Most of the NBA's 2024 offseason is in the rearview, but teams aren't done being shaped ahead of the 2025 playoffs.

Between now and February's trade deadline, more moves will be made. And the teams with the most assets will have the opportunity to add some superstars.

All 30 squads, ranked by those assets, can be found below.

What Are 'Trade Assets,' and How Do We Value Them?

But first, a word on what exactly a "trade asset" is for purposes of this slideshow.

If we considered every player in the league to be one, the Denver Nuggets would be in a much different position. Nikola Jokić is the best player in the world, and he's in his prime. His trade value is immense, but we're not going to include players like him in this slideshow.

For players, there's a lot of guesswork in play, in that we're trying only to include those we can reasonably see being moved between now and February. That doesn't mean we're predicting they will get traded, just that there's a world in which it makes sense.

Teams might also be slightly higher or lower in the rankings below based on the likelihood of a move. For example, the Utah Jazz would be a few spots lower if we thought Lauri Markkanen was staying put. Without giving too much of a spoiler, their current position suggests a decent chance he's traded.

There's obviously some subjectivity there, but that's unavoidable in this exercise.

As for picks, for the most part, we're not worrying about second-rounders, at least not when listing everyone's assets. They're certainly worth mentioning for teams that have already exhausted (or nearly exhausted) their supply, like the Phoenix Suns or Denver Nuggets, but we'll focus on firsts. They've traditionally had significantly more value.

One more thing, the NBA's Stepien rule doesn't allow teams to make trades that would leave them without first-round picks in consecutive years. We're still going to list those seemingly untradeable assets, though, mostly because of pick swaps. For example, the Milwaukee Bucks only have a 2031 first-rounder left (another rule prevents teams from moving picks further than seven years into the future), so they can't trade it outright. They can, however, give another team with its own 2031 pick the right to swap picks with them that year.

Got it? Phew. Now that we're all on the same page about what counts, let's get into the teams themselves.

30. Milwaukee Bucks

Notable Players: Brook Lopez, Bobby Portis. AJ Johnson

Notable Picks: 2031 first

At this point, it feels like the Bucks are pretty much locked into their current core around Giannis Antetokounmpo.

They could trade one of their veteran starters, but with the exception of Gary Trent Jr., they're all well into their 30s.

Of the group including Brook Lopez, Khris Middleton and Damian Lillard, Lopez feels likeliest to be moved, since Giannis can play the 5, but Milwaukee doesn't have much draft capital to juice his value. Its only second-rounder is way off in 2031, too.

A win-now move might still be in the cards by attaching a 2031 pick swap and 19-year-old AJ Johnson to Lopez or Bobby Portis, but then their assets would be truly exhausted.

Seeing how things play out with a full offseason and training camp under Doc Rivers feels like the safest bet.

29. Los Angeles Clippers

Notable Players: James Harden, Norman Powell, Terance Mann

Notable Picks: 2030 and 2031 firsts

Free agency gave Paul George the right to go to the highest bidder this summer, and that left the Los Angeles Clippers to try to replace him with minimum contracts and cap exceptions.

Had they signed him to a lucrative extension last year, he could be one of the league's more valuable trade assets. Instead, L.A. doesn't have a ton to move.

James Harden signed a relatively team-friendly deal this offseason, but his age (35 in August) and history of trade demands mean he's probably still a distressed asset in the eyes of some teams.

Norman Powell and Terance Mann would be solid additions on the wings for plenty of organizations, but they're also not stars (or even potential stars).

Barring an out-of-nowhere trade involving Kawhi Leonard, the Clippers are another team likely stuck with their current roster.

28. Boston Celtics

Notable Players: Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser, Baylor Scheierman

Notable Picks: 2025 through 2027 firsts, 2030 first and 2031 firsts

Think back to our explanation of what exactly is an asset for our purposes. Technically, having Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown would suggest the Boston Celtics have tons of trade value to potentially divvy out, but those guys simply aren't getting moved.

In fact, after dominating the regular season and cruising to the 2024 championship, it feels like each of Boston's top six (Tatum, Kristaps Porziņģis, Derrick White, Brown, Jrue Holiday and Al Horford) are locked in. That leaves a handful of reserves as the potential trade chips.

And while Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser could help plenty of teams, they probably aren't starters in many situations. Baylor Scheierman is a wild card, but at 23, he's a little older than most rookies.

Boston does have access to most of its future first-round picks, but you have to figure those will typically be late first-rounders. The Celtics are going to be good for the foreseeable future.

27. Denver Nuggets

Notable Players: Christian Braun, Peyton Watson and Julian Strawther

Notable Picks: 2026 first, 2031 first

Thanks to some creative pick protecting, the Denver Nuggets don't have a truly unencumbered first till 2031. We're still listing 2026 because the obligation on that one will likely be extinguished by sending a 2025 first to the Orlando Magic next summer (the Magic will keep it if they land in the top five, but that's probably not going to happen).

Their stash of second-rounders took a hit this summer, too. They attached three seconds to salary dump the last year of Reggie Jackson's modest contract on the Charlotte Hornets (who eventually waived him).

Still, the Nuggets could potentially land a difference-maker by trading any of their up-and-coming wings with some salary filler (though they don't have much of that without including a member of their championship core) and one of those firsts.

26. Dallas Mavericks

Notable Players: Dereck Lively II, Olivier-Maxence Prosper, Jaden Hardy

Notable Picks: 2025 and 2026 firsts, 2031 first

The Dallas Mavericks already spent the bulk of their trade assets from last February through today. They've expended capital to bring in P.J. Washington, Daniel Gafford and Klay Thompson. Go back a bit further, and they had to spend some assets to land Kyrie Irving, too.

So, like most of the others detailed so far, Dallas may be largely set for its 2024-25 campaign.

Still, it could make a dramatic, win-now move by sending one or two of their younger talents, along with a 2025 first, especially if one of those talents is Dereck Lively II.

Given how well he performed in both the regular and postseason, trading Lively seems unlikely. He has All-Star upside and fits well with Luka Dončić. But if the Mavs ever did put that asset on the table, it could land them someone or something significant.

25. New York Knicks

Notable Players: Julius Randle, Miles McBride, Pacôme Dadiet

Notable Picks: 2026 first, 2030 first

The New York Knicks still technically have 2025 first-rounders incoming from the Washington Wizards and Detroit Pistons, but the protections on those make them unlikely to convey.

Beyond that, New York's draft stash is mostly second-rounders, thanks to the huge haul the Knicks paid to land Mikal Bridges.

And with much of the roster now seemingly tailored to support the "'Nova Knicks" core, it's kind of difficult to identify obvious trade candidates.

Julius Randle's on-ball offense may clash a bit with Jalen Brunson's, and he probably has some value around the league, but New York probably wants to see how this new team all fits together before unloading him.

24. Philadelphia 76ers

Notable Players: Kelly Oubre Jr., KJ Martin, Jared McCain

Notable Picks: 2026 first, 2026 first (via Oklahoma City, Houston or Los Angeles), 2028 first, 2028 first (via Los Angeles), 2029 through 2031 firsts

Despite being run by one of the league's more aggressive executives in Daryl Morey, the overhauled Philadelphia 76ers actually have a decent amount of draft capital to include in potential trades between now and February.

They also signed KJ Martin to a deal that seems tailor-made to be traded. Martin is good enough to get some rotation minutes on this team, but his $8 million starting salary could come in handy in deals, too.

The same goes for Kelly Oubre Jr., though he already proved his value to coach Nick Nurse during the 2023-24 campaign.

As for incoming rookie Jared McCain, attaching him to a trade package would almost be like sending someone another first-rounder. McCain is only 20 years old.

23. Phoenix Suns

Notable Players: Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Jusuf Nurkić

Notable Picks: 2031 first

If we assume that Devin Booker and Kevin Durant are truly unavailable, it'd be pretty easy to slot the Phoenix Suns into this slideshow at No. 30.

All they have in terms of draft capital is a protected 2028 second-rounder from the Celtics (so, the end of that second round), a 2031 first (which they can only swap) and a 2031 second.

And most of their mid-range salaries are attached to players without a ton of trade value.

But imagine Phoenix has another underwhelming campaign. The West is loaded, and if the Suns are hovering around the play-in range, they could justify moving one of their stars.

Durant, even at his age, would return a pretty big haul. Booker would fetch a massive one.

So, even if blow-it-up style moves are unlikely, their potential results are enough to drive the Suns up the list a bit.

22. Cleveland Cavaliers

Notable Players: Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen, Caris LeVert

Notable Picks: 2030 and 2031 firsts

Much of the Cleveland Cavaliers draft stash has already been spent, and recent extensions for Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley mean both will be around for the foreseeable future.

The Cavs could quickly juice their asset base by moving either Darius Garland or Jarrett Allen, but even that feels pretty unlikely.

Injuries devastated the Cavs last season, and even if there are tricky fits in both the backcourt (Garland and Mitchell) and frontcourt (Mitchell and Mobley), it feels like Cleveland will give this core a shot at a healthy run in 2024-25.

21. Minnesota Timberwolves

Notable Players: Karl-Anthony Towns, Jaden McDaniels, Rob Dillingham

Notable Picks: 2028 first, 2030 and 2031 firsts

The Minnesota Timberwolves have pretty much exhausted their stash of draft assets, outside of the ability to move the 2031 pick, swap 2028 with someone or swap 2030.

But they have a pair of forwards they could make available for pretty hefty returns. Karl-Anthony Towns, specifically, has his weaknesses, but his outside shooting could boost just about any frontcourt. Jaden McDaniels' multipositional defense is a skill highly in demand right now.

As for Rob Dillingham, teams with a lot of salary committed to the top of the roster need difference-makers on small or rookie contracts. Dillingham could potentially be that. If, however, it becomes clear he could use a little more time to develop, he might be an interesting part of a trade package for a veteran who's more ready to help now.

20. Indiana Pacers

Notable Players: Myles Turner, Aaron Nesmith, Bennedict Mathurin

Notable Picks: 2025 first, 2027 through 2031 firsts

The Indiana Pacers don't really rebuild. And they haven't been flat-out bad at any point in recent history. So, even if they have most of their future firsts, they aren't likely to be near the top of the draft.

Still, firsts are firsts. They certainly have some value. And though Myles Turner has seemingly been in the rumor mill for about as long as he's been in the NBA, he's a starting-caliber center whose shooting and defense would make him an easy fit on most teams.

And if Indiana wanted to make a win-now, all-in type of move, they have some young(ish) wings in Aaron Nesmith and Bennedict Mathurin who'd be intriguing.

19. Sacramento Kings

Notable Players: Keegan Murray, Kevin Huerter, Trey Lyles

Notable Picks: 2026 through 2030 firsts

Making Domantas Sabonis available would shoot the Sacramento Kings up this list, but it doesn't feel like any members of their core will be moving any time soon.

Even the first name listed above, Keegan Murray, seems like he'll be with the Kings for the foreseeable future.

So, we're mostly looking at Kevin Huerter, Trey Lyles and those picks (one of which will be gone in 2025 or 2026, depending on protections).

As a floor spacer, Huerter could bring some value to teams in need of a little more outside shooting, but he's sort of plateaued over the last couple years. And, like Indiana, their picks will probably be around the middle of the first round for the foreseeable future.

18. Memphis Grizzlies

Notable Players: Marcus Smart, Brandon Clarke, GG Jackson

Notable Picks: 2025 and 2026 firsts, 2026 first (via Phoenix, Washington or Orlando), 2027 through 2031 firsts

Yet another team with draft picks that figure to be closer to the back of the first round, the Memphis Grizzlies also have some players on the roster who could help different teams in different ways.

Marcus Smart is a high-end defensive veteran and playmaker with tons of playoff experience. And his $20.2 million salary makes him a pretty easy fit for most contenders.

He's not all the Grizzlies have to offer, though. They can help rebuilders, too. GG Jackson is 6'9", 19 years old and coming off a rookie campaign in which he averaged 14.6 points and 6.0 three-point attempts in just 25.7 minutes. Plenty of younger teams could be sold on his upside.

17. Washington Wizards

Notable Players: Kyle Kuzma, Jordan Poole, Malcolm Brogdon

Notable Picks: 2025 and 2026 firsts, 2026 first (via Phoenix), 2027 and 2028 firsts, 2028 first (via Phoenix, Brooklyn or Philadelphia), 2029 first through 2031 firsts

The Washington Wizards have plenty of future first-round picks incoming. And given the organization of this history, it's pretty safe to assume that a lot of those picks will be in the lottery (and near the top of it).

But the players on the roster who might be gettable right now come with some concerns.

Kyle Kuzma is, in theory, the kind of multipositional forward who can defend all over the floor while spacing it on the other end, but he's also a little shot-happy and inefficient. Jordan Poole was a key part of the Golden State Warriors' 2022 title run, but his shot selection should even make Kuzma blush.

And while Malcolm Brogdon is a reliable shooter and playmaker who'd help plenty of teams, he's also long struggled with durability.

16. Los Angeles Lakers

Notable Players: D'Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura, Austin Reaves

Notable Picks: 2026 first, 2028 through 2031 firsts

The Los Angeles Lakers have some solid, though maybe unspectacular veterans they can include in a number of trades.

D'Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura's contracts seem almost tailor-made to be included in deals, and Austin Reaves' moneyball offense would fit in just about anywhere.

But the biggest reason L.A. nearly cracks the top half of this exercise is the first-round picks (or swaps) it has access to.

LeBron James has obviously destroyed our old notions of aging in the NBA, but it still feels safe to say he won't play forever. And given the team's proximity to mediocrity with him on the roster, it's also safe to assume L.A. could be pretty bad once he finally retires.

Those Lakers picks that are four-plus years down the road could be mighty valuable.

15. Chicago Bulls

Notable Players: Zach LaVine, Lonzo Ball, Nikola Vučević

Notable Picks: 2025 through 2031 firsts (though

There's a reasonable argument to have the Chicago Bulls higher than this.

Zach LaVine's reported trade value has been through the wringer over the last 12 months or so, but he's still under 30 and has been a consistent, 20-plus-point-per-game scorer for half a decade. Lonzo Ball has some value just as an expiring contract. And though Nikola Vučević's jumper seemed to fall off a cliff last season, his $20 million salary is more than reasonable for a starting 5.

But there are obvious health issues with both LaVine and Ball. LaVine's contract is hefty and runs through 2026-27 (when he has a player option). Vučević turns 34 in October

All those firsts are valuable, though, especially if Chicago does find takers for its vets.

The Bulls could be bad for a while, and their first-rounders are likely to be in or around the top 10 (if they aren't, one could be headed to the San Antonio Spurs in 2025, 2026 or 2027).

14. Toronto Raptors

Notable Players: Bruce Brown, Jakob Poeltl, Kelly Olynyk

Notable Picks: 2025 and 2026 firsts, 2026 first (via Indiana), 2027 through 2031 firsts

The picks here sort of explain themselves, especially if the Toronto Raptors lean a bit harder into their rebuild by moving more veterans.

What's really interesting about the Raptors, relative to the teams we've looked at already, is that their potential trade pieces seem a lot more likely to be moved than bigger names like Durant, KAT or others detailed above.

Bruce Brown, Jakob Poeltl and Kelly Olynyk could all move the needle for contenders and different ways, and they make more sense for those potential suitors than they do for the rebooted Raptors.

Brown's hard-nosed defense and timely playmaking were key for the Nuggets 2023 title run. Poeltl is underrated as both a passer and rim protector. And Olynyk's passing and shooting would make him an offensive upgrade for most teams' second units.

13. Atlanta Hawks

Notable Players: Trae Young, Jalen Johnson, Zaccharie Risacher

Notable Picks: 2028 through 2031 firsts

There's a lot of subjectivity at play with this one. As recently as January, Trae Young and Jalen Johnson were reportedly untouchable. This summer's trade of Dejounte Murray would seem to suggest that might still be the case.

But I'm going to predict that stance isn't locked in for good. If the Atlanta Hawks still look mediocre over the first few months of 2024-25, making either or both available for trade could refill the organization's trade-asset coffer.

On the other hand, maybe the Young-led Hawks are a (bigger-than-Murray-sized) star away from borderline contention. In that case, a win-now move headlined by 2024 No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher could be in play.

Atlanta's at a point where it could justifiably go either way.

12. Miami Heat

Notable Players: Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr.

Notable Picks: 2029 through 2031 firsts

Speaking of teams at a potential crossroads, the Miami Heat don't have a ton of picks available for win-now trades, but there are plenty of teams who might move difference-making veterans for packages including Tyler Herro or Jaime Jaquez Jr.

The other path, of course, is moving Butler, presumably for a boatload of assets that could include picks and prospects. Supplementing a young core that already includes Jaquez, Herro and Bam Adebayo makes plenty of sense.

But this is the Heat. Moves intended to deliberately push the team back a step are unusual. So, even if Miami may have some interesting assets to shake things up, continuing to fight with what's mostly been built organically over the last half-decade feels more likely.

11. Orlando Magic

Notable Players: Jonathan Isaac, Cole Anthony, Anthony Black

Notable Picks: 2025 first, 2025 first (via Denver), 2026 first, 2026 first (via Phoenix or Washington), 2027 through 2031 firsts

If we were to include one of the Orlando Magic's rising star forwards, they'd obviously be a lot higher, but the chances of either Paolo Banchero or Franz Wagner being moved essentially don't exist.

Still, Jonathan Isaac's defense or Cole Anthony's heat-check scoring could help plenty of contenders. And if Orlando was to deal with a rebuilding team, Anthony Black's combination of size and playmaking should be intriguing.

Orlando also has plenty of firsts it could pair with some of that salary, but with Magic both good and young, most of those are likely to be outside the lottery.

10. Charlotte Hornets

Notable Players: LaMelo Ball, Grant Williams, Tidjane Salaun

Notable Picks: 2025 through 2027 firsts, 2027 first (via Dallas), 2027 first (via Miami), 2028 through 2031 firsts

The Charlotte Hornets could probably justify a win-now move to supplement the young trio of LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller and Mark Williams, but they're far enough from contention that they should probably still be in asset-accumulation mode.

That means most of those picks above may be off the table, which affects their ranking a bit.

At the same time, the possibility (though it may be remote) of moving LaMelo Ball makes it tempting to move Charlotte up even more.

Given Ball's struggles with durability and the upside Miller showed as a rookie last season, the Hornets could pivot to a Miller-centric rebuild. And even with the injuries in Ball's past, his combination of size and natural playmaking talent would make him valuable enough for some suitor to pony up draft picks for him.

9. Brooklyn Nets

Notable Players: Cameron Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith, Bojan Bogdanović

Notable Picks: 2025 first, 2025 first (via Oklahoma City, Houston or Phoenix), 2026 first, 2027 first (via Philadelphia), 2028 first, 2029 first (via Houston, Dallas or Phoenix), 2029 through 2031 firsts

After gutting their asset base for big names multiple times over the last decade and change, the Brooklyn Nets suddenly have a pretty robust stash of first-rounders, including a pick in 2025.

Some combination of any of those picks could go a long way toward helping Brooklyn be more competitive in the short term, but the more likely (and obvious) path is moving some of their difference-makers for more picks.

In fact, the likelihood of forwards like Cameron Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith and Bojan Bogdanović being moved before the trade deadline is part of why Brooklyn is so high.

While moves involving several of the players listed so far aren't super likely, these Nets finishing 2024-25 in Brooklyn's black and white would actually be pretty surprising.

8. Portland Trail Blazers

Notable Players: Jerami Grant, Deandre Ayton, Anfernee Simons

Notable Picks: 2025 through 2029 firsts, 2029 first (via Boston), 2029 first (via Milwaukee), 2030 and 2031 firsts

The Portland Trail Blazers have a strong asset base with all those first-round picks. But, like Brooklyn, moving them feels relatively unlikely right now. The Blazers should (and likely are) still firmly in the asset-accumulation phase of their rebuild.

That makes the likelihood of a move involving Jerami Grant feel pretty high. And if Portland really wants to get aggressive about this reboot, it could probably justify moving young(ish) veterans like Deandre Ayton or Anfernee Simons.

That feels especially true with Ayton, following Portland's drafting of rim protector Donovan Clingan in the top 10 this summer.

7. New Orleans Pelicans

Notable Players: Brandon Ingram, CJ McCollum, Jordan Hawkins

Notable Picks: 2025 first, 2025 first (via Milwaukee), 2026 first, 2027 first (via Milwaukee), 2028 through 2031 firsts

The New Orleans Pelicans' draft stash isn't quite as impressive as it was a couple years ago.

They moved some picks in the Dejounte Murray deal. With each passing draft, they get closer to merely having their own selections. And the Bucks picks that are still incoming aren't likely to be in the lottery.

But the total number of firsts is still fairly high, and the Pelicans have a couple veterans who could help a number of good teams in Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum. Either or both could be turned into young players and/or picks.

On the other hand, New Orleans could lean further into this current core by attaching some of the first-rounders it already has to a prospect like Jordan Hawkins.

At this point, the Pelicans have given themselves the option to go either way.

6. Golden State Warriors

Notable Players: Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski, Andrew Wiggins

Notable Picks: 2025 through 2029 firsts, 2031 first

Part of why the Golden State Warriors are threatening the top five here is the likelihood of a deal.

Near the end of Stephen Curry's prime, the window for title contention might already be closed. But the Warriors might be able to kick it back open for one last run with a trade for a star like Lauri Markkanen.

Even outside circumstance, though, Golden State's trade assets have plenty of value.

Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski are both 21. Trayce Jackson-Davis is only 24. And all three have already proven they'll likely be, at the very least, rotation players for a long time. Podziemski, with his playmaking, shooting and feel for the game, might even be a star. Kuminga's size and athleticism gives him significant upside, too.

Being able to combine them with a good salary-matching contract like Andrew Wiggins' and some of those picks should be enough to land the Warriors a difference-maker for Curry's last few years as an All-NBA or fringe All-NBA performer.

5. Detroit Pistons

Notable Players: Isaiah Stewart, Jaden Ivey, Simone Fontecchio

Notable Picks: 2025 through 2031 firsts

One of those firsts could be headed to the Knicks by 2027, but the protections make that very unlikely for 2025 and only slightly closer to reality in 2026 and 2027. There's a real chance the Detroit Pistons end up only having to surrender a 2027 second as part of that trade.

And as bad as the Pistons have been over the years, those picks would have tons of value if Detroit chose to include them in a win-now move.

They could add intriguing young talent to trade packages with those picks, too.

Detroit has lots of upcoming playmaking talent in Cade Cunningham and Ausar Thompson, which could make Jaden Ivey a trade candidate. Isaiah Stewart could have some interest around the league as a bruising rebounder and theoretical floor spacer. Either could help the Pistons make short-term upgrades.

On the other hand, if Detroit is just plain bad again, it could move a veteran shooter like Simone Fontecchio for more draft capital.

Like everyone in this range of the exercise, the Pistons have multiple paths to potentially explore.

4. San Antonio Spurs

Notable Players: Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, Chris Paul

Notable Picks: 2025 first, 2025 first (via Atlanta), 2026 first and 2027 firsts, 2027 first (via Atlanta), 2028 through 2031 firsts

If we were to conduct this exercise devoid of some of the subjectivity, the San Antonio Spurs would have an argument to be No. 1.

Ignoring the likelihood of a player being available, there may not be a single player in the NBA (other than maybe Nikola Jokić) with more trade value than Victor Wembanyama.

But we are considering whether there's a chance a player will be moved. And there's just no chance Wemby is going anywhere.

Instead, San Antonio could use some portion of its picks base and the salaries of Devin Vassell and/or Keldon Johnson to potentially add another star alongside Wembanyama.

He's already proven himself good enough to carry the Spurs to playoff contention, and a win-now move would help.

That's not the only potential approach, though. The Spurs could also take one more year collecting losses and ping pong balls in the lottery. If Chris Paul is playing well, but San Antonio is still hovering outside the play-in range come February, a contender might be willing to spend some draft capital to add him.

3. Houston Rockets

Notable Players: Alperen Şengün, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks

Notable Picks: 2025 first (via Oklahoma City or Phoenix), 2025 first, 2027 through 2029 firsts, 2029 first (via Dallas or Phoenix), 2030 and 2031 firsts

Beyond having plenty of draft capital in the foreseeable future, the Houston Rockets are absolutely loaded with young talent and seemingly ready to compete for a playoff spot now.

Jalen Green, Reed Sheppard, Jabari Smith Jr., Amen Thompson, Alperen Şengün, AJ Griffin, Tari Eason and Cam Whitmore are all on their rookie contracts. The salary cap and the new "second apron" will make it almost impossible to bring all of them back for their second contracts.

That means a few may be moved in trades over the next couple years.

Given the advantages we've seen playmaking bigs create in recent seasons, it feels like a bad idea to put Şengün in that camp, but there's at least an argument for it after seeing how well the Rockets closed 2023-24 playing small ball.

Moving Green might make some sense, too. As you can see, there is plenty of talent in the backcourt that could potentially replace his minutes and production, and his upside could convince someone to add to Houston's draft stash.

And if the Rockets do indeed decide to trade some of that young talent before February, they'll need a bigger contract to attach for salary-matching purposes. Cue Dillon Brooks for that.

2. Utah Jazz

Notable Players: Lauri Markkanen, Jordan Clarkson, John Collins

Notable Picks: 2025 first, 2025 first (via Cleveland), 2025 first (via Minnesota), 2026 first, 2026 first (via Minnesota or Cleveland), 2027 first, 2027 first (via Los Angeles), 2027 first (via Minnesota), 2028 first, 2028 first (via Cleveland), 2029 first, 2029 first (via Cleveland), 2029 first (via Minnesota), 2030 and 2031 firsts

The single most valuable (and seemingly available) player on the trade market right now is Lauri Markkanen.

A unique offensive talent who does little more than dunk and hit threes (two of the highest-efficiency ways to finish a possession) without dominating the ball, Markkanen would be an easy fit on any team in the league.

And his $18 million expiring contract makes him a pretty easy move under the often cumbersome collective bargaining agreement.

Add Markkanen to other movable veterans like Jordan Clarkson and John Collins, as well as a boatload of picks, and you can see why Utah is this high.

1. Oklahoma City Thunder

Notable Players: Isaiah Hartenstein, Luguentz Dort, Kenrich Williams

Notable Picks: 2025 first, 2025 first (via Houston or Los Angeles), 2025 first (via Miami), 2025 first (via Philadelphia), 2025 first (via Utah), 2026 and 2027 firsts, 2027 first (via Los Angeles), 2027 first (via Denver), 2028 first, 2028 first (via Dallas), 2029 first, 2030 and 2031 firsts, a boatload of seconds

The Oklahoma City Thunder adding Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein this summer, without having to surrender any piece of their massive stash of draft picks, has them primed to make a move for a star.

The front office could certainly justify continuing to sort of slow play this build, but all those first- and second-rounders, plus Hartenstein's $30 million salary, will make it tempting to add a big name to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren.

Either way, OKC is likely to be a title contender, thanks to years of patience and methodical deal-making.