Every NBA team officially has at least one 2024-25 regular-season game under its belt. Naturally, we're overdue for some hypothetical trades. Contenders will be the focus of this thought exercise.
And no, not all of them will be appearing here. It is much too early for us to go down that rabbit hole. Championship-hopeful qualifications are debatable.
This space is looking at any team that, as currently constructed, profiles as an inarguable top-four-in-its-conference candidate. From there, we're plucking out potential opportunities in an attempt to deepen rotations and plug certain holes. Prospective contenders that aren't stacked as hell (Boston, Dallas, Oklahoma City) or fresh off wholesale roster reinventions (Minnesota, New York) will be given priority.
The goal this early on isn't to reinvent or break up any core. It is to futz and fiddle—to upgrade the middle of the rotation or improve on the margins. Cleveland Cavaliers Receive: Larry Nance Jr.
Atlanta Hawks Receive: Georges Niang, 2026 second-round pick, Denver's 2027 second-round pick Dynamic wings tend to top external wish lists for the Cavaliers. And, well, that's fair! But those are hard to find even if you're drowning in assets, and Cleveland could also use a combo big who can play alongside one of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen or independent of both. Reuniting with Nance is just what the depth chart ordered.
The 31-year-old spaces the floor enough to orbit the Cavs' other bigs on offense, and he can be deploye.
