NBA Trades: 12 stars that will likely change teams by next season

June 30th will mark the official beginning of the NBA’s much-anticipated free agency, and every year it somehow manages to ratchet up the level of intrigue. More than any other league, the NBA is known for top-talent changing teams, which draws plenty of interest from even casual fans. The off-season is often characterized by big signings and even bigger trades, and this year’s free agency period figures to be the biggest yet.

Just days before the offseason is set to begin, the Washington Wizards and Phoenix Suns have already agreed to the first major trade of the season, with four-time all-star Bradley Beal being dealt for a package that included future Hall of Famer Chris Paul. They won’t be the last stars to change teams either.

Actually, there are at least 12 stars who could change teams this summer, so let’s start with a player that teams will closely be watching to see if this star will be traded.

NBA Star #12: Jaylen Brown

Many people who follow the NBA are well aware of the Boston Celtics’ looming tough decision that they will have to make this summer. That tough decision is whether to sign All-Star Jaylen Brown to a supermax contract extension worth around $290 million. Paying anyone nearly $60 million a season would warrant serious consideration, particularly with the new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) now in place.

The new CBA was designed to hammer teams with massive payrolls, like the Celtics, who already have $120 million committed for the 2024–25 season, without even factoring in Brown’s extension, which would kick in that year. Boston is seemingly ready to offer a supermax contract extension to Brown, but this offseason could present them with several intriguing trade options that might make them think twice.

Both the Portland Trail Blazers and Houston Rockets have plenty of trade assets to offer, including picks in the top four of this year’s draft. And even if nothing happens at the NBA Draft, there is always a small possibility of a deal getting done, especially with October 31st set as the deadline to extend Brown’s contract.

NBA Star #11: Draymond Green

Golden State Warriors power forward Draymond Green ranks as one of the more interesting free agents this offseason. Over his 11-season career, all with the Warriors, Draymond Green has established himself as a versatile weapon. Although he is not a star in the traditional sense, Green is a four-time All-Star due primarily to his playmaking and defensive ability.

He has definitely fallen off in recent years, however, lessening his impact to the point that it doesn’t always make up for his shortcomings. Even then, Golden State is considered likely to retain him, but it is still far from a done deal. Barring another trade to clear up salary, the Warriors could be adding $20–$25 million a year going forward to a team that already has the largest payroll in the NBA.

With the new CBA, they might think twice about offering him such a large contract, particularly if it’s a three- or four-year deal. That might open the door for another team, such as the Dallas Mavericks or Miami Heat, to make a move to acquire him. Neither team is projected to have cap space, though they could attempt to seek out a sign-and-trade. That would depend largely on the Warriors, and without other obvious fits, Green might be eager to get a deal done with Golden State.

NBA Star #10: Dejounte Murray

Despite giving up significant assets to acquire him, the Atlanta Hawks could trade Dejounte Murray this summer according to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report. Why would they do that? Even after pairing Murray with fellow All-Star Trae Young, the Hawks weren’t much better than they have been in recent years.

With Murray becoming a free agent after next season and probably expecting a big contract, it seems unlikely that they would keep Murray. As a result, he could be shopped by the Hawks, who are probably hoping to recoup some of the assets they lost in the deal with the Spurs.

As for potential trade partners, the Houston Rockets and Portland Trail Blazers could be interested. The Rockets could use a new starting point guard, and while they are all-in on James Harden, Murray may be a backup option. On the other hand, the Blazers are looking for a co-star to play alongside Lillard, and Murray would make sense given his playmaking and defensive abilities.

While the Hawks could always hold onto Murray and trade him next season, they would run the risk of him losing trade value, Based on that, it is entirely possible that he will be moved this summer.

NBA Star #9: Trae Young

Joining teammate Dejounte Murray on this list is Trae Young. Young has developed an unfortunate reputation for being difficult and he previously feuded with former head coach Nate McMillan before he was replaced midseason by Quinn Snyder. Young is also apparently not that popular among teammates or even the front office, which is reportedly open to moving him this offseason.

Whether they actually will is anyone’s guess since they have other cards left to play to try and improve the team. There is the aforementioned possibility that they trade Murray as well as John Collins. Moving either or both, in addition to having a new coach, might give the Hawks the opportunity to quickly retool around Young rather than ship him out.

That would depend on who or what they’re offered. If the Hawks don’t receive offers to their liking, they could start the season with all three. Murray will be a free agent after next season, though, and Collins has been off and on the trading block for years now. Taking that into account, it’s possible but not 100% certain that Young is also up for grabs.

NBA Star #8: Zach LaVine

Previously, Zach LaVine seemed to be relatively untouchable for Chicago, but without many assets, the Bulls are reportedly considering trading Zach LaVine, who is the most valuable member of their big three. He is also under contract for at least the next three seasons, although he is set to make $43 million on average during that span.

LaVine is a terrific offensive player, and while teams may show interest based on that, his contract could limit offers and decrease the chances that Chicago moves him. LaVine is just 28, and if the Bulls look to move DeRozan and let Nikola Vucevic walk, they could hope to retool around him in a couple of seasons.

On the other hand, Chicago would have to land a big free agent, trade for a star, or be bad enough to tank for a high pick in relatively short order. That seems unlikely to happen, particularly being bad enough to tank since LaVine would still be on the roster. Even if they were, they would have to pick a prospect ready to immediately contribute. Thus, the Bulls may opt to bottom out sooner rather than later, starting with dealing LaVine.

NBA Star #7: Zion Williamson

In a surprising development, it seems that the New Orleans Pelicans are open to trading star Zion Williamson. Offseason drama aside, most expected the Pelicans to hold onto Zion and hope that he could finally get healthy.

However, the Pelicans are looking to move up in the NBA Draft to select Scoot Henderson, and trading Zion is their best way to do so. Even if they don’t ultimately move up the draft board and take Henderson, their willingness to move him implies that they could listen to other offers for him.

Zion has only played 114 games over his first four years in the NBA. That is concerning, to say the least, especially for a player who relies heavily on his explosiveness and brute strength to bully opponents. What happens if he isn’t nearly the athlete that he once was? His lack of a jumper becomes a much bigger issue in that scenario, and perhaps the Pelicans know something that we don’t, leading to them kicking the tires on a trade before word gets out.

If they are indeed open to dealing Zion, Charlotte and Portland appear to be two possible teams given that they have the second and third overall picks in the NBA draft. If there isn’t a deal on draft night, it wouldn’t necessarily close the door on a trade, but it would probably decrease the chances of him being moved in the short term.

NBA Star #6: Pascal Siakam

The Toronto Raptors, despite having several talented players, missed the playoffs last season and seem ready to hit the reset button, initiating a rebuild. If that is indeed the case, then their teardown could begin by trading their best player, Pascal Siakam. Siakam had a career year last season but failed to make All-NBA, meaning he won’t be eligible for a supermax contract.

That makes it harder for the Raptors to keep him since they won’t be able to offer him far more than another team would. There is also the fact that he is already 29, and their roster isn’t ready to compete for a championship with him.

Therefore, the Raptors could look to move him this summer rather than prolong the inevitable, especially with the San Antonio Spurs owning their 2024 first-round pick (top-six protected in 2024 and 2025). Were Toronto to move him over the summer, they could prevent their pick from conveying and even potentially receive at least a couple of first-round picks in return. Moreover, those picks could be used to help them jumpstart their rebuild.

Portland and Houston could be options, as could the Brooklyn Nets, who reportedly tried to acquire him ahead of the trade deadline. Whether they—or any other team—trade for him remains to be seen, but odds are that he will be dealt.

NBA Star #5: Karl-Anthony Towns

The Minnesota Timberwolves mostly underperformed their talent level, though they showed signs of life late last season. Of course, that was before a meltdown during the final night of the regular season, which led to them being bounced in the first round by the eventual champion Denver Nuggets.

Now, they face an interesting decision this summer. They could decide to run it back and hope for better results after star Karl-Anthony Towns missed most of last season. Or they could choose to shake things up again by making another big offseason trade, this time involving Towns. Towns has four years remaining on his new deal, while  Rudy Gobert has three. Factor in Anthony Edwards’ upcoming contract extension kicking in soon and the Wolves could be locked into a core that might not fit well together.

Towns and Anthony Edwards are also six years apart in age, and the Wolves don’t figure to be a title contender as currently built. Taking that into account, they could either take a step back or build a better team around Edwards in the near future. Or, they could retool on the fly by turning Towns into multiple players who can contribute.

There’s also the new CBA to think about since it makes it near impossible to pay three players $40 million or more. The Wolves would not be forced to move Towns ahead of next season. Be that as it may, of the Towns-Gobert-Edwards trio, Edwards is untouchable, and Gobert is almost untradable, making Towns the most expendable.

NBA Star #4: DeMar DeRozan

The Chicago Bulls’ offseason could go one of two ways. They could either double down by bringing back their existing core or look to hit the reset button. The Bulls may decide on the former, especially with limited options to improve the team and if DeMar DeRozan asks for a trade this offseason.

Despite missing the playoffs this season, the Bulls have no lottery pick to show for it thanks to a disastrous trade with the Orlando Magic. That deal has come back to haunt the team since they have given up not one but two lottery picks as well as a starting center for Nikola Vucevic, who hasn’t been the same player that he was with the Magic.

As a result, they may look to trade DeRozan to the highest bidder in hopes of recouping some of those lost assets and possibly retooling around LaVine. With only one year remaining on his contract and DeRozan being 33 years old, there may not be a big market for him, but teams such as Portland, Houston, and the Lakers may try to trade for him.

After all, he is still highly skilled at creating for himself and others, something that each of those teams could use despite his defensive limitations and lack of an outside shot. It will ultimately come down to what route the Bulls choose, but there appears to be a strong possibility he may be moved this summer.

NBA Star #3: Kyrie Irving

After being acquired midseason by the Dallas Mavericks, star Kyrie Irving will soon become a free agent this summer, though he could be signed and traded to another team. This is especially true after he has been linked to a couple of teams, including the Rockets and Lakers, though the Rockets can afford to sign him outright. The Lakers definitely can’t and would need the Mavericks’ help, something that they don’t appear to be willing to do, particularly for a team in their own conference.

In fact, Dallas could play hardball with Irving, knowing that only a few teams seem interested in bringing in a talented but polarizing player, and the Mavericks can offer him more. They also have a top-10 player in Luka Doncic to pair him with, though they somehow managed to miss the playoffs last season even with Irving and Doncic.

For those reasons, it seems more likely than not that he will re-sign with Dallas, but Irving is known for his unpredictability, so his return is far from a guarantee. Thus, there is a small chance that he ends up with another team out west.

NBA Star #2: Fred VanVleet

Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet previously went undrafted, but after becoming an all-star-caliber player, he could capitalize this summer. Although VanVleet is technically a free agent, a couple of teams could seek to sign and trade for him. Both the Phoenix Suns and Philadelphia 76ers appear to have interest in VanVleet, and each could use a new starting point guard.

VanVleet would be a capable replacement for either team. In fact, the Sixers just hired former Raptors coach Nick Nurse, who helped turn VanVleet into an all-star. Between those teams, Philadelphia has more assets and a tradeable salary to make a sign-and-trade possible.

There are also other teams that could sign him as a free agent outright, including the Orlando Magic and the San Antonio Spurs. Both teams could afford to pay him the $100 million-plus contract that he will probably seek.

Then again, both teams are up and coming, and he is an undersized point guard who is nearly 30, so it wouldn’t be a perfect fit. Still, the odds of him leaving Toronto appear very high, though whether he will be signed and traded is questionable.

NBA Star #1: James Harden

Will he stay or will he go? That is the big question surrounding Harden and the 76ers this summer. Harden has been rumored to be considering leaving in free agency dating back to December of 2022, and the Sixers don’t have many other alternatives if they lose their second-best player in free agency.

There is a scenario, however, where the Sixers might be willing to complete a sign-and-trade to try to keep from losing him for nothing; otherwise, they would risk taking a big step back without Harden (pun intended).

Their biggest threat to steal him away is expected to be the Rockets, who can sign him using cap space. Though, there may be other teams that make a run at him, including potentially the Miami Heat, who struck out on acquiring Bradley Beal.

Of course, the Suns were also believed to be interested in Harden before landing Beal, making it a two-team race at the moment. With so few teams having enough cap space to pursue him, even fewer that Harden would probably consider playing for, it seems that the Sixers have a 50/50 shot at keeping him.