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1 Trade Every NBA Team Wishes It Could Make Right Now

Zach Buckley

Beyond the rare useful player who makes it to the buyout market, NBA teams are past the point of adding talent to their rosters.

But what if they weren't? What if the basketball gods felt extra generous and gave every franchise one more crack at trade season?

For some, that would open the door to covering roster flaws ahead of the grueling postseason. For others, it might be a chance to send out win-now talent in exchange for long-term assets that could help with future playoff pushes.

Since we're bending the rules with the timing of trades, we'll also ignore them on the financial front. That means we're focused more on finding the basic framework of a swap, not necessarily full packages that would satisfy the league's money-matching requirements.

Got it? Great, let's start correcting some flaws.

Atlanta Hawks

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The Trade: Jalen Johnson, Vit Krejci and two second-round picks to Detroit Pistons for Alec Burks and Cory Joseph

If this was the offseason, we could entertain interesting discussions on whether it's time to finally trade John Collins or if consideration should be given to breaking apart the Trae Young-Dejounte Murray backcourt. Since we're still in season, though, Atlanta can ignore those big-picture questions and shore up its rotation for the playoff run ahead.

The Hawks, who sit just 22nd in defensive efficiency, are short on stoppers, so they could use a perimeter pest like Joseph and a versatile defender like Burks. Both are willing ball-movers too, which Atlanta desperately needs. Despite getting better than 16 dimes a night out of Young and Murray, the Hawks are 29th in assist percentage.

The Pistons seem keen on competing next season, but what's the rush? The team timeline suggests adopting a much more patient approach would be the prudent move, so Detroit could want to see whether Johnson, Krejci or the picks could stick with its long-term core.

Boston Celtics

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The Trade: Payton Pritchard and 2025 first-round pick (lottery-protected) to Charlotte Hornets for P.J. Washington

With Robert Williams III back on the injury report (this time with a strained hamstring), Boston might be kicking itself for not doing more to fortify its frontcourt at the deadline. Mike Muscala's combination of size and shooting is helpful, but his limitations have already shown.

Paying up for Washington could be the ultimate mulligan. His two-way versatility would shine at both ends, and he'd offer an alternative to paying Grant Williams this summer since both are heading to restricted free agency.

Washington might be the proverbial jack of all trades, master of none, but the Shamrocks could squeeze plenty out of his well-rounded skill set. He works as both a physical 4 or a small-ball 5, and depending on what the night calls for, he can contribute points, rebounds, assists and threes.

If Charlotte doesn't plan on paying Washington, this trade would net a first-round pick and allow it to see whether Pritchard could lead its second team for the next half-decade.

Brooklyn Nets

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The Trade: Seth Curry to Chicago Bulls for Coby White

The Nets can't go full rebuild mode since the Houston Rockets control their first-round picks in perpetuity, but Brooklyn pushed its timeline toward the future when it dealt both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving at the deadline. Swapping out the 32-year-old Curry for the 23-year-old White would be another step in that direction.

While White's restricted free agency could be hard to calculate, the Nets could see the appeal of his outside shooting, shot-creation and transition attacking. Assuming Brooklyn still wants Ben Simmons in its future, White could be a fit with him since he works both on and off the ball.

As for the Bulls, Curry could step in as an upgraded version of White without the thorny restricted free agency upcoming. Curry's superior shooting could help scratch one of Chicago's biggest itches, and he'd bring a more polished offensive arsenal.

Charlotte Hornets

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The Trade: Terry Rozier and Kelly Oubre Jr. to Miami Heat for Kyle Lowry, Nikola Jović, Omer Yurtseven and 2028 first-round pick (top-four protected)

Is there a reason the Hornets weren't more active at the deadline? They're headed nowhere now and have few certainties going forward. This felt like the right time for some serious housecleaning.

Rozier and Oubre are solid, but a club in Charlotte's position shouldn't consider them keepers. The Hornets could see that level of upside in Jović and Yurtseven, though, and a lightly protected future first from a team with as much veteran talent as Miami could prove hugely valuable. Taking on Lowry's bloated salary isn't ideal, but he could send some veteran savvy LaMelo Ball's way.

Miami, meanwhile, might be desperate enough for half-court offense to flip three assets for two non-stars. Rozier and Oubre are better shooters than they've shown, and if they found their rhythm in South Beach, they could supply the breathing room Miami's attack so badly needs.

Chicago Bulls

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The Trade: Coby White to Indiana Pacers for T.J. McConnell

It's hard to overstate the significance of Lonzo Ball's absence, which, by the way, could include a third surgical procedure on his right knee. Ball checked so many boxes for the Bulls, and this trade might help cover a couple of them.

Switching from White to McConnell would be a downgrade in shooting, and maybe that's a deal-breaker for some Bulls backers since this team is short on spacers. Still, since Chicago gets significant scoring out of Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vučević, the Bulls might get more mileage out of McConnell's distributing and feisty defense.

The Pacers, meanwhile, are better positioned to prioritize the future, so they might welcome the opportunity to get a look at White and see if he could fit with this core.

Cleveland Cavaliers

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The Trade: Isaac Okoro and two second-round picks to Charlotte Hornets for Kelly Oubre Jr.

The Cavs find themselves hovering somewhere between good and very good, but they need a two-way wing to make that final jump to great. Could Oubre be that wing? Considering him the missing piece of a championship puzzle feels risky, but given Cleveland's limited trade budget after the Donovan Mitchell deal, this could be the club's best hope.

Oubre is most interesting when he's making his outside shots, which happens less often than you'd like. Still, he's hit better than 34 percent from range in three of the last six seasons. If the Cavs can coax even average accuracy out of him, that'd be enough to keep defenses honest and maintain proper spacing.

As for the Hornets, trading today's talent for tomorrow's hope is exactly the kind of move they should make. Okoro is a tenacious defender, and at 22 years old, he has time to expand his offensive arsenal.

Dallas Mavericks

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The Trade: Christian Wood to New Orleans Pelicans for Jaxson Hayes, Naji Marshall and 2024 first-round pick (lottery-protected)

This would be a tricky sell to the Mavs fanbase—and maybe the front office—since they'd be giving up the most talented player in the trade. But now that they have Kyrie Irving alongside Luka Dončić, they could see value in adding a pair of athletic, energetic defenders (plus a first-round pick) at the expense of an offense-only contributor like Wood.

Hayes has the bounce and length to handle the rim-running role Dallas anticipated JaVale McGee would fill. Marshall has enough size and spirit to pester bigger perimeter players. The Mavs might still not have enough defense to win it all, but this would get them closer to passing that test.

New Orleans, meanwhile, has a shooting shortage and could use another frontcourt scorer to help mask Zion Williamson's ongoing absence. Wood might leave plenty to be desired on defense, but he's absurdly skilled on the offensive end for a 6'10" combo big.

Denver Nuggets

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The Trade: Zeke Nnaji and Ish Smith to Washington Wizards for Delon Wright

History holds that teams typically need top-10 rankings on offense and defense—at a bare minimum—to capture the crown. The Nuggets fall just short of that, sitting second on offense but 11th on defense.

Adding one more stopper like Wright might be the final nudge they need to get over the hump. Plus, he'd provide more pep to the non-Jamal Murray minutes since he's a more efficient scorer and better (and more willing) shooter than Smith.

If the Wizards accept that they aren't contenders, they could be drawn to Nnaji's upside. The 22-year-old hasn't played a ton during his brief NBA career, but a 6'9", 240-pounder with a 40.2 percent career splash rate will always turn heads.

Detroit Pistons

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The Trade: Bojan Bogdanović to Los Angeles Clippers for Terance Mann, Robert Covington and Brandon Boston Jr.

Detroit apparently hopes to compete next season, which is why it held on to the 33-year-old Bogdanović at the deadline. What's the rush? The bulk of this roster has three seasons of experience or less, and as exciting as the young players are, they all need more polish.

Give the Pistons a do-over, and maybe they'd consider prioritizing the future instead. Especially since this isn't a way-in-the-future type of trade. Mann is 26 years old, right in that sweet spot of having established himself but still ascending. The rest of this return would net the serviceable Covington (to keep or flip at next year's deadline) and a long-term wild card in Boston.

Clippers fans probably aren't enamored with the notion of losing Mann, but maybe the front office feels differently. For whatever reason, L.A. has buried him behind Russell Westbrook—Westbrook is averaging 30.4 minutes for the Clippers, while Mann is down to 22.6 since his arrival—in which case it'd be flipping a reserve and two players out of the rotation for a 20-point scorer with a fiery three-ball.

Golden State Warriors

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The Trade: Moses Moody, Patrick Baldwin Jr. and 2026 second-round pick (via ATL) to Orlando Magic for Gary Harris

The Warriors were right to pivot from their two-timeline plan by trading James Wiseman, but they didn't go far enough. This roster still lacks proper support for Stephen Curry, an all-time great who either isn't showing any signs of aging or shows them only through an increase in injury issues.

The Dubs need more defense and spacers. Harris would check both boxes. He's always been a defensive pest on the ball, and his three-point percentage is back up to 40.3 since the start of last season.

Orlando has perhaps proved more competitive than expected, but this team should not be laser-focused on the present. Harris is helpful to have on a winning team, but a rebuilder like the Magic could be drawn to the upside of Moody, who might bear a close resemblance to Harris if everything breaks right, and Baldwin, who intrigues as a potential 6'9" shot-maker.

Houston Rockets

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The Trade: Jae'Sean Tate to Sacramento Kings for Kessler Edwards and three second-round picks

With Eric Gordon (mercifully) out of Space City, the Rockets don't have many veterans left to dangle for assets. Even Tate doesn't really fit the label since he's only in his third NBA season, but as a 27-year-old with fairly defined skills, he comes the closest.

Tate hustles his...uh, tail off at both ends, and he does a lot of the little things that are conducive to winning basketball—you know, provided he was in a situation that cared about winning. Since the Rockets are (rightfully) thinking about their future, they could move him to a win-now shopper in exchange for some scratch-off tickets.

Is there a chance Houston doesn't snag a single rotation player out of Kessler and the three picks? Absolutely. But the possibility that one (or hopefully more) hits is a rich enough reward to justify that risk.

Indiana Pacers

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The Trade: Chris Duarte, T.J. McConnell, Jalen Smith and 2023 first-round pick (lottery-protected, via CLE) to Atlanta Hawks for John Collins

It's hard to pinpoint where the Pacers are in their rebuilding project, but that would get a whole lot easier to calculate if they plugged their hole at power forward.

Collins has been on Indy's radar before and for good reason. He can finish above the rim or shred nets from distance, making him an enviable pick-and-roll or pick-and-pop partner with Tyrese Haliburton. Collins' shooting would also help keep the runway cleared for Haliburton to work those same pick-and-choose plays with Myles Turner.

Because Collins has spent so much of his NBA tenure on the trade block, one can deduce that Atlanta is less than convinced he's a critical part of what this team wants to do. The Hawks could conceivably see the value in moving him for a first-round pick, a three-and-D wing (Duarte), a table-setting backup point guard (McConnell) and a 22-year-old stretch big (Smith).

Los Angeles Clippers

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The Trade: Robert Covington and Brandon Boston Jr. to Brooklyn Nets for Joe Harris

If the Clippers plan to keep rolling with Russell Westbrook, they should look for every opportunity to maximize the spacing around him. Adding Harris and his 43.8 career three-point percentage might go a long way toward accomplishing that task.

The 31-year-old has had a tricky time adapting to an evolving role in Brooklyn, and he's had enough bouts with the injury bug to think the Nets aren't wild over the thought of covering his remaining contract. Given how much L.A. has invested in its roster, it might not blink over adding Harris' salary, provided it sees his outside shot as a difference-maker.

If Harris' salary and sagging stats have irreparably harmed his trade value, maybe Brooklyn would consider this a sufficient return. Realistically, that would likely hinge on its assessment of Boston's upside and Covington's ability to capture the regular rotation role he's been unable to carve out this season.

Los Angeles Lakers

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The Trade: Lonnie Walker IV to Detroit Pistons for Alec Burks

After overhauling the supporting cast around LeBron James and Anthony Davis at the deadline, the Lakers may not have the stomach for the massive move they'd need to rationalize giving up a 2029 first-round pick. Since they are otherwise short on sweeteners, though, that would limit their options.

Is Burks gettable? You can argue he should be as a 31-year-old on a young Detroit team that is posting one of the worst winning percentages in franchise history. He can't change the Pistons' fortunes, but he might put the Lakers in better position for playoff success as a spot-up shooter, willing defender and secondary shot-creator.

Why might the Pistons consider this? If they think Walker can grow this core. He needs a new deal this summer, but having around him for the stretch run would grant Detroit a clearer assessment of his ability and fit with this roster.

Memphis Grizzlies

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The Trade: Ziaire Williams, David Roddy, Kennedy Chandler and two first-round picks to Toronto Raptors for O.G. Anunoby

Is the notion of Memphis pursuing Anunoby a novel idea? Not in the least, but that's OK. It made sense for the Grizzlies to chase the two-way swingman at the deadline—a pursuit in which they were reportedly willing to give up three first-round picks, per ESPN's Zach Lowe—and it would make just as much sense now to rekindle that pursuit.

The Grizzlies are on the cusp of greatness, but they still might need a high-level three-and-D wing to break through. (Sounds eerily similar to those old grit-and-grind groups, doesn't it?) Anunoby can be that player. He might be the best perimeter defender in the league with enough zip to hang with guards and enough fight to bang with bigs.

The 25-year-old also manages to keep himself in a constant state of offensive evolution. This could be the first time in six seasons that he doesn't set a career high in scoring, but even if it is, he's on course to better his 2021-22 numbers in field-goal shooting, free throws, free-throw percentage and true shooting percentage.

Toronto had the chance to exchange win-now talent for long-term assets at the deadline and didn't. In fact, the Raptors went the buying route instead and brought Jakob Poeltl back north of the border. Guess what that got this group? A 6-5 record and the 18th spot in net efficiency ranks since the deadline. This future-focused return package would push Toronto in the direction this franchise should be heading.

Miami Heat

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The Trade: Kyle Lowry, Nikola Jović, Omer Yurtseven and 2028 first-round pick (top-four protected) to Charlotte Hornets for Terry Rozier and Kelly Oubre Jr.

It's time for Miami to pull the plug on the Lowry experiment. The only thing sadder than his injury updates is the real possibility that he isn't worth the wait anymore. The Heat miss his on-court orchestration, but that only goes so far when he's finishing fewer than 40 percent of his field goals and 34 percent of his threes.

Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo deserve more help. This trade would deliver some. No, the deal probably wouldn't push Miami back to the conference finals, but it would give this group's 26th-ranked offense more oomph. Rozier can find shots for himself and his teammates, Oubre is electric in the open court and both are capable (albeit streaky) shooters. Plus, they give enough effort on defense to get on coach Erik Spoelstra's good side.

As for the Hornets, an overhaul around LaMelo Ball is overdue. Anyone with win-now talent who doesn't fit his timeline should be heavily shopped. This deal would give Charlotte a first-round pick, a first-round rookie in Jović and a 24-year-old center in Yurtseven, plus a sage leader for however long Lowry sticks around Buzz City.

Milwaukee Bucks

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The Trade: 2024 second-round pick (via POR) to San Antonio Spurs for Gorgui Dieng

It's possible Milwaukee's wish list is empty. The Bucks have the Association's top winning percentage and second-best net rating since the All-Star break, and they've barely been whole this season. Godspeed to everyone else once Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday start adding to the 132 minutes they've shared.

To avoid the no-trade-needed cop-out, though, Milwaukee might want a more reliable third big than Meyers Leonard. Despite what Dieng's season stats suggest, he should still qualify. You only have to travel back to last season to find him with a per-36-minutes double-double average (14.9 points and 11.7 rebounds) and a 42.6 three-point percentage.

Dieng has barely played this season and not been good when he has, so San Antonio would be overjoyed to get anything in return for him.

Minnesota Timberwolves

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The Trade: Taurean Prince, Naz Reid and two second-round picks to Brooklyn Nets for Cameron Johnson

It's tough to tell what the Timberwolves need without knowing how they'll look upon Karl-Anthony Towns' return, but an impact forward feels like an unscratched itch. Minnesota fans could think of Johnson as a souped-up and younger version of Prince.

Johnson is one of the better long-range shooters in this league, and he is growing his inside-the-arc menu. Prior to this season, threes accounted for 66.8 percent of his shots. Now that number is only 57.8 percent. When coupled with the fact that he's posting his second-highest true shooting percentage, that shows he's maturing out of a specialist role.

While the Nets welcomed Johnson as part of their return package for Kevin Durant, they might be talked out of a long-term future with him. Johnson needs a new deal this offseason, and Brooklyn has enough forward depth to move on without him. Prince could fill a similar role for now, Reid would address this team's lack of size and maybe one or both of those picks yields someone useful.

New Orleans Pelicans

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The Trade: Jaxson Hayes and Kira Lewis Jr. to San Antonio Spurs for Doug McDermott

Teams don't have to be great from three to win in the modern game, but it sure makes things a lot easier. The top 20 in three-pointers features 15 teams with winning records.

The Pelicans didn't make that cut. They sit in a tie for 23rd with 10.7 makes per outing. Teams behind them include three rebuilders and the Lakers, who changed out a big chunk of their roster to address their shooting shortage.

New Orleans doesn't need that type of transformation, but a net-shredder like McDermott would help open things up for this offense. Since he's one of the last veterans stuck in San Antonio, he shouldn't be too hard to get. The Spurs might be content with letting him go and picking up the developmental process with Hayes and Lewis.

New York Knicks

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The Trade: RJ Barrett, Obi Toppin, Miles McBride and 2025 first-round pick (top-four protected) to Chicago Bulls for Zach LaVine

Since the start of February, the Knicks are 12-4 with the third-best net rating. It'd be hard to blame them if they opted to play this out and see how this club fares in the postseason.

Still, it seems New York will inevitably come up one star short of escaping the East. Unless, of course, it could swing something like this.

The Knicks discussed a LaVine deal at the deadline, per Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, and he's done nothing to play his way off their radar. LaVine could be the floor-spacer this offense needs to breathe, plus the third scorer who puts defenses into pick-your-poison scenarios alongside Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson.

The Bulls feel like they're trying to avoid the inevitable by keeping this core together, but a massive rebuild is likely coming. Why not now? Chicago could let someone else pay Nikola Vučević in free agency and use deals of LaVine and DeMar DeRozan to restock the shelves. Barrett shows cornerstone flashes at times, Toppin almost always produces when he plays, McBride is a defensive tone-setter and a lightly protected future first has the chance to exponentially increase in value.

Oklahoma City Thunder

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The Trade: Dario Šarić, Ousmane Dieng, Tre Mann and two first-round picks to Toronto Raptors for O.G. Anunoby

Oklahoma City isn't reaching for the fast-forward button just yet, but this remains one of the most intriguing options to broker a blockbuster. With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander posting MVP-caliber numbers as this young nucleus ascends alongside him, the Thunder look closer to competing than even the Sooner State's most optimistic residents could have imagined.

Put Anunoby on this roster, and the Thunder might have a second-round ceiling—and who knows how much higher a healthy Chet Holmgren might raise it? Anunoby and Lu Dort would be fire extinguishers to throw at the league's hottest scorers, and OKC might have enough shots available to satisfy Anunoby's reported desire for an expanded role.

If Toronto welcomes a rebuild, it should make its first call to Oklahoma City since the Thunder are overloaded with draft picks and prospects. The Raptors might haggle another first, but if they are fans of Dieng (who has the size and length they like) and Mann (a daring off-the-dribble scorer who needs to up his efficiency), maybe this would be enough. Šarić's expiring salary would help get an early start on cleaning the books.

Orlando Magic

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The Trade: Gary Harris to Dallas Mavericks for Dāvis Bertāns, Josh Green and Jaden Hardy

The Magic are plenty feisty, but more than anything, they are young. Their rotation is almost entirely constructed of 25-and-under talent, which makes the 28-year-old Harris appear out of place. His win-now game can only do so much for a group that isn't ready to win yet.

By giving up Harris and taking back the bloated contract of Bertāns, Orlando could up its collection of youth. Green is a lockdown defender who found efficiency with his three-point shot. If he maintains his accuracy (40.9 percent) while upping his volume (2.8 attempts), he'd rocket up the three-and-D rankings. Hardy is a wild card, but rebuilders should want to bet on a 20-year-old with his shot-creation shops.

Green figured to factor heavily in the Mavericks' plans after the deadline, but he's only getting 24.9 minutes per night since the All-Star break. Harris could earn enough trust from coach Jason Kidd to pass that number with ease.

Philadelphia 76ers

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The Trade: Furkan Korkmaz, Danuel House Jr. and three second-round picks to Brooklyn Nets for Royce O'Neale

The Sixers don't have many resources to throw around, but they'd really help themselves by finding another two-way wing. Given the budget constraints, O'Neale might be as good as Philly can get.

He's a defense-first swingman who keeps increasing his perimeter volume without sacrificing his effectiveness. His 5.5 three-point attempts are a career high, and so is his 39.1 percent splash rate. He's even unlocking new layers of his game, manifested in the 3.8 assists he's tossing out per night.

The Nets, who are in this strange spot where they need to think about the future but wouldn't gain much by bottoming out, might deem O'Neale as expendable since they have one of the best three-and-D collections going. If they are fans of Korkmaz or believers in a House bounce-back, they might gladly welcome the pair if they're attached to a trio of second-round picks.

Phoenix Suns

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The Trade: Landry Shamet to Los Angeles Clippers for Robert Covington

At the deadline, the Suns emptied their bank accounts, smashed their piggy banks, scoured through the couch cushions and made their best possible offer for Kevin Durant. When an all-time great is available and you have reason to believe said all-time great is the key to unlocking your championship path, that's a move you make 12 times out of 10.

It doesn't make finding fake deals for Phoenix very easy, though. The Suns might have to use players instead of picks to get anything done, but maybe they'd see Shamet as expendable since they have other shot-makers like Damion Lee and Terrence Ross on the second team.

Phoenix could see more value in adding a versatile, defense-first player like Covington over a sniping specialist like Shamet. The Suns have searched for the best three-and-D wings to put around their stars, and Covington could join that conversation. He's a career 36.0 percent three-point shooter and, according to Dunks & Threes, an 89th percentile player in defensive estimated plus-minus.

Portland Trail Blazers

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The Trade: Anfernee Simons, Shaedon Sharpe and 2023 first-round pick (lottery-protected, via NYK) to Minnesota Timberwolves for Karl-Anthony Towns

Not to burst any Blazers bubbles, but this is absolutely pie-in-the-sky speculation. But if Portland isn't daring to dream as big as possible, then what's it doing? Damian Lillard only has so much gas in the tank, and this roster needs dramatic improvement to give him a shot at contention.

"We want to be championship level as soon as possible," Blazers general manager Joe Cronin told reporters last month, adding, "We feel extremely obligated to put a great roster around Damian Lillard."

The Blazers should go for broke. Would a trio of Lillard, Towns and Jerami Grant put Portland in the championship discussion? That's hard to say. What feels undeniable, though, is that this trade would put the team a lot closer to that conversation. Lillard and Towns could pick-and-roll or pick-and-pop opponents into oblivion, and Grant might be at his best as a third option. Portland would have to fill in the cracks around them, but that'd be quite the foundation to build upon.

This feels early for Minnesota to make such a dramatic move after only acquiring Rudy Gobert last offseason, but vultures are already circling the Gopher State and waiting for Towns to shake loose. Simons could shoulder some of the offensive burden on Anthony Edwards and clear up more room on the interior for Gobert to operate. Sharpe and the first are more long-term plays, but Minnesota should be making those kinds of moves to brighten the futures of the 21-year-old Edwards and 22-year-old Jaden McDaniels.

Sacramento Kings

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The Trade: Harrison Barnes, Davion Mitchell and 2028 first-round pick (top-five protected) to Washington Wizards for Kyle Kuzma and Delon Wright

The Kings kept it conservative at the deadline, picking up Kessler Edwards but otherwise sitting out trade season. On the one hand, you want to reward this often-impatient franchise for practicing patience. On the other, you kind of wish they'd gone for it, because this group has dropped hints that it might be capable of doing something special.

Sacramento has the NBA's best offense. Since the start of February, it's piling up nearly three more points per 100 possessions than the second-ranked attack. If the Kings ever find their footing defensively, look out.

So why not make a push for Kuzma, a previous target of this team, and Wright? They'd beef up the defense, and each could enhance the offense too. Kuzma is a 6'9", three-level scorer with enough off-the-dribble verve to free himself in tight spaces. Wright is a clever passer who can finish at the rim and has never gotten more from his outside attack (0.9 threes per game, 38.4 percent).

Why would the Wizards do this deal? Frankly, they wouldn't if they planned on keeping Kuzma, but if they envision he walks in free agency, they could find a reasonable (and cheaper) replacement in Barnes. If Mitchell ramps up his development, maybe he'd be the one to close Washington's revolving door at point guard. And based on how things usually go in Sacramento, wouldn't you like your chances that the Kings aren't very good five years from now?

San Antonio Spurs

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The Trade: Doug McDermott to Toronto Raptors for Malachi Flynn and three future second-round picks

The Spurs have shipped out most of their useful veterans, but McDermott is one of the few still awaiting his ticket out of town. San Antonio shouldn't make him wait any longer.

He's a 31-year-old specialist, but his specialty happens to be one of the more sought-after skills in the Association. Any shooting-starved squad would welcome his 41.0 career three-point percentage. His eight-figure salary isn't quite as inviting, but it's not overly onerous.

San Antonio would probably send McDermott to whichever team offers the most picks, but maybe Flynn could become more than a throw-in. The 24-year-old was a first-round pick in 2020, is shooting a personal-best 37.8 percent from distance and is a career per-36-minutes supplier of 4.7 assists against 1.3 turnovers.

Toronto Raptors

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The Trade: Malachi Flynn and three future second-round picks to San Antonio Spurs for Doug McDermott

Toronto has too much talent to be fighting for a play-in tournament invitation, which has led so many to wonder what's wrong with the Raptors. Here's a start: This team can't shoot. Toronto is 22nd in three-point makes and 27th in three-point percentage. On a probably directly related note, the Raptors also sit 28th in field-goal percentage.

This offense needs to breathe, and the addition of McDermott would help make that happen.

He's the kind of high-caliber shooter who demands constant attention from opposing defenses. If the Raptors had him racing around screens on one side of the floor, they could let their shot-creators cook on the other.

Utah Jazz

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The Trade: Kelly Olynyk to Golden State Warriors for Moses Moody and Patrick Baldwin Jr.

Apologies to anyone hoping to see a trade that would either lock the Jazz into the play-in tournament or catapult them into a top-six seed, but that wouldn't be my aim if I was calling the shots in Utah. This roster needs more blue-chip talent, and increasing the draft lottery odds is the best hope for finding it.

This isn't just about the ping-pong balls, though. One or both of Moody and Baldwin could lock themselves into this core. Moody seems overdue for a scenery change, but there's plenty to like about his three-and-D outlook. And in a best-case scenario, Baldwin would emerge as yet another mismatch-creating, jumbo-shot-maker in Salt Lake City.

The Warriors, meanwhile, might welcome the chance to give their frontcourt the attention it didn't get at the deadline. Olynyk would be a natural in their motion offense as a smart passer, solid screener and long-range shooter.

Washington Wizards

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The Trade: Johnny Davis and Isaiah Todd to Houston Rockets for Jae'Sean Tate

The Wizards have nestled into their normal nook between the proverbial rock and hard place. Per usual, they don't have nearly enough talent to compete for a championship, but they have too much to bottom out and maximize their draft lottery chances. I'd love to recommend a major move for massive support for Bradley Beal, but Washington doesn't have the trade chips to get a major deal done.

Instead, the Wizards could cobble together a few spare prospects who aren't in the rotation and package them for someone who would crack it. Washington is perpetually in need of defensive assistance, and Tate could provide that, along with a pinch of playmaking and close-range finishing.

Houston, meanwhile, would try to expand its prospect collection. Davis and Todd have, admittedly, shown nothing, but the former was taken 10th overall last summer, and Todd was the 31st pick in the draft prior. It's possible their games aren't good enough for this league, but it's too early to make that call.

Statistics courtesy of Basketball Reference and NBA.com and accurate through Thursday.

Zach Buckley covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, @ZachBuckleyNBA.

   

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