Five NBA teams that should consider trading into top three at draft

With the top pick in the 2023 NBA Draft seemingly a lock with Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs, the rumored activity has fallen around the second and third picks in June. With that in mind, the Charlotte Hornets (who pick second), are reportedly interested in taking Alabama forward Brandon Miller over G League Ignite guard Scoot Henderson — which logically has sparked interest from teams who want to trade up for Henderson.

Because of this interest, both teams in those slots seem to be interested in moving their picks for the right price. With the Charlotte Hornets picking at No. 2 and Trail Blazers at No. 3, here are five teams that should be inquiring about the cost of trading up for Henderson.

Toronto Raptors
After failing to make the postseason, the Toronto Raptors seem to be on the verge of hitting the reset button. Both of their starting guards, Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr., are set to be free agents this summer. Ditto for center Jakob Poeltl. Raptors general manager Bobby Webster said recently on TSN's First Up that he would like to retain all three players, but that could be a challenge for a team currently well over the cap. Keeping the trio could put the Raptors into the luxury tax with a roster that failed to escape the play-in tournament.

If the Raptors decide it's time to pull the trigger on a rebuild, trading for the No. 3 pick with the Trail Blazers could be a move that satisfies both teams. Portland wants to win now with Damian Lillard and a package built around All-NBA forward Pascal Siakam could help accomplish this. The Raptors could snag a top pick and start anew with forwards OG Anunoby and former Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes. This, like many of the other hypothetical trade packages for Portland, would likely only happen if the Hornets pass on Henderson, though.

New Orleans Pelicans
Much discussion has been had about the possibility of the New Orleans Pelicans trading into the No. 2 pick. At first, it was believed that All-Star forward Zion Williamson could even be on the table, though Shams Charania of Stadium has relayed that the Hornets are interested in acquiring Brandon Ingram instead, which gives legs to this potential move.

The Pelicans are a franchise that suddenly has a treasure trove of young players. As Williamson continues to struggle with injuries early in his career, New Orleans might want to get even younger in order to follow his timeline, hoping for a potential Joel Embiid-like career arc. And the Hornets could be content with the security of trading for a 25-year-old who has proven to be a 20-plus-point scorer to help build around 21-year-old All-Star guard LaMelo Ball. The Pelicans can take a gamble on a high-ceiling athletic guard who can build alongside Williamson going forward. If the Hornets and Pelicans can't make it work, the Trail Blazers could be interested as well.

Oklahoma City Thunder
The poster child of asset acquisition recently has been the Oklahoma City Thunder, as general manager Sam Presti has acquired an absurd 15 first-round picks between the 2023 and the 2029 NBA Drafts. With that sort of war chest available, why not use it to further maximize your chances at a top-tier prospect?

The Thunder were a surprise team in 2022, clearing the 40-win mark despite low preseason expectations. With an All-NBA guard in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, young talent in guard Josh Giddey and wing Jalen Williams and the expected return of 2022's No. 2 pick forward Chet Holmgren, the franchise's future is looking up. The Thunder likely can't take advantage of all of their acquired picks without trading some of them away and if you're going to trade them away, moving into the top-three for either Henderson or Miller could make Oklahoma City the home of one of the scariest young rosters in the NBA.

Chicago Bulls
The Windy City was excited to see what a core of guard Zach LaVine, forward DeMar DeRozan and center Nikola Vucevic could do, but after failing to reach the playoffs in 2023, the Bulls' time with this current squad might be running short (much like Toronto's). With a rebuild seemingly on the way, the city of Chicago could look to begin with a splash, especially given that they don't currently own the rights to any of their picks in 2023.

With the Trail Blazers looking for pieces to return to contention, a trade built around LaVine could interest Lillard and the Portland front office. As Portland continues to search for defensive versatility too, they may inquire on forward Patrick Williams being involved in the trade as well. If the Bulls commit to blowing up the core while shipping off DeRozan and Vucevic in the process, they could set themselves up well for a strong rebuild.

Brooklyn Nets
Another potential two-way forward that Portland could be interested in would be Brooklyn's Mikal Bridges. Bridges emerged in the second half of the season as a strong scorer, something that he proved unable to show much of with his limited role in Phoenix, but something that certainly made him more desirable. He is also one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA, capable of matching up on the opponent's best offensive player every night.

Brooklyn may be attached to Bridges after his post-trade emergence, though, and he is still under contract for three more seasons, which could dull the appeal of any such move. Should the franchise decide to fully commit to the rebuild without viewing Bridges as a key piece of the post-Kyrie Irving and post-Kevin Durant process, though, then maybe they can capitalize on his hype and land a top pick to build around for the future.