With the bulk of the league's business this summer behind us, it is just about time to begin turning the page from offseason NBA trade rumors to the NBA trade rumors that figure to crop up once the season gets rolling. There have been a number of players who have been mentioned as trade candidates but who are just not quite ready to be moved.
Usually, there are a few reasons. There could be injuries that need healing. There could be contract situations that need clarity. And there's a new wrinkle–teams don't want to lose too much, lest the finish in the bottom three of the league and get knocked with reduced lottery odds. If you have a star you'd like to trade, better to have him help you win games from October-February, then trade him at the deadline.
These are the wait-and-see trade candidates. Let's have a look at some of the big names that populate this group.
Jimmy Butler, Warriors. Butler is coming off a torn ACL injury he suffered in January, and the hope in Golden State is that he can come back around the New Year's holiday and push the Dubs into the thick of the West playoff picture. But if the Warriors struggle, he could return and be dealt at the deadline–he is on an expiring contract worth $57 million.
Anthony Davis, Wizards. Davis is eligible to sign a contact extension in Washington, but given the fact that he has played just 71 games in the past two seasons, this is not the best time for him to be seeking a max-level contract–which is what he wants. The sides agreed to push off extension talks until the season gets rolling. If Davis stays healthy and returns to form, he'll be looking for that max deal. By January or so, the Wizards will have to weigh whether to give it to him, or to trade him based on his rebuilt value.
Kyrie Irving, Mavericks. Irving has not played since March of 2025, as he comes back from a torn ACL. That's scary, given Irving's lengthy history of knee troubles. The Mavs like Irving's veteran presence but would move him along for younger assets–a first-round pick–if he shows he is healthy.
Zion Williamson, Pelicans. For Williamson, the challenge is not so much to show he is healthy, but it is to show he can be healthy for two straight years. He played 62 games last year, but has never played 60-plus games in back-to-back seasons. If he can come back and be productive (he averaged 21.0 points and 5.7 rebounds in 29.7 minutes last year), teams will be calling about a Williamson trade.
Michael Porter Jr., Nets. It does not appear likely that the Nets and Porter will come to an extension agreement. It's possible, but there does not appear to be momentum for it now. If that remains the case, MPJ figures to be one of the top trade candidates in the league going into the season. But the Nets really do want to be competitive this year–their draft pick is controlled by Houston, anyway. Keeping Porter until February 11 is sensible.
Myles Turner, Bucks. Turner's situation is a more extreme version of Porter's. The Bucks are not going to be a good team, but they really want to avoid being truly bad and finishing at the bottom of the league. They should give their young big men–especially Kel'El Ware–as many minutes as possible, but that will invite rough patches. So they're hanging on to Turner, but they are likely to see if they can get value for him in February.
Kyrie Irving, Mavericks. (Remaining contract: two years, $82 million, player option in second year.) Marc Stein mentioned him, so we're putting him on the list, but nothing is imminent. Like a lot of veterans, the idea is to play him through January, build value and see if something can be done at the deadline.
Dejounte Murray, Pelicans. (Remaining contract: two years, $63 million, player option.) Teams will want to see how he looks now that he should be fully healed from his Achilles tendon injury, but expect him to be a trade candidate as the deadline nears.
Jamal Murray, Nuggets. (Remaining contract; three years, $161 million.) Maybe? It's not likely to happen now, but the finances in Denver are grim. It's not hard to see a Jaylen Brown situation here.
Mikal Bridges, Knicks. (Remaining contract: four years, $150 million.) It would make sense for the Knicks to give them flexibility going forward, so we'll slide him on this list. But the Knicks appear determined to try to hammer the team under the second apron for as long as it can–there will be a breaking point, though.
Shaedon Sharpe, Trail Blazers. (Remaining contract four years, $90 million.) Sharpe is out with a torn meniscus, a tough break for him and the Blazers that will probably remove him from trade consideration. Still, he averaged 20.8 points last season and Portland has a guard logjam.
Jordan Hawkins , Pelicans. (Remaining contract: one year, $7 million.) Hawkins never lived up to his lottery billing after his impressive UConn tournament run in 2023, so the fact that he is on the trade block is probably not exactly newsworthy. Still only 24, but he is a career 37.4% shooter.
Ty Jerome , Grizzlies. (Remaining contract: two years, $19 million, including player option.) Jerome took advantage of the mess in Memphis last year and averaged 19.7 points, shooting 42.0% from the 3-point line. The Grizzlies will need to thin out their roster , and the 29-year-old Jerome really does not fit here. He would have good value if Memphis wants to flip him for future assets.
Dalton Knecht , Lakers.(Remaining contract: two years, $10 million, including two team options.) Knecht showed some promise as a rookie but fell off in Year 2 and is now a contract filler in a potential trade. It has been surprising that no team has been willing to gamble on his upside–he is only 25.
Jaden Hardy, Lakers. (Remaining contract: one year, $6 million.) The Lakers need to drop a player, and Hardy is a good candidate if they can find a taker. Using him in a Jonathan Kuminga deal was their dream scenario, but now they just want to be rid of him.
Moses Moody , Warriors. (Remaining contract: two years, $26 million.) Moody is potentially going to be ready for the start of the season, and is said to be staying put. But if the Warriors do anything trade-wise this summer, speculation holds it will involve Moody.
Trey Murphy , Pelicans . (Remaining contract: three years, $88 million.) There have been rumblings that the Pelicans would deal Murphy, and equal rumblings have indicated they won't. Murphy is a favorite in NBA trade rumors, but New Orleans is slow-playing any potential trade.
Saddiq Bey , Pelicans. (Remaining contract: one year, $6.5 million.) Bey came back with a strong season last year after tearing his ACL, averaging 17.7 points and shooting 45.1% from the field and 36.7% from the 3-point line. It was for a bad team, but he showed he still could be an adequate wing off someone's bench.
Patrick Williams , Bulls . (Remaining contract: three years, $54 million,) It would be symbolic and probably cathartic for fans to see Williams dumped as a new front office and coaching staff comes in. But Williams' contract is prohibitive.
Michael Porter Jr., Nets . (Remaining contract: one year, $40 million, partial guarantee.) Porter will wind up in the trade-candidate bin if extension talks falter. They appear to be faltering, so watch from him to be a name on the market in the coming months.
Derrick Jones Jr., Clippers. (Remaining contract: one year, $10 million.) Jones is a defensive ace still, and his expiring contract gives the Clippers some wiggle room to move him. They're caught in the Aspiration pause, however.
Kyle Kuzma , Bucks. (Remaining contract: one year, $20 million,) His expiring contract is attractive and if the Bucks pull a sign-and-trade for Peyton Watson, Bennedict Mathurin or Jonathan Kuminga, he could be involved.
DeAndre Hunter, Kings. (Remaining contract: one year, $25 million.) The Kings want to keep him as an expiring contract they could potentially flip, but he's being mentioned as a possible target in the summer market.
Royce O'Neale , Hornets. (Remaining contract: two years, $21 million,) The Hornets would not be able to trade O'Neale with anyone else yet, so they could wait on a deal. But the team has gotten calls about moving him on after he was traded last month.
Jake LaRavia , Lakers . (Remaining contract: one year, $6 million.) Hustles, plays every game, but inconsistent. His contract makes him an attractive piece, though, as the Lakers figure out how to finish their roster.
Herb Jones, Pelicans. (Remaining contract: four years, $82 million, including player option.) Jones is a popular name on the market, but the Pelicans are said to want two first-round picks, and with Jones having struggled with injuries and his 3-point shot in the past two seasons, that's probably too steep. His remaining contract scares off potential suitors, too.
Cam Johnson , Nuggets. (Remaining contract: one year, $23 million.) The Peyton Watson move probably means Johnson stays put, but he will be very trade-able in the coming months before the deadline. Johnson was a disaster in his lone season in Denver, and he has been a prominent feature on the NBA trade rumor mill for years now. He still has enough of a reputation around the league to warrant trade interest, but the Nuggets value the fact that he has an expiring contract.
PJ Washington, Mavericks.(Remaining contract: 4 years, $90 million.) Like Gafford, Washington is aging out of the Mavericks' timeline, as he turns 28 this summer. He's a stretch 4 who plays good defense, but his shooting has been suspect–he made just 32.5% of his 3s last year. Like Gafford, they're hoping to get a first-round pick, but the contract is prohibitive.
Jalen Smith , Bulls. (Remaining contract: one year, $9 million.) Plenty of teams are still on the hunt for a backup center, and Smith would be a nice fit in multiple situations. The Bulls could cash in for younger assets.
Nikola Jovic , Heat. (Remaining contract: four years, $62 million.) There is trepidation about trading for Jovic, who is certainly available and is still only 23 years old. But the remaining contract is a hefty bite for teams to take. Are the Mavericks the answer?
Grant Williams , Hornets . (Remaining contract: one year, $15 million.) The Hornets are not quite done with their roster, and Williams' expiring deal has some value. He can still be a worthy big man off the bench.
Zeke Nnaji , Nuggets. (Remaining contract: four years, $32 million.) Dumping Nnaji would get the Nuggets under the second apron and free them up to resolve Peyton Watson's situation. The Hornets are a potential landing spot.
Jarred Vanderbilt, Lakers.(Remaining contract: two years, $26 million.) The Lakers have been trying to find a taker for Vanderbilt, but no one has been eager to take on his contract. It's possible the Lakers will use him in their rotation, much to JJ Redick's chagrin, and attempt to trade him during the season.
Aaron Gordon , Nuggets. (Remaining contract: three years, $110 million.) Someone may have to go depending on how the Peyton Watson ordeal finishes. It could be Gordon, though his recent injury history makes that tough.
Daniel Gafford , Mavericks . (Remaining contract: 3 years, $54 million.) Gafford will be 28 in October, and with the Mavs focused on getting younger, moving him along has been one of the team's top options. They're hoping to get a first-round pick for Gafford, but that might be a big ask because of his contract.
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