We could still see some massive trades before the NBA offseason ends, as plenty of stars face uncertain futures with their current franchises. Lauri Markkanen would be an ideal fit on one Western Conference contender loaded with draft picks. If the Charlotte Hornets want to reset the franchise around Brandon Miller, LaMelo Ball is the perfect point guard for an offensive-needy playoff team in the East.
A new max deal next summer may force the New York Knicks to shop Julius Randle and Brandon Ingram is still looking for a new home ahead of his own free agency in 2025. The NBA offseason is still far from over. These five blockbuster trades would spice things up before the 2024-25 season officially kicks off.
Oklahoma City Thunder Receive: F Lauri Markkanen Utah Jazz Receive: PG Nikola Topić, F Ousmane Dieng, F Kenrich Williams, 2025 first-round pick (via Utah Jazz), 2027 first-round pick, 2029 first-round pick, 2026 second-round pick, 2027 second-round pick, 2028 second-round pick The Thunder are already big winners of the 2024 offseason with the additions of Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein. Yet no other team has more draft ammunition to trade for Markkanen, who would help turn what was once a small frontline in OKC into three 7-footers. A starting five of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Markkanen, Chet Holmgren and Hartenstein would be massive, erasing any weaknesses the Thunder previously had on the glass .
A bench of Lu Dort, Caruso, Cason Wallace, Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins, Jaylin Williams and others makes this an extremely deep unit as well. This trade would create a significant gap between the Thunder and the rest of the West, adding another 20-point-per-game scorer to the starting lineup while only making a small dent in the team's future draft picks. The Jazz go all-in on a rebuild, a smart strategy in front of what projects to be loaded draft classes in 2025 and 2026.
Utah gets its own first-round pick back from OKC (currently protected in the top-10 selections) as well as two more additional unprotected first-round picks and three future seconds. Topić will likely miss the entire 2024-25 season due to a partially torn ACL but may be the best pure point guard in the 2024 draft class. Dieng, 21, was the No.
11 overall pick in 2022 and Williams can be flipped to a contender for additional draft capital. Orlando Magic Receive: PG LaMelo Ball Charlotte Hornets Receive: G Anthony Black, F/C Wendell Carter Jr., G Cole Anthony, 2025 first-round pick, 2025 first-round pick (via Denver Nuggets, protected top-5 protected) The Magic are an All-Star point guard away from truly challenging the best teams in the East over the next few years, as this roster still lacks offensive creation.
Ball is a magician with the rock, regularly making highlight reel passes that leave defenders helpless. The 22-year-old averaged 23.9 points, 5.
1 rebounds, 8.1 assists and 1.8 steals a game while shooting (and making) threes at a high volume, precisely what this Orlando roster needs.
A starting five of Ball, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero and Jonathan Isaac is extremely well-balanced on both sides of the ball and only has one member (KCP) over the age of 26. If Ball suffers further ankle injuries, Jalen Suggs can resume his starting duties off a bench that still features Jett Howard, Moe Wagner, Gary Harris, Goga Bitadze and Tristan da Silva. The Hornets, as currently constructed, aren't good enough to make the playoffs in the East and probably aren't bad enough for a chance at the No.
1 pick and Cooper Flagg. With a new front office and coaching staff in Charlotte, taking a step back and trading Ball could be the best path forward for the franchise, especially for this kind of package. Black was the No.
6 overall pick in 2023, Anthony (24) and Carter (25) are both on great contracts with plenty of upside and the Hornets get an additional two first-round picks in next year's loaded draft. Charlotte needs to embrace a rebuild around Brandon Miller, picking up young players and draft picks while increasing its chances at the No. 1 selection in 2025.
Toronto Raptors Receive: SF Brandon Ingram, SG Jordan Hawkins, F Matt Ryan New Orleans Pelicans Receive: C Jakob Poeltl, G/F Bruce Brown, 2026 first-round pick (top-4 protected, via Indiana Pacers) The Pelicans should still be searching for a way to turn Brandon Ingram into a starting center before the season begins and Poeltl could be one of the best to become available. Poeltl, 28, averaged 11.1 points, 8.
6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.5 blocks and shot 65.
6 percent overall for the Toronto Raptors last season, yet was originally acquired to play alongside Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby and others. He's a big, talented defender making less than $20 million per season over the next three years and had a swing rating in the 98th and 91st percentiles since arriving in Toronto (plus-14.1 and plus-9.
6 overall). Poeltl would solve the Pelicans' starting center issue while Brown adds a playoff-tested veteran to the rotation as well. Brown, 27, gives New Orleans a veteran who can play a number of roles off the bench and is on an expiring $23 million contract, an important financial factor for when Trey Murphy III likely signs an extension that will kick in next season.
New Orleans could have a starting five of Dejounte Murray, Herb Jones, Murphy, Zion Williamson and Poeltl with CJ McCollom, Brown, Jose Alvarado, Yves Missi, Daniel Theis and others off the bench. An extra first-round pick in what projects to be a talented 2026 draft class will almost certainly convey from the Pacers. The Raptors continue to get younger and add some more offensive pop around Scottie Barnes, with Ingram (26) and Hawkins (22) joining a core that now includes Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, Gradey Dick, Ja'Kobe Walter, Ochai Agbaji and others.
Toronto still has Kelly Olynyk, Chris Boucher and rookie Jonathan Mogbo in its big-man rotation to fill the void left by Poeltl's departure and possesses a starting five of Quickley, Barrett, Ingram, Barnes and Olynyk that features a ton of floor-spacing, length and offensive talent. If the Raptors and Ingram can find common ground on a new contract, this is a potential buy-low opportunity for the former All-Star. Los Angeles Clippers Receive: F/C Karl-Anthony Towns Minnesota Timberwolves Receive: F Cameron Johnson, F Dorian Finney-Smith, SG Terance Mann, 2030 second-round pick Brooklyn Nets Receive: SG Norm Powell, PF Kobe Brown, G Bones Hyland, F/C P.
J. Tucker, F Josh Minott, 2031 first-round pick (unprotected, via Los Angeles Clippers), 2031 second-round pick (via Los Angeles Clippers) The Clippers are in real danger of missing the Western Conference playoffs next season and should be in pursuit of a third star to pair with Kawhi Leonard and James Harden. Towns, 28, is a four-time All-Star who brings a different offensive dimension to Los Angeles with his floor-spacing ability.
He can play alongside Ivica Zubac in the starting lineup or head coach Tyronn Lue can choose to go wing-heavy with Towns at center and either Nicolas Batum or Derrick Jones Jr. in the opening five. The move should keep the Clippers in the top-six spots in the West.
If the Timberwolves want to build a consistent winner and duck the second luxury tax apron moving forward, they'll almost certainly have to move on from Towns and his current four-year, $220.4 million deal . Johnson (13.
4 points, 39.1 percent from three) takes over Towns' spot in the starting lineup as a floor-spacing big while Finney-Smith and Mann make Minnesota even deeper overall. While this is a financially-driven move, the Wolves should remain at the top of the West with a core of Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert, Jaden McDaniels, Naz Reid, Mike Conley Jr.
, Johnson, Finney-Smith, Mann, Rob Dillingham and Joe Ingles in the rotation. Brooklyn accelerates the rebuild by collecting draft picks, expiring salary (Tucker), young players (Brown, Hyland, Minott) and a veteran it can flip at the trade deadline (Powell). Houston Rockets Receive: PF Julius Randle New York Knicks Receive: PF Jabari Smith Jr.
, C Jock Landale, F Jeff Green, 2027 first-round pick (top-5 protected) If the Rockets want to make a big leap in the West standings next season, adding an All-Star power forward in the prime of his career would be a good idea. Randle, 28, is a Texas native who brings a good balance to this young Rockets team. He averaged 24.
0 points, 9.2 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game last season and slides into a Houston starting five that also features Fred VanVleet, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and Alperen Şengün.
Smith, 21, has All-Star potential but Randle is better suited to lead the Rockets into the playoffs now. For a Knicks team that still went 21-15 without Randle and reached the second round of the playoffs, this move is designed to increase future financial flexibility while staying in the title hunt now. Smith can either start at power forward or the Knicks can now keep OG Anunoby at the four, allowing Josh Hart or Donte DiVincenzo to stay in the opening lineup as well.
Smith has two years remaining on his rookie deal while Landale and Green are either in the final year of their contract or have a non-guaranteed deal for next season, saving the Knicks a lot of potential money in 2025 with a Randle extension off the table. Landale also gives the Knicks a backup center to Mitchell Robinson, a spot that both Smith and Green can eat up minutes at as well. The Knicks pick up a future first-round selection, an important addition after giving up five in a deal for Mikal Bridges.
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