The seismic Luka Doncic trade gave us all a much-needed reminder: no player is safe in today’s NBA. Anyone can be traded for the right price.
With that said, after an extremely active trade deadline, we can expect even more movement in the offseason. A lot of teams’ futures are going to be determined by the second half of this season, and that will help determine the trade market. Here are the top four players we could see traded by the end of 2025.
4) Trae Young
It feels like the Hawks and Young have been doing the trade or no trade game for the last two years, but with the team headed towards another play-in berth and without their first-round pick, we may finally see the sides part ways.
Young is having another All-Star-level season, averaging 25 points per game and 11 assists. The 11 assists per game lead the league, and Young is at 620 total assists this season, which is 80 ahead of Nikola Jokic, who is in second place.
Unfortunately, Young’s gaudy numbers have not borne fruit in Atlanta, and he has a burning desire to win. With the Hawks trading De’Andre Hunter and Bogdan Bogdanovic in salary dump trades to acquire draft picks, it seems that they are headed for a rebuild.
Young is also eligible for a four-year, $229 million dollar extension this offseason and that figure could jump if he makes an All-NBA team this season. Will Atlanta be willing to pay a premium for a star in his prime when they are not ready to contend yet? Things could get interesting down south.
3) Kevin Durant
Durant was already in rumors this past trade deadline, as the Suns had a deal in place with the Warriors to send the All-NBA forward back to the Bay Area, only for Durant to nix the trade.
Phoenix is stuck with the penalties of the second apron, a price they paid when they traded for Bradley Beal, and stuck with his max contract with Devin Booker and Durant’s. With the team having no clear avenue to improvement in the midst of a disaster season, recouping value for Durant might become a priority in the offseason.
Gone are the days of the Suns being considered championship contenders. That sun has set with this core. They are in danger of missing the play-in altogether this season, and while Durant has said he didn’t want to move midseason, his tune could change after the season. Don’t be surprised to see him with his fifth team in the summer.
2) Devin Booker
A bit of a surprise here at 2, but the Suns’ franchise-leading scorer could also seek a move this offseason. Since making the NBA Finals in 2021, Phoenix has failed to build a perennial championship contender around Booker, and this season is tracking to be their worst since 2019.
Booker is in the prime of his career. He has averaged at least 25 PPG for the last seven seasons. He has been one of the NBA’s best shooting guards. Yet he has only gotten close to NBA glory one time in his career. He has been part of one of the NBA’s most dysfunctional organizations for his entire NBA life.
Could he get fed up and request a move out of Phoenix? Does he want to stay in a place where a likely reset/rebuild will happen again? Time will tell, but the Booker era may be over with the Suns barring an unforeseen turnaround.
1) Giannis Antetokounmpo
A lot is riding on the Bucks’ second half of the season. Antetokounmpo has said that he is not satisfied with only one championship. He wants another. If Milwaukee falls short again, his name will be in rumors.
Antetokounmpo makes it no secret that he wants to win at the highest of levels. Since winning it all in 2021, Milwaukee has not made it past the second round. Injuries have played a part in that, but the NBA is a results business.
Teams would line up for Antetokounmpo’s services if he were to be made available. He has been an MVP candidate for the better part of the last five seasons and is one of the most dominant forces we have seen in the league. The pressure is on for Milwaukee to deliver. Otherwise, their star will look for a move.