Offseason mode is now activated for nearly half the NBA's teams, and we all, collectively, as a family, know what that must mean:

It's time to whip up a fresh, piping-hot batch of trade ideas for every squad watching games that matter from the (dis)comfort of their couches, oversized chairs, chaise lounges and beanbag chairs.

Cobbling together these hypotheticals can be tough when the playoffs, draft and free agency have yet to unfold. The developments of each will impact who's available and the directions in which teams travel.

Fortunately for you (we think), Bleacher Report's Dan Favale and Grant Hughes are up to the task.

Deals will be proposed as if they are general manager-ing all 14 franchises on the outskirts of the postseason bracket. The aims of actual front offices will be taken into account, but gosh darnit, if we think it's time the Chicago Bulls start selling, even though we know they won't, we're making that call on their behalf anyway.

And on that scintillating note, we're off!

Atlanta Hawks

The Trade

Atlanta Hawks Receive: Anthony Black, No. 18 pick, Jonathan Isaac

Orlando Magic Receive: Dejounte Murray

One of Murray or Trae Young has to go for the Hawks. The latter should yield more value but is also much more likely to send Atlanta into a full-tilt rebuild—something it won't be too keen on with San Antonio controlling its draft picks in 2025, 2026 (swap) and 2027.

This return helps preserve the Hawks' immediate aspirations while ratcheting up its defensive personnel.

Black remains an offensive project who must prove he can bang in jumpers. His 39.4 percent clip from threes this year came on just 94 attempts, making it tough to buy—particularly when he shot 61.3 percent at the charity stripe. But he's already a defensive terror, someone who expertly navigates the floor, fights like hell on screens and can check the opposition's best backcourt player no matter who it might be.

Isaac is forever a health risk whose minutes must be managed. That's fine. He's entering the final year of his deal (it's currently nonguaranteed), and Atlanta could use 15 to 20 minutes per game of Defensive Player of the Year-type energy.

The No. 18 pick pairs nicely with the Hawks' 10th overall selection. Perhaps they can move up the draft (if this trade is completed in time). Failing that, they'll have two youngsters on cost-controlled deals—a not insignificant resource given they're currently in the tax for next season and knowing Jalen Johnson will be on a mega deal in 2025-26.

Orlando should pounce at the opportunity to acquire Murray. He isn't a caps-lock SHOOTER, but he does upgrade the offense's spacing from Black and free-agent-to-be Markelle Fultz Plus, the Magic need some semblance of a game manager. Murray isn't the niftiest floor general, but positionally average orchestration goes a long way when Paolo Banchero is #YourGuy.

Getting in on the ground floor of Murray's four-year, $114.1 million deal is equally valuable. Orlando has to start thinking about second contracts for Banchero and the extension-eligible Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs. Murray's below-market pact should make it easier to re-invest in the current core. And better still, this package neither exhausts the Magic's asset stores nor nukes their capacity to carve out more than $50 million in cap space (if they so choose).

—Favale

Brooklyn Nets

The Trade

Brooklyn Nets Receive: Dejounte Murray

Atlanta Hawks Receive: Dennis Schröder, Dorian Finney-Smith, Phoenix's 2025 first-round pick, Phoenix's 2027 first-round pick (top-five protection)

Hiring first-time NBA head coach Jordi Fernandez apparently does not signal a willingness from the Nets to explore another rebuild. They don't sound like a team prepared to do something brash, but general manager Sean Marks doesn't seem like he's content to bide time in the sub-middle, either.

This makes sense—to an extent.

Brooklyn does not control its own first-round pick again until 2028. Starting over would require an iron stomach identical to the one Marks sustained when he first took the gig in 2016—unless, of course, he's ready and willing (and able) to use Mikal Bridges to recoup the Nets' first-rounders from the Houston Rockets.

At the same time, a lack of control over your own draft is no excuse for using a lion's share of picks coming down the pipeline from Dallas (2029), Philadelphia (2027) and Phoenix (2025, 2027, 2029) to acquire anyone other than a top-10ish player.

Names like Trae Young and Darius Garland will amble across Brooklyn's radar if they shake loose. Marks and friends should abstain. A core assembled around Bridges and, say, Young without many assets left to spare in subsequent trades is far from a palatable path.

Murray represents a happy medium—a fringe All-Star on a bargain deal (four years, $114.1 million) who brings much-needed creation and table setting at the lead-guard spot while elevating the defense (even if only slightly these days).

Parting with two of Phoenix's picks will be tough. But the Suns should fall short of abject disaster next season, and the 2027 selection is protected against catastrophe. Finney-Smith's three-and-D skill set will be missed but isn't that difficult to approximate elsewhere. He is on the wrong side of 30 and has dipped below 35 percent from distance in each of the past two seasons.

Atlanta's end of the deal is harder to reconcile. Two firsts, a backup point guard and a combo wing amounts to less than they gave up for Murray. But if remaining competitive and balancing out the roster is the endgame, Schröder and DFS help accomplish just that without complicating the long-term payroll. The Hawks can also try pushing for the Nets to include Philly's 2027 first or, more realistically, Noah Clowney and a swap if this framework doesn't get the job done.

—Favale

Charlotte Hornets

Charlotte Hornets Receive: Lindy Waters III (team option)

Oklahoma City Thunder Receive: 2025 second-round pick (via Philadelphia)

Fans of the Hornets (and trades in general) are no doubt thirsty for something splashier. And to those peoples' credit, Charlotte's new team governorship is making waves with its changes.

Still, those shifts all point toward the same underlying message: The Hornets are prioritizing the bigger picture. That doesn't lend itself to home-run trades—not when they've already cashed out on their most prized vets (P.J. Washington, Terry Rozier), and most certainly not when they have zero business shopping any of their own first-rounders.

Talent swings, asset accumulation and roster optimization are the primary objectives. Waters checks that last box—as well as, potentially, the first two.

Pushing 27, he is neither especially young nor a household name. But Charlotte should feel obligated to surround Brandon Miller and a healthier LaMelo Ball and Mark Williams with as much shooting as humanly possible.

And Waters can shuh-oot.

Through his first three seasons, in admittedly limited action, he's averaging over 11 three-point attempts per 36 minutes and downing them at a 37.7 percent clip. He ups the intrigue even further with the chops to score off motion and his knack for relocating mid-possession into better sight lines for his ball-handlers. And while self-creation isn't his thing, he has shown the ability to skitter into the lane, maintain his dribble and find floaters or scoring opportunities for others.

That Waters is so darn cheap is even better. His team option for next season checks in under $2.4 million. That the Hornets have already shown an affinity for dudes who can't crack the Thunder's regular rotation—see: Tre Mann, Aleksej Pokuševski—is a happy bonus.

—Favale

Chicago Bulls

The Trade

Chicago Bulls Receive: P.J. Tucker (2024-25 player option), 2030 first-round swap (top-five protection), 2031 first-round pick (top-five protection; turns into two seconds if not conveyed)

Los Angeles Clippers Receive: Alex Caruso

Pretty much nobody expects the Bulls to take the long view over the offseason. Let's go ahead and do it for them anyway.

Securing multiple first-rounders for Caruso is a pipe dream at this point. He just turned 30 and has only one year left on his contract before he'll be looking to cash in on All-Defense feistiness that scales from the 1 all the way up to, at times, the 4.

Landing an ultra-distant swap and pick from the Clippers in exchange for eating Tucker's money (assuming he picks up his player option) comes fairly close to qualifying as "multiple first-rounders." Whether executive vice president of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas feels the same way is a separate matter.

Those picks are so far out that he has to know, not-so-deep down, he most likely won't be the one making them. On the flip side, betting against the Clippers' future when they have an aging core and are Supertaxed to the moon and back is a chess-not-checkers move. And in a weird, twisted, yet totally logical way, the procurement of super-distant firsts may actually buy Karnišovas additional job security.

Los Angeles' motivation here needs little explanation. Assuming both Paul George (player option) and James Harden return, the Clippers will remain on the win-right-the-hell-now track. Shoot, that barely changes if one or both of them leaves. Los Angeles already extended Kawhi Leonard, and let's face it, Harden doesn't really have the market leverage to anywhere.

With or without George, the Clippers need some extra defensive gusto. They ranked 24th in points allowed per possession after the All-Star break and fared poorly in transition all year. Relying on Kawhi and PG will only get thornier as they continue to age. Caruso brings a tenacity capable of alleviating that curve and improving the entire team—all without needing a prescribed number of touches at the offensive end. His bandwidth for guarding up even helps weaponize their no-big configurations.

Surrendering both a swap and a pick stings. These are essentially the Clippers' last trade chips to play. They can haggle over including the swap, but using a non-factor like Tucker as salary-matching doesn't leave much room for negotiating down.

—Favale

Detroit Pistons

The Trade

Detroit Pistons Receive: Tim Hardaway Jr.

Dallas Mavericks Receive: 2027 second-round pick (less favorable of Brooklyn's and Dallas' own)

Full stop: Coming up with trades for the Pistons right now is weird. They don't have any appealing expendables, they shouldn't be dealing their own firsts, and it's too soon to give up on Jaden Ivey or Jalen Duren.

Oh, and they're still searching for a new lead basketball executive. That makes it difficult to pin down whether they'll be acting with urgent aggression or opportunistic restraint.

A projected $60-plus million in cap space renders the Pistons a prime salary-dumping ground. But unless they want to get into the Andrew Wiggins business, the market on "bad money attached to prospects and picks" has yet to materialize. And even in Wiggins' case, Golden State most likely won't be tethering assets to the three years and $84.7 million left on his deal. That's OK for some. Detroit needs more bankable shooting—not to mention a backup 5, preferably with some stretch, a second-string point guard and just general help on the wings. (Yeesh.)

Hardaway is not a massive needle-mover. But his $16.2 million salary comes off the books in 2025, allowing the Pistons to roll over flexibility if they please. And even though he's barely seen run during the playoffs, he has a proven track record as a floor-spacer.

Over the past five seasons, Hardaway is knocking down 37.5 percent of his triples on 7.5 attempts per game. Between him and the (presumed) return of Simone Fontecchio, Detroit gets easier access to Cade Cunningham-Ausar-Thompson-plus-shooting arrangements that don't force them to break open long-term piggy bank, prematurely shell out longer-term assets or lean too heavily on leaps from Quentin Grimes and Marcus Sasser.

Wiping Hardaway's money from the ledger without receiving a player in return might not align with the Mavericks' short-term goals. Though Hardaway looks dispensable now, that could change if Derrick Jones Jr. leaves in free agency and/or Dante Exum continues to look like an offensive liability in the playoffs.

But unloading THJ's money lowers Dallas' payroll far enough below the hard cap that it can spend the entire non-taxpayer mid-level without additional maneuvering. Depending on who they can sign (or trade for) with it, simply lopping off THJ's deal for second-round equity could be a route that appeals to them.

—Favale

Golden State Warriors

The Trade: Golden State Warriors acquire a heavily protected 2027 second-round pick from the Philadelphia 76ers for Andrew Wiggins and a 2026 second-round pick (via ATL)

Let's imagine no free agent worth the Philadelphia 76ers' trove of cap space makes it onto the market, forcing Daryl Morey to consider other talent-onboarding methods. And let's also imagine that after a Play-In elimination, Warriors ownership isn't keen on paying a hefty luxury tax penalty.

Andrew Wiggins' $26.2 million salary could slide right into Philly's cap sheet while still leaving as much as $40 million in unspent resources, replacing free agent Tobias Harris at a discount and possibly even providing elite defense if Wiggins can channel his 2022 self.

The Warriors have Jonathan Kuminga ready to shine after a breakthrough season that made Wiggins redundant, and thinning the depth chart on the wing could also free up minutes for Moses Moody to finally have a regular role.

Golden State wants to get out of the tax to reset the clock on the repeater penalties it's been paying for a roster that is no longer worthy of such an expense. Dumping Wiggins with a second-rounder, a sweetener ESPN's Zach Lowe reports would be necessary for most acquiring teams, could go a long way toward getting the Dubs back onto more reasonable financial footing.

It's hard to fathom paying to get off of a Wiggins deal that seemed like a bargain when it was signed, but the Dubs have younger options in the wings and could be forgiven for no longer believing Wiggins will return to championship form.

—Hughes

Houston Rockets

The Trade: Houston Rockets acquire Lauri Markkanen from the Utah Jazz for Jabari Smith Jr., Cam Whitmore, 2026 first-round pick (via BKN) and a 2027 second-round pick (via MEM)

The Houston Rockets are further down the rebuild road than the Utah Jazz, which makes the soon-to-be 27-year-old Markkanen a more sensible fit for the former. Just look at the players leading each respective team at the point guard position; Fred VanVleet is a 30-year-old title-winner, while Keyonte George is a decade younger with only a single inefficient struggle of a rookie campaign under his belt.

There's no mistaking which squad is more committed to stacking wins in 2024-25.

The Rockets might be forced to part with Jalen Green or Alperen Sengün in their pursuit of Markkanen, two players ESPN's Tim MacMahon reported could be on the table in a blockbuster. But that iteration of the trade would probably mean Utah could keep any picks and sweeteners out of the exchange. This version assumes the Jazz are more interested in players whose extension eligibility isn't so imminent, and they're getting more draft equity to add to the heap.

And it's not like Smith or Whitmore lack potential. Smith offers versatile defense, the ability to play center, floor-stretching shooting (36.3 percent on 5.0 triple attempts per game) and a developing isolation bag. Whitmore is a raw scorer with a high ceiling. Neither is assured of landing an All-Star nod by age 25 like Markkanen did, and there's not a serious argument to be made that Smith or Whitmore will outperform the Finnisher over the next season or two.

Then again, both are so young and so laden with upside that the exchange still makes sense for Utah, particularly with Markkanen's next payday right around the corner.

Houston has Green and Sengün's extensions to think about, so adding Markkanen, who'll likely need a nine-figure deal of his own in short order, might be a little intimidating. But if the Rockets are serious about taking the next step, it's time to give up some of their future assets for someone who can make a real difference now.

—Hughes

Memphis Grizzlies

The Trade: Memphis Grizzlies acquire Kevon Looney from the Golden State Warriors for Ziaire Williams and a 2024 second-round pick (via OKC)

Looney's sage presence is of immense value to the Golden State Warriors' locker room, but the 2023-24 season suggested the three-time champ's days of making a major impact on the floor could be over. That might not be the case on another team, though.

The Grizzlies have a power forward in Jaren Jackson Jr. whose game includes much more perimeter shooting than the Warriors' Draymond Green, so it's possible Looney would be a cleaner fit on offense. The real benefit would come on the boards, where Jackson Jr. isn't stout enough to keep opposing 5s off the glass. Even in a down year, Looney was stellar in that area, ranking in the 87th percentile among bigs in offensive rebound rate and the 81st in defensive rebounding rate.

Former Grizzly Steven Adams brought more sheer bulk than Looney can, but the Warriors' veteran is a smart defender who can be a handoff hub at the elbows and hold up physically against most enemy bigs. His experience, maturity and "right place, right time" defensive positioning would give the Grizzlies' defense some serious interior stability.

Ziaire Williams was once a future-breakout darling with the Grizz, but the emergence of GG Jackson Jr. makes him expendable ahead of restricted free agency in 2025. It's harder to imagine him becoming a high-end starter down the road now than it was a couple of years ago, but the Warriors need lottery tickets like Williams more than they need aging backups like Looney.

—Hughes

Portland Trail Blazers

The Trade: Portland Trail Blazers acquire Anthony Black and a 2025 first-round pick (via DEN) from the Orlando Magic for Anfernee Simons.

It's not that Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons and Shaedon Sharpe can't be part of a workable long-term backcourt rotation. All three, including Simons, the old head in the group at 24, are young enough to grow their games. At the moment, though, it feels like the Blazers need another type of guard to balance things out.

Black is a big, rangy guard who flashed defense, energy and quick connective passing during his rookie season. The Magic have those qualities elsewhere on the roster, but they lack Simons' quick-trigger shooting off the dribble.

In Orlando, Simons' suspect defense wouldn't be as damaging with Jalen Suggs handling the toughest matchup every night—not to mention more back-line help than the Blazers can boast. Meanwhile, Black's defense-first profile would be in much higher demand on a Blazers team that needs to shield some of its offensive-minded prospects from difficult assignments on the other end.

Two teams with talent surpluses in very different areas help each other out here by swapping young guards. This could be a straight-up exchange due to Orlando's ability to take Simons' $25.8 million into cap space, but Black's hazier outlook means the Blazers need to get a protected first-rounder as a sweetener.

—Hughes

Sacramento Kings

The Trade: Sacramento Kings acquire Lonzo Ball from the Chicago Bulls for Harrison Barnes

An anemic 98 points in a Play-In loss to the New Orleans Pelicans showed the Kings, though still an offense-first outfit, had nowhere near the necessary firepower without injured Sixth Man Malik Monk (and, to a lesser extent, starter Kevin Huerter) in the rotation.

Sacramento can only pay Monk, a free agent, $78 million over four years. He'll get bigger offers elsewhere and likely leave, which means the Kings now require scoring support in addition to their perpetual need for a defensive-minded wing.

Even if Keegan Murray takes another big step, he can't fill both voids next year. This is a difficult "two birds, one stone" problem that the relatively inflexible Kings can't solve without taking a risk.

Lonzo Ball is that risk.

Out since the 2021-22 season due to a major knee injury, Ball's future is beyond uncertain. When last healthy, the former No. 2 overall pick was an optimal two-way connective piece. An excellent facilitator whose vision and standstill three-point shooting helps offenses flow, Ball is also a clever, steal-hoarding defensive weapon. Though not a born scorer like Monk or the true shutdown stopper the Kings need, Ball is still a sneaky good (but obviously high-risk) option. Worst case: Sacramento gets nothing from Ball, and his $21.3 million salary comes off the books next summer, a year before Barnes' deal would have expired.

The Bulls have their own uncertainties with DeMar DeRozan's free agency, but Barnes fills a need as a combo forward who can steady things on both ends. If Chicago doesn't want to risk another lost season from Ball ahead of his free agency in 2025, Barnes would be a sensible return in this straight-up swap.

—Hughes

San Antonio Spurs

The Trade: San Antonio Spurs acquire Fred VanVleet from the Houston Rockets for Keldon Johnson, Devonte' Graham, 2025 first-round pick (via ATL), 2026 first-round pick

The cellar-dwelling San Antonio Spurs posted a plus-5.2 net rating with Tre Jones and Victor Wembanyama on the floor but collapsed (minus-16.6) whenever anyone else manned the point guard position. Replace Jones with a real difference-maker, move him to a backup spot and it stands to reason the Spurs could vault up the standings as Wemby becomes a no-questions-asked All-NBA superstar next year.

Personally, I can't stand the Trae Young fit in San Antonio. This is Wembanyama's team, and the downsides—ball dominance, terrible defense, iffy leadership—just aren't worth the offensive boost Young could theoretically provide. The Spurs would be better off adding a proven winner who'll play hard, do the little things and basically operate as an anti-Trae on all fronts.

That's Fred VanVleet, someone the Spurs could pry away by dipping into their deep pool of draft assets.

Does giving up VanVleet potentially cost the Rockets some of the defensive intensity and professionalism that helped them make such a leap this season? Sure, but FVV's short-term deal suggests he was never part of Houston's big-picture plans. Amen Thompson showed enough as a rookie to inspire confidence he's ready to take on a starting role, and Jalen Green snuck in a ton of facilitation alongside big scoring numbers during his excellent stretch run.

This move also clears some cap space for the Rockets to pursue a star down the road, while also easing some of the financial strain coming when Alperen Sengün, Green and Jabari Smith Jr. need their extensions.

—Hughes

Toronto Raptors

The Trade

Toronto Raptors Receive: Andrew Wiggins

Golden State Warriors Receive: 2026 second-round pick (top-44 protection)

Declining Bruce Brown's team option, carrying Immanuel Quickley's cap hold and renouncing all of their other free agents would leave the Raptors with a little more than $28 million in space.

Are they prepared to burn the vast majority of it absorbing the three years and $84.7 million remaining on Wiggins' contract? Maybe. Possibly. Potentially. Debatable. Who knows.

Wiggins' deal has run the gamut of outside perspective. It went from a steal when he signed to roughly market value entering this past season to a borderline albatross now. The truth, like always, lies somewhere in the middle.

For all his flaws, Wiggins has become more plug and play on the offensive end and has the size and physical tools needed to match up against tough covers on the other side of the floor. Yes, his effectiveness waxes and wanes. This season, it mostly waned. But if the cost of entry is only cap space, he's worth the roll of the dice to a Raptors squad that needs wings who don't monopolize offensive touches.

Toronto still might not want to torch all its flexibility on a distressed asset. That's fair. It can look to expand the deal and send the expiring contracts of Chris Boucher and/or Jalen McDaniels into a third team's cap space (or to the Warriors themselves) if it wishes to preserve some immediate flexibility.

Golden State may actually have a harder time green lighting this move. Tax relief is all they're receiving in return. And yet, that's apparently just what they're after.

Managing team governor Joe Lacob told The Athletic's Tim Kawakami earlier this year that "our Plan 1, or 1A, is that we'd like to be out of the tax, and we think that we have a way to do that. That kind of is the plan, not just under the second apron." (H/t CBS Sports' Sam Quinn.)

The Warriors can duck the tax by waiving Chris Paul (non-guaranteed) and letting most of their own free agents walk. But "most" may include Klay Thompson—unless he's taking a massive pay cut. Even if Golden State is content to let this core's window close, are they emotionally prepared to break up the trio of Klay, Draymond Green and Stephen Curry? Especially when there's no way that'll sit well with the other two?

Offloading Wiggins' $26.3 million salary enables the Warriors to map out scenarios in which they re-sign Thompson and still entirely skirt that tax. (It's a job that gets much easier if they waive Kevon Looney's partially guaranteed deal and/or Gary Payton II declines his $9 million player option. Both seem unlikely). That won't (and shouldn't) sit well with a fanbase itching for another go at a title with Steph. But if cost-cutting really is Golden State's default mode, Toronto looms as a team with the tools and, potentially, incentive to help out.

—Favale

Utah Jazz

The Trade: Utah Jazz acquire Josh Giddey, Jaylin Williams, Ousmane Dieng and a 2025 first-round pick (via MIA; top-14 protected) from the Oklahoma City Thunder for Jordan Clarkson and Taylor Hendricks

Between Keyonte George and Collin Sexton, the Jazz's backcourt scoring department is in good long-term shape. That makes Jordan Clarkson expendable, and he goes to the Thunder here for a package headlined by Giddey, a pass-first jack of all trades who could ease the playmaking burden on Utah's young guards.

Though Giddey is extension eligible and may not be part of OKC's long-term plans, Clarkson's veteran bench scoring may not be enough to get a deal done. The real draw for the Thunder is Hendricks, theoretically a floor-spacing defensive disruptor who'll be able to man either forward spot. Utah should highly value the guy it picked ninth in 2023, which is why OKC is tossing in a first-rounder, its own potential lottery ticket in Dieng and Williams, who'd add frontcourt versatility and defense.

Utah may simply prefer to keep Hendricks around, and Giddey's iffy shooting could make him a tough fit with big man Walker Kessler. But another future first and three young players is a terrific return for a duplicative scoring guard whose age, 31, puts him outside the young team's timeline and an inexperienced forward whose rookie season didn't irrefutably prove he's got stardom in his future.

—Hughes

Washington Wizards

The Trade

Washington Wizards Receive: Jaden Hardy, Tim Hardaway Jr., Olivier-Maxence Prosper, 2025 first-round pick (top-10 protection; turns into two seconds if not conveyed)*

Dallas Mavericks Receive: Kyle Kuzma

(*Dallas cannot trade this pick until the new league year begins.)

Asset accumulation should be viewed as the Wizards' way of life this early into their rebuild. And without meaningful cap space to peddle as a dumping ground, that means gauging the market for Kuzma.

Bagging multiple outright first-rounders feels like it'll be off the table. If it isn't, one of them is definitely going to be an afterthought selection. This return isn't reinventing Washington's trajectory, but it makes a difference, reeling in two viable prospects and a future first.

Hardy, in particular, should pique the interest of a Wizards squad that has zero long-term floor generals on the roster and Tyus Jones entering free agency. The 21-year-old is more combo guard than playmaking captain, but he has delivered flickers of more patient, more accurate and less predictable passing. Combine that with a scoring arsenal that includes standstill touch and shiftiness in traffic, and he's worth exploration.

Prosper entered the league to three-and-D fanfare and then barely played. But carving out developmental reps on a team operating within an urgent timeline is tough. At 6'8", with a 7'1" wingspan, the soon-to-be 22-year-old is worth adding to a young-perimeter rotation that already features Deni Avdija, Bilal Coulibaly and Corey Kispert.

Hardaway clearly doesn't fit Washington's timeline. But he has fallen out of favor in Dallas' rotation, can still hit shots and comes off the books in 2025. If nothing else, his $16.2 million salary is useful matching fodder for prospective midseason trades.

Whether the Mavericks should have interest in Kuzma is debatable. They already acquired P.J. Washington, and neither he nor Kuz is a flat-out 3. Then again, this figures to be a great value play.

Kuzma has three seasons and $64.4 million left on a deal that declines in salary each year and brings another layer of shot creation behind Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving Dallas currently doesn't have. Playing him in tandem with Luka, Washington and one of the Mavs' bigs would make for a ridiculously huge lineup.

That gargantuan-ness still comes with positional questions. But Kuzma has picked up his defense enough in recent years to streamline the process, and odds are his 35.5 percent clip on catch-and-fire treys should spike when he sails from first- and second-option territory into third- and fourth-wheel waters.

—Favale

Stats courtesy of NBA.com, Basketball Reference and Cleaning the Glass. Salary info via Spotrac.

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