We are nearing the NBA trade season. Many NBA players become trade-eligible on December 15th. With a quarter of the season in the books, NBA GMs will be eager to make early changes. We’ll highlight some of our favorite moves that could happen around the league.
Golden State Warriors Get: Jimmy Butler
Miami Heat Get: Gary Payton II, De’Anthony Melton, Andrew Wiggins, and 2 GS First Round Picks
Jimmy might be the big fish to reel in this trade season. His time in Miami has ended, as both parties seem interested in moving on. The 35-year-old SF has been a key to their success, but the Heat have slipped lately between injuries and effort.
Golden State is a likely landing spot for the veteran forward, as the Warriors try to squeeze one last title run out of Curry. Even with Butler declining slightly, he might be the guy they need to rise to the top in the West this year.
This return would be less than most fans would expect, but it seems reasonable for an aging stay. Butler isn't the player he once was, and landing two first-round picks might be the best they can do.
LA Lakers Get: Walker Kessler and Collins Sexton
Utah Jazz Get: D’Angelo Russell, Jalen Hood-Schifino, LA 29’ First Round Pick and 3 Second Round Picks
The Lakers need something. This team has been sliding as LeBron and Anthony Davis can’t carry the load anymore. In this deal, they would add some much-needed youth and two-way play. Kessler is the ideal center to have as Anthony Davis' backup. With his ability to lock down the paint, grab rebounds, and block shots, he’s perfect for this Lakers team. While Sexton would be an improvement over D’Angelo Russell, offering more downhill scoring and three-point shooting.
The Jazz get two players on short-term contracts, plus some nice picks. Since they are already looking ahead to the draft, turning some players into some draft capital might be in their best interest this year. Especially adding another valuable Lakers pick
This might be our favorite trade to build the Lakers back up for a run in the West this year.
Cleveland Cavaliers Get: Herbert Jones
New Orleans Pelicans Get: Caris LeVert and a protected 2031 CLE First-Round Pick
The Cavs have been cooking this year, and they look elite on both sides of the ball. This might be the best time for them to add another great defensive player to the roster. Herb Jones has been an excellent defender in New Orleans since they drafted him. He’s fallen off a bit lately, but he could be a great addition to Cleveland on this current contract. Adding some extra defense at the forward position will be critical in the East this year, with Boston and New York in the conference.
The Pelicans sell on a player during a down year to add an extra pick. Considering the direction this team has gone due to injuries, planning for the future might be their best direction. This could be a win-win for both teams, which are going in very different directions at the moment!
Portland Trail Blazers Get: Steven Adams, 2025 First Round Pick, and 2027 Second Round Pick
Houston Rockets Get: Robert Williams III
The Rockets have been the surprise team in the West. Currently sitting at 3rd. They’ve been one of the best two-way teams in the league. They could always add more, though. Buying in on Robert Williams could give them an elite backup center. With him on the bench behind Sengun, the Rockets could add that extra critical layer they may need. Even better is that Rob Will has spent time under Rockets head coach Ime Udoka in Boston. He could easily slide right into the current Houston system.
For Portland, this would be selling on a player you don’t need, considering they’re tanking this year. Adding some extra draft capital could be a winning move for a team that is expected to finish near the bottom of the Western Conference this season.
Sacramento Kings Get: Jonas Valaciunas
Washington Wizards Get: Try Lyles and 2 Second-Round Picks
Lastly, we have the Kings, who have been bouncing back slightly after a rough start to the season. One of the main issues this roster has yet to fix over the last year and a half is the lack of a true backup center. Sabonis has been a fantastic starter, but the paint opens up when he hits the bench. They could add Jonas Valaciunas reasonably cheaply from the Wizards. Even though he’s not at the level he used to be, Valaciunas could be a great backup off the bench for the Kings. He’s already averaging 12 points and 8 rebounds on the Wizards. He might be the best cheap option to correct one of their most glaring faults in the roster.
For the Wizards, they’re not committed to Valaciunas. They signed him to likely flip him during the season because they had cap space. The Wizards aren’t going anywhere this year and are likely more interested in draft positions than Ws. This would be a winning move to gain more assets to help rebuild efforts!