It's officially "Turn On Your Woj and Shams Alerts!" week.

This is to say, the 2024 NBA trade deadline has just about arrived. And what would this anarchic time of year be without some eleventh-hour conjecture? Nothing, nothing at all, that's what.

And so, I've cooked up five targets for every team in advance of the 3 p.m. EST gong striking on Thursday. You're welcome. Or I'm sorry.

Before we kick off the Speculation Solstice, here's a peek between my ears at how I went about compiling these polite-yet-urgent suggestions:

• Targets will take into account team needs as well as directions, aims and proven tendencies rather than exclusively what yours truly would do. This means I won't be treating the Detroit Pistons as indiscriminate sellers or the Oklahoma City Thunder as star-crossed buyers. 
• With that said, I have complete agency over fringe or unknown cases. Will the Golden State Warriors aggressively buy, patently sell, plan ahead for next year or do some combination of everything? That is up to me.
• Trade targets will be ranked in the order that I would pursue them. They will not necessarily appear in descending order of best fit. I'm also attempting to juggle team directions and tendencies, again, as well as the potential cost. Bigger names who offer idealistic fits may appear on lower-ladder rungs if their asset price tag lands on the prohibitive end. 
• Draft picks are not eligible for inclusion; only actual players. When dealing with sellers and rebuilding squads, the listed names will fall under one of two buckets: fliers who won't cost premium assets, or tantalizing prospects and youngsters who could and should be prioritized if and when said team dangles any desirable veterans on the auction block.

Because not all heroes wear capes, and also because it's my job, this list will be updated through Wednesday, Feb. 7, if and when any deals go down that mess with my totally flawless, certifiably inarguable trade-deadline big(gish) boards. You're welcome, or I'm sorry, once more.

News-breaker notices on? Good. Let's ride.

Atlanta Hawks

1. Lu Dort
2. Anthony Black
3. Taylor Hendricks
4. Dyson Daniels
5. Quentin Grimes

Figuring out how the Atlanta Hawks will handle the trade deadline is a difficult exercise. They are, by all accounts, sellers. But to what end? A soft reset? Impromptu calibration? Total rebuild around Trae Young and/or Jalen Johnson?

In the absence of that clarity, the Hawks' primary objective becomes "Who is the best long-term prospect we can bag in the seemingly inevitable Dejounte Murray trade?"

This board starts out ambitious, as it should. Dort isn't being bandied about the rumor mill, but the Oklahoma City Thunder no longer guarantee him (or Josh Giddey) spots in their highest-stakes lineups. His defense and age are conducive to whatever Atlanta does next around Young.

Would the Utah Jazz consider flipping Hendricks rather than mystery-box first-round equity? Probably not. But his playing time will be capped unless they move John Collins or steer into a flagrant tank. The Hawks could pair him with Onyeka Okongwu or Jalen Johnson in hyper-versatile frontcourts.

Black is a tough offensive fit in tandem guard minutes but makes up for it with bonkers floor navigation, speed and pressure on the other end. Daniels is a cerebral defender and passer. The development of his jumper and floater loom large.

Grimes is most gettable—the lone player on this list who wouldn't be a main-attraction acquisition. Though his volume from three can be inconsistent and he needs to attack closeouts more aggressively, he fights hard on defense and is a clean fit inside lineups with Young.

Boston Celtics

1. Alex Caruso
2. Naji Marshall
3. Aaron Wiggins 
4. Jevon Carter
5. AJ Griffin

Landing Xavier Tillman from the Memphis Grizzlies frees up the Boston Celtics to focus on reserve wings and ball-handers. Challenges abound for them there. Salary-matching for second-apron teams is limited (roughly 110 percent of outgoing money), and team president Brad Stevens is essentially tasked with monitoring the market for a seventh- to ninth-best player who doesn't cost one of Beantown's six best players.

Caruso falls on the ambitious end of the spectrum. But the Celtics have the remaining first-round equity to entice the Chicago Bulls and can construct a three-for-one around Payton Pritchard (poison pill) to make the money work.

Adding Caruso's four-position defense and ball-handling to the odds-on title favorite would be...well, it would be unfair. Boston might become frustrated with his lack of shot volume, but the offense has enough scorers. Bankable on-ball decision-making is a greater need.

Everyone else on the board is meant to be a finishing touch.

Marshall is a combo wing-big who can spell a variety of starters and has a little more driving oomph to his game than advertised. Wiggins might be the second-most ambitious name on the list, if only because he's providing jolts of adrenaline for the Oklahoma City Thunder rotation as you read this. His rim pressure and defensive activity would be a welcomed fit in Boston, and he has a team option for under $2 million next season.

Carter isn't a conventional floor general and won't help the Celtics' late-game on-ball execution. He will, however, defend his ass off and hit threes without ever cannibalizing possessions. He also happens to fit into Boston's $6.2 million traded player exception—if the suits upstairs don't care about inflating their luxury-tax bill.

Griffin isn't really playing for the Atlanta Hawks and leaves much to be desired at the defensive end. If the cost is low enough, though, bringing in another wing shooter with some on-ball escapism is a useful flier for both the short and long terms.

Brooklyn Nets

1. Trae Young
2. Dejounte Murray
3. Jalen Green
4. Zach LaVine
5. D'Angelo Russell

Many have penciled in the Brooklyn Nets for a Royce O'Neale, Dorian Finney-Smith and/or Spencer Dinwiddie trade, and that's it. They need to think bigger.

With so much imminent draft equity headed to the Houston Rockets, the Nets have three courses of action available to them: strip it down, recoup assets and reset the future anyway; double-down with higher-end creation around Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson and soon-to-be free agent Nic Claxton; or do absolutely nothing and embrace life in the sub-middle.

Option No. 1 is off the table if Brooklyn remains unwilling to entertain offers for Bridges. And Option No. 3 is objectively too Chicago Bulls-ian.

So, we have option No. 2.

Young does not appear readily available, but the Atlanta Hawks are nothing if not wild cards. The Nets can put enough future picks from the Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns on the table to initiate a phone call. And if Young is off limits, lowering the offer (significantly) and picking up Murray in advance of his team-friendly extension counts as a tantalizing win. His offensive playmaking and shot-making continue to evolve, and he will re-contextualize his defensive utility with more impactful individual stoppers around him.

Green is the option who straddles both lines. He has a long way to go as a passer, shot-selector and defender. But he turns 22 on Feb. 9, has another year left on his rookie scale and alleviates plenty of the offensive burden from Bridges. Whether he's available remains to be seen. He does not feel untouchable.

Laugh at LaVine all you want. If the price has dropped to modest compensation—say, two firsts or one good first and Cam Thomas—he's worth a look for a Nets organization actively avoiding a wholesale reboot. Brooklyn can also try paying Chicago to take on the final year of Ben Simmons' contract as part of that deal.

Reuniting with this current version of DLo would assuage Bridges' offensive burden, as well. And he shouldn't cost nearly the same amount of equity as anyone else on this list. The Nets might be able to grab him for pennies on the dollar as a third-team facilitator in a larger trade. If the Los Angeles Lakers are open to a straight-up framework involving O'Neale and Finney-Smith and willing to send other stuff, Brooklyn should absolutely listen.

Charlotte Hornets

1. Ousmane Dieng
2. Terence Mann
3. De'Andre Hunter
4. AJ Griffin
5. Killian Hayes

Terry Rozier's departure provided proof that the Charlotte Hornets are ready to suh-ell. That puts them in Flier Central ahead of the trade deadline. The trick is sussing out distressed or buried prospects, or players who can possibly be brought back in exchange for one of their own appealing names.

Dieng is likely someone the Oklahoma City Thunder won't consider giving up on until the offseason—at the absolute earliest. But they could also talk themselves into P.J. Washington as a middle-ground target. Dieng should be gettable in that context. And while he's raw beyond measure offensively, he has displayed good passing feel and hyper-active defense prior to this season.

Would the L.A. Clippers give up Mann as part of their own package for Washington? Charlotte might have a better chance of snaring their 2030 first-rounder. Which...great! But Mann is a malleable connector who can absolutely play between LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller.

Taking a stab at the reinvention of Hunter should be right up the Hornets' alley. Especially with Miles Bridges and Gordon Hayward in the final year of their deals. Cost will be an issue here. If the Atlanta Hawks are looking for a first, Charlotte must pass. If it's more about big-picture salary relief, this gets interesting.

And the Hornets might as well try grabbing Griffin from Atlanta while they're at it. The Hawks are barely playing him, and the Rozier trade created backcourt and shooting vacancies.

Hayes is the consummate dice roll. His scoring leaves much to be desired, save for those weeks-long stretches in which his middie might fall and he decides to get all the way to the basket. But his defense scales to guards and wings, and he's shown some creativity as a live-dribble passer.

Chicago Bulls

1. Austin Reaves
   
2. MarJon Beauchamp 
3. Leonard Miller
4. Ochai Agbaji
5. Andre Jackson Jr.

I initially compiled this biggish board as if the Chicago Bulls will at the very least move Zach LaVine and target longer-term projects and prospects while knowing full well they might do the exact opposite. And now, with LaVine out for the season, their aims are complicated even further.

Additional ambiguity frees me up to decide for them. And I think—nay, firmly believe—the Bulls should be trying to get the most assets possible for DeMar DeRozan, Alex Caruso, Jevon Carter, Andre Drummond, and even Patrick Williams. That process likely culminates in draft compensation as the meat and potatoes of most packages, which is why the names on this board tilt toward the flier end of the spectrum.

Austin Reaves, 25, isn't exactly ultra-young. But his contract is team-friendly, and the Los Angeles Lakers still profile as one of the most likely suitors for DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso. Reaves would fill an offensive void following any trade, and frankly, Chicago should just be trying to extract as much value from the Purple and Gold as possible.

Beauchamp is more of a wing flier. He runs the floor well, has a serviceable catch-and-shoot stroke, can defend the point of attack and will match up well with bigger wings as he gets stronger. The Bulls shouldn't view him as Alex Caruso compensation. They also shouldn't be opposed to sweetening a Jevon Carter-to-Milwaukee package by taking on Pat Connaughton's money and offering second-round compensation to land Beauchamp.

Miller is currently doing wild stuff in the G League, and we know the Minnesota Timberwolves are (theoretically) set up front. He'd be an interesting big-of-the-future project.

Agbaji's sophomore campaign isn't looking so hot at the moment. Everything from his role to his efficiency is on the decline. Chicago should be intrigued by what he showed last year as a scorer, shooter and defender. Granted, he's not a second-draft guy just yet. But the Utah Jazz could try using him and picks to wedge their way into the Caruso sweepstakes.

If the Bulls can't get Beauchamp as part of a Carter-to-Milwaukee hypothetical, Jackson is a worthwhile contingency. The full depths of his offense still need to be plumbed, but he already does a good job navigating the floor away from the ball, has some thrust to his handle and doesn't let his dribble or possessions stall out. And at 6'6", with a 6'10" wingspan, he has spent his limited minutes guarding up and down the positional rainbow.

Cleveland Cavaliers

1. Dorian Finney-Smith
2. Royce O'Neale
3. Gary Trent Jr.
4. Torrey Craig
5. Corey Kispert

There might not be a team less likely than the Cleveland Cavaliers to do a whole lot of nothing at the trade deadline. (In)Sincere apologies to all Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen voyeurs.

Having zero first-round picks to dangle is part of this equation. That limitation is made ever more restrictive by how friggin' deep the Cavs have become. Caris LeVert, Max Strus, Georges Niang, Isaac Okoro, Sam Merrill and Dean Wade all look like must-play contributors at the moment. The same goes for Craig Porter Jr., who has seen his court time slashed amid Cleveland's depth and trek back toward full strength.

The Cavs essentially need to upgrade one of their top-eight spots in a no-brainer move that doesn't require first-round equity. Finney-Smith is technically too high-end. But Cleveland could consider using Okoro to pique the Brooklyn Nets' attention. His jumper is shakier and he's headed to restricted free agency, but he's younger, a better playmaker and more suited to guard at the point of attack.

To that end, the Cavs might just prefer to keep Okoro rather than look at DFS. The latter is really only a surefire upgrade if Cleveland is worried about the cost of Okoro's next deal.

Snagging O'Neale from Brooklyn using salary and seconds is more realistic. Wade and a smaller contract gets the math to work, though Cleveland would need to reroute a third guy to stay under the tax. Yet, even this comes with caveats. Wade is the Cavs' best bigger-wing defender. Is he worth shipping out for O'Neale?

Craig's standstill three can come and go and never includes high volume. But he has the goods to guard bigger wings and forwards and is stealthy on the offensive glass. He's worth a look even if Cleveland doesn't see him usurping Strus or Merrill simply as what The Chase Down Podcast's Carter Rodriguez calls "pumpkin insurance."

Trent is more of a gamble and would require Cleveland souring on LeVert. The former doesn't promise the same (or any) level of playmaking, but it's easier to envision him as potentially cracking closing lineups beside the Core Four. Kispert is a quality flier if the Washington Wizards are looking to build up their second-round stash and the Cavs want another wing-ish-sized pinballer.

Dallas Mavericks

1. Jerami Grant
2. Jae'Sean Tate
3. Bruce Brown
4. Jonathan Isaac
5. Kyle Kuzma

Trade-deadline dilemmas abound for the Dallas Mavericks. Chief among them: How aggressively should they look to upgrade the combo-forward and perimeter-defense rotation?

Dallas' timeline with Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving is now. But the team has slumped in recent weeks, and the front office has to juggle immediacy with the potential for bigger swings over the offseason. The Mavs can trade one future first-round pick now. That number climbs to three on draft night.

Grant would definitely cost Dallas' currently lone available first (2027)—and more. He's worth punting on to-be-determined offseason possibilities; he gives them exactly what they need out of a 3-4, minus dependable rebounding.

Kuzma is a different story. The Mavs should wait out their options if the Washington Wizards demand a first. The calculus changes—and Kuz climbs the list—if that becomes a matter of Josh Green (poison pill), Olivier Maxence-Prosper and other salaries.

Tate can guard up and down the positional spectrum despite standing 6'5". His shooting is rickety, but he can get buckets inside 10 feet, and Dallas has spacing to spare. Brown isn't a lock-down individual stopper, but he, too, brings defensive optionality with savvy offensive decision-making. The Mavs should be all over either one of them if the cost of admission dips below an outright first-rounder—provided they're planning to stagger whomever they get from Derrick Jones Jr. and, probably, Dante Exum.

Isaac's value to the Orlando Magic is a little wonky. He is beyond injury-pone but has proven defensively dominant in measured blips. Dallas could use him to supplement its 4 and 5 rotation, and he's someone who shouldn't cost a first-rounder unless his next team is trying to offload unsavory contracts in the process. His 2024-25 salary is also fully non-guaranteed, which adds a layer of financial and trade flexibility for the offseason.

Denver Nuggets

1. Dario Šarić
2. Goga Bitadze
3. Orlando Robinson
4. Sandro Mamukelashvili
5. Kris Dunn

Working with finite assets ahead of the trade deadline is no sweat for the Denver Nuggets. Their primary needs are teensy-weensy if they believe Reggie Jackson, Christian Braun and Peyton Watson are all viable playoff contributors.

Fortifying the backup big rotation takes priority. And even that's not a massive need. Nikola Jokić and Aaron Gordon-at-the-5 arrangements can eat up the full 48 minutes of playoff games. Adding another big is more about surviving the regular season.

How much do you give up for that player? And better yet, who do you give up? Denver has 15 guaranteed contracts on the books and isn't shipping out one of its youngsters for any of the above names. DeAndre Jordan is clearly valued as a locker room Sensei, and Vlatko Čančar, while injured, is Jokić's homie. That leaves Justin Holiday, basically.

Moving (or cutting) him to make room for Šarić or Tillman is an easy call. Ditto for Bitadze, even though he's now out of Orlando's rotation. It's more of a question when we get to Orlando Robinson or Sandro Mamukelashvili. Still, any of these names would be rock-solid additions to the regular-season board. And Šarić.

Dunn is a departure from the big-man motif in Denver. But while Jackson has played well enough on offense, the former plays like a maniacal supervillain at the defensive end. The Nuggets could even try playing him and Jackson together in select units. Whether they have the second-round equity remaining to pique Utah's interest is a different story.

Detroit Pistons

1. Mikal Bridges
2. Caleb Martin
3. Keldon Johnson
4. Gordon Hayward
5. Zach LaVine

This should be a spot in which we wax curiosity about the prospects and projects the Detroit Pistons can get for Bojan Bogdanović and Alec Burks. But the organization intends to add proven impact names. Really, after acquiring Simone Fontecchio and shipping out Monte Morris, Motor City's front office appears to be balancing a plethora of different agendas.

That's a dangerous search to conduct for a team in the Pistons' situation. They don't have any extra firsts. Hocking their own draft picks is a no-no until they're actually good. And they don't have enough information on most of their core youngsters to flip them for entrenched contributors.

Detroit's endgame is more palatable if it identifies someone worth high-risk opportunity costs in the interim and long term. Bridges actualizes that to a T. Cade Cunningham should be off limits if the Brooklyn Nets make the former available. That's about it.

The rest of this board is populated by impact players who shouldn't cost the moon or infringe upon the development of critical prospects. Martin fits, well, everywhere. The Miami Heat shouldn't be shopping him in a vacuum. But they are within striking distance of ducking the tax, and his impending free agency (2024-25 player option) could coax them into preemptive action.

Johnson is intriguing for his contract and positional plasticity. The Pistons need to ensure they surround him with enough shooting to optimize his barreling drives, but that's galaxies from prohibitive. The San Antonio Spurs' prospective asking price is the larger roadblock.

Using expiring money and seconds to get a look at Hayward would be a prudent move. His checkered injury history makes negotiating his next deal tough, but his secondary ball-handling and playmaking would lift up a lot of Detroit's lineups.

LaVine's contract balance (three years, $138 million) and season-ending right foot surgery have nuked his trade value. But his shot-creation and -making fill real cracks in the Pistons' makeup. Although they shouldn't be unloading their spiffiest assets for him, he's worth monitoring if the price tumbles to long-term cap relief and minimal draft compensation.

Golden State Warriors

1. Wendell Carter Jr. 
2. Dejounte Murray
3. Alex Caruso
4. Onyeka Okongwu (poison pill)
5. Deni Avdija (poison pill)

Standing pat is starting to seem like the Golden State Warriors' only trade-deadline option.

No singular player is going to resurrect their season, and they're not necessarily built for smaller trades. Pretty much anyone they move either makes a bunch of money, is a prospect they can't ship out for an afterthought or holds too much sentimental value to the organization.

Golden State is better off saving its power for the summer. Its trade restrictions will get more suppressive, but the landscape will be broader. If the Warriors are going to make a move now, it'll likely be for a player who doesn't require them to deal more than Moses Moody, one first-rounder and salary.

Carter is basketball Nirvana for the way Golden State plays. His switchability, passing and stretch jibe well with Draymond Green, and he's a massive upgrade over the regressive trajectory on which Kevon Looney is presently traveling.

Murray isn't the quintessential Warriors guy, but he's come a long way offensively—both on and off the ball. His defensive devolution is overblown, and he's about to start an extension Golden State could possibly flip for more value down the line.

Caruso would be a godsend safeguard for his defense and second-apron-team-friendly salary next season. Does Moody, Looney or Gary Payton II and a pick get it done?

Okongwu's extension complicates any framework. He would count as $14 million for the Warriors' inbound calculations but only $8.1 million in outbound money for the Atlanta Hawks. That's not an unworkable gap as part of a larger deal, and Okongwu is worth the trouble. He isn't a floor-spacer, but he has touch from floater range, some dribble moves and good passing feel. He and Draymond would be a hellacious defensive force, and Golden State can try playing them with Jonathan Kuminga if either Green or Kuminga is knocking down treys.

Avdija's extension presents the same financial challenges. But his passing feel and four-position defense are Warriors-esque. Golden State just has to prepare itself to work around stretches in which he doesn't look for his own shot nearly enough.

Houston Rockets

1. Mikal Bridges
2. Bojan Bogdanović
3. Kelly Olynyk 
4. Quentin Grimes
5. Chris Boucher

Acquiring the injured Steven Adams doesn't telegraph much, if anything, about the Houston Rockets' trade-deadline approach. They are clearly deferring cap-space plans to 2025, and they now (presumably) have one fewer money-matching tool with Victor Oladipo off the board. Neither byproduct is especially telltale.

Houston, in all likelihood, will look to beef up its offense and win-now-player ranks without going nuclear. Bridges would represent an exception—a worthwhile one at that. The Rockets have reportedly tried getting him for a package likely headlined by some combination of the Brooklyn Nets' own first-rounders. I'd surrender those selections on top of Jalen Green or other players and stuff to get Bridges inside the Rockets' program. But the Nets have so far rebuked Houston's overtures.

Bogdanović would be a convenient and effective happy medium. The Rockets have the surrounding defensive personnel to use him at the 3 or 4, and he promises an infusion of outside shot-making as well as specks of self-creation. His salary for next season is easily scrubbed ($2 million guaranteed) if Houston has other plans, but his game has aged well and he'll hold value as an expiring $19 million contract.

Should the Rockets fork over a first-rounder to land someone who turns 35 in April? When they're not even guaranteed a play-in spot? Definitely not if it's unprotected. But the Detroit Pistons could drop its asking price. Houston can also use less-favorable options and protection language to ensure it's not sending out a premier selection.

Olynyk's floor-spacing and passing(!) would be a boost for Houston's offense. Boucher is streakier and comes with guaranteed money for next season. But he's a try-hard at the rim and on closeouts. Neither should cost the Rockets more than salary and second-round equity.

Grimes' some-three-and-lots-of-D skill set fits snugly into Houston's perimeter rotation. Good luck scoring on lineups that have him, Dillon Brooks, Tari Eason and Fred VanVleet on the court. With another year left on his rookie scale, Grimes is easily someone the Rockets can justify expending a protected first on.

Indiana Pacers

1. Royce O'Neale
2. Matisse Thybulle (can veto any trade)
3. Dorian Finney-Smith
4. Josh Okogie
5. Jerami Grant

It won't get splashier for the Indiana Pacers than acquiring Pascal Siakam, but they're not without other assets to brandish. Bennedict Mathurin and Jarace Walker could gain them access to another big name, and they can technically trade up to two more firsts.

Going all-out, again, isn't recommended. The Pacers are close. They're not there yet. And so much midseason churn can undermine progress.

Hence why Jerami Grant is at No. 5. Indiana should at least consider him if the Portland Trail Blazers are open to it. The rotation needs another combo wing. But forking over a distant first and/or Walker plus Buddy Hield would be a tough pill to swallow.

O'Neale and (definitely) Okogie are defensively pliable options who won't break the asset bank. Finney-Smith is a better fit than both, but Indiana would need the Brooklyn Nets to bite on proposals anchored by Ben Sheppard, Andrew Nembhard (who's important!) and seconds.

Thybulle could represent the golden mean. He is shooting the ball well enough from three for the Blazers to demand a first. Do they view a combination of Sheppard, seconds and perhaps swaps as comparable (or reasonable) value?

Slotting O'Neale in the top spot is almost entirely about gettability. Salary and seconds should be enough to extricate him from Brooklyn. While he's undersized, he maintains the ability to guard up.

LA Clippers

1. P.J. Washington
2. Santi Aldama
3. Maxi Kleber
4. Kelly Olynyk
5. Chris Boucher

The L.A. Clippers might opt for restraint at the deadline after the James Harden trade. They have only one first-round pick to dangle and are second-apron'd out to the high heavens.

Then again, this is precisely why they might be more aggressive. They won't have the ability to aggregate salaries or take back more money than they send out after this season. Right now, they can aggregate contracts and accept around 110 percent of their outbound dollars.

Bake in some expendable and mid-end salaries along with their 2030 first-round pick, and the Clippers can make real waves. Their primary targets should skew towards combo forwards who can soak up center reps in tinier units. or floor-stretching 5s.

Washington typifies that almost as well as anyone. His efficiency has been uneven this season, but it will climb beside L.A.'s medley of superstar weapons. And he's never received enough credit for his capacity to rumble with power wings, burlier forwards and outright bigs on defense.

Aldama does a lot of the same, even rivaling Washington's floor-game craft. But extracting him from the Memphis Grizzlies could prove trying. He's not worth a first-rounder or Terance Mann, and the Clippers are thin on lower-salaried guys with standalone appeal. Memphis would need to accept something along the lines of Amir Coffey and seconds.

A healthy Kleber would go a long way for the Clippers. The same is true for the Dallas Mavericks, and they know it. Dallas might consider helping out a team it considers a peer if first-round equity is involved. But giving up that 2030 pick just to wipe off P.J. Tucker's money and spin the wheel on Kleber's health is a steep barrier for entry.

Olynyk's shooting and playmaking would be squeaky-clean fits. But the Utah Jazz's asking price could drain the Clippers' coffers if they're expecting team CEO Danny Ainge to take on Tucker.

Boucher will be easier to land. His shooting has fallen off a cliff over the past few seasons, but he still stretches the floor by virtue of modest volume. If the Clippers aren't fazed by his 2024-25 money ($10.8 million), he's a Tucker-plus-second-round-compensation option.

Los Angeles Lakers

1. Dejounte Murray
2. Bojan Bogdanović
3. Dorian Finney-Smith
4. Cameron Johnson
5. Bogdan Bogdanović

The Los Angeles Lakers face the same dilemma as the Dallas Mavericks: They can flip only one first-rounder now compared to three over the offseason. Waiting out the trade landscape could culminate in a glitzier opportunity.

Except the Lakers don't have that kind of time. LeBron James is 39. They have an obligation to seek out offensive help now—even with D'Angelo Russell on a IDGAF scorcher.

Murray should top their wish list. He is more of a threat off-ball these days yet wields the pull-up jumper and live-dribble playmaking to lighten LeBron's workload and run units without him. He will no doubt cost the Lakers their 2029 first-round pick in addition to other stuff (swaps) and players (Austin Reaves???). He's worth it. His four-year, $114 million extension is team-friendly enough that it could bring back more for the Lakers in later trades.

Bojan Bogdanović is an incredible stopgap if the Lakers can nab him for some combination of Jalen Hood-Schifino, Max Christie, first-round swaps, second-rounders and matching salary. He instantly becomes a non-option if the Detroit Pistons want an outright first.

Most of this logic applies to Dorian Finney-Smith. He won't add much (or any) shot creation, but the Lakers are constantly choosing between defense and offense when building lineups. DFS is a certified two-way player.

Johnson is the loftiest name on this list. But if the Lakers include their 2029 first and Reaves and exhaust their swaps, I'd imagine the Brooklyn Nets think about it. They might even view DLo as an asset. Johnson's motion shooting, comfort dribbling in space and understated defensive mobility would pair nicely alongside LeBron and Anthony Davis. And L.A. might be able to expand any deal to bring back one of DFS, O'Neale or, if DLo's on his way out, Spencer Dinwiddie.

Bogdan Bogdanović would be an outstanding fit—even more so if the Lakers can fold him into a deal for Murray. Though his pull-up jumper has slumped, he gets up threes in volume and is canning more than 54 percent of his attempts off drives.

Memphis Grizzlies

1. Julian Champagnie
2. Jaylin Williams
3. Andre Drummond
4. Jonathan Isaac
5. Hunter Tyson

Jettisoning the injured Steven Adams for three seconds and Victor Oladipo's expiring contract and then scooping up two seconds for Xavier Tillman pretty clearly outlays the Memphis Grizzlies' plans: They want to limit their payroll next season, when Desmond Bane's max deal takes effect, and have no desire for Marcus Smart to become a cap casualty.

That leaves them in a tricky position entering the deadline. But injuries galore—most notably to Ja Morant—already had them in an awkward spot. The Adams trade merely suggests the Grizzlies won't be setting their immediate sights too high and are more content to recalibrate with a high lottery pick over the summer.

Put another way: Memphis is in prime flier territory.

Modest frontcourt investments who pair nicely next to Jaren Jackson Jr. beyond this season should be the focus. Targets get bonus points if they can slide down to a true-wing spot.

Champagnie checks both boxes. Would the San Antonio Spurs let him go when he's under team control through 2026-27 at $3 million a pop? Who knows.

Williams is not someone the Oklahoma City Thunder would typically shop, particularly without acquiring another big. But if they show interest in Luke Kennard's motion shooting or land a higher-end big, it might open the door for Memphis to figure out J-Will framework.

Drummond is better suited to a contending team. But there's value in getting his Early Bird rights ahead of free agency, especially when the Grizzlies don't yet know what Brandon Clarke (Achilles) will look like.

Tyson isn't playing for the Denver Nuggets. The guaranteed money they gave him infers a long-haul interest, but he'd be an eye-opening flier if Denver finds itself needing to create a roster spot.

Miami Heat

1. Santi Aldama
   
2. Naji Marshall
3. Saddiq Bey
4. Caleb Houstan
5. Yuta Watanabe

Giving up a 2027 first-round pick for Terry Rozier almost assuredly means the Miami Heat won't do anything seismic between now and Feb. 8. You don't winnow down your draft equity and ship out Kyle Lowry's expiring contract more than two weeks before the deadline if you have something more glamorous up your sleeve.

Surfing the affordable-forward market for more versatility and/or additional offense is the way for Miami to go now.

Aldama isn't burying his treys at an astronomical clip, either (sub-35 percent). But he is jacking up over seven per 36 minutes and fills a smattering of smaller gaps with his positional fungibility on defense and traces of a floor game and ball movement at the other end. In many respects, he's like a seven-foot Caleb Martin, making him such a Heat player.

Marshall only launches threes in small doses. But he's hitting them this season. And he has more downhill dynamism than his low-usage implies.

Bey would be higher on the board if he wasn't nailing under 31 percent of his triples. His outside volume (and short-term memory) still amounts to helpful.

Houstan is more defense-first than an offensive firecracker. And at 21, with an inconsistent role in Orlando, it's not clear whether Miami would ever roll him out. But he's a stout defender across 2-3-4 types and very playable when his set three-pointer is finding twine.

Watanabe is out of the Phoenix Suns rotation and converting fewer than 32 percent of his threes. That's...not great. It also renders him more attainable, and Miami has a way of mining value from dudes willing to work on defense and orbit their primaries on offense.

Milwaukee Bucks

1. Jevon Carter
2. Ayo Dosunmu
3. Kris Dunn
4. Delon Wright
5. De'Andre Hunter

Upgrading the rotation's point-of-attack defense with someone who can also play next to Damian Lillard remains the Milwaukee Bucks' biggest need. There's room for more optionality at the 3 and on the frontline behind Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez, too. But adding a defensive pulse at the POA takes precedence.

Milwaukee's inability to deal a first-round pick and limited collection of desirable salary-matchers will foment obstacles galore. It is not a transactional death knell. The Bucks can entice sellers with Portland's 2024 second-rounder, MarJon Beauchamp and/or Andre Livingston Jr. A willingness to take on unwanted long-term money would also separate their offers from the pack.

Hunter would be higher up on the board if I were convinced the Atlanta Hawks viewed him as a net negative. He isn't lock-down at the point of attack, but he'd immediately become Milwaukee's best option, and he doesn't shrink the half-court on offense.

Sending out the requisite money to land him is tough; not impossible. Pat Connaughton and Bobby Portis do the trick. Beauchamp and the Portland second would be potential sweeteners. Milwaukee probably balks at Hunter's long-term money (three years, $69.9 million) and thinning out the big-man ranks behind Giannis and BroLo. It shouldn't. Hunter has a better chance of closing games for them than Portis, and the buyout market could yield one playable big (who's not coming off a deal that paid him more than the non-taxpayer mid-level).

Someone like Carter, a familiar face, is more realistic. The Bucks can use Connaughton and that Portland pick to try bagging his defensive hellfire at the POA as well as his reliable three-point stroke.

Dunn induces offensive challenges. He can get all the way to the basket in space and is knocking down threes this season, but all of his shot-making comes on negligible volume. Milwaukee needn't care. He's an All-Defense talent who, despite standing 6'3", can guard up to rival forwards.

Wright is an even rougher fit than Dunn in the scoring department. He actively avoids looking for his own offense. But he's a willing and sound passer who, like Dunn, can guard up past the conventional point-of-attack assignments.

Dosunmu is currently putting to bed concerns about his own offensive portfolio. That's problematic for this discussion. The Bucks likely have to attach the 2024 Portland second and Beauchamp to Connaughton to start a dialogue, and even that might not be enough for the Chicago Bulls. I'm making the call anyway. Dosunmu's defense translates to approximately four positions, and this version of him on offense oozes member-of-the-Bucks'-closing-unit potential.

Minnesota Timberwolves

1. Luke Kennard
2. Saddiq Bey
3. Corey Kispert
4. Malcolm Brogdon
5. Reggie Bullock

Reeling in backup playmaking and dependable shooting was a must for the Minnesota Timberwolves. They did just that with the acquisition of Monte Morris. The front office might be done from here. But the offense needs more than just an organizer. It needs higher-volume shooting.

Never mind the second-apron implications entering next season. They mortgaged the farm for Rudy Gobert in 2022 and are pacing the Western Conference right now. There is no tomorrow for them.

Kennard's motion shooting and off-the-dribble shiftiness would be a gargantuan luxury that could evolve into a necessity. Landing Morris likely undermines a Brogdon pursuit, but he can still work in an off-guard capacity and has a better chance at making cameos in higher-stakes lineups than Morris. Matching his money is tough but doable if Minnesota parts with Naz Reid and views Kyle Anderson's expiring deal as dispensable.

Bey's sagging three-point clip makes him less desirable. But his plunging value is also part of his charm, rendering him (potentially) gettable. He at least gives the Timberwolves unafraid outside volume without sacrificing size.

Kispert is another player shooting a lower percentage from deep than you'd prefer (sub-36 percent), but he's a certified pinballer who can put pressure on defenses with his movement and shot selection alone.

Getting Bullock from the Houston Rockets wouldn't be life-changing. Which is fitting. The Timberwolves aren't working with life-changing assets. Bullock should cost virtually nothing since he's not really playing, and Minnesota could use some additional wing insurance after sending Troy Brown Jr. to Detroit.

New Orleans Pelicans

1. Jalen Johnson
2. Wendell Carter Jr.
3. Nic Claxton
4. Onyeka Okongwu (poison pill)
5. Dejounte Murray

Building a trade-deadline board for the New Orleans Pelicans demands ambition—the kind where, in select cases, they create their own market.

Moves on the margin don't do anything for this team. We know the Pelicans could use a frontcourt option who provides vertical and/or long-range spacing and, perhaps, another offensive creator and organizer. But they also need any player they acquire to be no worse than the sixth-best player on their team, otherwise what's the point?

That's a tall order. Fortunately for the Pelicans, they have the assets to fill it.

Johnson would be perfect. Frontlines featuring him and Zion Williamson should be divinely dominant. The Atlanta Hawks view Johnson as untouchable...for now. Perhaps the Pelicans' first-round stash (and Dyson Daniels) can change their mind.

Atlanta is forever trimming money off its bottom line and could be skittish when it comes to bankrolling Johnson's should-be near-max extension this summer. New Orleans has its own tax aversion to consider. Simultaneous extension eligibility for Johnson and Trey Murphy will be part of the Pelicans' calculus, too. But they have until 2025-26 before those hypothetical deals kick in. They can figure out the mathematical pretzel-twisting later.

Carter looked ultra-landable when he first returned from a hand injury. He has since regained a lion's share of the Orlando Magic's big man minutes. New Orleans has the assets to get him anyway. While he doesn't provide vertical spacing, he has the tools to up his volume from three and is a smart passer and portable defender. His rim protection can be spotty, but he's an upgrade over Jonas Valančiūnas, and the two years, $22.8 million left on his deal likely render him more cost-effective than New Orleans' soon-to-be-free-agent big man.

Claxton is worth first-round compensation if the Pelicans want to lean into vertical threats and hyper-switchability. But they'll need to factor his own 2024 free agency into the equation.

Okongwu will be easier to grab from Atlanta than Johnson, even with his post-extension poison-pill status. He can get outworked by taller players when protecting the rim, but he's switchable as hell and injects some unpredictability into short rolls toward the basket.

Because I apparently want to pilfer everyone from Atlanta on New Orleans' behalf, Murray makes the final cut as a pure asset play. Indeed, he isn't the simplest fit next to Zion and Brandon Ingram. Still, he brings passing, creation, a super-friendly extension and, in turn, insurance against Ingram eventually pricing himself off the Pelicans' core.

New York Knicks

1. Mikal Bridges
2. Malcolm Brogdon
3. Bojan Bogdanović
4. Dejounte Murray
5. Collin Sexton

Converting the Evan Fournier salary slot into a more serviceable option who, ahem, jazzes up the ball-handling, playmaking and scoring options outside the starting lineup continues to be the New York Knicks' most likely trade-deadline angle.

Targeting the untouchable-but-is-he-really Bridges goes well beyond that scope. But he's a seraphic fit, right down to his Villanova roots, and the Julius Randle shoulder injury should, at minimum, have the Knicks browsing through the taller-than-6'4" ranks. Nudging the Brooklyn Nets into action will demand the kitchen sink. That's OK. Bridges' defense is infinitely scalable, and he's no stranger to toggling between second-, third- or even fourth-wheel usage and actions on offense.

This list gets more grounded after him. Brogdon looms as the no-brainer fit for his driving, shooting and $22.5 million expiring salary next season. Bogdanović is more attractive this side of the Randle injury. His shooting is sublime, and he can generate his own opportunities in healthy portions. New York's level of interest likely hinges on whether it believes he can eventually play beside Randle, OG Anunoby and a big (he can) and, more critically, how much resale-market appeal he'll have next season as a $19 million expiring contract at the age of 35.

Murray is a divisive option among Knicks fans and media. There is definitely usage overlap between himself, Randle and Brunson. But overlap doesn't automatically equate to redundancy. He has emerged as a more reliable off-ball option than the Big Apple version of RJ Barrett and can absolutely keep the bench-heavy units humming when Brunson's catching a breather. Murray's defensive value soars on a team that has Anunoby and either Isaiah Hartenstein or Mitchell Robinson behind him, and his four-year, $114 million extension should increase in future trade value as the cap keeps climbing.

Jordan Clarkson has generated plenty of speculative chatter in Knicks circles, and he's certainly a good fit. His playmaking has noticeably improved, and he brings an off-the-dribble scoring element from the perimeter. But New York gets enough of the latter from Brunson and Randle, and Clarkson's genre of scoring efficiency is higher variance. His salary also dips precipitously next year, going from $23.5 million to $14.1 million. The Knicks need a bigger number to use as the main matching tool in blockbusters down the road.

Enter Sexton. He is currently on a tear. What he lacks in off-the-bounce marksmanship from the outside, he more than makes up for with good spot-up touch, on-ball rim pressure and Brogdon-like passing off drives. His contract leaks past next season and isn't as much of a steal as Murray's deal. But two years and $37.2 million for a quintessential bench captain is reasonable enough whether the Knicks retain him or need his salary for a flashier deal later.

Oklahoma City Thunder

1. Caleb Martin
2. Deni Avdija (poison pill)
3. John Collins
4. Isaiah Stewart (poison pill)
5. Robert Williams III

Resisting the temptation to list the Lauri Markkanens and Mikal Bridgeses of the Association almost made me vomit. The Oklahoma City Thunder are fighting for first place in the Western Conference and have the assets to trade for just about anyone they damn please.

Urgent acceleration isn't their style, though. Executive vice president Sam Presti is going to let this nucleus marinate rather than rush to augment it. At the same time, this team is good enough right the hell now that he owes it to the players and fans and the ever-fleeting nature of contention windows to do something. It doesn't have to be monstrous; just meaningful.

Rolling the Davis Bertāns salary slot into someone under contract beyond this season who might actually play and anchor a bigger deal later capably juggles otherwise warring agendas. Collins is close to perfect. His outside shooting remains touch-and-go, but he looks much better than he did at the start of this season. Oklahoma City has the defenders necessary to run him as the secondary 5, and he'd amp up their rebounding a great deal in the reps he gets beside Chet Holmgren.

Stewart (currently nursing an ankle injury) fits a similar mold. His rebounding rate has slipped, but that comes with the territory of spending more time at the 4. He will help the Thunder on the glass as a goes-hard icon and shoots juuust enough threes to float five-out setups.

Avdija doesn't bring more heft or bounce to the frontline. But he's another bigger-wing defender who can handle the ball in high-leverage moments. There will be games in which he closes over Lu Dort or Josh Giddey, and another reliable crafty on-ball decision-maker would serve Oklahoma City well come playoff time.

Martin is the consummate gap-filler—and my favorite target on the board. He can eat up minutes at the 2, 3 or 4 on both ends and doesn't require the ball yet has the skill set to tee up others. The Miami Heat would typically treat him as close to untouchable. But he's a free agent this summer (player option), and the Heatles are close enough to skirting the tax that the Thunder can juice up their pursuit by rallying third- and fourth-party facilitators to get Miami all the way there.

Poking around RW3 runs counter to prioritizing this season. It would also be sooooo Sam Presti. Williams is done for 2023-24, but the two years and $25.7 million left on his deal still skew team-friendly. Equally important: Oklahoma City has the depth to keep his minutes (and, hopefully, injuries) in check during future campaigns, and his salary can prove useful in any blockbuster options the Thunder explore down the line.

Orlando Magic

1. Anfernee Simons
2. Dejounte Murray
3. Malcolm Brogdon
4. Bogdan Bogdanović
5. Gary Trent Jr.

'Tis a tale as old as time: The Orlando Magic are on to something and seem like they could really pop if they get some darn shooting. They could use a more well-rounded floor general than they have in Cole Anthony or Markelle Fultz, as well. But opening up the half-court for Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner takes top billing.

Joining the Murray race could address both issues at once. His three-point sniping can no longer be considered fly-by-night, and he expertly blends elusive handles from the in-between with can-also-get-all-the-way-to-the-bucket punch.

Simons doesn't check the floor-general box, but he's become a much better facilitator over the past two seasons. There is perhaps no one better to remedy Orlando's spacing concerns. Simons is lethal whether he's uncorking jumpers off the dribble or orbiting primary initiators.

At only 24 and owed $53.6 million over the next two years, he likewise fits the Magic's timeline and cap sheet. Would they blanch if Portland asks for Anthony Black? Perhaps. But Orlando has all its own firsts as well as Denver's 2025 pick (top-five protection) and a bunch of expiring money. It can at least broach Simons talks without needing to offer Black.

If the Blazers won't move or are asking too much for Simons, the Magic should feel free to pivot toward Malcolm Brogdon. He doesn't have a devastating off-the-bounce jumper, but he's an expert driver and banging in over 50 percent of his catch-and-fire treys.

Bogdanović represents the beginning of a new trade-target tier. Everything he provides is more of an accessory than a feature. Would his off-the-dribble stabilize in Orlando? Would he remain healthy? Both are fair questions. But he's worth a call or text for his spot-up volume and secondary ball movement alone.

Trent does nothing to inject the Magic's offense with more playmaking. Orlando will get over it. He has resumed high-volume supernova shooting from distance after a rough start to the year, and the Magic have the defensive infrastructure to encourage and maximize his serial gambling. His pending free agency shouldn't scare them, either. He's young enough, at 25, for Orlando to feel comfortable bankrolling his next deal.

Philadelphia 76ers

1. Kelly Olynyk
2. Andre Drummond
3. Dario Šarić
4. Bruce Brown
5. Luke Kennard
6. Alec Burks
7. Gordon Hayward
8. Gary Harris
9. Jonathan Isaac
10. Dejounte Murray

So much of the Philadelphia 76ers' approach at the trade deadline is contingent upon the severity of Joel Embiid's meniscus injury in his left knee. He's set to miss extended time, and it sounds like a rest-of-the-season sidelining is in play. And that's why the Sixers are getting the biggest biggish board of them!

Philly isn't going all-out to improve this year's group if Embiids' not guaranteed to return. On the flip side, he could return in a blink, and team president Daryl Morey may not be emanating urgency. The Sixers can dredge up more than $60 million in cap space if they please this summer, when they will also have more movable first-round chips at their beck and call.

Regardless of what happens with Embiid, Philly's overarching trade-deadline ethos feels like it'll amount to some variation of "Give us dudes who will play but don't cost a first-rounder or crimp our offseason flexibility." That's a brain-bending needle to thread.

Reorganize this board however you like. Supplemental size has to crack the general list, but additional on-ball decision-makers and shot-sinkers, no matter how tall, are necessities without Embiid

Brown is one of two players on this list who may need to be scrubbed. The Toronto Raptors are so far bent on nabbing a first-rounder for his services and Human Trade Exception contract ($23 million 2023-24 team option). But the Sixers have a couple of intriguing seconds (2029 selections from the L.A. Clippers and Portland) and plenty of expiring money if the price drops.

Embiid could be gearing up to play as you read this, and it would still behoove the Sixers to seek out big man insurance beyond Mo Bamba and Paul Reed. Drummond is a familiar face and shouldn't cost more than a second. A Dario Šarić reunion is sensible for similar reasons. He doesn't have the same broad, burly body, but he's a more dynamic offensive player who does stealthy work on the defensive boards and might deliver enough outside shot-making to operate beside Embiid if and when he returns. His value shouldn't exceed two seconds, though the Sixers must factor into the equation that he comes without Bird rights.

Olynyk is the shinier draw as someone who provides enough stretch to potentially play with Embiid, and who has ratcheted up his live-dribble passing. His expiring contract jibes with Philly's cap-space aspirations, and he shouldn't fetch more than two seconds.

Kennard's motion shooting, escape-dribble moxie, open-floor vision, understated pocket passing and team option for next season give him a top-of-the-board case. A long history of knee issues drops him down a few pegs. Burks, another expiring contract, doesn't provide as much connectual passing, but he's finding nylon on more than 40 percent of his pull-up threes since the middle of December.

Hayward is a no-go for most teams. His $31.5 million expiring salary is a lot to take in, and he has no timeline for his return from a calf injury. But the Sixers roster the requisite expiring contracts to broker a simple two-for-one, and while he doesn't have the same on-ball jiggle and joggle he once did, Hayward remains someone who can coordinate and create in the half-court.

Harris would be higher on the board if he were an inch or two taller, shooting better from three and the Embiid injury didn't loom. The Orlando Magic might also prefer to drink peroxide than move one of their few players who profiles as a floor-spacer (dipping three-point clip and all). Still, he's on an expiring contract and galaxies from out of bounds, and Philly could use another plug-and-play guard and wing defender.

Murray is the other name that may need to be kiboshed. He's definitely costing first-round equity, and his fit next to Tyrese Maxey isn't the cleanest. But his offensive initiation and scoring are more valuable to the Sixers this side of the Embiid injury. And because they'd be able to guarantee pure cap relief for the Atlanta Hawks this summer, the Sixers might not need to drain their war chest. Even if he costs close to their tippy-top offer, Murray's team-friendly extension leaves open the possibility that he's worth more in future trades than they relinquish to get him.

Asterisks are all over Isaac's inclusion. His iffy availability and offensive utility and bite-sized role could be insurmountable hangups. But he could help rescue the defensive baseline without Embiid almost entirely on his own, and the risk is nonexistent with his salary for next season fully non-guaranteed.

Isaac still has the physical mojo to fly around the half-court, and his hands are ubiquitous in entry and exit passing lanes. Opponents are also shooting 43.8 percent against him at the hoop—the second-lowest mark among 288 players who have contested at least 50 close-range attempts. Should Embiid ever return, head coach Nick Nurse could cobble together some ferociously frugal defensive lineups featuring the two bigs on the frontline.

Phoenix Suns

1. Caleb Martin
2. Naji Marshall
3. Royce O'Neale
4. Nick Richards
5. Cody Martin

Most will call for the Phoenix Suns to pillage the affordable-ball-handler ranks. To which I say: Eh.

Phoenix has Devin Booker to run point, and the offensive bugs aren't nearly as prevalent when he, Bradley Beal and Kevin Durant are on the floor. Fourth-quarter turnovers are an issue, but the bigger crinkle is the Suns' near-total inability to knock down wide-open jumpers in the final frame.

Wings and bouncier bigs should be Phoenix's bread and butter. While it has little to pony up—even more so if Grayson Allen is off the table—it's not without smaller carrots.

Nas Little's contract ($6.3 million this year; $6.8 million next season) strikes the note between small enough for other teams not to care and big enough for the Suns to get something done. They still have $5 million (Dario Šarić) and $6.5 million (Cameron Payne) traded player exceptions if team governor Mat Ishbia doesn't care about his luxury-tax bill. And second-rounders from Memphis in 2028 and 2029 are at least somewhat appealing.

Just so we're clear: Martin registers as more of a pipe dream relative to everything Phoenix can dangle. The Suns' opening comes if—and only if—Miami embarks on a tax-ducking expedition. The Heat are about $8.7 million into the tax, and shaving off Martin's $6.8 million would leave them approximately one minimum-deal dump away from getting all the way out.

Martin's salary juuuust exceeds the Cam Payne TPE, but a team like Brooklyn or Washington has TPEs of its own large enough to take on Little. Can Phoenix compensate them or another squad to do so and pave the way for Martin's arrival? Again, we're talking about a long shot. But the state of affairs in Miami, coupled with Martin's 2024 free agency (player option), is conducive to having this discussion.

Marshall begins the list of more obtainable options. His salary is nothing, and the New Orleans Pelicans are among the scant few teams that don't have room in the rotation for a combo-forward who can guard multiple positions and cakes in some downhill snap on offense. Would they flip him to a conference rival vying for similar playoff seeding?

O'Neale is roughly two notches below Dorian Finney-Smith on the desirability scale. He's smaller, slower and headed into free agency this summer. That is...excellent news for the Suns! Little, perhaps another salary and two seconds should be commensurate with his general market value.

Richards would be springy insurance against certain playoff matchups and Drew Eubanks' more-than-occasional implosions. Cody Martin is not Diet Caleb Martin, but he fuses together situational ball-handling, passing and defensive portability. Phoenix can match his $7.6 million salary without much effort. Whether it wants to be on the hook for at least one more guaranteed season of his services ($8.2 million) amid shaky shooting and finishing and a murky health bill is a separate matter.

Portland Trail Blazers

1. Anthony Black
2. Naz Reid
3. Jonathan Isaac
4. Grant Williams
5. JT Thor

Navigating the infancy of their rebuild mandates the Portland Trail Blazers be on the prowl for future firsts and youngster fliers. Contrary to some other transitioning squads, though, they have a fistful of impact names with the curb appeal to indulge "Who's the best player we can get for so and so?" inklings.

Prying Black from the Orlando Magic isn't happening in a Malcolm Brogdon trade. It might be a different story if the Blazers are willing to move Anfernee Simons—who's both younger than you think (24) and having a more monstrous season than credited (extraterrestrial scoring package, improved passing).

Speaking of players younger than many realize, Reid is also only 24. Sure, Portland has Deandre Ayton and Robert Williams III on the payroll. But the latter is done for the year (and a trade candidate ahead of next season) and Ayton has...not been good. Reid spaces the floor enough to log tandem reps with other bigs, and his floor game has improved basically each and every season.

Convincing the Minnesota Timberwolves to part with him could be a chore, particularly if the C-Suiters want a cheaper big on the roster because they deem it necessary to eventually jettison Rudy Gobert or Karl-Anthony Towns amid luxury-tax concerns. As I mentioned in the Wolves' own section, though, a package built around Reid as primary compensation for Brogdon makes sense for both parties.

Since I'm apparently obsessed with sending one of the Blazers' guards to Orlando, general manager Joe Cronin would do well to target Isaac as matching salary. His contract is non-guaranteed for next season in the event he's a bad fit, but he arms Portland with a system-unto-himself defender if he stays healthy.

Grant Williams can technically play either big spot when his three-ball is falling. And even as he struggles during his debut campaign with the Dallas Mavericks, he's making borderline footnote money over the next three years ($40.9 million). While Portland should definitely push for him as salary-matching in prospective Jerami Grant-to-Big D scenarios, he could be an independent target if the Mavs are suffering from a bout of buyer's remorse.

Thor is a pure flier—and functional anarchy. That chaos manifests in every area of his game. Even his length is bedlam. That's part of his mystique. He's raw and inefficient on offense, but he can be moved around on defense.

Sacramento Kings

1. Alex Caruso
2. Dorian Finney-Smith
3. Jae'Sean Tate
4. Deni Avdija (poison pill)
5. Kyle Kuzma

Perimeter defense is the default trade-target du jour for the Sacramento Kings. That tracks with their aggregate list of needs. But Keegan Murray is playing like someone who can rumble and tussle with wings, and the Kings are getting scrappier stands from De'Aaron "Should Have Definitely Been An All-Star" Fox. That frees them up to look at other areas. Mainly: rim protection that can play alongside Domantas Sabonis and another from-scratch perimeter shot-maker.

My board skews toward perimeter defense anyway, a decision almost entirely dictated by the market but also one Sacramento chaperoned me towards. The front office's resistance to going over the top for OG Anunoby (the perfect fit) or Pascal Siakam (shrugs) suggests it's not itching to make an all-in investment—which is fair.

Caruso is easily the most ambitious name on the board. The Kings likely get bounced from the running if the Chicago Bulls don't have an asking price below two first-rounders or aren't smitten with Kevin Huerter. (Murray is and should be off limits in this case.) But Caruso is otherwise an ideal target.

While his minutes must be kept in check, this isn't much of an issue for the Kings. They have guards who can carry a lion's share of the 48-minute workload already. Caruso's on-ball probing is more luxury than necessity. His defense is the real get. Calling him exhaustive undersells all he does, and his body of work extends up to certain 4s. He's nice insurance against Malik Monk pricing himself out of town in free agency to boot.

Finney-Smith has a case to overtake Caruso at the top of this wishlist. He doesn't have the same positional plasticity or overall defensive dominance, but he remains a plus-stopper in most wing matchups and is more inclined to fire up threes.

Tate's capacity to guard almost anyone despite standing 6'4" is Marcus Smart-esque, and he can dislodge defenders going downhill. That he's a complete non-factor from three will require workarounds. It's not altogether prohibitive.

Sniffing around Avdija gets a smidge complicated because of his extension, but the financial logistics aren't back-breaking. He still doesn't get enough shine for the scope and difficulty of his defensive assignments, and though he can suffer from doesn't-look-for-his-own-offense-itis, he is a serviceable ball-handler and facilitator who has made strides in the not-enough-offensive-volume department.

Kuzma represents a departure from everyone else. And to be honest, I'm not sure how I actually feel about him in Sacramento. He is a spacing downgrade but, on most nights, a creation and defensive upgrade on the Harrison Barnes minutes. If the cost of admission tops out at one first-rounder, ancillary assets and not-totally-dead salary, the Kings have something to mull over.

San Antonio Spurs

1. Tyus Jones
2. Monte Morris
3. Andrew Nembhard
4. Dejounte Murray
5. Chris Paul

Eyeing veterans and impact players at the trade deadline often gets misinterpreted as timeline acceleration, an act of urgency generally panned when teams are very clearly more than one veteran or impact player away from anything special. Yet, that's not always the case.

Scanning the market for proven names who fill specific needs can actually advance rebuilding agendas. In the San Antonio Spurs' case, this entails identifying floor generals who can effectively organize their offense and improve quality of (on-court) life for everyone—but especially Victor Wembanyama.

It's no coincidence that the rookie sees his effective field-goal percentage climb by nearly nine points alongside Tre Jones compared to without him, according to PBP Stats. And it's no accident that the share of Wemby's shots coming at the rim goes from 30ish percent sans Jones to almost 37 percent with him.

Quality setup men who democratize rather than monopolize the offense serve a purpose beyond just drumming up win totals. Everyone on the Spurs' board fits that mold.

Tyus Jones-to-San Antonio for salary and the Charlotte Hornets' lottery-protected 2024 first (that's really guaranteed to become two seconds in 2025) might be the most "How has this not happened yet?" deal in the league. Morris has only just started playing after dealing with a quad injury for most of the year. His ties to the state of Michigan and the Detroit Pistons' insistence that they're on the cusp of something more than just one of the worst records in NBA history could render him ungettable. But he's the consummate low-turnover game manager who can prop up those around him or play off them.

Nembhard may be too important to the win-now Indiana Pacers as a reserve playmaker and defensive try-hard. Still, the Spurs have a peppering of good-not-great draft picks to peddle if Indy's looking to restock its cupboard on the heels of the Pascal Siakam trade.

Bringing back Murray is both functionally prudent and incredible gamesmanship. If there's a scenario in which the Spurs can make the Atlanta Hawks actively worse while retaining at least one of the latter's picks (2025 first, 2026 swap, 2027 first), they should sprint towards it.

Could San Antonio sell 38-year-old Chris Paul, currently out with a left hand injury, on stewarding its upstart? Perhaps by guaranteeing his salary for next year? And could the Spurs also convince the Golden State Warriors to part with him?

Offering Doug McDermott and Devonte' Graham saves the Dubs a boatload in luxury-tax payments. Does light draft compensation on top get them to nibble? How about if they also grease the wheels of shoehorning Graham into the Washington Wizards' $12.4 million traded player exception, saving Golden State oodles of money? Or are the Dubs focused on using his salary for something more than a tax dump?

Toronto Raptors

1. Toumani Camara
2. Naz Reid
3. Kevin Huerter
4. Jalen Green
5. Chuma Okeke

What instructions do you give a seller that has already done most of its realistic selling? Further selling anyway? Relative idleness? Flier hunting? Consolidation gambling?

For the Toronto Raptors, specifically, it's none of the above. Or all of the above. They should approach the trade deadline as opportunists, an organization open to a little or a lot of everything.

To be clear, it should take the perfect meld of fit and gettability for the Raptors to go fuller-scale buying. That's the Jalen Green route. His efficiency from the outside continues to peak-and-plunge, but he's showing more overall signs of life in recent weeks. Even with Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley and R.J. Barrett, Toronto's offense could use a dials-all-go-to-11-shot-creator.

Size in the backcourt becomes an issue with Green and Quickley, but only slightly. The Raptors, at full strength, have the bodies on the frontline to play big enough, and IQ's own frenzied defensive motor allows team president Masai Ujiri to get creative with whoever spends time beside him.

Are the Houston Rockets willing to cut the cord on Green? What would it cost to get him? Would the Raptors have enough? Or anything close to the best offer? These are questions we can't really answer. But if the soon-to-be 22-year-old is indeed available or available-ish, Toronto should be among those kicking the tires.

Everyone else on this list would be a smaller, albeit not unambitious, swing aimed at filling roster needs. Toronto continues to want for accessory shooting and a reliable body who can shimmy between both the 4 and 5. Reid does it all.

Dangling Schroder and first-round equity won't get the Minnesota Timberwolves to bite straight up. But relaying that same framework to a third team could perhaps get the Wolves someone more immediately impactful. (A three-team setup with the Portland Trail Blazers that lands Malcolm Brogdon in Minny could be fun.)

Camara needs to prove he can score efficiently away from the basket—and even at the basket. He is also, so far, the best player that Portland acquired from the Phoenix Suns before this season. His defense spans four positions' worth of superstar assignments—and sometimes Nikola Jokić. The disruption he brings both on- and off-ball is a fusion of physicality, hustle and smarts.

Huerter has seen his efficiency from downtown nosedive compared to last season, but his clip is on the come-up and even his entire-year percentage (36.7) and volume (eight-plus attempts per 36 minutes) would be distinct upgrades.

Okeke satisfies the pure-flier option at Toronto's disposal. He's back to getting DNPs and footnote minutes after a brief court-time surge, and his three-pointer has never come around, but he has the length and frame to be rolled out against the 1 through 4 slots.

Utah Jazz

1. Dejounte Murray
2. Tari Eason
3. Patrick Williams
4. Matisse Thybulle (can veto any trade)
5. Moses Moody

As the league's buyers circle the Utah Jazz's smattering of impact veterans in hopes team CEO Danny Ainge will hold another midseason fire sale, yours truly was brave enough to say the following on a recent episode of Hardwood Knocks (1:52:26 mark): "Buy, baby, buy."

Look, the Jazz aren't one player away from crashing the contender ranks. But they are frisky. They also have enough future first-rounders that they don't need any more.

Perusing offers for Kelly Olynyk, Jordan Clarkson, Collin Sexton, John Collins, Kris Dunn, etc. is perfectly acceptable. They've already moved Simone Fontecchio. But none of these guys, on their own, are netting a premium asset. (Sexton comes closest.) Utah might as well prowl the market for impact players who help now without infringing upon its developmental projects.

Keeping tabs on Murray is just good business. Both his age (27) and contract (four years, $114 million after this one) fit the Lauri Markkanen timeline, and adding his facilitation streamlines the development of Keyonte George while simplifying life for Clarkson and Sexton (assuming one or both stick around). And if or when the Jazz must move on from him or head down a different path, Murray is on a deal that could, in theory, secure more assets for his next team than the Atlanta Hawks get for him now.

Eason must be filed firmly under "Try Creating Your Own Trade Market, Dammit" tab. This dude lives to play defense—to delete entire possessions from existence. The Houston Rockets shouldn't be hocking him all over the place when he has two years left on his rookie scale, but between housing Dillon Brooks, Amen Thompson and Jae'Sean Tate and Utah having the pick equity necessary to chisel out its own market, I have #noragrets.

Williams carries enough defensive intrigue himself for the Jazz to strongly contemplate his fit within the Markkanen-Collins-Walker Kessler-Taylor Hendricks jumble. Though he's best suited offensively at the 4, Markkanen's own style paves the way for him to be deployed as a 3. And Utah needn't sweat his restricted free agency, because #matchingrights. The Chicago Bulls' asking price and willingness to talk shop at all are bigger hurdles.

Tossing Thybulle into the mix would be huge even if his three-point efficiency—which, uh, includes sidestep looks now—doesn't hold. Utah needs wings and perimeter defense. Period. Thybulle provides both.

Meanwhile, this might be the perfect team to free Moses Moody from the apparently irreversible constraints of his role with the Golden State Warriors. In the absence of a blockbuster target who can salvage their season, the Dubs should be maximizing their ability to do something later. Scooping up a protected first might do more for their summertime plans, and Moody would give the Jazz an authentic three-and-D worker bee to groom.

Washington Wizards

1. Killian Hayes
2. Ziaire Williams
3. Aleksej Pokuševski
4. Davion Mitchell
5. Josh Green (poison pill)

Accumulating as much extra draft equity as humanly possible is the chief mission for the Washington Wizards' braintrust. After that, it's a push and pull between distressed-asset dice rolls and "Who's the best player we can get in a Kyle Kuzma or Tyus Jones trade?"

I've chosen to almost entirely ignore the latter here. Green is the only name on the board who falls under that instructional canopy. His performance has ticked up in a big way following a spotty start (and right elbow injury), and rebuilding teams can never have too many affordable wing-ish sized players with functional on-ball chops.

Hayes is a demonstrably imperfect player, but his defense and passing still intrigue, and the Wizards will need another ball-handler if they move on from Jones, Kuzma and/or Deni Avdija.

Pokuševski is not listed here in jest. He remains a pleasant curiosity. There were stretches last year in which he flashed everything from impactful help defense and complementary offense—particularly in the open floor.

The ship has sailed on Ziaire Williams morphing into the Wing of the Future for the Memphis Grizzlies, assuming it was ever docked. I'm not sure he'll ever have operable passing feel or a desire to rebound. But 6'9" 22-year-olds with some ball skills and some defensive maneuverability are never lost causes.

Mitchell would admittedly do little to help the Wizards offense in the absence of (or as a back up to) Jones. His defensive motor, however, is fierce. Lineups featuring him, Avdija and Bilal Coulilbaly might struggle to score points, but they'd ruin entire lives at the other end.

Dan Favale covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter (@danfavale), and subscribe to the Hardwood Knocks podcast, co-hosted by Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes.

Unless otherwise noted, stats courtesy of NBA.com, Basketball Reference, Stathead or Cleaning the Glass. Salary information via Spotrac. Draft-pick obligations via RealGM.