NBA Rumors: The Player Most Likely to Be Traded from Each Team

The NBA rumor market is entering a new phase. Instead of focusing solely on the most high-profile names, the spotlight is now on identifying, team by team, which players might be the most susceptible to a trade during the season or, in some cases, which are those that their respective franchises would be most interested in parting with.

There are teams with very stable rosters and little likelihood of making moves, but even in those cases, there is some player who could end up entering discussions. It is expected to be a rather active trade season, especially due to the ongoing consequences of the second salary apron. Teams will try to prepare for next summer while simultaneously attempting to compete and win games.

Eastern Conference: Contracts that Affect the Future

Atlanta Hawks — Cory Kispert. Kispert has three years and 40 million dollars remaining on his contract, with a team option. The Hawks are facing a roster space issue and will need to reduce their numbers. They have already attempted to move the player, but the fact that he still has three years left on his contract has limited interest. Still, Atlanta will continue to seek an exit.

Boston Celtics — Sam Hauser. Hauser has three years and 35 million dollars remaining. Boston is close to the luxury tax line, one of the reasons why the Celtics did not include the player in a deal where they would have used their 27 million dollar trade exception. Despite this, the franchise remains open to moving him.

Brooklyn Nets — Michael Porter Jr. Porter has one year and 40 million dollars remaining, with a partial guarantee. The player could become a trade candidate if contract extension negotiations fail. Everything indicates that those discussions are not progressing as expected, so his name could appear on the market in the coming months.

Charlotte Hornets — Grant Williams. Williams has one year and 15 million dollars pending. He never became the Draymond Green-style player that some projected during his early years and has also struggled to stay healthy over the past two seasons. If he manages to stay on the court and continue hitting three-pointers from the corners, he could regain some of his value.

Chicago Bulls — Patrick Williams. He has three years and 54 million dollars left. His departure would have a symbolic component and would likely be cathartic for fans facing the arrival of a new front office and coaching staff. However, his contract makes a trade extremely difficult.

Cleveland Cavaliers — Jarrett Allen. Allen has three years and 90 million dollars pending. The Cavaliers managed to position themselves below the second apron while acquiring Peyton Watson, a move that was considered very good, although difficult to sustain from an economic standpoint. Someone will probably have to leave before next summer, and Allen appears to be the most likely candidate.

Detroit Pistons — Duncan Robinson. Robinson has two years and 31 million dollars remaining, partially guaranteed. Most assumed that the Pistons would cut him, but he ultimately managed to stay with the team, a situation that once again demonstrates the importance of teaching kids how to shoot three-pointers.

Indiana Pacers — Obi Toppin. Toppin has two years and 31 million dollars left. A foot injury ruined his last season, and even when healthy, he is a bench player who averages around 18 minutes per game. The Pacers will likely make some move to get under the luxury tax, either now or before the trade deadline.

Miami, Milwaukee, and New York among teams with pending decisions

Miami Heat — Nikola Jovic. Jovic has four years and 62 million dollars remaining. There is some caution when negotiating for him, despite the fact that he is available and only 23 years old. The main issue is the high salary that any interested team would have to take on.

Milwaukee Bucks — Myles Turner. Turner has three years and 84 million dollars left, with a player option. His contract, like that of Damian Lillard, has become a problem for Milwaukee. Moving him has not been easy, but if he starts the season well, other teams might be willing to take a chance on him when the trade deadline approaches.

New York Knicks — Mikal Bridges. Bridges has four years and 150 million dollars left on his contract. A trade would allow the Knicks to gain flexibility for the future, which is why he appears on this list. However, New York seems determined to try to stay below the second apron for as long as possible. The question is, sooner or later, there will be a breaking point.

Orlando Magic — Jalen Suggs. Suggs has four years and 115 million dollars remaining, with a team option. He has played five seasons in the NBA and had only one truly standout campaign as a two-way shooting guard capable of scoring from the perimeter: the 2023-24 season, when he averaged 12.6 points and shot 39.7% from three. The rest of his years in the league have been marked by unconvincing performance and injuries. Unfortunately for Orlando, that one good season came just when he was negotiating an extension.

Philadelphia 76ers — Joel Embiid. Embiid has three years and 188 million dollars left on his contract, plus a player option. It doesn't seem like Philadelphia is going to trade him during the season. In fact, they probably won't move any other player either. However, if the entire project ends up being a disaster, the possibility that Embiid will pay the consequences remains on the table.

Toronto Raptors — RJ Barrett. Barrett has one year and 30 million dollars remaining. He is a high-volume scorer, a role that doesn't seem to suit him well, while it's also difficult to justify a 30 million dollar salary. The advantage for Toronto is that his contract expires, giving him some market value.

Washington Wizards — Anthony Davis. Davis has two years and 120 million dollars pending and is set to negotiate a new extension, which could complicate the franchise's future. The question will be whether he wants to continue in Washington and if the Wizards are willing to offer him 272 million dollars for four years. In that context, it could be easier to trade him and recover assets in return.

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Western Conference: stars and contracts that could enter the market

Dallas Mavericks — Daniel Gafford. Gafford has three years and 54 million dollars remaining and will turn 28 in October. The Mavericks are focused on rejuvenating their roster, and parting ways with the center has been one of the main options. Dallas hopes to obtain a first-round pick in return, although that demand could be too high considering his contract.

Denver Nuggets — Aaron Gordon. Gordon has three years and 110 million dollars remaining on his contract. Denver's financial situation could force the franchise to part ways with a player. Gordon could be that player, although his recent injury history complicates the possibility of finding a favorable deal.

Golden State Warriors — Jimmy Butler. Butler faces the final year of a 57 million dollar contract. The Warriors are hopeful that he will return to full strength after his surgery for a torn anterior cruciate ligament and lead the team during a positive second half of the season. If things go awry, Golden State could put his expiring contract on the market.

Houston Rockets — Kevin Durant. Durant has two years and 90 million dollars left on his contract. It seems that if Houston had wanted to trade him, they would have done so by now. However, after last season's playoff disappointment, if Fred VanVleet's return does not boost the team, Durant could become a logical candidate to be traded.

LA Clippers — Derrick Jones Jr. Jones has one year and 10 million dollars remaining. He continues to be a defensive specialist, and his expiring contract gives the Clippers some flexibility to move him. However, the franchise finds itself trapped in what is called the Aspiration pause.

Los Angeles Lakers — Jarred Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt has two years and 26 million dollars remaining. The Lakers have been trying for some time to find a team willing to take on his contract, but no one has shown much interest. There is a possibility that he will end up being part of the rotation, much to the chagrin of JJ Redick, and that the franchise will try to trade him again during the season.

Memphis Grizzlies — Jerami Grant. Grant has two years and 70 million dollars left. Memphis has indicated that they intend to keep him after acquiring him in the Ja Morant trade. However, if he performs well, that stance could change as the trade deadline approaches.

Minnesota Timberwolves — Rudy Gobert. Gobert has two years and 75 million dollars remaining, with a player option. Minnesota rejected interest in the center this year, but a time will come when they will have to negotiate an extension and assess whether continuing with him is the best option. The Timberwolves hold the young interior player Joan Beringer in high regard.

Trey Murphy, one of the market's favorite names

New Orleans Pelicans — Trey Murphy. Murphy has three years and 88 million dollars remaining. Rumors have emerged suggesting that the Pelicans could trade him, although there have also been reports to the contrary. Murphy continues to be one of the regular names in NBA trade rumors, but New Orleans is proceeding cautiously regarding any potential deals.

Oklahoma City Thunder — Alex Caruso. Caruso has three years and $63 million remaining. There is no doubt that Oklahoma City is better when he is on the court, but he is 32 years old and comes off a particularly poor shooting season, with 29.3% from three-point range. Additionally, there are young players who need minutes, and sooner or later, the Thunder will have to evaluate if it is time to move him.

Phoenix Suns — Jalen Green. Green has two years and $72 million pending. His hamstring issues were a major setback for Phoenix last season and would also pose an obstacle for any potential trade. He was only able to play 32 games, averaging 17.8 points, his lowest figure since his rookie season. Moreover, finding a fit alongside Devin Booker is not easy. If he can regain his health, some trade opportunities might arise.

Portland Trail Blazers — Jrue Holiday. Holiday has two years and $72 million remaining. Portland has added Ja Morant and is welcoming back Damian Lillard. Shaedon Sharpe is now out, and the team might consider moving Scoot Henderson. However, Holiday could provide the best return in a trade.

Sacramento Kings — Domantas Sabonis. Sabonis has two years and $94 million pending. The Kings have already placed him on the market this summer, but they did not find any team willing to acquire him. If he can come back strong after his knee surgery, market interest could be reignited.

San Antonio Spurs — Keldon Johnson. Johnson has one year and $17.5 million remaining. His long-term future in San Antonio seems limited, and as a reliable presence off the bench, the current Sixth Man of the Year could generate a good return in a trade.

Utah Jazz — Lauri Markkanen. Markkanen has three years and $149 million pending. He seemed to be out of trade discussions after the departure of Walker Kessler, but he has recently re-entered the conversation.

In short, the market presents a long list of players whose contracts, performance, age, or situation within their respective teams could potentially lead to moves. Some, like Jimmy Butler, Kevin Durant, Domantas Sabonis, or Lauri Markkanen, stand out due to the weight of their names; others appear on the radar mainly because of their teams' financial or competitive needs.

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