NBA Trade Deadline: Lakers, Warriors Among Teams Most Desperate to Make a Move
We are just days away from the NBA trade deadline, the last chance for contending teams to make substantive moves (sorry, buyout market) for the stretch run.
What has developed is a seller’s market, with the number of contenders (and would-be contenders) significantly outnumbering the number of teams considering offloading veteran talent.
Let’s unpack some of the latest chatter, beginning with the teams most eager to turn talk into action before Thursday …
[NBA Trade Deadline Tracker: Stay on top of the latest moves]
The desperate to do something tier
Los Angeles Lakers
Team needs: Scoring, three-point shooting
The Lakers will head into the trade deadline on a three-game winning streak after outlasting the Charlotte Hornets on Monday. The team has intensified the search for perimeter help in recent weeks with D’Angelo Russell, a future first-round pick and pick swaps on the table, sources familiar with the Lakers told Sports Illustrated.
Speculation about LeBron James’s future remains just that. L.A. has shown no inclination toward trading James, rival executives say, and remain fully engaged in upgrading the roster. Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray remains a top target, per source. The Brooklyn Nets, who have a surplus of wing defenders, including Dorian Finney-Smith and Royce O’Neale, are worth watching, as is Detroit Pistons forward Danilo Gallinari.
Finney-Smith is one of the Nets’ surplus of wing defenders who could be coveted by teams at the NBA trade deadline.
Brad Penner/USA TODAY Sports
There will be a temptation in L.A.—a strong one—to do nothing. Short term, L.A. can hope that Russell’s strong January can be sustained, that Gabe Vincent can return after the All-Star break and that Jarred Vanderbilt can be back before the end of the season. The Lakers will have as many as three first-round picks to deal next offseason, which will put them in a much stronger position to make a substantial deal—if James, who has a player option this summer, elects to stay.
And, for the record, here is how James answered a question about Thursday’s deadline:
“It’s not a question for me. I love who we have in the locker room. And that’s all I worry about. ... I don’t get caught up in that. We’re going to go out and prepare ourselves every single night no matter what it is. No matter who’s out on this team. No matter what. So it’s my job and it’s AD’s job as the two captains to make sure we keep the main thing the main thing. The main focus is now: Thursday’s game at home. And look forward to that matchup,” James said Monday.
Atlanta Hawks
Team needs: A fresh start
It’s widely believed that the Hawks, who have underachieved all season, are open for business on virtually the entire roster. Murray, a versatile, two-way guard, has generated the most interest, with the Lakers, Utah Jazz and Pistons among the teams that have checked in with Atlanta. Brooklyn, if the Nets look to upgrade, could get in the mix. The San Antonio Spurs, who have been focused on acquiring talent that fits alongside Victor Wembanyama, has considered a reunion with Murray, a source says.
This isn’t a fire sale, however. The Hawks, who surrendered three first-round picks for Murray in 2022, are seeking at least two for him now. As bad as this season has been—particularly defensively, where Atlanta is 27th in the NBA in defensive rating—the Hawks have signaled they are fine playing out the season and reevaluating this summer, which after watching how many years Atlanta held onto John Collins, teams believe.
Golden State Warriors
Team needs: Size, perimeter defenders
Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso has emerged as a top target for Golden State, which desperately needs (among other things) to improve a defense ranked in the bottom third in defensive efficiency. The Warriors have movable contracts (Chris Paul, Klay Thompson) and some draft capital to make a significant deal.
So far, Jonathan Kuminga, who had an outstanding January (20.6 points on 58.6% from the floor and 40% from three-point range) has been off the table in trade talks, rival execs who have discussed deals with Golden State say, and teams that have discussed Andrew Wiggins have pushed the Warriors to include a draft pick to absorb the final three years of Wiggins’s deal.
Caruso has emerged as a top target for the Warriors.
David Richard/USA TODAY Sports
Charlotte Hornets
Team needs: Draft picks
The Hornets, facing a sub–20-win season, are going all-in on a LaMelo Ball/Brandon Miller rebuild. Charlotte is actively trying to trade Kyle Lowry, who was acquired in a deal for Terry Rozier last month, though they have not been interested in long-term salaries in return, sources say. The Phoenix Suns have been aggressive in their pursuit of Miles Bridges, who is averaging 20 points after sitting out all of last season due to a domestic violence arrest. The Dallas Mavericks, sources say, also have registered interest in Bridges.
The Lakers, Mavericks and Suns are among the teams interested in P.J. Washington. Gordon Hayward has an expiring $31.5 million contract, but as veteran NBA insider Marc Stein first reported, there is mutual interest between Hayward and the Hornets to bring Hayward back next season.
Dallas Mavericks
Team needs: Perimeter defenders
Dallas, stuck in the play-in mix, is aggressively pursuing upgrades to play alongside Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving. Name a wing player, the Mavs have probably kicked the tires on him. Dallas has inquired about Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma, Hornets forward Washington and Portland Trail Blazers wing Jerami Grant, sources say.
Wiggins is on the Mavericks’ radar, though Dallas would likely want Golden State to attach a first-round pick. Grant Williams, who has been underwhelming in his first season in Dallas, is available, as is Richaun Holmes.
The teams worth watching tier
Chicago Bulls
Team needs: A full rebuild
Did Zach LaVine’s season-ending foot injury set the stage for a Bulls fire sale? That’s what rival execs have been asking since the news of the extent of LaVine’s injury was revealed. Caruso is Chicago’s most coveted asset, both for his two-way play and team-friendly contract ($9.8 million) next season. It’s expected that interest in DeMar DeRozan, who has extensive playoff experience along with an expiring contract, will pick up as the deadline gets closer.
Another player generating strong interest: Andre Drummond, who has been a durable, reliable rebounder (18.9 per 36 minutes) in a limited role with the Bulls.
New York Knicks
Team needs: Frontcourt defenders
Even after the deal for O.G. Anunoby—a deal that has worked out very well for New York—the Knicks have remained active. Bruce Brown, who several execs expect to be dealt somewhere by Thursday, is high on New York’s wish list, per sources, as is Washington and Malcolm Brogdon, as the Knicks continue to pursue wing defenders in advance of the playoffs.
Boston Celtics
Team needs: Frontcourt depth
Depth continues to be the Celtics’ top priority. Kelly Olynyk and Drummond are two potential players of interest, with Boston looking to fortify its frontcourt behind Kristaps Porziņģis and Al Horford. The Celtics are armed with a $6.2 million trade exception and have a handful of smaller salaried players on the roster who could be packaged together.
Olynyk, in particular, could be appealing. Olynyk, who spent his first four NBA seasons in Boston, is the kind of versatile, three-point shooting big man who would fit seamlessly into the Celtics’ rotation.
Could Olynyk return to the Celtics? Boston needs a versatile, three-point shooting big like him.
Troy Taormina/USA TODAY Sports
Milwaukee Bucks
Team needs: Perimeter defenders
A coaching change didn’t solve Milwaukee’s defensive issues—the Bucks are 20th in defensive rating in the last four games—and the Bucks have been canvasing the league for perimeter defenders. There’s interest in Milwaukee in Williams and the Bucks would love to pry either Finney-Smith or O’Neale out of Brooklyn.
Getting in the mix for one of those players will be challenging. There’s league-wide interest in Bobby Portis, but Portis, a reliable rebounder shooting 50% from the floor and 38% from three-point range, is a key piece of the Bucks’ rotation. And it’s unclear if some combination of Pat Connaughton, second-round picks and pick swaps will get anything substantive done.
Brooklyn Nets
Team needs: Backcourt help
Let’s start here: Bridges is not available, at least that’s what the Nets have been steadfastly communicating to teams. Brooklyn officials insist they are not planning a rebuild and have internally discussed several upgrades, including Wizards guard Tyus Jones, per a team source. Still, the Nets have discussed Finney-Smith and O’Neale, demanding at least one first-round pick in any deal for its three-and-D forwards.
Portland Trail Blazers
Team needs: Draft capital
The Blazers continue to field calls—but not making many of them—about Brogdon, who has publicly campaigned to remain in Portland beyond the trade deadline. Grant’s contract—four years, $130-plus million remaining—makes a Grant trade extremely unlikely, despite Grant’s productivity (20 points per game, 40% from three) this season. The Bucks are among the teams that have registered interest in Matisse Thybulle, one of the better wing defenders available.
Sacramento Kings
Team needs: Perimeter defenders
Chatter around the Kings has quieted in recent days, as Harrison Barnes and Kevin Huerter, two role players who got off to rocky starts, have played better of late. Sacramento, like many teams, would love to land Caruso, but it’s believed the cost—multiple first-round picks—is not one the Kings are willing to pay.
The wild card tier
Houston Rockets
Team needs: Veteran talent
The Rockets really want to make the playoffs, which is the impression teams that have discussed deals with Houston have come away with. The Rockets, as Yahoo! Sports reported, made a run at Mikal Bridges, who Brooklyn, as noted above, has taken off the table.
Houston’s reported willingness to include Jalen Green in a Bridges trade makes sense; Bridges is a better fit for Ime Udoka’s style than Green. Still, Houston has made it clear to teams that Green, who has struggled mightily with his shot this season, is only available in deals that would involve a veteran, All-Star–caliber player.
Green has struggled mightily with his shot this season and is only available in deals for a veteran player.
Troy Taormina/USA TODAY Sports
Utah Jazz
Team needs: Playmaking
Are the Jazz buyers or sellers? In recent weeks, Utah has been engaged on several fronts. The Jazz have desirable assets, including Olynyk, Collin Sexton and Jordan Clarkson. But Utah has also engaged Atlanta on Murray, a sign that the Jazz, still in the play-in mix with quality wins over the Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers and Bucks in recent weeks, could look to add to this group.
The guess here is that Utah offloads at least one of its veterans. Olynyk has generated significant interest while teams that strike out on Murray could pivot to someone like Clarkson, who has struggled with his shooting this season but is a proven scorer off the bench.
As for Lauri Markkanen, the sense rival execs get is it would take a Donovan Mitchell/Rudy Gobert–type offer to extract Markkanen—an offer that is unlikely to materialize.
Philadelphia 76ers
Team needs: Playmaking
Joel Embiid’s injury obviously changes the calculus in Philadelphia. And the Sixers, for now, seem more inclined to ride out this season and go into the summer with two All-Stars (Embiid, Tyrese Maxey) and more than $50 million in cap space. Still, with Tobias Harris’s expiring contract and a cache of first-round draft picks, Philadelphia is in play for any major deal.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Team needs: Rebounding
It’s been pretty quiet in OKC, which is likely to use the postseason to gather information on what, if any, changes it needs to make. Still, with a surplus of young talent and draft picks—14 first-round picks and 21 second-rounders across the next seven drafts—the Thunder, which could use some size up front, are always in play.
Orlando Magic
Team needs: Playmaking, shooting
The Magic have shopped around for backcourt help in recent weeks, with Jones, Brogdon and Bojan Bogdanović among the players Orlando execs have considered to help bolster what’s been an anemic offense. Expect the Magic to be shrewd over the next few days. The team has improved its win totals in each of the last three seasons and is on pace for the first plus-.500 finish since the 2018–19 season. Lowry, if he’s bought out in Charlotte, is someone the Magic would pursue on a short-term deal, a source says.
