While the best teams in the NBA are gearing up for a playoff run in the next few weeks, the rest are left with serious questions about their future. With the offseason quickly approaching for half of the NBA, many teams are reconsidering their commitment to their star players.
While some of these stars have been at the center of rumors for a while, others have become surprising candidates for trade given their current team circumstances. Here are the five NBA stars who are most likely to be traded this summer:
5) LaMelo Ball
LaMelo Ball is undoubtedly the face of the Charlotte Hornets; however, in his five-year tenure, the Hornets have yet to make the playoffs. Despite the Hornets failing to surround Ball with a competitive and deep roster throughout his young career, there are still doubts about his ability to lead a team to success.
Additionally, LaMelo has faced significant injury issues. After his season was cut short a few weeks ago due to surgery, he has not played more than 47 games in a season since the 2021-2022 campaign. On average, he has played just 46 games per year.
The most interesting aspect of a potential LaMelo Ball trade is the Charlotte front office. The current ownership and management group of the Hornets are not the same ones who signed Ball to a rookie max extension.
Following the Luka Dončić trade in February, we saw how new ownership can lead to disagreements over key players. If Charlotte's ownership views LaMelo’s lack of team success and injury history as significant red flags, don't be surprised if he is on the move this summer.
4) Zion Williamson
Zion Williamson recently underwent season-ending surgery, marking the third time in his six-year career that he has played 30 games or fewer in a season. However, when healthy and consistently on the court, Williamson is one of the NBA’s most exciting interior players and a vital contributor to his team’s success.
For instance, Williamson played 70 games last season, helping the Pelicans reach the playoffs as a key player. While injuries are often an issue for many players, Zion’s case may be different. Rumors suggest that his fluctuating weight could be the root cause of his recurring lower-body injuries.
If frustrations continue to mount in the New Orleans front office, the Pelicans might explore trade options. However, with an injury-riddled season for the entire roster and a valuable lottery pick in this year’s draft, the Pelicans might choose to give it another go with their former #1 overall pick.
3) Domantas Sabonis
For the last few years, the Sacramento Kings have been stuck in neutral. With another likely play-in appearance coming soon, it's commonly believed that the Kings may completely retool their roster this summer.
In March, rumors surfaced that Domantas Sabonis would be seeking "clarity" about Sacramento's plans for the franchise in the offseason. With an aging roster that has had little playoff success, the most likely path for the Kings would be to prepare for a rebuild.
Averaging 19.1 points, 14.0 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game, Sabonis is a high-value asset on the trade market. If the Kings are looking to acquire valuable young players and solid draft picks to ignite a rebuild, Sabonis would likely be the first domino to fall in Sacramento.
2) Trae Young
Next season marks the final guaranteed year of Trae Young's contract, and he is set to receive the largest contract for a guard in NBA history. For an Atlanta team that hasn’t made it past the first round since 2021, they will likely reassess their future with Young this summer.
Although Young is widely regarded as one of the best guards in the league, his efficiency has dipped this season. With career worsts in field goal percentage, three-point percentage, and turnovers, combined with his reputation as a weak defender, Atlanta will likely be cautious about handing out a historic contract extension.
Despite minimal playoff success, Atlanta has some young pieces it can build around. If they decide to focus on Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson, and Zaccharie Risacher as their core, it may be in their best interest to trade Young before it's time to extend the contracts of these young players. Trading Young would allow them to continue to build a roster centered on athletic, defensive-minded players.
1) Giannis Antetokounmpo
After winning the 2021 championship, it seemed Giannis Antetokounmpo would be the next all-time great to stay with one franchise for his entire career, following in the footsteps of legends like Dirk Nowitzki and Kobe Bryant.
While Giannis has consistently been a perennial MVP candidate, the Bucks have lost all momentum. They haven’t made it past the second round since their championship, and have been eliminated in the first round the past two seasons. Now, the Bucks front office must take a hard look at their future.
With an aging roster and being over the second apron, the most logical move for the Bucks may be to completely rebuild. Giannis would yield a historic return in a trade. While the Bucks would be hesitant to part with their best player since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Giannis has professed his loyalty to Milwaukee, they may find that it’s in both parties' best interest to move on.