20 NBA players who could be traded this offseason

Giannis Antetokounmpo would be the biggest name to hit the trade market in years if he ultimately requests a trade from Milwaukee this summer. Let's hope that the two-time MVP makes his request sooner rather than later though because the rest of the trade market will likely be on hold until his intentions are made clear. If he makes a request, it'll also be interesting to see what his list looks like as that will have a huge impact on the return. The Spurs make a ton of sense, but the Rockets are the ones that should push the chips.

We don't know where Kevin Durant will be traded this summer, but we do know that he will be traded this summer. For whichever teams miss out on Giannis, KD could be a nice consolation prize at a fraction of the cost. Expect the Spurs, Rockets, Knicks and Timberwolves to snoop around for Durant. He probably won't have a huge say in where he goes this time around, but most contenders will be interested in what he brings to the table. My guess is that the Spurs take a half-measure and trade for him instead of going all-in for Giannis.

Karl-Anthony Towns finds himself on this list mostly because he'd be the big contract going out the door if the Knicks were to trade for the likes of Giannis or KD. KAT actually had a very impressive season, making third-team All-NBA after averaging 24.4 PPG, 12.8 RPG, and 3.1 APG with 53-42-83 shooting splits. The Suns would make a lot of sense for him, given his relationship with Devin Booker.

The Lakers have said they have no interest in trading Austin Reaves (and they shouldn't), but...if the right deal were to come along, like a Giannis or a Bam Adebayo suddenly became available, then the Lakers would certainly have to include Reaves in the package. However, they probably shouldn't be trading him for a player who isn't an All-Star because Reaves might just end up becoming one this season.

Jaylen Brown probably isn't getting traded this offseason, but the Celtics are definitely going to have to trade some of their big contracts as they take what will likely be a "gap" year from contending while they wait for Jayson Tatum to recover from his Achilles rupture. If they receive the right offer - say, the Rockets miss out on Giannis and offer a couple of their young prospects and future draft capital - the Celtics would be crazy not to at least consider it.

It's time, Hornets. Time to end the LaMelo Ball era in Charlotte. He's incredibly talented and productive, but such an unserious basketball player thus far in his five-year career. The team should sell high on LaMelo and build around Brandon Miller, whoever they select with the fourth overall pick, and whatever they get in return for Ball (which should include a couple of first-round picks and maybe another young prospect).

The 2024-25 season was incredibly successful for the Cavaliers, but came to an incredibly disappointing end in the second round of the playoffs. Unfortunately, this isn't the first ugly exit from the playoffs for this iteration of the Cavs, so it's very possible that heads will roll this offseason. And Jarrett Allen is probably first on the chopping block, especially now that Darius Garland is out for four to five months recovering from toe surgery. The Lakers would love a center like Allen, but it's unclear what kind of players and picks the Cavs will want in return.

Andrew Wiggins is on here because he's on a very tradable contract and the Heat are probably trying to make moves this offseason. At 30 years old, he's still in or at least close to his prime, especially considering how elite of an athlete he is. He's dealt with some personal issues and injuries in recent years, but he's always just productive enough and has a high enough ceiling when he's playing well to not be viewed as a negative asset. 

It seems like a near certainty that Nic Claxton will get traded this summer. He's on a great contract that descends over the next three seasons. He's both a vertically and laterally athletic center. He's only 26. And there are a handful of contenders that are in the need for a center that will be willing to pay a handsome price for him, even though he's not an elite center. If the Lakers can't land Jarrett Allen, they'll certainly give the Nets a call.

What a difference a couple of years can make. A few years ago, Ja Morant was on his way to becoming the face of the NBA and the Memphis Grizzlies seemed destined to be a contender for the rest of the decade. Today, after a disappointing end to their season, the latter appears to be at a franchise crossroads having just hired head coach Taylor Jenkins. And the former could presumably be had for the right price. Maybe a point guard-needy team like the Kings or Heat makes an offer too good for Memphis to pass on.

Well, Charlotte already traded Mark Williams once at the last trade deadline (only to have the trade rescinded by the Lakers), so we know that he isn't part of their long-term plans. The big man has a lot of potential, but also has the propensity to get injured (which is the reason the Lakers ultimately didn't want him). Still, he's probably worth a team taking a flyer on for a protected first-rounder because he has All-Star potential as a rim-runner and protector. 

In almost any Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant, Jaylen Brown, etc. trade, Jalen Green will be an outgoing piece in that deal because of his movable salary and potential. He's still only 23 years old, and even if he fails to capitalize on all of his potential, he should still end up being a Zach LaVine-type of two-guard. If he gets traded, look for a team like the Milwaukee Bucks or Brooklyn Nets to try to get their hands on him.

Much like Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun could be the outgoing piece if the Rockets try to level up this offseason. Sengun, who averaged 19.1 PPG, 10.3 RPG and 4.9 APG, has much more trade value than Green, so Houston would probably only consider trading him for one of the bigger fish on the market like Giannis Antetokounmpo or Jaylen Brown.

What on earth are the Kings doing? A few years ago, they had both Tyrese Haliburton and De'Aaron Fox, now they have a giant hole at point guard and Sabonis and Zach LaVine to show for it. Unfortunately, that combination is not leading them to the promised land, so they may want to consider dealing Sabonis, who averaged 19.1 PPG, 13.9 RPG, and six APG, if they can jump-start yet another rebuild.

Herb Jones is coming off of an injury-riddled fourth season where he only played 20 games. If the team decides to try to rebuild this offseason, then contenders will be chomping at the bit to try to deal for the former first-team All-Defense performer. If he can get back to being a good three-point shooter like he was two seasons ago (41.8 percent), then he'll be one of the better three-and-D wing in the NBA.

The Trail Blazers have a number of intriguing talents across their roster, but it's unclear which, if any of the players (Shaedon Sharpe, Deni Avdija, Scoot Henderson) is going to separate himself from the rest of the group and develop into a superstar. We know Anfernee Simons isn't that guy, so it's probably better for those three potential stars if he weren't on the team this coming season. At the same time, he's still a very solid scoring guard and should fetch a solid return. Perhaps a team like the Magic will come calling.

Deandre Ayton is an eye-of-the-beholder player at this point. On one hand, he could be a distressed trade asset that blooms late for the right team and finally delivers on the potential that made him the number one pick in the 2018 draft. On the other hand, he could continue to be what he's been his whole career - an immensely talented player who doesn't really like basketball. 

The Spurs value Devin Vassell, but he's probably fourth on the totem pole behind Victor Wembanyama, Stefon Castle and De'Aaron Fox in terms of the franchise's priorities. Thus, if the team does make a move this offseason to acquire the likes of Kevin Durant or Giannis Antetokounmpo, Vassell would almost certainly be one of the outgoing players. He's a good player now, but has Derrick White kind of potential if everything goes right for him. 

Last season was a total embarrassment for the Philadelphia 76ers and Paul George. They missed the play-in tournament and he looked like he was completely washed. Was it bad luck or a sign that his six-time All-NBA career was coming to an end? If the Sixers think it is the latter, look for them to unload Podcast P to a team that's willing to take on his huge contract in hopes that he's simply a distressed asset.

Everyone in the media is doing the Brian Windhorst-trademarked "What's going on in Utah?" segment after the Jazz hired Nepo-baby Austin Ainge and Ainge insinuated that there would be no more tanking moving forward. Because the Jazz don't really have a foundational franchise player yet, that would suggest that literally everyone is on the table - Lauri Markkanen, Collin Sexton, Walker Kessler, Jordan Clarkson - you name it, they're available for the right price.