Sports
Top NBA Trade Candidates for the 2023-24 Season – Hoops Hype
November 29, 2023– by Michael Scotto
By Michael Scotto |
Following the James Harden deal to the Los Angeles Clippers earlier this season and the recent trade chatter surrounding Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine, HoopsHype spoke with 15 NBA executives and league sources to project the top trade candidates for each team this season.
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The Atlanta Hawks continue to monitor Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam as a potential trade target after attempting to acquire him during the offseason, league sources told HoopsHype.
While Atlanta was unable to acquire Siakam over the summer, Jalen Johnson has emerged as an early Most Improved Player candidate, averaging career-highs in points (14.1) on 59.4 percent from the field and 42.5 percent from beyond the arc with 7.3 rebounds as the starting forward before suffering a left wrist injury that could sideline him 4-to-6 weeks, per Shams Charania of The Athletic.
“Jalen Johnson has been their third best player this year behind Trae Young and Dejounte Murray,” an NBA executive told HoopsHype.
Hawks forward De’Andre Hunter was among the players discussed during the Siakam talks, and his $20 million salary and versatility on both sides of the ball playing both forward spots at times makes him a trade candidate to watch in a potential deal.
Another Hawks frontcourt player, center Clint Capela, was linked to the Mavericks this offseason, but with the emergence of rookie center Derrick Lively, Dallas’ trade interest in Capela has since faded. However, after signing Onyeka Okongwu to an extension, some rival executives believe Capela could be used as a trade chip again before the February trade deadline.
Patty Mills and his $6.8 million expiring contract is a noteworthy trade chip that could also be included to match salaries.
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With a roster spot open, most executives believe the Boston Celtics will stand pat and wait until the buyout market to add another veteran for a championship run. It’s worth noting Boston expressed interest in several veterans, including re-signing Blake Griffin and free agent forward TJ Warren last offseason.
MORE: TJ Warren eyes NBA return: ‘I’m 100 percent healthy now’
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With teams across the league looking for potential wing and point guard help, the Brooklyn Nets have several trade candidates, depending on the direction the team goes ahead of February’s trade deadline.
Spencer Dinwiddie, who became the third Net in franchise NBA history with 1,500 or more assists and 500 or more threes, joining Jason Kidd and Vince Carter, is among the names to keep an eye on in the coming months.
“Dinwiddie can help a team and make big shots,” an NBA executive told HoopsHype.
An upcoming unrestricted free agent, Dinwiddie has continuously referenced Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Nic Claxton, and Ben Simmons as core members of Brooklyn’s future while complimenting Cam Thomas and Lonnie Walker when talking about the team’s future.
“That all comes down to Joe Tsai and Sean Marks at the end of the day,” Dinwiddie told The HoopsHype Podcast just before the regular season when asked about his future. “I’ll be a free agent at the end of the year. I earned my pension already, so it is what it is. We’ll see what happens after that. If the team wins and we’ve got guys rolling, at the bare minimum, I’ve left the team in good hands, and if it’s time for me to ride off into the sunset, that’s what it is, and I’ll be a Brooklyn Nets fan.”
NBA executives across the league are also monitoring Brooklyn’s wings, including Dorian Finney-Smith and Royce O’Neale.
Finney-Smith has previously drawn interest from several playoff-caliber teams, including the Dallas Mavericks, Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, and Memphis Grizzlies (before several injuries changed their trajectory this season), among other teams, league sources told HoopsHype.
Given that Finney-Smith is signed through the 2024-25 season before a $15.38 million player option decision for the 2025-26 season, rival executives expect the Nets to continue to have a high asking price worth the equivalent of two first-round picks if they trade him with the hope that the asking price will drop closer to the trade deadline.
A few executives who spoke with HoopsHype believe Brooklyn would want a protected first-round pick for O’Neale, an upcoming unrestricted free agent.
Rival executives are also monitoring Nets center Nicolas Claxton and have asked one consistent question regarding the 24-year-old center who will become an unrestricted free agent this summer: Will Brooklyn pay up to keep him?
Given recent average annual salaries for centers Jarrett Allen ($20 million), Jusuf Nurkic ($17.5 million), Deandre Ayton ($33.2 million), Jakob Poeltl ($19.5 million), and Brook Lopez ($24 million) in free agency the past few offseasons, Claxton is projected to be over earn over $20 million per year in free agency.
Currently, Claxton is viewed as a core member of the Nets moving forward, barring a trade offer that blows the team away.
Looking further ahead, Ben Simmons will be in the final year of his contract during the 2024-25 season at $40.34 million, making him a potential trade chip in the summer of 2024 due to his expiring contract – whether he can stay healthy or not this season.
MORE: Spencer Dinwiddie on Ben Simmons, Cam Thomas, Cam Johnson, Kevin Durant, James Harden, free agency
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Multiple playoff-caliber teams have called Charlotte to gauge Gordon Hayward’s trade availability, HoopsHype has learned.
Charlotte is focused on getting healthy and competing for a playoff spot now. However, If Charlotte remains on the outside of the Play-In picture, the Hornets could give No. 2 overall pick Brandon Miller more minutes at small forward by moving on from Hayward, who turns 34 years old in March.
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Following a players meeting after the season opener, things have gotten progressively worse for Chicago, with roster changes looming.
After starting off hot against the Brooklyn Nets with a 30-9 lead, Chicago lost 118-109 at Barclays Center in the latest underwhelming Bulls performance. You could hear a pin drop inside the postgame locker room after falling to 5-13 on the season.
“It’s not fun at all,” Bulls center Nikola Vucevic said after the game. “Nobody likes losing. Definitely not fun. But again, we put ourselves in that position, and we’re the only ones that can get us out of it.”
Things got even worse with a 124-97 defeat to the Boston Celtics two days after.
Time appears to be running out for Chicago’s core to figure it out. Two-time All-Star guard Zach LaVine has been the hottest name in trade rumors, with both he and the Bulls open to a potential trade, per The Athletic. LaVine – owed $178 million through the 2026-27 season, which includes a player option – has been linked to the 76ers, Lakers, Heat and Kings. The Knicks also called to express exploratory interest in LaVine, league sources told HoopsHype, but his camp was not interested in a trade to New York, as the New York Post reported.
So what can Chicago’s stars get on the trade market?
“I think Zach LaVine can get a first back, maybe another first-round pick if it’s in this draft since it’s so weak,” an NBA executive told HoopsHype. “DeMar DeRozan is worth a first in this draft in the 20s since it’s a weak draft, and he’s unrestricted at the end of the season. He can be a third scorer on a winning team. I think he’s got some gas left in the tank. Nikola Vucevic has aged, but he can still shoot and score. If they can get two first-round picks for Alex Caruso, I’d do it.”
The Bulls are currently valuing players who can help them win and a potential draft pick, depending on the incoming player(s), over tearing down the roster completely and rebuilding by taking expiring contracts and more draft picks, league sources told HoopsHype.
DeRozan, an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2024, is expected to draw interest from playoff-caliber teams.
Alex Caruso holds significant trade interest around the league, but Chicago has yet to show a willingness to move the All-Defensive guard, according to rival NBA executives who spoke with HoopsHype. His defensive ability and $19.35 million combined salary through the 2024-25 season makes him more intriguing in the eyes of rival executives.
Multiple executives told HoopsHype they believe the Bulls can get a first-round pick and a rotational player for Caruso but weren’t sure if they’d get two first rounders.
Lastly, the future of forward Patrick Williams is also uncertain after both sides were far apart on contract extension talks before the season.
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Rival NBA executives are monitoring Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell’s happiness in Cleveland. Mitchell is signed through next season before a $37 million player option for the 2025-26 season, which many around the league expect him to eventually decline.
Cleveland wants to sign Mitchell to a long-term contract down the line and is in no rush to move him after making offseason moves to improve the team around him and the team’s core, including the offseason additions of his former Jazz teammate Georges Niang and former Heat sharpshooter Max Strus.
Should the Cavaliers learn Mitchell would consider eventually leaving in free agency, they could wait until the trade deadline next season to move him unless a Godfather offer is presented to them. His Bird Rights would still be particularly valuable to teams over the salary cap attempting to acquire him to give them a better chance of retaining him, even though he’d essentially be in an expiring contract next season.
Should Mitchell become available on the trade market at any point, a bevy of teams, including the Knicks, will be among those heavily interested.
Jarrett Allen and Caris LeVert, whose names came up in trade chatter last season, are players the Cavaliers want to keep, barring a trade that further moves the needle towards title contention for Cleveland, HoopsHype has learned. Evan Mobley and Darius Garland also remain core pieces in the eyes of the franchise.
Cleveland will have to make a decision on former No. 5 overall pick Isaac Okoro, with restricted free agency looming in the summer of 2024. Will the Cavaliers pay him or trade him ahead of time?
Cleveland values Okoro’s defense. However, with future luxury tax payments coming to keep the team together, the Cavaliers may have to prioritize other players.
Lastly, as the team continues to be patient with Ricky Rubio amid his leave from the team, Craig Porter Jr. has become a rotational player for Cleveland and could become a candidate to have his two-way contract converted if he continues to play well with his opportunities.
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The Dallas Mavericks have improved this season after offseason signings of Grant Williams and Derrick Jones Jr. and the selection of Dereck Lively in the draft.
Should the Mavericks look to upgrade, Tim Hardaway Jr. would likely be among the trade candidates, given his production as one of the top bench scorers this season and tradeable salary ($17.9 million).
With a surplus of big men on the roster, Richaun Holmes and Maxi Kleber could also become frontcourt trade candidates in the months to come.
MORE: Tim Hardaway Jr. among highest-paid NBA players to never make an All-Star team
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The Denver Nuggets value continuity and are expected to keep their team intact.
Justin Holiday – a veteran 3-and-D player who has played sparingly for most of this season and will be an unrestricted free agent in July – made the list should Denver want to trade him for a future second-round pick theoretically.
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Similarly to last season, Bojan Bogdanovic is the top trade target playoff-caliber teams are eying. The Pistons passed on trading Bogdanovic for two first-round picks from a contender last season, league sources told HoopsHype. New coach Monty Williams also loves Bogdanovic, HoopsHype has learned.
Coming into the season, Detroit had hopes of contending for the Play-In or a playoff spot this season. It’s unclear if the team’s long losing streak will alter Detroit’s willingness to part with Bogdanovic before February.
There’s no shortage of veteran role players who could be on the trading block for the Pistons this upcoming season, including Alec Burks and Monte Morris, most prominently.
The Rockets had exploratory trade conversations with the Pistons about trading for Burks in exchange for several second-round picks while trying to offload Kevin Porter Jr. earlier this season, league sources told HoopsHype.
If Morris can show he’s healthy, he’s an intriguing backup point guard option in the final year of his deal at $9.8 million.
Former three-point contest champion Joe Harris is also in the final year of his contract at $19.93 million and will need to show he’s healthy for playoff-caliber teams eying shooting.
Lastly, with Cade Cunnigham and Jaden Ivey expected to be the guards of the future, Killian Hayes is a name to watch on the trade market after starting to begin the season and returning to a reserve role.
MORE: Bojan Bogdanovic among high-paid NBA player to never make an All-Star team
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Should the Golden State Warriors look to make a major upgrade to compete for a title this season, the team has notable assets to try and do so.
Chris Paul is on the books for $30.8 million this season, and his salary for next season is non-guaranteed. Forward Jonathan Kuminga and guard Moses Moody also remain coveted around the league.
Golden State has been pleased with Paul’s production and fit with the team and is open to keeping him beyond this season for the right price, league sources told HoopsHype. Kuminga and Moody have also been consistent role players and won’t hit restricted free agency until 2025, which is noteworthy for a Warriors team with steep luxury tax payments ahead.
For example, is a trade candidate such as Pascal Siakam, who is represented by agent Todd Ramasar along with Warriors center Kevon Looney, someone who could move the needle towards championship contention? Is it worth increasing the luxury tax bill going forward? These are the types of questions the Warriors will debate leading up to February’s trade deadline.
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The Houston Rockets spurred their rebuild with key offseason free agent additions of Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks, the hiring of coach Ime Udoka, and the rapid development of center Alperen Sengun.
Looking ahead to the February trade deadline, Houston will look to continue upgrading its roster with the tradeable contracts of Victor Oladipo, Jock Landale, Jeff Green, and future draft pick(s) compensation, league sources told HoopsHype.
Oladipo is on an expiring $9.45 million deal, Landale is owed $8 million this season and includes no guaranteed money next season, and Green is owed $9.6 million this season and has a team option and a non-guaranteed clause in his contract for next season, per our Rockets salaries page.
While Zach LaVine is one of the top names on the market, the Rockets are not in on his sweepstakes, HoopsHype has learned.
It’s also worth noting that over the past few seasons Jae’Sean Tate has also drawn exploratory trade interest from several playoff-caliber teams, league sources told HoopsHype.
Lastly, before signing with Houston, Reggie Bullock had interest from several teams, including the Bucks, Heat, Celtics, Clippers, and Pelicans, league sources told HoopsHype. Given his proven 3-and-D capability and current role in Houston, he’s also a name to watch.
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Similar to when Myles Turner was entering a contract season and was coveted by other teams, the Indiana Pacers want to keep guard Buddy Hield and have a high asking price for teams interested in acquiring him.
Five NBA executives who spoke with HoopsHype said it would take a first-round pick and a rotation player for Hield. If the player is someone Indiana likes, the pick doesn’t have to be as strong and vice versa.
Hield is on an expiring $19.28 million deal this season and has been on a tear since returning to the starting lineup.
Point guard TJ McConnell is another player rival executives seeking help in the backcourt are monitoring, league sources told HoopsHype. McConnell is on the books for $8.7 million this season, and $5 million of his $9.3 million salary is guaranteed next season.
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Following the additions of James Harden and Daniel Theis, along with a reluctance to move Terance Mann, the Clippers can theoretically trade guard Norman Powell, one of the league’s top bench players, and young guard Bones Hyland, who’s currently out of the rotation, if they want to make an upgrade at another position or can get a worthwhile draft pick in exchange for Hyland.
Another executive said he’s also keeping an eye on Amir Coffey if the Clippers want to save money on the luxury tax.
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The Los Angeles Lakers are among the teams interested in acquiring Zach LaVine, and while the Bulls would covet Austin Reaves in trade talks, he’s not for sale in LaVine conversations.
So, who could be on the move for LaVine or another player coveted by the Lakers?
Rival NBA executives who spoke with HoopsHype believe D’Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura are two potential trade candidates to watch.
Russell, who’s on a two-year, $36 million deal, has averaged 17 points and six assists on 48 percent shooting from the field overall and 40 percent from downtown since rejoining the Lakers last season. Hachimura, who’s on a three-year, $51 million deal, is shooting over 50 percent from the field for the first time in his career, and his 43 percent from beyond the arc is his highest percentage since his third season.
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The Memphis Grizzlies have been decimated by injuries this season, which has led to an uncharacteristic start towards the bottom of the West. Despite their injuries, multiple bench players have drawn trade interest from other teams.
Grizzlies reserve sharpshooter Luke Kennard – a career 43.5 percent three-point shooter – is a player rival teams are keeping an eye on amid Memphis’ early season woes, according to NBA executives who spoke with HoopsHype. Kennard is owed $14.76 million this season and has a team option clause also worth $14.76 million for the 2024-25 season.
Reserve forward John Konchar is also a candidate to be dealt before the February trade deadline. The Celtics, Warriors, and Lakers are among the teams who’ve kept tabs on Konchar’s situation from afar, HoopsHype has learned.
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Once again, Miami is linked to the latest star player available on the trade market: Zach LaVine. The Heat will continue to be linked to any star players that become available, and the same names will inevitably pop up in the rumors section, including Tyler Herro, Kyle Lowry – thanks to his expiring $29.68 million expiring contract – and sharpshooter Duncan Robinson, who’s in the midst of a career year.
It’s worth noting Caleb Martin was one reason the Heat didn’t acquire Damian Lillard since Miami wanted to retain him following a brilliant playoff performance in the Eastern Conference Finals that helped the team punch an NBA Finals ticket, league sources told HoopsHype.
Similarly, rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. has carved out a significant rotation role after Miami was reluctant to part with him in trade talks for Lillard.
MORE: Jaime Jaquez Jr: ‘First offseason, trade rumors… Welcome to the league’
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The Milwaukee Bucks leveraged their best trade assets to acquire Damian Lillard, and the best metaphorical acquisition by the trade deadline would be the return of Khris Middleton’s All-Star form before injury. If any move is made, it could be on the margins.
Pat Connaughton would valued by teams around the league as a 3-and-D role player. His $9.4 million salary is tradeable should Milwaukee want to make a theoretical rotational change or try to upgrade at another bench position.
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Amid Minnesota’s hot start, rival executives who spoke with HoopsHype all had the same question: Will Minnesota pay to keep this team together long term, given looming luxury tax concerns?
Before the season began, Minnesota wanted to look at its core with a healthy unit and more continuity while believing the Timberwolves could be better than last year. That patience and belief have since been rewarded in the standings, and Minnesota has no plans to make a significant roster change to its core.
So why is Karl-Anthony Towns listed as a potential trade candidate?
The consensus among the NBA executives who spoke to HoopsHype is that if Minnesota loses in the first round of the playoffs for the third straight year, Towns could be the most likely member of the core traded. The executives based this assertion on several factors. Anthony Edwards emerged as the face of the franchise. Rudy Gobert has returned to his Defensive Player of the Year form, and Minnesota would never get back an equal return for what they paid to get him. Jaden McDaniels has also developed into an All-Defensive-caliber player and a rising young two-way wing, one of the most coveted positions in the league.
The executives also pointed to the New York Knicks as a team with enough young assets and draft picks to get a deal done and a willingness to value Towns’ massive contract extension going forward.
Trading for Towns this season would be much easier theoretically because his salary will jump from $36 million to $52 million next season, as noted on our Timberwolves salaries page. While Minnesota’s hot start negated that logic for now, it’s a situation worth monitoring closely toward the end of Minnesota’s season.
Towns, Gobert, Edwards, and McDaniels comprise a large sum of Minnesota’s projected $190 million roster next season.
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When polling NBA executives for the top trade candidate on New Orleans, Kira Lewis was the top choice due to his lack of playing time and tradable salary that would take the Pelicans out of the luxury tax.
With CJ McCollum nearing a return from a small lung collapse, Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram forming a dynamic duo, the emergence of sharpshooting rookie Jordan Hawkins, the steady play of center Jonas Valanciunas, and the stout defense of Herbert Jones, the Pelicans are in no rush to make a move and want to continue seeing how far a healthy squad can go.
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The New York Knicks have a glut of guards, and rival teams are monitoring whether Immanuel Quickley will become available on the trade market after both sides failed to agree to an extension before the season. Quickley was offered around $18 million per year in extension talks, league sources told HoopsHype. However, Quickley was looking for closer to $25 million annually, league sources said.
“I think Quickley might be New York’s best trade asset besides Jalen Brunson,” an NBA executive told HoopsHype.
In other news, Knicks forward Julius Randle raised eyebrows when he switched agencies from CAA to WME this offseason, and if the Knicks attempt to trade for a frontcourt star, the two-time All-NBA selection is a player to watch.
While the Knicks were linked to Timberwolves forward Karl-Anthony Towns earlier in the season, there are several factors that make a trade difficult at this time and potentially through the trade deadline. First, Minnesota is rolling as one of the top teams in the West and doesn’t want to break up a good thing. Second, while Quickley has fans in Minnesota’s front office, the same cannot be said for Julius Randle, league sources told HoopsHype. Mitchell Robinson also isn’t an ideal trade candidate for Minnesota, with Rudy Gobert entrenched at center. It’s unclear where Minnesota stands on RJ Barrett.
Should Minnesota suffer an early playoff exit, the Knicks and Timberwolves could always circle back on a potential trade with looming luxury tax concerns coming for Minnesota’s roster after significant pay raises begin for Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, and Towns next season, along with Gobert’s salary. Those four players make up a large sum of Minnesota’s projected $190 million roster.
It’s worth noting Knicks President Leon Rose represented Towns while he was at CAA. Knicks senior vice president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas was his general manager in Minnesota. Knicks assistant Rick Brunson also coached Towns in Minnesota.
Other Knicks trade chips include Quentin Grimes and Evan Fournier due to his $18.86 million contract, which is essentially an expiring contract due to a team option clause for next season. Fournier has been banished to the bench in all but one game for a brief cameo appearance.
In years past, the Knicks shied away from including Grimes in trade talks with the Clippers for Paul George, the Bulls for Zach LaVine, the Jazz during Donovan Mitchell trade talks, and the Hawks, who also inquired about him.
MORE: Evan Fournier cracks Top 20 high-paid players to never make an All-Star team
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Armed with a treasure chest of future draft picks, young talent, and movable contracts, several executives who spoke with HoopsHype believe the Thunder have the best assets to acquire any player in the league and could look to make a trade, given Oklahoma City’s hot start to the season.
“Chet Holmgren is a stud, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a Top 5 or Top 10 guy in the league,” an NBA executive told HoopsHype. “They’re in line for a Top 4 seed and homecourt advantage in the playoffs. They can win a series. They have every pick in the world and contracts of all sizes. They can get anyone they want.”
As for Thunder trade candidates, two international players are possibilities: Davis Bertans and Vasilije Micic. Bertans has been seldomly used, and rookie Cason Wallace has leaped Micic, a two-time Euroleague champion and Final Four MVP, in the rotation.
Micic has drawn trade interest from several teams in the past, including the Chicago Bulls, who could use help at point guard.
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The Orlando Magic have shocked many across the league by becoming one of the top teams in the East to start the season and are ahead of schedule in their rebuilding plan.
With several first-round picks over the years on the roster, the team has a bit of a logjam. Chuma Okeke, the No. 16 overall pick in 2019, is a name to monitor. In the past, the Cavaliers, Suns, Nuggets, and Bucks expressed exploratory interest in Okeke, who’s considered a good locker room presence and a hard worker, HoopsHype has learned.
Orlando will have to decide on Okeke, who’s eligible for restricted free agency this summer if the Magic tender a qualifying offer.
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Philadelphia has a boatload of expiring contracts that can be used to create cap space this upcoming summer or dangle as trade bait for teams looking to make a salary dump.
Teams have expressed exploratory interest in forward KJ Martin, who’ll be an unrestricted free agent in July, league sources told HoopsHype. Despite a limited role since joining the 76ers, rival teams are intrigued after he averaged 12.7 points and 5.5 rebounds for the Rockets and played all 82 games last season.
Furkan Korkmaz is also a trade candidate if the 76ers want to avoid the luxury tax and move his $5.37 million salary to a team with cap space.
MORE: Tobias Harris is the highest-paid NBA player to never make an All-Star team
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The Phoenix Suns don’t have much flexibility to make a trade, but Grayson Allen’s shooting and $8.93 expiring salary this season could be of interest to a team looking to shed long-term money for one of its players.
It’s worth noting the Suns were among the teams interested in acquiring Pacers point guard TJ McConnell, who’s also featured as a top trade candidate above.
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Entering the season, rival NBA executives pegged three Trail Blazers as potential trade targets: Malcolm Brogdon, Jerami Grant, and Robert Williams.
Since then, Williams had season-ending right knee surgery and is unlikely to be traded. Brogdon has expressed a willingness to remain in Portland. Grant is averaging career-highs in points (23.4) while shooting a career-best from downtown (.426).
Three executives who spoke with HoopsHype believe Portland will be able to acquire a protected first-round pick in this year’s draft should the Trail Blazers decide to trade Brogdon and open up more playing time for No. 3 overall pick Scoot Henderson.
Grant’s value fluctuated among the executives, with no clear consensus.
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Five executives who spoke with HoopsHype were surprised Kings guard Davion Mitchell was behind two-way teammate Keon Ellis on Sacramento’s depth chart to start the season, leading to a belief that Mitchell can be a potential trade chip as part of a bigger move.
If the Sacramento Kings want to trade for Pascal Siakam, Zach LaVine or another All-Star-caliber player on the trade market, Keegan Murray would be the headline piece a rival team would covet in a potential trade package. However, Sacramento is reluctant to part with Murray in trade talks and views him as part of their core going forward, but would be open to moving future first-round picks, HoopsHype has learned.
MORE: Harrison Barnes cracks Top 10 high-paid NBA players to never make an All-Star team
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With the San Antonio Spurs in rebuild mode around Victor Wembanyama, veteran bench players Doug McDermott, Cedi Osman, and Devonte Graham are all expected to be available ahead of the trade deadline.
McDermott and Osman will become free agents after this season, and only $2.85 million of Graham’s salary is guaranteed for next season.
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The Toronto Raptors are the wildcard team NBA executives around the league are keeping an eye on. For now, Toronto is giving first-year coach Darko Rajaković a chance to see what the current group can accomplish before deciding whether to trade Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, Gary Trent Jr., Thaddeus Young, and Otto Porter closer to the trade deadline.
Several teams could make a trade for Siakam, including the Hawks, Kings, 76ers, Pacers, etc. The two-time All-NBA and All-Star player will be looking for a max contract, or as close to it as possible this summer, and is HoopsHype’s No. 2 overall free agent.
“If Toronto is willing to pay up for Siakam, they’ll keep him,” an NBA executive opined. “I think the same goes for Anunoby, too.”
After losing Kawhi Leonard in free agency to the Clippers, Kyle Lowry to the Heat in a sign-and-trade for Precious Achiuwa and Goran Dragic, and Fred VanVleet to the Rockets in free agency, Toronto is concerned about potential teams who could give Anunoby a shorter-term max contract due to the weak free agent market, league sources told HoopsHype. As outlined on The HoopsHype Podcast, the Philadelphia 76ers are one of the potential teams who could give Anunoby a max contract this summer. Philadelphia could also try to trade for Anunoby and re-sign him with Bird Rights while keeping Tobias Harris.
Anunoby – who’s expected to decline his $19.93 million player option and become one of the top unrestricted free agents this summer – remains one of the top two-way wing players and has reportedly wanted a larger role dating back to last trade deadline.
Trent Jr., a career 38 percent three-point shooter whose camp had short-term extension talks with Toronto that fell through to this point, will become an unrestricted free agent this summer.
MORE: Thaddeus Young and Otto Porter among Top 50 highest-paid NBA players who never made an All-Star team
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Rival NBA executives believe the Utah Jazz will look to add a veteran point guard at some point this season to provide backcourt stability.
Keyonte George is a potential point guard of the future, but he’s more of a combo guard, and Jordan Clarkson is more of a scorer.
Talen Horton-Tucker ($11.02 million) and Kelly Olynyk ($12.2 million) have expiring contracts and are potential trade candidates, rival executives who spoke with HoopsHype said. Collin Sexton’s salary would make him a trade candidate for matching potential contracts.
Olynyk’s ability to stretch the floor and pass well at either power forward or center is expected to draw the interest of playoff-caliber teams.
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The Washington Wizards have several veteran role players expected to draw interest from teams with playoff aspirations to fortify their benches, including Delon Wright, Landry Shamet, Danilo Gallinari, and Mike Muscala.
Three of the four players are on expiring contracts, except Shamet, who’s owed $33 million through the 2025-26 season.
When healthy, Wright is a capable backup guard, while Shamet’s career 39 percent three-point shooting has helped him carve out a role in the NBA wherever he’s played.
Gallinari, who has made the second-highest career salary without making an All-Star team and has provided veteran leadership and bench scoring, has strong relationships with Wizards executives Mike Winger and Will Dawkins from Winger’s time with him on the Clippers and Dawkins while Gallinari was with the Thunder. Wizards coach Wes Unseld Jr. was also an assistant in Denver when Gallinari was on the Nuggets.
Muscala’s ability to stretch the floor at the center position continues to earn him NBA minutes.
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Bucks, Bulls, Business, Cavaliers, Celtics, Clippers, Free Agency, Grizzlies, Hawks, Heat, Hornets, Jazz, Kings, Knicks, Lakers, Magic, Mavericks, NBA, Nets, Nuggets, Pacers, Pelicans, Pistons, Raptors, Rockets, Sixers, Spurs, Suns, Thunder, Timberwolves, Trade, Trail Blazers, Warriors, Wizards, Blast, Featured, no_yh, Top
Michael Scotto is a Senior NBA Insider and Host of The HoopsHype Podcast for HoopsHype, USA TODAY Sports. Scotto has become a trusted source for breaking news on trades, rumors, and free agent signings. Scotto has interviewed numerous All-Star players and coaches and has been seen on NBA TV, YES Network, SNY, etc., during his 13 years of experience covering the league. He graduated from Hofstra University with a dual Broadcast Journalism and Speech Communications degree.
Ranking: The Top 100 players in the NBA for 2023-24
Kristaps Porzingis status unclear for In-Season quarterfinals
Bojan Bogdanovic likely to make season debut on Saturday
Main Rumors· December 4, 2023 ·
Main Rumors· December 4, 2023 ·
Main Rumors· December 4, 2023 ·
Main Rumors· December 4, 2023 ·
Main Rumors· December 3, 2023 ·
Main Rumors· December 3, 2023 ·
Main Rumors· December 3, 2023 ·
Main Rumors· December 3, 2023 ·
Main Rumors· December 3, 2023 ·
Main Rumors· December 3, 2023 ·
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