Sports
Realistic NBA Offseason Trades That Can Still Happen – Bleacher Report
We’ve officially shifted into NBA trade season now that most of the top free agents have signed, with lots of rosters still unsettled throughout the league.
Yes, Damian Lillard and James Harden are the big names available, but there’s other trade activity to keep an eye on as well.
The Toronto Raptors face an uncertain future after losing Fred VanVleet in free agency and with a pair of stars hitting the open market next summer. The Chicago Bulls could still use a point guard upgrade and the New York Knicks have yet to address the woeful shooting that doomed their playoff run.
From some simple deals to a four-team blockbuster that would finally end the Lillard and Harden sagas, the following trades could (and should) still happen this offseason.
Chicago Bulls Receive: PG Tyus Jones, SF Corey Kispert
Washington Wizards Receive: F Patrick Williams, SG Dalen Terry, 2026 second-round pick
The Bulls looked like one of the best teams in the East the last time Lonzo Ball played, yet the veteran point guard is likely to miss another full season due to knee surgery. Chicago helped cover for his absence with the signing of Jevon Carter, but he’s more of a rotation piece instead of full-time starter.
Jones was previously dealt this offseason to Washington in a three-team deal that landed Marcus Smart with the Memphis Grizzlies and Kristaps Porziņģis in Boston with the Celtics. The 27-year-old would be wasted with the rebuilding Wizards, however, and could make a real difference in Chicago’s overall success as their new starting floor general.
Jones averaged 16.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, 8.1 assists and 1.8 steals in his 22 starts with the Grizzlies last season, all while putting up efficient 50.0/41.5/77.8 percent shooting splits. Kispert was one of the NBA’s best three-point shooters (42.4 percent, 2.2 makes per game), bringing some much-needed outside shooting to a Bulls team that ranked dead last in made threes per night (10.4).
A starting lineup with Jones, Zach LaVine, Kispert, DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vučević could make some noise in the East, especially with Alex Caruso, Andre Drummond, Torrey Craig, Coby White and Carter off the bench.
For Washington, swapping Jones (a free agent next summer) and Kispert (already 24 heading into Year 3) for Williams (21) and Terry (21) makes them younger, longer and with more upside.
Williams, the No. 4 overall pick in 2020, has shown high levels of three-point shooting and defensive potential, something a change of scenery could help unlock. Terry is a 6’7″ shooting guard who was the No. 18 overall pick a year ago.
New York Knicks Receive: F Bojan Bogdanović
Detroit Pistons Receive: Evan Fournier, 2024 first-round pick (top-10-protected via New York Knicks)
You have to go back over a decade to find a team that shot so poorly from three during the postseason and still made it out of the first round, with New York’s 29.2 percent mark from deep the worst since the 2011-12 Boston Celtics.
Swapping Fournier for Bogdanović is a massive upgrade, as the former wasn’t even part of the Knicks’ postseason rotation. Bogdanović, meanwhile, is coming off the best season of his career by averaging 21.6 points on 41.1 percent shooting from three with the Pistons.
The Knicks could use Bogdanović in a number of ways. Adding him to a starting lineup with Jalen Brunson, RJ Barrett, Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson gives everyone more breathing room. The 6’7″ forward can also play backup 4 in smaller lineups, especially with Obi Toppin now dealt to the Indiana Pacers.
Fournier is only a season removed from averaging 14.1 points on 38.9 percent shooting from three and could join Joe Harris and Alec Burks as floor-spacing veterans around this young Pistons core. Fournier only has one guaranteed year remaining on his contract at $18.9 million with a $19.0 million team option in 2024-25. If Detroit wants extra cap space next summer, it can decline his deal and collect the savings instead.
The Pistons get a first-round pick, which is important given their current 2024 selection is actually owed to New York (protected for selections 1-18 in 2024, 1-13 in 2025, 1-11 in 2026 and 1-9 in 2027). Detroit could ask for its own pick back instead, thus freeing up all future firsts to be used in potential trades.
Atlanta Hawks Receive: O.G. Anunoby
Toronto Raptors Receive: SF AJ Griffin, F De’Andre Hunter, 2024 first-round pick (via Sacramento Kings), 2027 second-round pick, 2030 second-round pick
If the Hawks can’t convince the Raptors to give up Pascal Siakam, getting Anunoby in return is a terrific consolation prize.
Atlanta still needs to improve defensively around Trae Young after ranking just 22nd overall (115.4 rating) last season. Anunoby, 25, led the league in steals (1.9 a game) and received the most first-place All-Defensive team votes (14) of any wing in the NBA last season.
At 6’7″ and 232 pounds, Anunoby is long enough to defend guards and strong enough to switch onto most bigs. A starting five of Young, Dejounte Murray, Saddiq Bey, Anunoby and Clint Capela would be formidable on both ends of the ball.
For Toronto, this is protection against losing another star player in free agency, as Anunoby can choose to turn down his final $19.9 million in 2024-25 and become an unrestricted free agent next summer instead.
Griffin, 19, had a strong rookie season in Atlanta, shooting 39.0 percent from three for the year and averaging 13.4 points in his 12 starts. Hunter, 25, averaged 15.4 points and is just starting a four-year, $90 million contract. Unlike Anunoby, there’s no danger of him leaving anytime soon.
The Raptors also pick up a first-round pick in 2024 via the Kings (lottery-protected) and a pair of future seconds for their trouble.
Dallas Mavericks Receive: F/C Karl-Anthony Towns
Minnesota Timberwolves Receive: F/C Christian Wood (via sign-and-trade), G/F Tim Hardaway Jr., SG Jaden Hardy, 2027 unprotected first-round pick
Even after making some upgrades this summer, the Mavs’ frontcourt still seems a little underwhelming.
Grant Williams and Richaun Holmes have mostly been backups in their careers and first-round pick Dereck Lively II averaged just 5.2 points in 20.6 minutes as a freshman at Duke. Expecting him to be a big-time contributor to a team with championship aspirations right away is probably too much.
Dallas should check on the price of Towns in an attempt to form the best offensive Big Three in basketball along with Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving.
Adding Towns as an elite floor-spacer who can also put the ball on the floor would take the Mavs’ scoring attack to the next level and help keep Dončić happy (and rested), which is the ultimate goal for this franchise. Dallas also keeps Josh Green and Maxi Kleber in the deal, making sure the team at least plays a little bit of defense, too.
As great as Towns is, Anthony Edwards is the future of basketball in Minnesota.
Going into his fourth year, Edwards is still just 21 years old coming off a playoff series where he averaged 31.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 5.2 assists. Getting a five-year max was just the beginning for Edwards, a player who will soon become a regular in the MVP discussion.
Moving Towns before his massive supermax extension kicks in (four years, $234.6 million) is the smart thing to do for a team that’s now going to be paying Edwards (max) and Rudy Gobert (near-max) big money going forward.
Wood signs a projected three-year, $36 million deal here. He replaces some of Towns’ production (20.4 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 2.3 blocks, 37.1 percent from three in 17 starts) while his defensive shortcomings are covered up by Gobert.
Hardaway is a proven wing (14.4 points, 38.5 percent from three) and Hardy, 21, gives Minnesota another young scoring guard with upside. After giving up four first-round picks for Gobert, the Wolves get one back here in an attempt to start restocking their cupboard.
Minnesota goes all-in on Edwards, making him the face of the franchise while adding more complementary pieces, a future draft pick and financial flexibility.
Miami Heat Receive: PG Damian Lillard, PF Marcus Morris Sr.
Los Angeles Clippers Receive: G James Harden, PF P.J. Tucker
Philadelphia 76ers Receive: G Tyler Herro, F Caleb Martin, F Robert Covington, 2028 and 2029 second-round picks (via Miami Heat)
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: 2027 and 2029 unprotected first-round picks (via Miami Heat), 2028 and 2030 unprotected first-round picks (via Los Angeles Clippers), PG Kyle Lowry, F Nic Batum, F Nikola Jović, PF Kobe Brown, SG Amir Coffey, PG Jason Preston
As we wait on Lillard and Harden to reach their likely destinations, why not make everyone happy with one big four-team deal?
Miami receives Lillard, finally meeting Portland’s asking price thanks to pulling in additional teams here. Getting Morris is icing on the cake here, as he likely becomes the new starting power forward as an upgrade over Kevin Love.
The Clippers also get their guy in Harden, who returns to his hometown of Los Angeles and creates a dangerous Big Three with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Tucker is also included in the deal, giving L.A. a big starting five of Harden, George, Leonard, Tucker and Ivica Zubac with Russell Westbrook, Norman Powell, Terance Mann, K.J. Martin, Mason Plumlee and Bones Hyland off the bench.
The 76ers, not wanting to deal with an unhappy Harden but also needed some significant talent in return, get to reshuffle the roster around Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris here.
Herro, 23, returns to his best role as a sixth man after averaging 20.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists and shooting 37.8 percent from three last season. Martin averaged 12.7 points and shot 42.3 percent from deep during Miami’s run to the Finals and likely becomes Philly’s new starting small forward. Covington returns to the 76ers as a rotation player and Philadelphia collects a pair of second-round picks as well. With the dust settled, the Sixers now have De’Anthony Melton, Maxey, Martin, Harris and Embiid as a starting five with Herro, Covington, Paul Reed, Patrick Beverley, Mo Bamba and others off the bench.
Of course, this deal only works if Portland likes the return for Lillard, one that now includes four future unprotected first-round picks and some serious salary relief.
The Blazers get two future firsts each from Miami and Los Angeles while the expiring deals of Lowry and Batum open up $41.4 million worth of cap space next summer. Jović, Brown, Coffey and Preston average 23 years in age, giving Portland some additional building blocks for its rebuild. The most intriguing is Jović, a 6’10”, 20-year-old with strong passing skills.
The deal can’t be complete until August 2 (30 days after Brown signed his rookie deal with the Clippers), although doing so then would still give everyone plenty of time to get settled in their new homes before training camps begin.