The NBA trade market rarely stays silent for long.
So, yes, even though we just saw Damian Lillard get dealt by the Milwaukee Bucks and Jrue Holiday join the Boston Celtics, we’re still bracing ourselves for more activity.
With several teams potentially in need of a shake-up during the 2023-24 campaign, we fire up the trade machines to round up four hypothetical deals that could make it happen.
The New York Knicks receive: Buddy Hield
The Indiana Pacers receive: Evan Fournier and a 2024 first-round pick (top-10 protected, via DAL)
As soon as the news spread, Hield, who is in the final season of his contract, had hit the commercial marketthat should have gotten the Knicks’ full attention.
They were pressed for spacing last season (19th in three-point percentage) and could still face that problem with Julius Randle, RJ Barrett and Mitchell Robinson on the roster. Hield, who made the second-most triples last season (at 42.5 percent, no less), has an argument to be considered the best shooter on the planet, without being named Stephen Curry.
And it just so happens that New York has a perfect money partner in Fournier, plus all kinds of draft assets to deliver an Indiana team that could be competitive this season, but could still be down. a year or two of a full-fledged escape. A protected top-10 pick might not sound very appealing, but for a shooting specialist whose contract is expiring, this might be the best the Pacers can get.
Although the Knicks don’t suffer from wing depth, they could free up significant floor time for Hield. He may be a one-note contributor, but he has an elite skill set that makes things easier for everyone around him. Defenses have to account for him every second he’s on the field, meaning Randle, Barrett and Jalen Brunson would all have more space to attack.
If the Pacers don’t plan to pay Hield next summer, then now is the time to move him. This might be their only option to take away a first-round pick, and since their franchise face, Tyrese Haliburton, is only 23 years old, they should have the patience to hold on to this pick and see if he develops into someone which can join the long-term core. (If they don’t, they can always return it for more immediate assistance..)
Fournier would serve strictly for salary-matching purposes at the time of the trade, but he would have a non-zero chance of working his way into the rotation. He lost his rotation spot with the Knicks last season, but in 2021-22 he’s made a career-high (and Hield-esque) 3.0 threes per game on 38.9% shooting.
The New Orleans Pelicans receive: Jarrett Allen
The Cleveland Cavaliers receive: Jonas Valančiūnas, Jose Alvarado and a 2027 first-round pick (top-five protected)
The Pelicans face more urgency than one might expect from a team coming off a 42-win season and last winning a playoff series in 2018. But New Orleans is built to win right now — or she would be if she could ever stay healthy.
This is about to be the fifth season that Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram are both on the roster. It’s season No. 3 in New Orleans for CJ McCollum, who arrived in the Crescent City at the 2022 deadline. This trio has barely touched the hardwood together – 172 minutes spread over 10 games – and yet he’s always attached to a countdown.
The Pelicans need to make everything they can out of this season, because the fan base and front office may not be able to handle another wasted one. This is why an aggressive trade like this could make sense. Allen may not be the ideal center to pair with Williamson, but his superior athleticism and defensive versatility should make him a much better fit than Valančiūnas.
Even if New Orleans stays healthy, its defense could collapse, since none of its three stars have been a positive presence on that end. This adds to the appeal of Allen, a true paint protector who was a standout last season fourth defensive winning actions. Add to that he can extend offensive possessions with his rebounds or finish them on pick-and-rolls (13th points as a pick-and-roll screener), and he could be an impact addition on both ends.
So why would the Cavs let Allen go? Because the playoffs may have just proven that a no-shooting frontcourt with him and Evan Mobley is unplayable when it matters most. Valančiūnas is by no means a knockdown shooter, but defenses can’t completely ignore him on the outside (35.6 three-point percentage over the last two seasons).
Additionally, without Allen, Cleveland might be more willing to experiment with small-ball lineups with Mobley under center. Fill the 4th spot with someone like Georges Niang or Max Strus, and the Cavs guards would have plenty of room to maneuver and a myriad of opportunities to attack.
New Orleans might be hesitant to part ways with Alvarado, but it’s a sacrifice they could make if they think Dyson Daniels is ready to play a rotation role. Cleveland might covet Alvarado as an energizer, but it might also just need a backup point guard with Ricky Rubio still far from the team focus on your mental health.
The Los Angeles Clippers receive: Trae Young, Clint Capela and Saddiq Bey
The Atlanta Hawks receive: Paul George, Terance Mann, Ivica Zubac and a 2029 first-round pick
With several star players changing teams here, this trade might be too dramatic to happen until the deadline is much closer. But if it’s late January and the Hawks do not gain groundand the Clippers continue to struggle with injuries, each could be open to a major move.
After all, the Atlanta front office has already I got the green light consider dealing with Young. While Los Angeles has publicly supported The idea of keeping George and Leonard as long as possible, nothing has been put on paper yet, meaning both could become free agents next offseason.
So if you were picking two candidates to drastically change their roster over the course of the season, they wouldn’t be bad choices.
The Clippers have looked at James Harden throughout the offseason, but have so far been unwilling to meet the Philadelphia 76ers. ask for a price. They might be more comfortable parting with high-end assets for Young, who is nearly a decade younger, arguably more dynamic and under contract for at least the next three seasons (option for early termination in 2026-27).
Additionally, LA would move to the more athletic center spot at Capela and seek a three-and-D wing in Bey. If Leonard stays healthy, this package along with the Clippers’ remaining depth could put this club in the heart of the championship race.
The Hawks, meanwhile, have long needed a wing defender like George, who could also play an important role in their post-Young scoring scheme. A fully healthy George arguably has more of an impact on winning than Young, since he contributes on both ends, but his trade value would be affected by his age, injuries and contract uncertainty.
So, Atlanta would also be looking for Mann, a strong on-paper backcourt fit for Dejounte Murray, and an unprotected future first. Trading Capela would open up a starting spot for Onyeka Okongwu, leaving Zubac as a high-end backup and insurance option if Okongwu isn’t as ready as he seems.
Orlando Magic receives: James Harden
The Philadelphia 76ers receive: Markelle Fultz, Gary Harris, Cole Anthony and a 2025 first-round pick (top five protected, via DEN)
The Sixers continue to think they can land a fortune for Harden. According to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia InvestigatorPhiladelphia’s latest request to Los Angeles is a “deal that would center around Clippers guard Terance Mann and first-round picks.”
That seems ambitious considering Harden’s age, declining production and expiring salary. The Sixers, Pompey noted, “will continue to explore all options related to the Harden trade request while other teams continue to monitor the situation.”
It feels like Philadelphia is doing what it can to boost Harden’s market, but there hasn’t been much action beyond the Los Angeles talks. That could leave the door open for a team like Orlando — perhaps coveting a star to get a better sense of the quality of its young core — to put in a legitimate (not overwhelming) offer and see if Philadelphia would bite.
The Magic aren’t in a position to pay a fortune for someone like Harden, but a deep shot like this might be justifiable. They didn’t make things easy for young stalwarts Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner last season, as they were in the bottom third in three-pointers scored (10.8 per game, 25th), three-point percentage (34, 6, 24th) and an average. assists (23.2, 26th).
Harden’s skillset isn’t as deep as before, but he still covers all three of these areas with ease. Last season, he averaged 2.8 triples with a 38.5 percent splash rate and a season-high 10.7 assists. Not only could he take the defensive heat out of Banchero and Wagner, but Harden could also better position them for success.
And Orlando may not even care that Harden has an expiring contract, because if everything goes according to plan, he’ll want to hand the offensive keys to No. 6 pick Anthony Black at some point anyway.
Philly might be the toughest sell here, as the Sixers wouldn’t acquire a Star or get enough assets to trade one. But then again, Harden might not attract this type of offer again.
What Philly would get is three rotation-caliber players — all under the age of 30 — and a first-round pick. Sixers fans who only remember Fultz’s struggles after the franchise took him No. 1 overall in 2017 should note that he has since become a two-way playmaker (although he remains without external fire). Harris is one of the best three-and-D guards in the game. Anthony is a quick scorer who could bolster the bench’s ability to generate instant offense.
These aren’t difference-making factors, but each could take on a rotation role, and Harris and Fultz could compete for a starting spot in a Harden-less backcourt. Fultz and Anthony, meanwhile, still have enough theoretical upside that they could sweeten the offer in a different deal if Philly preferred to go that route.
Statistics courtesy of Basketball reference And NBA.com.
Zach Buckley covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, @ZachBuckleyNBA.