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Imagining Every NBA Team's Top 3 Trade Targets Right Now

Greg Swartz

In just a few weeks, the majority of NBA free agents who signed this past summer will become trade-eligible, potentially sparking some early deals before the Feb. 6 deadline.

The 2024-25 season is only a month old, yet we're already getting a feel for every team's needs and which franchises will become buyers or sellers.

It's time to take a spin around the league and project what every team's top three realistic trade targets look like.

Atlanta Hawks

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Outside of Trae Young, there's not a lot of playmaking on this Atlanta Hawks roster. For a franchise that's continually struggled to defend (115.0 rating, 20th overall), the Hawks could use some more wings who can guard multiple positions alongside Young.

Sexton, 25, is a Georgia native who's averaging 15.8 points, 3.1 assists and shooting 44.4 percent from three this season. He regularly gives good effort on defense and could play alongside Young or Dyson Daniels.

Green, 24, has good size for the two-guard spot (6'5", 200 pounds) and has been red-hot from deep to begin the season (51.6 percent). Schröder began his career in Atlanta and would give the Hawks a veteran point guard to run the offense when Young needs a break.

Boston Celtics

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The Boston Celtics will need to keep their trade target list fairly modest given that this team is already $7.6 million above the second luxury-tax apron.

Green, 31, is a versatile and athletic wing who's making just over $2 million this season and should be available from the injury-ravaged Pelicans. He's averaging 6.3 points and has made 34.3 percent of his threes.

Craig recently got his first start of the season filling in for an injured Patrick Williams and responded with 15 points and six rebounds in 27 minutes with a beautiful chase-down block. He can still play rotation minutes for a contender, while Mills brings 98 games of playoff experience to the defending champions.

Brooklyn Nets

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The Brooklyn Nets should be one of the biggest sellers at the trade deadline, likely prioritizing a top 2025 pick instead of chasing the playoffs.

The Nets should be targeting wings with upside while looking to move veterans like Cameron Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith. Kuminga is perhaps the most intriguing young wing in the NBA who hasn't signed an extension with his current team.

Dieng was the 11th overall pick in 2022 and is still only 21 years old now in his third season. He's been mostly squeezed out of a good Thunder rotation but could thrive with a bigger role in Brooklyn. The same can be said for Prosper, a first-rounder in 2023 who's finding minutes hard to come by on a veteran-heavy Mavs team.

Charlotte Hornets

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The Charlotte Hornets have a pair of intriguing young centers with Mark Williams and Nick Richards, yet neither can seem to stay healthy. If the Hornets want to make a real playoff push, they should try to acquire a more reliable veteran who can step in and start immediately.

Ayton should be available now that Portland selected Donovan Clingan seventh overall. Now in his seventh season, Ayton has put up a double-double every single year and would provide a strong pick-and-roll partner with LaMelo Ball.

If the Nets go for a complete teardown, Claxton, 25, is an elite defender who would make a huge impact for a Charlotte team currently ranked just 19th defensively. Capela is still a rock-solid center who would be far less expensive as a rental until Williams can return to full strength.

Chicago Bulls

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The Chicago Bulls are stuck in the middle of a youth movement and will need to acquire a franchise center to replace Nikola Vučević, now 34 years old. Finding someone who can patch the holes in a 27th-ranked defense is a must as well.

Kessler, 23, was brought up in trade buzz this past summer and is averaging 9.2 points, 10.7 rebounds and 2.8 blocks a game for the Jazz.

Claxton, 25, is a strong rim protector as well who moves well in space and was recently signed to a team-friendly, four-year, $97 million contract that decreases in value each year. Stewart isn't as good of a defender as the first two players on this list, but he does bring some floor-spacing ability on the offensive end.

Cleveland Cavaliers

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There's no reason to shake up a core that's begun the season 16-1, although the Cleveland Cavaliers can always use additional wing help or another big behind Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen.

Finney-Smith, 31, is averaging a career-high 11.2 points and knocking down 42.5 percent of his threes. He'd thrive off open looks from Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell here.

Nance is a former Cav who still spends his offseasons in Akron, Ohio. His ability to guard multiple positions and spread the floor makes him an ideal big to pair next to Mobley or Allen. Martin is making 40.4 percent of his threes this year for Charlotte.

Dallas Mavericks

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A slow start to the season for P.J. Washington (9.7 points, 26.3 percent from three) could cause the Dallas Mavericks to explore an upgrade at power forward as the season moves along.

Shooting is a necessity when playing alongside Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving, especially since neither center has even attempted a three-pointer.

Johnson, 28, is averaging 18.1 points and cashing in 3.1 threes a game on a healthy 39.3 percent clip. Kuzma is a more versatile scorer who the Mavs tried to trade for at the deadline last year. Collins is thriving as a starter in Utah this season (20.8 points, 8.6 rebounds, 41.7 percent from three) and would be a strong lob target for Dončić and Irving.

Denver Nuggets

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Keeping Nikola Jokić happy and maximizing the prime of the now 29-year-old's career needs to be the priority for a Denver Nuggets front office that should be rewatching Serbian Olympic basketball.

Both Bogdanović and Micić played with Jokić this past summer for a Serbian team that finished with a bronze medal. Bogdanović would be the ideal sixth man to help carry the team in non-Jokić minutes or beside him to close games.

Finney-Smith would help bolster a Nuggets defense that ranks just 14th to begin the year while bringing in additional shooting.

Detroit Pistons

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A 7-9 start to the season could turn the Detroit Pistons into surprise buyers at the deadline as the franchise looks to reach the playoffs for the first time this decade.

Ingram, 27, would be a big swing, giving the Pistons a starting small forward who's averaging 23.2 points, 5.9 rebounds and 5.3 assists a game for the Pels this year.

Brogdon was the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year just two seasons ago and would give Detroit a veteran point guard behind Cade Cunningham in the rotation. Schröder is another veteran ball-handler on an expiring contract who could help push the Pistons into the playoffs.

Golden State Warriors

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The Golden State Warriors could attack the trade deadline in a number of ways; either by using Jonathan Kuminga and picks to chase an All-Star or simply by finding another guard to offset the loss of De'Anthony Melton to a torn ACL.

The Warriors made a call about LeBron James last season, so there's no reason to believe they won't pursue a trade for Antetokounmpo now with the Bucks struggling. Pairing Antetokounmpo with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green would have the Warriors in contention for yet another title.

Ingram would be far cheaper and could serve as the second-scoring option that Golden State has lacked for years now. If the Warriors want to preserve their picks but want another guard to replace Melton, Wright is a cost-effective choice.

Houston Rockets

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With Kelly Iko of The Athletic reporting that the Houston Rockets don't want to break up their young core for Giannis Antetokounmpo, why not pursue another Bucks star instead?

Swapping Fred VanVleet and some incentives for Lillard could be a win-win, as the eight-time All-Star would help ignite an offense that ranks just 11th overall despite Houston's 11-5 start.

The same could be said about Young, who better fits the Rockets' timeline at 26 years old and is the superior overall passer. Smart played under Ime Udoka with the Boston Celtics and would provide leadership here as well.

Indiana Pacers

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The Indiana Pacers need to be exploring frontcourt depth this trade season after losing both Isaiah Jackson and James Wiseman to torn Achilles.

Valančiūnas is one of the best backup centers in the NBA and should be thrilled to re-join a playoff contender after signing with the Wizards this offseason.

Nance is a versatile, three-point shooting big who always makes the right play, and Eubanks should be readily available by the 3-11 Jazz.

Los Angeles Clippers

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Give a lot of credit to head coach Tyronn Lue and his staff, who have gotten the Los Angeles Clippers to a 9-7 start despite not having Kawhi Leonard suit up yet. Still, this is an offense that ranks just 22nd overall (110.2 rating) and needs some more scoring punch alongside James Harden and Leonard (when he returns).

LaVine looks far better this season (22.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 43.2 percent from three) and should be thrilled to return to Los Angeles after playing at UCLA.

Ingram is another three-level wing scorer, and Kuzma could make his way back to L.A. as well after helping the Lakers win the 2020 title.

Los Angeles Lakers

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A 10-4 start to the season for the Los Angeles Lakers is great, but this team still doesn't have the firepower to go head-to-head with teams like the Denver Nuggets, Oklahoma City Thunder and others come playoff time.

Getting an All-Star guard like Lillard or Ball to play alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis would help preserve the latter two for the playoffs, as both have been forced to play over 35 minutes a night thus far.

If neither are available, getting another big to help eat up center minutes and space the floor is important. Valančiūnas will almost certainly be shopped by the rebuilding Wizards at the deadline.

Memphis Grizzlies

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A 9-7 start should be applauded considering how many injuries the Memphis Grizzlies continue to have to deal with. When healthy, this team probably still needs one more versatile wing who can take on some of the scoring responsibility.

Grant has put up 20 or more points per game in two of his past three seasons while shooting 39.4 percent from three over this stretch.

Johnson can knock down pull-up threes or off the catch with strong accuracy while Finney-Smith would bring high-level three-and-D to Memphis.

Miami Heat

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If at first you don't succeed…

The Miami Heat should absolutely still be pursuing Lillard in a trade, finally pairing him with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo to create a perfectly balanced Big 3. Given the Bucks' 6-9 start to the season, Lillard may not mind a move to South Beach, either.

Miami's 15th-ranked offense could use a boost, something that both Lillard or Brandon Ingram could provide. With Butler now 35 and averaging just 17.7 points per game, it's time the Heat bring in another scorer to solidify this as a playoff team.

This roster also lacks a true floor general, with Tyler Herro and Terry Rozier looking more like combo guards. Acquiring a pass-first point guard like Paul would do wonders for this offense.

Milwaukee Bucks

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If the Milwaukee Bucks entertain a Damian Lillard trade, Herro would be an ideal target to bring back.

At 24, Herro is a decade younger than Lillard and could help keep Giannis Antetokounmpo happy for years to come. He's averaging 24.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 5.2 assists and shooting 45.2 percent from three this season for the Heat.

Swapping Khris Middleton and some young talent and/or draft picks for Grant would help enhance the Antetokounmpo-Lillard pairing if the Bucks want to keep their stars together. He'd be a reliable third scoring option and is versatile enough defensively to guard three positions.

Brooks brings the edge that this soft Bucks defense (112.6 rating) has lacked and is a good enough shooter (36.1 percent from three) to keep the floor open.

Minnesota Timberwolves

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The Minnesota Timberwolves are another franchise that has crossed the second luxury-tax apron and faces a lot of restrictions in potential trades. Expect them to target low-salary veterans who can fill roles off the bench.

Green and Prince are both on veteran minimum deals playing for teams who were expected to compete but have now fallen below .500 and out of the playoff picture. The Bucks will likely keep Prince for now as they attempt to climb the standings, although the unlikelihood of him re-signing may spark some trade discussion.

Mike Conley Jr. is struggling this season (7.5 points, 31.9 percent shooting overall) and with no reliable veteran point guard behind him, bringing in a player like Mills would give the team another ball-handler to help run the offense.

New Orleans Pelicans

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Rookie center Yves Missi has been thrown into the fire immediately for the injury-riddled New Orleans Pelicans, although a minus-10.3 swing rating would suggest he's not ready for a starting job if the Pels want to compete anytime soon.

Turner and Lopez are the ideal frontcourt pairings next to Zion Williamson given their shot-blocking and three-point shooting abilities. Williamson does his best work getting into the paint and bullying players on his way to the rim. Turner and Lopez make sure he has room to do so while also playing good defense on the other end.

Vučević wouldn't cost nearly as much in trade and only has one year remaining on his contract after this season. That's the perfect amount of time for Missi to develop.

New York Knicks

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Don't expect any major in-season trades from the New York Knicks after they gave up six first-round picks in trades to acquire Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges this past offseason.

Instead, stabilizing the backup center spot is more important, as Mitchell Robinson and Precious Achiuwa have both missed the entire season thus far due to injuries.

Richards, Theis and Eubanks are all making $5 million or less this season and are capable of handling rotation minutes behind Karl-Anthony Towns.

Oklahoma City Thunder

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The Oklahoma City Thunder will probably play things low-key before the deadline, choosing to grow out this young core and let the roster develop organically. That being said, this is one of only a few franchises that could make a competitive offer for Antetokounmpo.

A roster featuring Antetokounmpo, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren would destroy worlds and such a trade would likely send a record-breaking number of first-round picks to Milwaukee in the process.

If the Thunder choose to keep their picks for now, a reunion with Paul or Schröder as a veteran playmaker off the bench behind Gilgeous-Alexander would help, especially in the postseason.

Orlando Magic

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A torn oblique for Paolo Banchero has hurt this Orlando Magic offense, although even the third-year forward alone won't fix a 25th-ranked offense or three-point attack that ranks dead last in the NBA.

McCollum is the perfect veteran for this group, someone who can play alongside both Jalen Suggs and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope while bringing shooting, passing and playoff experience.

Simons, a Florida native, would help spark this offense as the 25-year-old can play either guard position. If the Spurs begin to fall out of contention, this is a Magic roster that could use Paul's touch in the postseason.

Philadelphia 76ers

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Not much has gone right for the 2-12 Philadelphia 76ers, although it's clear this roster may need some more shooting (31.7 percent from three, 29th overall) whether it has healthy stars or not. Finding some more size at power forward would help as well.

Aldama is 6'11" and is averaging 12.9 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists for the Grizzlies this season. The 23-year-old is a capable floor-spacer who would likely start for Philly at the four.

Finney-Smith is an upgrade at power forward as well given his size (6'7", 220 pounds) and shooting ability. Martin could join brother Caleb, giving the Sixers another three-and-D wing.

Phoenix Suns

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Don't expect the most expensive roster in the NBA ($419.3 million in salary and luxury tax penalties) to pull off any exciting trades at the deadline. The Phoenix Suns could flip Jusuf Nurkić in a trade to try and upgrade the center position or just explore deals for cheap veterans.

Stewart, 23, makes Phoenix younger and gives them the ability to seriously space the floor around Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and company.

Both Trent and Prince signed minimum deals this offseason yet are playoff rotation-caliber players. If the Bucks fall out of postseason contention, the Suns should make a call.

Portland Trail Blazers

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The Portland Trail Blazers are still a bit of a mess as they get roles settled for all of their young players. Moving Deandre Ayton and Jerami Grant should be priorities at the deadline, opening up more time for Donovan Clingan, Deni Avdija and others.

The Blazers should be looking to add any young wings that they feel would fit their system as well.

Kuminga is a dream target that would likely cost the team Anfernee Simons and more to acquire, although a core of Kuminga, Shaedon Sharpe, Scoot Henderson, Avdija and Clingan would be an exciting new starting five.

Dieng and Green are more reasonable and could thrive with bigger roles in Portland.

Sacramento Kings

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Adding wings who can defend is the name of the game for the Sacramento Kings, a team that ranks just 16th defensively this season (112.6 rating).

Finney-Smith brings two-way ability while Thybulle's strengths lie primarily on the defensive end, although the 27-year-old has made 35.8 percent of his threes since coming to Portland.

Sacramento also ranks just 27th overall in assist percentage (57.1 percent). Bringing in a veteran point guard like Paul could ease the burden on De'Aaron Fox and create easy opportunities for others.

San Antonio Spurs

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The San Antonio Spurs will be one of the most interesting franchises to watch closer to the deadline, as this young team has gotten off to a 7-8 start to the year.

If the Spurs turn into buyers, they could use some more backcourt juice given that Chris Paul will turn 40 in May.

Simons, 25, is a combo guard who can play next to Paul or rookie Stephon Castle and brings three-level scoring to the table. Sexton also provides a similar skillset and can grow with the franchise.

Aldama is an intriguing frontcourt partner alongside Victor Wembanyama, as he's a talented scorer and passer at 6'11".

Toronto Raptors

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Jakob Poeltl is a quality starting center, yet at age 29 he doesn't fit the timeline of this new-look Toronto Raptors squad. The franchise should be on the lookout for a younger option to anchor the middle moving forward.

Claxton would help fix a defense that ranks just 26th overall right now and is a far better defender in space than Poeltl.

Ayton gives the Raptors a ton of rebounding and interior scoring while Stewart provides some three-point shooting chops and toughness.

Utah Jazz

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At 3-11 overall, the Utah Jazz should look to move their vets (Jordan Clarkson, John Collins, etc.) and stock up on whatever young talent they can find regardless of position.

Smith has actually had his minutes and shots cut back in Year 3 in Houston and should be looking for a bigger role or a new home. Still just 21, he packs a ton of potential at 6'11".

Thomas and the Nets couldn't come to terms on an extension last offseason. The 23-year-old is averaging 24.6 points and shooting 39.2 percent from three this year and could have a big role in Utah if Clarkson and Collin Sexton are moved.

Hood-Schifino didn't get his third-year option picked up by the Lakers, a surprising move considering he was the 17th overall pick in the 2023 draft. With his time in Los Angeles likely coming to an end, Utah should make a call.

Washington Wizards

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The Washington Wizards, much like the Utah Jazz and Brooklyn Nets, should be looking to further their rebuilding efforts before the deadline by swapping vets for young talent.

Kuminga is only coming to Washington in a potential three-team deal, as simply offering up Kyle Kuzma and Malcolm Brogdon to the Warriors won't be enough for them to part with their young star.

Whitmore, 20, was terrific as a rookie in Houston yet has struggled in Year 2. He carries a ton of potential as a big wing who can score from all three levels. Jović, 21, is in his third year with the Heat and has shown flashes on both ends of the ball. The 6'10" Serbian would pair nicely with Alex Sarr in the Wizards frontcourt.

   

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