21 up-for-grabs players who may play a starring role in NBA trade deadline rumors

For most, it's far too early to start thinking about the 2025 NBA Trade Deadline; training camp hasn't even opened for the 2024-25 season yet.

That's valid, but it's hard not to get excited about one of the most thrilling days of the entire season. Deadline day will be here before you know it, and rumors will flood the airwaves as teams looking to improve their roster make calls. Based on previous rumors or current circumstances, let's highlight several players who could dominate the headlines leading up to the 2025 Trade Deadline.

D'Angelo Russell, Los Angeles Lakers

Whether they make a move or not, the Los Angeles Lakers are always in the mix to do something one way or another. This offseason, in their pursuit of roster upgrades, rumors suggested there was a legitimate possibility they would trade starting guard D'Angelo Russell. However, it appears nothing ever materialized to their liking, so they will start the season with him on the payroll.

Leading up to the trade deadline, Russell will certainly be featured in the rumor mill. Having recently exercised his $18 million salary for the 2024-25 season, he makes a good bit of money that could be useful in landing an upgrade. If one of the big fish becomes available overnight, such as Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks, moving Russell in a deal for him would make sense.

Russell certainly has some value. He's coming off a 76-game regular season where he averaged an eye-catching line of 18 points, 6.3 assists and 3.1 rebounds while shooting 41.5 percent from deep. Having a player like that could give teams a huge boost in the backcourt. However, the Lakers simply may have their sights set on bigger names as they try to maximize their window with LeBron James.