind of long-term assets that would better fit the new long-term strategy in L.A.
9. Shaedon Sharpe, Portland Trail Blazers
2 of 10
The Trail Blazers have been linked to some massive names already, so it feels fair to imagine their summer shopping isn't done even after the surprise Ja Morant swap. But Portland also appears to have pretty clear guidelines with who it's willing to give up, as MassLive.com's Brian Robb relayed that Deni Avdija "would not be on the table" in a Jaylen Brown pursuit, and Donovan Clingan "would be tough...to pry away."
Portland would have to dangle someone, obviously, and maybe Shaedon Sharpe is that chip. The Blazers might want a more consistent shooter and engaged defender alongside their star guards, but the right suitor could envision significant upside in an absurdly explosive 23-year-old who just averaged over 20 points in under 30 minutes.
He has had some availability issues, and there are clearly rough patches in his skill set, but his bounce is elite, and his good nights hint at scoring greatness. His shooting form looks better than the percentages, and his tools could be hugely helpful with a better defensive approach. He is a project, but it's a project that a lot of teams should want to undertake.
8. Scoot Henderson, Portland Trail Blazers
3 of 10
The same dot-connecting logic that has Shaedon Sharpe looking like a legitimate trade candidate would apply to Scoot Henderson. Maybe even moreso, since he shares a natural position with Damian Lillard, Ja Morant and Jrue Holiday, a trio set to collect more than $90 million combined during the 2026-27 campaign.
Henderson's value around the league is tricky to gauge. Considering the buzz that preceded his arrival as the No. 3 pick of the 2023 draft, his career has generally disappointed so far. That said, he is all of 22 years old and has fewer than 160 career contests under his belt, so his NBA identity is still being formed.
He is consistently inconsistent, but the flashes are there. So is the competitive fire, the north-south burst and the defensive activity. He needs patience, skill development and a cleaner bill of health, but younger teams could see him as a great second-draft candidate.
7. Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento Kings
4 of 10
The Kings have been itching to reset their roster for a while now, and they might have renewed urgency in hopes of clearing the runway for No. 7 pick Darius Acuff Jr. They've just had (predictable) trouble finding takers for their high-priced veterans, and they couldn't gain traction on an attempt to use Domantas Sabonis in a sign-and-trade for Detroit Pistons restricted free agent Jalen Duren, per The Athletic's Sam Amick.
Turning the 30-year-old Sabonis into a 22-year-old All-Star was always an ambitious ask, but Sacramento might be able to sniff out suitors elsewhere. There may not be a ton—teams need to have a win-now foundation but feel they're lacking a significant piece—but select suitors will have loads to like.
Sabonis is a brick-wall screener, a quick-processing passer, a smooth post scorer and a great glass-cleaner. He can't go far as a club's best player, but he could be a dynamic second or third star outside of Sacramento. A team better able to capitalize on his strengths and mask his limitations as a shooter and defender could help change perception about him.
6. Tyler Herro, Milwaukee Bucks
5 of 10
One year removed from his All-Star debut, Tyler Herro wound up a key figure in this summer's biggest blockbuster. And he could become part of another major move, as The Athletic's Sam Amick and Eric Nehm reported that "the Bucks will...listen to offers for the 26-year-old All-Star."
Milwaukee could hang onto Herro—someone needs to pilot this post-Giannis attack—but scoring-needy suitors will hope it won't. There always seems to be chatter about what he isn't (the best player on a good team or a capable defender), but not enough about what he is: a gifted and efficient offensive weapon.
Only six players have averaged at least 20 points, four assists and 2.5 three-pointers in each of the past five seasons, and he is one of them. His defensive limitations and uncertain future (unsigned past the 2026-27 season) cut into his value, but he should be worth something significant to the right team.
5. Aaron Gordon, Denver Nuggets
6 of 10
Since being crowned champions in 2023, the Nuggets have two playoff series wins to show for the last three seasons. This kind of stagnation is an unacceptable way to spend the prime years of three-time MVP Nikola Jokić, leading Denver to start exploring trade options for both Aaron Gordon and Jamal Murray, per NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer.
It's a little too easy to sound hyperbolic regarding Gordon's trade value, because just about every win-now shopper with the capacity to add him is probably considering it. He looms as a possible one-stop fix for a wide array of defensive issues, and he is a versatile support piece who plays within his limits on offense.
He is also a 30-year-old (31 in September) role player who's had trouble staying on the floor, so Denver can't exactly demand blank-check compensation in return. Still, his versatility, willingness to execute a role and big-stage postseason experience are all major marks in his favor.
4. Anthony Davis, Washington Wizards
7 of 10
While it feels like the juiciest rumor of the summer—a packaged pursuit of Anthony Davis and LeBron James to join Stephen Curry in Golden State—might be running on fumes, trade discussions around Davis could have staying power. He's been an awkward timeline fit for the Wizards from the moment they acquired him, and they may not want to cover the cost of his next contract.
Davis' list of possible landing spots isn't long, but those in the market will really want him. For one, they'd have to be big fans in order to commit the kind of funds he'll seek out on his next deal.
More importantly, though, he is just a tremendous talent. Availability concerns aren't going away, but he is a two-way needle-mover when he plays. The last time he was fully healthy, which was only 2023-24, he made All-NBA second team and All-Defensive first team.
3. Trey Murphy III, New Orleans Pelicans
8 of 10
If this ranking was based solely off what a player would return in a trade, Trey Murphy III might top the list or land very close to it. Suitors have come calling with "two first-round picks on the table," but the New Orleans Pelicans have "been pushing for three firsts in discussions so far," per Yahoo Sports' Kevin O'Connor.
Murphy's potential return is rich for a reason, but individual greatness isn't it. Rather, he can offer plenty of goodness while easily fitting with a new team and not putting too much strain on the cap sheet ($87 million total for the next three seasons). Those are important selling points to suitors who would largely have rather solidified win-now cores (and associated win-now costs) already in place.
He is an ignitable shooter, an energetic defender and a bouncy finisher around the basket. Transforming teams goes beyond his pay grade, but he is the kind of high-end role player who can sharpen strengths and clean up weaknesses.
2. Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets
9 of 10
The Nuggets have long leaned on their Jokić-Murray two-man magic, to the point it's hard to picture their identity without it. And yet, if they feel like they've fallen a half-step (or more) behind the cream of the Western Conference crop, their lack of trade chips might necessitate a Murray move to truly shake things up.
Denver would have to bring back something substantial in return, but that should be doable. Murray has a few warts—last season was his first with 70-plus appearances since 2018-19—but his offense is awesome. He is shifty, smart and a scoring threat at every level.
If he makes it to the trade market, he'd be arriving at the perfect time, too. Just about everything crested to career-high levels this past season—25.4 points, 7.1 assists, 62.2 true shooting percentage—save for his career-low turnover percentage (10.0). He was an All-Star and an All-NBA honoree for the first time, and his ascension made you wonder whether he's just getting started.
1. Kevin Durant, Houston Rockets
10 of 10
After a 52-win breakout in 2024-25, the Rockets envisioned an offseason deal for Kevin Durant as their real launch point into title contention. But while the scoring savant was his typical net-shredding self, nothing actually changed for the team. Houston matched that 52-game win total and was once again knocked out in the opening round.
The Rockets are now re-evaluating everything and informing potential trade partners that Amen Thompson is their "only near untouchable on the roster," per Yahoo Sports' Kelly Iko. An Alperen Şengün swap would still feel premature, but the Rockets could absolutely (and reasonably) conclude their core just won't catch up to capitalize on whatever the 37-year-old Durant has left.
Other win-right-now teams might trip over themselves to get him, though. He is perpetually locked into the All-Star and All-NBA selections, he's still getting 25-plus points in his sleep and he's forever a threat to post another 50/40/90 slash. An organization would need to feel great about its locker room dynamics and immediate outlook to pursue him, but those that are in would be all the way in.
.png?w=600 "Latest Free-Agency Moves ✍️")
