1 Player Every NBA Team Should Trade This Season
NBA rosters must be finalized ahead of the fast-approaching opening night.
It's a much more temporary process than it sounds.
Because rosters are never really locked into place. They might be secured for certain stretches, but there is almost always a chance to change them. Just like there are always countless front-office executives figuring out what, if any, changes are needed.
That's why we can sit this far out from that opening tip getting tossed and already identify the one player each franchise should trade away during the upcoming campaign. Some are stars, some are roster-fillers; some are obvious, some are far less so. But all of them have reasons to be routed somewhere between now and February's trade deadline.
Atlanta Hawks: Jock Landale
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The Hawks, who landed Landale at last season's deadline, extended the backup big man's stay in Atlanta with a one-year, $14.1 million pact this summer. That's a healthy investment in a 30-year-old reserve, even while acknowledging the value he brings with his spacing, rebounding and physicality.
Maybe the Hawks are just huge fans, or perhaps they wanted another mid-sized salary on the books in case they needed to match money in a significant trade.
If Atlanta feels the need for a consolidation trade, Landale should be part of the outgoing package. He'd have plug-and-play appeal for trade partners, and the Hawks might welcome the chance to throw more minutes at young bigs Asa Newell and Zuby Ejiofor.
Boston Celtics: Sam Hauser
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It would be ideal to provide this answer closer to the first-quarter mark of the campaign, since no one knows how this Jaylen Brown-less version of Boston will look.
If contending still seems possible, then maybe that would embolden the Celtics to broker a huge blockbuster built around Paul George's colossal salary and draft assets. If this group is obviously more than one player away, moving Derrick White for trade chips to cash in at a later date could be the right call.
For now, though, this feels like a safe middle ground. Hauser has a relatively modest salary ($10.8 million), a coveted role (6'7" sharpshooter) and plenty of playoff experience. He would not be difficult to shop. He also might be somewhat simple to replace internally with some combination of Baylor Scheierman, Jordan Walsh and Hugo González.
Brooklyn Nets: Terance Mann
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The Nets are another team that could benefit from the passage of time to identify a trade candidate. If they don't seem any more competitive than they have of late (three consecutive 50-plus-loss seasons), then high-scoring veterans Michael Porter Jr. and Julius Randle would feature prominently among the league's most logical trade candidates.
But that feels too pessimistic for this point on the hoops calendar, doesn't it? Optimism peaks every October, so let's at least allow for the possibility that these Nets might be punchier. Maybe even a Play-In participant if everything breaks right.
Regardless how things play out, Mann seems eminently expendable. The $31.5 million he'll make over this season and next doesn't align with his on-court contributions, which last season included just 7.2 points in 24.3 minutes a night. He wouldn't have trade value on his own, but his contract could be a helpful math tool in a larger transaction.
Charlotte Hornets: Grant Williams
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The Hornets could be in wait-and-see mode for a while after stunningly splitting from LaMelo Ball this summer. Their timeline almost surely shifted this offseason, although the further developments of Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel will decide by how much.
That probably takes major trades off the table for now, but if anything does arise, look for Williams and his expiring $14.3 million salary to be involved.
That's not necessarily an egregious amount for someone with his toughness, defensive versatility, outside shooting (career 37.8 percent) and postseason experience. It's just probably more than Charlotte would prefer to play a backup, especially if it wants to see more of 2024's No. 6 pick Tidjane Salaün.
Chicago Bulls: Norman Powell
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Bulls fans might be screaming for Patrick Williams here, but the lack of market interest torpedoes that take. A clean-slate split might be best for both parties, but Chicago would have to heavily incentivize someone to take back Williams and the $56 million he's owed through 2028-29.
Powell, on the other hand, could be a great get for the right win-now team. The 33-year-old has experience, a powerful scoring punch (21.8 points over the past two seasons), a reliable three-ball (career 39.6 percent) and a digestible deal ($21.5 million this season, $22.6 million team option for next).
He would make sense in a lot of different places, just not in Chicago where the timeline split between Powell and his young teammates appears cavernous.
Cleveland Cavaliers: Jarrett Allen
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Truth be told, there isn't an obvious trade worth making for the Cavaliers right now. Between Peyton Watson's arrival, Jaylon Tyson's development and the addition of #MuscleWatch grand champion Mario Hezonja, hopes have never been higher for Cleveland's forward spots.
If this doesn't work, though, Cleveland's next attempt to solve the puzzle almost certainly would include the sacrifice of a core four member. And if the Cavs ever go that route, Allen would likely land on the chopping block.
The spacing constraints of his pairing with Evan Mobley haven't gone away, and Allen's rim-running role seems the easiest to replace (perhaps by Mobley himself). It's also a coveted archetype, and he's on a good contract (three years, $90.7 million), so it wouldn't be difficult to drum up interest.
Dallas Mavericks: Kyrie Irving
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The Mavericks have a 19-year-old centerpiece in Cooper Flagg. So, forgive the basketball world for doubting Dallas' insistence that it still has a need for Irving, a 34-year-old who just lost a full season to an ACL recovery.
"The question that's being asked around the league is, for how long? How long is this fit with Kyrie and the Mavericks?" ESPN's Tim MacMahon said. "... Could there come a time when it makes sense for both sides to find a contender for Kyrie to go to? These are the kinds of things that people around the league will be monitoring leading up to the trade deadline."
Suitors are surfacing already, and this season hasn't even tipped yet. Irving could be a great on-court fit with Flagg, and it would still make sense for Dallas, which doesn't control its first-round pick until 2031, to explore deals that swap out Irving for younger players, draft assets or a combination of the two.
Denver Nuggets: DaRon Holmes II
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It's too early to say the Nuggets need to explore the type of wholesale changes that would sacrifice the likes of Jamal Murray or Aaron Gordon. And, frankly, if Denver were going to deal either Christian Braun or Cameron Johnson, it probably would've done so this summer instead of letting Peyton Watson walk.
So, the spotlight instead lands on Holmes, who appears buried on the frontcourt depth chart but could pique the interest of the right long-term shopper.
He has virtually no track record at this level—he lost his would-be rookie season to a torn Achilles, then spent much of his sophomore campaign in the G League—but teams could view him as a flier worth taking. He's only 24 years old and was a first-round pick in 2024 (No. 22), and he still boasts an intriguing blend of length, bounce and long-range shooting.
Detroit Pistons: Duncan Robinson
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The Pistons ponied up big bucks to ensure both Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren remain alongside Cade Cunningham. What they didn't do, though, is find the scoring and creation support he remains without.
If it's obviously an issue again—he was essentially tasked with one-man-army duties during their last playoff run—they'll have to go hunt for that player on the trade market. And they'd almost certainly need Robinson and his $16 million salary (nothing guaranteed for next season) to facilitate the swap.
It would be risky for a club so squeezed for spacing as it is to ditch a decorated shooter from distance, but the combination of Isaiah Joe and Kevin Huerter can help cover the void. And if 2025 second-round pick Chaz Lanier looks rotation-ready, things would get even easier on that front.
Golden State Warriors: Kristaps Porziņģis
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This could be wrong, but it doesn't seem like an Earth-shattering acquisition is in the cards for this club. If the Dubs brokered the kind of blockbuster that would require using the salaries tied to Jimmy Butler or Draymond Green, they probably would've made that change this summer, not midseason.
They should still be probing for upgrades, though. They need to give Stephen Curry more help, and with Porziņģis once again stuck in a worrisome health situation, he seems incapable of providing it.
But his $20 million salary (and tiny $3 million guarantee for next season) could be a gear-greaser for that kind of get. He can't have much (if any) standalone value given the constant availability concerns, but teams with big plans for the loaded 2027 free agency class could want to get their hands on that contract.
Houston Rockets: Clint Capela
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If these Rockets fail to lift-off, there could be much bigger names at play. They could dangle Alperen Şengün in hopes of going huge-game hunting. If point guard remains a problem, one or both of Fred VanVleet and Reed Sheppard might get sent packing. If chemistry issues remain, they might decide Kevin Durant just isn't the right fit.
We just don't know if any of that will happen, though. In fact, there are legitimate hopes that none of it will, since this team—a 52-game winner each of the past two seasons—has reasons to believe that VanVleet's return might get everything aligned yet.
If those beliefs manifest into any kind of step forward, the Rockets may merely work the margins during trade season. And it would be hard to see how Capela, a $7 million third-string center, wouldn't be involved in that activity.
Indiana Pacers: Ben Sheppard
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The Pacers placed their trade wager last season, ultimately parting with young players and multiple first-round picks (including this year's fifth overall) to plug veteran big man Ivica Zubac into their Myles Turner-sized hole on the interior.
Indiana probably can't stomach another sizable shakeup for the foreseeable future. It may not need one anyway, if the return of Tyrese Haliburton—engineer of this team's run to the 2025 NBA Finals—gets this group back into the contending conversation.
Shifting things to the smaller-scale side, then, maybe Sheppard gets moved to fill a niche need elsewhere. The 25-year-old has hinted at three-and-D ability, but he might need more minutes than Indiana can afford to give him to fully realize that potential.
Los Angeles Clippers: Brook Lopez
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The Clippers could be fully open for business if they're really worried about getting the cupboards restocked after paying such a pick-heavy price from the cap circumvention investigation. But with a slew of veterans on the roster, and optimism around Brandon Ingram's recovery, maybe L.A. wants to give this core a chance before stripping everything down to the foundation.
Even if that's the case, though, Lopez seems like he's losing his utility to this team. He may have already been surpassed by Isaiah Jackson on the depth chart, and the Clippers will want to keep the runway clear whenever Yanic Konan Niederhäuser is ready to return from March foot surgery.
Lopez, who will turn 39 by season's end, would only appeal to win-right-this-second clubs, but the ones who fit that description and need a backup big might be very interested. His numbers might be trending down, but he still provides a helpful blend of offensive spacing and defensive paint protection.
Los Angeles Lakers: Jarred Vanderbilt
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Surprised not to see Dalton Knecht in this spot? Well, it's much less a vote of confidence for him and much more about skepticism that he'll even make the opening-night roster.
And if Knecht gets cut, that means his fellow chopping-block resident, Vanderbilt, holds solo status as the most logical trade candidate on the roster.
The Lakers have clearly concluded that Vanderbilt's defensive impact can't offset his offensive limitations, but other teams could compute things differently. The right suitor might see him as capable of getting back to being a defense-first energizer.
Memphis Grizzlies: Jerami Grant
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Hopefully, after 12 NBA seasons, Grant understands how to impart his hoops wisdom and veteran know-how in a hurry. Because despite just arriving in Memphis this summer as part of the Ja Morant trade, Grant's stay could be of the abbreviated variety.
"Sources say Jerami Grant is excited to embrace his role as the veteran leader of this team entering the 2026-27 season," Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints wrote. "Looking ahead, he will be a prime trade candidate as the season progresses."
Grant, a near-19-point scorer last season, still has something to give a win-now team, but Memphis isn't one of those. The Grizzlies could grow into that label over time, but doing so would require—among a number of other things—giving as many reps as possible to young forwards Jaylen Wells, Cameron Boozer, GG Jackson, Karim López and Taylor Hendricks.
Miami Heat: Nikola Jović
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The Heat, admittedly, probably aren't looking to move Jović. They'd be selling low, for starters, after a disappointing 2025-26 season. They'd also be giving up all the things he could potentially give this team, like shotmaking, ball-handling and secondary playmaking.
Then again, they need tangible talents and not theoretical contributions, so if Jović encounters another rough patch, maybe Miami concludes he's just not ready to support this now Giannis Antetokounmpo-led group. That's assuming Jović even gets enough floor time to sink or swim, which is hardly a given when the 4 and 5 spots (where he has almost exclusively played) feature Antetokounmpo, Bam Adebayo, Bobby Portis, Nick Richards, Simone Fontecchio and (in spot minutes) Andrew Wiggins.
The Heat also need trade chips, since they emptied their collection to get Giannis. Jović, who turned 23 in June, should still qualify as such given his age and flashes of unique offensive ability for a 6'10" forward.
Milwaukee Bucks: Myles Turner
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While the Bucks finally split from Giannis Antetokounmpo this summer, their roster-resetting work is far from finished. Milwaukee needs to continue stockpiling assets in hopes of finding its next franchise face, and both Turner and Kel'el Ware could be a part of that effort.
"Already front-office executives around the league are chirping about how the Bucks are a team that could be targeted because they still have something a lot of teams wish they had: Big men who can shoot 3s and protect the rim," Yahoo Sports' Kevin O'Connor wrote.
Ware might be far from a proven commodity, but it's still tough to see the Bucks facing a real dilemma when considering which floor-spacing big man to keep. Turner is 30; Ware is 22. Ten out of 10 rebuilders would opt to keep the latter.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Cody Williams
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Like some other aggressive buyers, the Wolves have largely cleared out their trade candidates already. The young talent that remains on the roster feels largely like it's there because the front office wants it to be.
But Williams could be different. He only joined the group in August and arrived by way of a cost-cutting move intended to clear space before signing Jonathan Kuminga. For the Wolves, Williams might simply be the means to an end.
He could, however, hold some reclamation-project appeal to the right team—one not hoping to contend this season. Williams has been utterly unproductive through two NBA seasons (career 7.3 player efficiency rating), but he is 21 years old and a recent top-10 pick (No. 10 in 2024), so maybe hope isn't lost just yet.
New Orleans Pelicans: Jordan Poole
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New Orleans has nearly an entire roster full of trade candidates. None, though, carries the same urgency to trade as Poole.
His $34 million salary expires at season's end, so the Pels are up against a use-it-or-lose-it ticking clock. Some clubs could appreciate the flexibility that would eventually come with his acquisition. Others might be willing to pay that short-term price for a spark-plug rental, especially if Poole shows off his shooting range, scoring touch and slippery handles.
The Pelicans could also see value in giving Poole's minutes (23.9 last season) to someone else. At point guard, they need to either showcase Dejounte Murray as a trade candidate or follow his lead to Play-In participation, plus develop 2025 lottery pick Jeremiah Fears. On the perimeter, Poole could get pressed for playing time by Trey Murphy III, Herbert Jones, Saddiq Bey and newcomer Bennedict Mathurin.
New York Knicks: Pacôme Dadiet
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There are, to be clear, far juicier names being tossed around in New York. But the Knicks wouldn't just dismantle a championship core for financial reasons, would they? Fingers crossed.
Trading Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart or even Miles McBride feels too dramatic for a team that finally had its banner-raising breakthrough after such an agonizingly long wait.
The conversation is entirely different with Dadiet, who has shown so little since arriving as the No. 25 pick in 2024 that he may already have negative trade value. But if New York needs $3 million in expiring salary to get a trade across the finish line, he'd be a no-brainer inclusion.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Thomas Sorber
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The Thunder had to make a few financial cuts to their rotation this summer, but just ask Sorber about how absurdly deep this roster remains.
Because unless the interior-bound 6'9", 250-pounder can handle power-forward duties, it could be a while before Sorber ever sees the floor. Center seems totally off-limits with Isaiah Hartenstein starting, and OKC having both Jaylin Williams (a key contributor throughout his four-plus-year tenure with the team) and Mr. Automatic Aday Mara on the bench.
Sorber, who is still working his way back from the ACL tear that erased his would-be rookie season, has no immediate or obvious paths to playing time. With the interior this crowded, he could get shopped around if the Thunder look light on the wings following their summer subtractions.
Orlando Magic: Goga Bitadze
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Should the Magic learn that the hiring of head coach Sean Sweeney wasn't enough to lift this group's first-round ceiling, then some wildly interesting names could hit the rumor mill.
For now, though, Orlando's focus should be strengthening the supporting cast around its costly core. If the Magic feel less than fully confident in their shooting and wing depth, they could flip Bitadze for a more obvious need-filler.
Bitadze is a solid backup big, but Orlando could be fine in that role without him after Nikola Vučević's return and the addition of rookie second-rounder Izaiyah Nelson.
Philadelphia 76ers: Justin Edwards
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The Sixers are clearly going for it after adding both Jaylen Brown and LeBron James this offseason to team with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. They'll give this roster every chance to succeed until it proves that it cannot.
They have as much star power as anyone in the Association, so if they seek help on the trade market, they'll merely shop for support players. And they might already have a pressing need there after reserve center Ariel Hukporti suffered a torn Achilles.
If they think covering that role is mission-critical, then they could sacrifice some wing depth to do it. Edwards, who barely averaged half as many minutes last season (15.3) as he did as a rookie (26.3), is a theoretical three-and-D wing, but he isn't guaranteed to deliver with either aspect of that role.
Phoenix Suns: Jalen Green
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There are a lot of different ways to imagine how the ideal co-star for Devin Booker would play. None of them remotely resemble Green.
Sure, when his three-ball is hitting, and his explosiveness is leaping off the screen, he seems like a star in the making. But even then, he isn't the passer, creator or consistent shooter you'd want alongside Booker in the backcourt.
Green might ultimately work best as an off-the-bench spark plug, but the Suns can't really use him as such when he is their second-highest-paid player and might have their second-deepest offensive bag (which says more about his teammates' limitations than anything).
Portland Trail Blazers: Jrue Holiday
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Portland's four-headed monster at point guard feels like the NBA's embodiment of the One's Gotta Go game. The Blazers have expressed confidence in their guard-heavy roster, but that's really their lone hope to avoid losing all leverage in trade talks.
There just isn't a great basketball way to slot Holiday, Damian Lillard, Ja Morant and Scoot Henderson into the same rotation. Especially when 2025-26 All-Star Deni Avdija needs plenty of touches, too. Things will only grow more crowded once Shaedon Sharpe returns from a meniscus tear.
If Portland needs to subtract a perimeter player, Holiday might offer the best blend of trade value and replaceability. Lillard and Morant have questionable value given their recent availability issues, and Henderson's stock seems too low to sell. Holiday should have ample appeal to win-now shoppers, and the Blazers have enough stoppers to get by without his defensive versatility.
Sacramento Kings: Domantas Sabonis
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The Kings have a few veterans who could easily appear here, but Sabonis has the best shot of actually bringing back something (or someone) of substance.
Sacramento wouldn't fetch a blank-check type of return for the three-time All-Star. There are gaps in his game at both ends of the floor, and he has the reputation of raising a regular-season floor but lowering a postseason ceiling. That said, he is an elite rebounder, an elite passer for a center and a true stat sheet-stuffer, so the right, offense-needy club could part with a real asset or two to get him.
And as an added bonus, getting rid of Sabonis might mean clearing Maxime Raynaud, an All-Rookie second-teamer last season, for take-off.
San Antonio Spurs: Harrison Barnes
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The Spurs re-signed Barnes this summer, and he took a big paycut to stay, so there is obviously a mutual appreciation of the other. His appearance here, then, is more about the lack of obvious alternatives.
We could have gotten bold and put De'Aaron Fox, but we don't actually believe it. Not yet, anyway. As talented as San Antonio's young guards are, Fox is still the best option for organizing and running an offense.
So, it's sort of Barnes by default. His experience and willingness to stay within his role are helpful to have, but a forward rotation featuring Devin Vassell, Julian Champagnie, Keldon Johnson, Carter Bryant and Tobias Harris could easily get by without him.
Toronto Raptors: Jakob Poeltl
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This is, admittedly, an easier-said-than-done response. If Toronto had a taker for Poeltl—and the three-year, $84.1 million extension he won't start until next season—he would've had a new hoops home by now.
It's still worth (repeatedly) working the phones to try getting something done. Because with Kawhi Leonard back north of the border, the Raptors might be just an upgrade at center away from contending for the Eastern Conference crown.
The Leonard-Scottie Barnes tandem should be one of basketball's best forward combos. An Immanuel Quickley-RJ Barrett backcourt is more than adequate. And this bench had a top-10 net rating last season. The other puzzle pieces might all be in place, but the Raptors need a more reliable and dynamic option at center to complete the picture.
Utah Jazz: Josh Green
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Care to guess how many players on the Jazz will make more money than Green this season? Here's a hint: It's a much smaller number than the amount of players likely to log more minutes than him.
The answer is two: Jaren Jackson Jr. and Lauri Markkanen. Everyone else is making less than Green's $14.7 million (expiring) salary, which isn't an egregious amount by NBA standards but could easily read that way if he isn't part of the regular rotation.
He isn't guaranteed to be a locked-in piece of the nightly plans. He sort of fits the three-and-D label, but Utah could turn different directions to address those needs, getting more defense from Josh Okogie and more shooting out of Svi Mykhailiuk. Tack on sparky scorer Brice Sensabaugh and whichever prized prospect gets squeezed out of the starting five (Darryn Peterson or Ace Bailey), and that's a healthy wing reserve unit without a nearly $15 million Green.
Washington Wizards: Anthony Davis
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This might be the least fun slide to write, because the best-case-scenario season for the reworked Wizards could be all kinds of fun. But does a team with this much youth really want to lock itself into a major-money arrangement with an oft-injured 33-year-old? It certainly should not.
"There's almost no chance the Wizards will give him that max extension—not with his injury history, not at his age, not with the team in this stage of its development and the punitive first and second aprons looming," The Athletic's David Aldridge and Josh Robbins wrote. "Even as the team has said repeatedly that acquiring Davis and point guard Trae Young through trades earlier this year was done to help Washington begin to compete and try to win games after three years of tanking, the Wizards' future ... still revolves around its young core group, led now by AJ Dybantsa, the first pick in this year's draft."
Washington already overpaid Young to stick around, but at least he is young enough (28) to pilot this offense for a while and generally reliable to hit the hardwood. Doubling down with anything close to a max deal for Davis would wreck the Wizards' cap sheet, making it drastically more difficult to keep all of this young talent it has collected. Better to find a taker for Davis now and let someone else calculate his next contract.
