We could still see some massive trades before the 2024 NBA offseason ends, as plenty of stars face uncertain futures with their current franchises.
Lauri Markkanen would be an ideal fit on one Western Conference contender loaded with draft picks. If the Charlotte Hornets want to reset around Brandon Miller, LaMelo Ball is the perfect point guard for an offensive-needy playoff team in the East. A player option next summer may force the New York Knicks to shop Julius Randle, and Brandon Ingram is still looking for a new home ahead of his own free agency in 2025.
The NBA offseason is still far from over. These five blockbuster trades would spice things up before the 2024-25 season officially kicks off.
Lauri Markkanen Makes OKC Thunder Unstoppable
Oklahoma City Thunder Receive: F Lauri Markkanen
Utah Jazz Receive: PG Nikola Topić, F Ousmane Dieng, F Kenrich Williams, 2025 first-round pick (via Utah Jazz), 2027 first-round pick, 2029 first-round pick, 2026 second-round pick, 2027 second-round pick, 2028 second-round pick
The Thunder are already big winners of the 2024 offseason with the additions of Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein. But no other team has more draft ammunition to trade for Markkanen, who would help turn what was once a small frontline in OKC into three 7-footers.
A starting five of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Markkanen, Chet Holmgren and Hartenstein would be massive, erasing any weaknesses the Thunder previously had on the glass. A bench of Lu Dort, Caruso, Cason Wallace, Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins, Jaylin Williams and others would make OKC extremely deep as well.
This trade would create a significant gap between the Thunder and the rest of the West. It would add another 20-point-per-game scorer to OKC's starting lineup while only making a small dent in the team's future draft picks.
The Jazz would be going all-in on a rebuild—a smart strategy in front of what projects to be loaded draft classes in 2025 and 2026. Utah gets its own top-10-protected 2025 first-round pick back from OKC along with two additional unprotected first-round picks and three future second-rounders.
Topić will likely miss the entire 2024-25 season due to a partially torn ACL but may be the best pure point guard in the 2024 draft class. Dieng, 21, was the No. 11 overall pick in 2022, and Williams could be flipped to a contender for additional draft capital.
LaMelo Ball Creates Magic in Orlando
Orlando Magic Receive: PG LaMelo Ball
Charlotte Hornets Receive: G Anthony Black, F/C Wendell Carter Jr., G Cole Anthony, 2025 first-round pick, 2025 first-round pick (via Denver Nuggets, top-five protected)
The Magic are an All-Star point guard away from truly challenging the best teams in the East over the next few years, as this roster still lacks offensive creation.
Ball is a magician with the rock, regularly making highlight-reel passes that leave defenders helpless. The soon-to-be 23-year-old averaged 23.9 points, 8.0 assists, 5.1 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game while shooting (and making) threes at a high volume, which is precisely what this Orlando roster needs.
A starting five of Ball, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero and Jonathan Isaac would be extremely well-balanced on both sides of the ball and would have only one member (KCP) over the age of 26. If Ball suffers further ankle injuries, Jalen Suggs could resume his starting duties off a bench that would still feature Jett Howard, Moe Wagner, Gary Harris, Goga Bitadze and Tristan da Silva.
As currently constructed, the Hornets aren't good enough to make the playoffs in the East and probably aren't bad enough for a chance at the No. 1 pick and Cooper Flagg. With a new front office and coaching staff in Charlotte, taking a step back and trading Ball could be the best path forward for the franchise, especially for this kind of package.
Black was the No. 6 overall pick in 2023, Anthony (24) and Carter (25) are both on great contracts with plenty of upside, and the Hornets would get two more first-round picks in next year's loaded draft.
Charlotte needs to embrace a rebuild around Brandon Miller, picking up young players and draft picks while increasing its chances at the No. 1 selection in 2025.
Brandon Ingram to Raptors, Pelicans Fill Out the Roster
Toronto Raptors Receive: SF Brandon Ingram, SG Jordan Hawkins, F Matt Ryan
New Orleans Pelicans Receive: C Jakob Poeltl, G/F Bruce Brown, 2026 first-round pick (top-four protected, via Indiana Pacers)
The Pelicans should still be searching for a way to turn Brandon Ingram into a starting center before the season begins. Poeltl could be one of the best to become available.
The 28-year-old Poeltl averaged 11.1 points, 8.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 65.6 percent overall for the Raptors last season. However, they originally acquired him to play alongside Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby and others. Now that they're rebuilding around Scottie Barnes and Immanuel Quickley, he might not be a long-term fit in Toronto anymore.
Poeltl is a big, talented defender who's making less than $20 million per season over the next three years. He had a swing rating in the 98th and 91st percentiles since arriving in Toronto (plus-14.1 and plus-9.6 overall), so he could help solve the Pelicans' starting center issue.
Meanwhile, Brown would give New Orleans a veteran who can play a number of roles off the bench. He's on an expiring $23 million contract, which means he'll come off the books right as Trey Murphy III's rookie-scale deal expires.
New Orleans could have a starting five of Dejounte Murray, Herb Jones, Murphy, Zion Williamson and Poeltl with CJ McCollum, Brown, Jose Alvarado, Yves Missi, Daniel Theis and others off the bench. An extra first-round pick in what projects to be a talented 2026 draft class would almost certainly convey from the Pacers, too.
The Raptors would continue to get younger and add some more offensive pop around Barnes, with Ingram (26) and Hawkins (22) joining a core that now includes Quickley, RJ Barrett, Gradey Dick, Ja'Kobe Walter, Ochai Agbaji and others.
Toronto still would have Kelly Olynyk, Chris Boucher and rookie Jonathan Mogbo in its big-man rotation to fill the void left by Poeltl's departure. A starting five of Quickley, Barrett, Ingram, Barnes and Olynyk would feature a ton of floor-spacing, length and offensive talent.
If the Raptors and Ingram can find common ground on a new contract, this is a potential buy-low opportunity for the former All-Star.
Karl-Anthony Towns to Clippers, Cam Johnson to Wolves in Three-Team Deal
Los Angeles Clippers Receive: F/C Karl-Anthony Towns
Minnesota Timberwolves Receive: F Cameron Johnson, F Dorian Finney-Smith, SG Terance Mann, 2030 second-round pick
Brooklyn Nets Receive: SG Norm Powell, PF Kobe Brown, G Bones Hyland, F/C P.J. Tucker, 2031 first-round pick (unprotected, via Los Angeles Clippers), 2031 second-round pick (via Los Angeles Clippers)
The Clippers are in real danger of missing the Western Conference playoffs next season and should be in pursuit of a third star to pair with Kawhi Leonard and James Harden.
Towns, 28, is a four-time All-Star who would bring a different offensive dimension to Los Angeles with his floor-spacing ability. He could play alongside Ivica Zubac in the starting lineup, or head coach Tyronn Lue could go wing-heavy with Towns at center and either Nicolas Batum or Derrick Jones Jr. in the opening five. Either way, acquiring Towns should keep the Clippers in the top six in the West.
To build a consistent winner and duck the second apron moving forward, the Wolves almost certainly have to move on from Towns and his current four-year, $220.4 million deal.
Johnson (13.4 points, 39.1 percent from three) would take over Towns' spot in the starting lineup as a floor-spacing big, while Finney-Smith and Mann would make Minnesota even deeper overall. While this is a financially-driven move, the Wolves should remain at the top of the West with a core of Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert, Jaden McDaniels, Naz Reid, Mike Conley Jr., Johnson, Finney-Smith, Mann, Rob Dillingham and Joe Ingles in the rotation.
Meanwhile, Brooklyn would accelerate its rebuild by collecting draft picks, expiring salary (Tucker), young players (Brown, Hyland) and a veteran whom it can flip at the trade deadline (Powell).
Houston Rockets Go into Win-Now Mode with Julius Randle
Houston Rockets Receive: PF Julius Randle
New York Knicks Receive: PF Jabari Smith Jr., C Jock Landale, F Jeff Green, 2027 first-round pick (top-five protected)
If the Rockets want to make a big leap in the West standings next season, adding an All-Star power forward in the prime of his career could help.
Randle, 28, is a Texas native who would bring balance to this young Rockets team. He averaged 24.0 points, 9.2 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game last season and would slide into a Houston starting five that also features Fred VanVleet, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and Alperen Şengün.
Smith, 21, has All-Star potential, but Randle is better suited to lead the Rockets into the playoffs now.
For a Knicks team that still went 21-15 without Randle and reached the second round of the playoffs, this move is designed to increase future financial flexibility while staying in the title hunt now. Smith could start at power forward, or the Knicks could keep OG Anunoby at the four, allowing Josh Hart or Donte DiVincenzo to stay in the opening lineup as well.
Smith has two years remaining on his rookie deal, while Landale and Green are either in the final year of their contract or have a non-guaranteed salary for next season. That would save the Knicks a lot of potential money in 2025 with a Randle extension off the table.
Landale would also give the Knicks a backup center to Mitchell Robinson, a spot that both Smith and Green could eat up minutes at as well. The Knicks would pick up a future first-round selection as well, which is important after they gave up five in a deal for Mikal Bridges.
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