10 NBA Players Who Could Be Dealt Next After Bradley Beal Trade
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It seems like the Denver Nuggets’ celebratory cigars weren’t even lit before the first NBA trade rumors began circulating, possibly preparing us for a busy offseason.
And now, the first domino has fallen with Bradley Beal (finally) out in Washington and on his way to Phoenix, as first reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Draft week is the unofficial start of trade season, with every pick after the San Antonio Spurs’ selection at No. 1 overall carrying the possibility of being moved. Of course, this likely means players switching homes as well.
Based on the latest NBA rumors, these are the 10 guys most likely to be traded this week.
OG Anunoby, F, Toronto Raptors
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As the Raptors face an uncertain offseason, teams will undoubtedly call about O.G. Anunoby’s availability.
If Toronto embraces a rebuild around Scottie Barnes, or is afraid of losing Anunoby in free agency next season, there’s a good chance the 25-year-old forward gets moved.
Every team needs three-and-D wings, and Anunoby is one of the best the NBA has to offer. In addition to his 16.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 38.7 percent mark from three, he led the league in steals (1.9 per game) while finishing with a defensive estimated plus-minus of plus-3.3, good for third-highest in the league, per Dunks & Threes.
Michael Scotto of HoopsHype wrote: “Several teams have reportedly expressed trade interest in Anunoby, including the Indiana Pacers and Sacramento Kings. It’s worth noting the Portland Trail Blazers also coveted Anunoby ahead of last year’s NBA draft involving the seventh overall pick, which was eventually used to select Shaedon Sharpe.”
Indiana could offer Toronto the No. 7 overall pick this season, while the Kings could build an offer around players like Davion Mitchell and future first-round picks.
Any team that tries to trade for Anunoby has to be confident it can re-sign him next summer, when he’ll almost certainly turn down a $19.9 million player option in hopes of a bigger payday.
Best Trade Landing Spots: Memphis Grizzlies, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings
Deandre Ayton, C, Phoenix Suns
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Deandre Ayton and the Suns are no longer a good fit, especially with Kevin Durant (and now Bradley Beal) eating up so many offensive touches and point guard Chris Paul on the way out.
While Ayton’s contract is hefty (three years, $102 million), he’s still just 24 and coming off his fifth-straight double-double season. There will likely be teams that feel they can continue to grow him into an All-Star-caliber center by increasing his role on both ends of the floor.
Using the 24-year-old as trade bait is also one of the few ways the Suns can improve around Durant and Devin Booker. Phoenix is currently unable to trade a first-round pick after sacrificing four (2023, 2025, 2027 and 2029) to bring Durant to the valley.
Teams like the Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers could use an upgrade at center. Add the Chicago Bulls to this list if Nikola Vučević leaves in free agency. If the Indiana Pacers are still interested in Ayton after signing him to an offer sheet last summer, they’ll need to wait until July 15 to do so following a one-year restriction.
Ayton wasn’t used in the deal to acquire Beal from the Wizards, so expect the Suns to use him in a trade to fill out the roster with additional depth, and possibly a new starting point guard.
Best Trade Landing Spots: Chicago Bulls, Washington Wizards, Oklahoma City Thunder
John Collins, PF, Atlanta Hawks
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Given their future salary issues, underperforming season and new head coach, it just feels like big changes could be coming to the Atlanta Hawks roster this summer.
Moving on from John Collins should be the team’s first priority, as his production no longer matches his contract. His points, rebounds, field-goal percentage and three-point percentage have all gone down each of the past four years, bottoming out at 13.1 points and 6.5 rebounds on 50.8/29.2 percent shooting splits this past season.
For a Hawks team that will need to pay Dejounte Murray, Onyeka Okongwu and Saddiq Bey next summer, getting off of Collins’ remaining three-year, $78.5 million contract is a must.
This isn’t to say the 25-year-old wouldn’t be worth that kind of money in a different setting, though.
We’re only a few years removed from the athletic power forward putting up 20 and 10 per night while knocking down over 40 percent of his three-pointers. He’s a far better defender now than earlier in his career as well.
Collins simply doesn’t fit this team anymore, one that’s getting more and more expensive by the year. Look for Atlanta to finally cut ties with its starting power forward, even if it means a salary dump.
Best Trade Landing Spots: Dallas Mavericks, Indiana Pacers, Utah Jazz
Buddy Hield, G/F, Indiana Pacers
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Every NBA team needs wings who can shoot, and with Buddy Hield entering the final year of his contract, the Pacers could shop him now while they still can.
After a few sub-40.0 percent shooting seasons from deep, the 30-year-old rebounded in a big way this past year. He nailed 42.0 percent of his catch-and-shoot threes and was even more dangerous on pull-up attempts, cashing in 43.8 percent of his looks.
This kind of success from the outside led to 16.8 points a night and an overall mark of 42.5 percent from three, good for ninth-best in the NBA.
While some teams got by in the regular season with suspect floor-spacing, such weaknesses were magnified during the playoffs. Teams such as the New York Knicks (29.2 percent) and Cleveland Cavaliers (32.7 percent) desperately needed more shooting to unclog their offenses, something Hield would have made a huge difference in doing.
Even if they aren’t technically rebuilding, trading a veteran like Hield now while his value is high is smart long-term business for the Pacers.
Expect plenty of teams to be interested in him and his expiring $19.7 million contract.
Best Trade Landing Spots: New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers
Zach LaVine, SG, Chicago Bulls
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Zach LaVine was one of the biggest free agents on the market at this time last year, eventually agreeing to a max deal to return to the Chicago Bulls.
Following another missed playoff season during his tenure, though, the 28-year-old could already be on the move.
Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports wrote: “Wishful executives will keep their eyes peeled on Portland and Damian Lillard, but it’s the Chicago Bulls who have started contacting teams, quietly gauging the trade interest in Zach LaVine, league sources told Yahoo Sports. It remains to be seen just how willing Chicago is to part ways with LaVine, or if it receives a commensurate offer for his services.”
LaVine has four years and $178 million remaining on his contract, an average of $44.5 million per season. While he’s a two-time All-Star, he has registered a negative swing rating in seven of his nine seasons, with the Bulls actually coming in 1.7 points per 100 possessions worse with him on the floor this year.
His teams have made the playoffs just once in those nine years, with Chicago losing in five games to the Milwaukee Bucks in 2022.
LaVine is a tremendously talented player, yet this ability has never translated to winning basketball. A trade to a franchise in a better position could change this and help provide future salary relief for Chicago.
Best Trade Landing Spots: Philadelphia 76ers (if James Harden leaves), Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors
Damian Lillard, PG, Portland Trail Blazers
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The Blazers need to make a final decision on Damian Lillard’s future before Thursday’s draft, knowing whether to select the best player for a potential rebuild or a future trade.
With Bradley Beal now going to the Phoenix Suns, expect the other main contender for the All-Star guard, the Miami Heat, to pursue the 32-year-old Lillard instead.
Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes reported: “Miami’s focus is Portland superstar Damian Lillard with the genuine belief this could be the offseason the veteran guard seeks a change of scenery”.
The Heat could build a package around Tyler Herro, Nikola Jović and multiple first-round picks, although even that may not be enough for Lillard, who doesn’t possess a no-trade clause like Beal.
A Lillard-Zion Williamson swap is intriguing as well. Such a trade would give Portland a young potential superstar to build around if healthy, while New Orleans reunites Lillard with C.J. McCollum, this time featuring a far better supporting cast (Brandon Ingram, Trey Murphy III, Jonas Valančiūnas, Dyson Daniels, Larry Nance Jr., Herb Jones, Jose Alvarado).
Best Trade Landing Spots: Miami Heat, Brooklyn Nets, New Orleans Pelicans
Kyle Lowry, PG, Miami Heat
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The placement of Kyle Lowry on this list isn’t due to teams knocking down Miami’s door to acquire the point guard, but rather accepting the likelihood that his salary is the easiest money-matcher in potential trades.
The 37-year-old is entering the final year of his contract, one paying him $29.7 million. Given that he was benched toward the end of the regular season and throughout the playoffs, using his deal to help land another star alongside Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo is a better use of money for the Heat.
Should Miami chase another star like Damian Lillard, Lowry would almost have to be included as well.
Of course, this is good news for contenders who need help at point guard and don’t have a lot of money to spend. If Lowry is traded to Portland or another destination undergoing a rebuild, he’ll almost certainly be bought out and join the free-agency pool.
Look for Lowry to get traded and bought out, only to sign a veteran’s minimum deal with a championship hopeful.
Best Trade Bought Out/Free Agency Landing Spots: Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers
Chris Paul, PG, Washington Wizards
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Chris Paul’s time in Phoenix is over, as The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported the veteran point guard is headed to the Washington Wizards as part of the Bradley Beal trade.
This doesn’t mean the 38-year-old is staying in Washington, of course.
Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes wrote: “The Washington Wizards are likely to reroute Chris Paul in a trade and the Los Angeles Clippers are expected to pursue a reunion with the future Hall of Famer.”
Paul is still good enough to be a starting point guard on a contending team and would be a natural fit with the Clippers, a place where he enjoyed the best stretch of his career and where his family already resides.
The Clippers could offer some combination of Norman Powell, Eric Gordon, Marcus Morris Sr., Nicolas Batum, Robert Covington and Terance Mann, all of whom will be making between $10 million and $20 million next season.
The Clippers need a point guard with Russell Westbrook hitting free agency. Look for Paul to be dealt a second time, with the Wizards hoping to acquire additional picks and tradabale vets to flip later this summer.
Best Trade Landing Spots: Los Angeles Clippers, Boston Celtics, Miami Heat
Anfernee Simons, SG, Portland Trail Blazers
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Anfernee Simons could either become one of the faces of a rebuild in Portland or used as a primary trade chip to acquire veteran talent around Damian Lillard. For now, it’s the latter.
Marc Stein of The Stein Line substack wrote: “The Trail Blazers, league sources say, continue to intimate that they are prepared to package Anfernee Simons with the No. 3 overall pick in a trade to acquire win-now talent to place alongside star guard Damian Lillard.”
Flipping Simons for a wing or center upgrade is the likeliest scenario for Portland, especially if the team ends up (at least temporarily) keeping the No. 3 overall pick and Scoot Henderson is still on the board.
A backcourt of Lillard, Henderson, Simons and Shaedon Sharpe is awfully crowded and likely to be broken up.
Young teams should have an interest in Simons, who just turned 24 and is coming off a season in which he averaged 21.1 points and 4.1 assists per game. With only 97 career starts over five seasons, he still has a lot of room to grow and could thrive in a bigger offensive role with a new team.
If the Blazers keep Lillard and shop their young talent, Simons will almost certainly get this opportunity.
Best Trade Landing Spots: Toronto Raptors, New Orleans Pelicans, Brooklyn Nets
Zion Williamson, PF, New Orleans Pelicans
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Perhaps no player and team need a fresh start away from each other more than Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans.
New Orleans has the talent and future draft assets to become a powerhouse in the Western Conference but is continually held hostage by the 22-year-old’s injuries. Trading him now while there’s still value may be the best path forward, and it’s something the rest of the NBA is watching.
“I don’t know if anything’s truly going to develop there, but I think it’s fair to say, based on my conversations, there’s an eye being kept toward whether the Pelicans would make Zion Williamson available,” ESPN’s Brian Windhorst told Get Up.
Beginning a five-year, $194 million contract next season, Williamson should be shopped by New Orleans now before he suffers yet another injury or has conditioning issues. Getting players or picks in return to add to a core of Brandon Ingram, C.J. McCollum, Trey Murphy III, Jonas Valančiūnas, Herb Jones, Dyson Daniels and others would help propel the Pelicans back into the playoffs.
It would take the right franchise to roll the dice on Williamson, one that could provide a strong locker room, winning culture and supportive environment.
For the first time, however, it appears the Duke product may seriously be on the trade block.
Best Trade Landing Spots: Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder, New York Knicks
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