НБА-гийн солилцооны цонх нээгдлээ

The biggest domino has fallen, with the Giannis Antetokounmpo saga mercifully ending with a deal to the Miami Heat. As such, the rest of the league’s teams can get to making the big moves that typically define the offseason.

That process got underway the day after the draft, when the Minnesota Timberwolves stripped their cupboards bare to acquire LaMelo Ball from the Charlotte Hornets, finding a running mate for Anthony Edwards. But between Jaylen Brown, uncertain situations in Denver and Houston and the surprises that inevitably come in the league’s silly season, we surely aren’t done.

With that in mind, The Athletic’s Zach Harper, John Hollinger and Sam Vecenie have made sure the math works and are suggesting deals they would like to see. Get on those trade machines, folks.

Zach Harper

To Toronto Raptors: Domantas Sabonis
To Sacramento Kings: RJ Barrett, Ron Holland II, Jakob Poeltl, Chaz Lanier and two second-round picks
To Detroit Pistons: Malik Monk and a second-round pick

The Raptors have been rumored to be interested in Sabonis for quite some time. Now, they get him to try to beef up their attack. That would give them a lineup of Immanuel Quickley, Ja’Kobe Walter, Brandon Ingram, Scottie Barnes and Sabonis. For a team so offensively challenged, this could help Toronto generate more offense. The problem is that the Raptors would still have spacing issues. They might need to add more shooting, but this deal helps them grab a long-time target after missing out on Ball.

The Kings would clear some money off the books, bring in a young-ish player on an expiring contract in Barrett, who they can either re-sign or flip, and get a much cheaper option at center in Poeltl. He would allow them to be a more defensive-minded team. Holland would add a young player to an expanding rebuilding core. This feels like a better balance with Darius Acuff Jr. arriving via the draft.

The Pistons give up a couple of seconds and Holland (someone they might be high on) here, but they would solve some offensive issues with Monk, someone they failed to acquire last summer.

To Portland Trail Blazers: Jaylen Brown and Sam Hauser
To Boston Celtics: Jerami Grant, Deni Avdija, Scoot Henderson, Milwaukee’s 2028 first-round pick, their own 2029 first-round pick, Milwaukee’s 2030 first-round pick swap

I have no idea what I think of this trade. It might infuriate both sides, but let’s talk it out.

New Portland owner Tom Dundon is allegedly willing to spend when it comes to top-flight players. There were rumors of the Blazers bringing in Brown during the Antetokounmpo negotiations. They would still get to do that and reunite him with Jrue Holiday as Damian Lillard works his way back from his torn left Achilles tendon. This would give the Blazers plenty of creation on offense without asking Lillard to be the old Lillard again. Hauser would provide essential shooting.

Why would Boston do it? Primarily to end the Brown problem before it gets out of hand, but the Celtics would also fill some needs here. Grant has one more year and a player option left. He can play defense, knock down shots and provide a good presence in the locker room. He would allow Joe Mazzulla to play big, small or anything in between.

The Celtics are desperate to put more pressure on the rim, and few players in the league do that as well or as intently as Avdija. He was a wrecking ball driving down the middle of the floor this year and shot free throws like a superstar. Henderson would give them a young point guard who could be part of the future. Plus, they would get a nice collection of picks for the 2024 NBA Finals MVP.

Feels like a win-win? Or maybe it makes no sense? Either way, it’s fun!

John Hollinger

To Los Angeles Lakers: Lu Dort
To Oklahoma City Thunder: two second-round picks

I would love to see the Lakers absorb Dort’s salary into their cap space and send two second-round picks to Oklahoma City for his services. Moving on from Dort would put the Thunder far enough below the second apron to likely use their taxpayer midlevel exception on a big forward. To do so, the Thunder would have to exercise their team option for 2026-27 on Dort, which must be done by Monday.

Dort, meanwhile, could hardly be a more perfect fit on the Lakers’ roster. They badly need somebody who can defend elite wings, because Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves surely aren’t going to, and they need somebody who will space the floor for those two on offense. Dort can’t handle or initiate offense, but that won’t be an issue for him in L.A.

You might have noticed a small issue with my proposal: The Lakers don’t really have second-round picks. The first one they can trade is in 2033; all the rest have already been dealt. (They actually dealt their 2027 pick twice; it goes to the Memphis Grizzlies if their first-round pick doesn’t convey to the Grizzlies that year; otherwise, it goes to the Brooklyn Nets). The Lakers would likely need to pony up cash to buy a future pick from another team (I’d recommend calling the Chicago Bull$), which would have been more easily accomplished on draft night.

Nonetheless, the fit here is so pure that L.A. should do whatever it can to make it work. Even after adding Dort, the Lakers would have an estimated $32 million in cap room to build out the rest of the team, with LeBron James, Rui Hachimura and Marcus Smart free agents.

To Raptors: Myles Turner
To Bucks: Poeltl, Gradey Dick, 2027 first-round pick (top-four protected), $5 million and a 2033 second-round pick

This deal would solve multiple problems for both sides. The rebuilding Bucks are sitting on a good player in the 30-year-old Turner whose value will basically die on the vine if he stays with Milwaukee for the remaining three years on his contract. Toronto, meanwhile, is dealing with a capped-out roster light on shooting. Poeltl’s lemon of an extension doesn’t even kick in until next season.

This deal would cost the Raptors draft capital, since Turner is better than Poeltl, but the spacing element Turner adds should also be particularly alluring to the Raptors. The way I’ve set it up, the Raptors pay the $5 million partial guarantee on Poeltl’s 2029-30 season, when he’s on the books for $29.4 million and would almost certainly be waived. (A bigger portion of Poeltl’s 2029-30 salary can become guaranteed if he hits various benchmarks along the way, which would become less likely playing for a rebuilding team.) The first three years are cap neutral for both sides, thanks to the inclusion of Dick’s expiring contract for 2026-27. The Bucks would get a free look at the former lottery pick, who fell out of the rotation late last season.

Obviously, all this goes out the window if the Raptors can take a bigger swing elsewhere. Dick’s expiring contract, for instance, might be needed to pair with Brandon Ingram’s in a pursuit of Kawhi Leonard. But if the Raptors miss on the A-listers in this trade market, this would be a nice backup plan.

Sam Vecenie

To New Orleans Pelicans: Jalen Green
To Phoenix Suns: Dejounte Murray
To Bulls: Jordan Hawkins and Phoenix’s 2032-second-round pick

The Suns are clearly all in on winning now, and the best way they can upgrade their roster now is by acquiring another difference-maker for their backcourt. Murray fits better with Devin Booker than Green does. They also save about $3.6 million in the deal, which would have them at about $207 million in salary for 14 players. In this scenario, they could avoid being over the first apron if they wanted to, with some flexibility on the Jamaree Bouyea and Haywood Highsmith contracts.

The Pelicans have a long-term answer at point guard in Jeremiah Fears, so I think Green fits better over the next two years within their situation than Murray does. Then, by moving Hawkins, they save $3.5 million and would be very close to being able to use their non-taxpayer midlevel exception, avoiding the tax in the process.

The Bulls pick up a flyer in Hawkins, who was a strong shooter entering the league in 2023. The Bulls should be taking as many flyers on shooters as possible around Caleb Wilson. For the trouble of taking back his $7 million salary, they get a second-round pick.

To Bucks: Ja Morant
To Pelicans: Myles Turner and Taylor Hendricks
To Grizzlies: Kyle Kuzma, Jordan Poole and a protected future Pelicans first-round pick

This deal solves a lot of problems for all three teams. The Bucks get to take a low-cost flyer from the Grizzlies in Morant, costing them Kuzma and Turner. The Bucks are entering a rebuild, but my guess is that they would like to sell tickets during that rebuild, too. Morant is exciting and would help with that. Plus, they remove Kuzma from the roster and get off an extra year of Turner’s long-term money while saving $5 million in the process.

The Pelicans need a floor-spacing center if they’re committed to the Zion Williamson experience. Turner would give them a chance to finally see what Williamson would look like with a real rim protector on defense who can actually space the court for him on offense. Yes, they would give up a first-round pick to do so, but they would also get off the massive Poole deal that feels like it has run its course.

The Grizzlies would finally find a way to get a real draft pick for Morant, which they should be able to sell to their fans as decent value. In doing so, they take on an extra $5 million in salary in Poole and Kuzma, both of whom are on expiring contracts that are seen as poor value for their teams, with neither player having a future with their respective teams. The Grizzlies could keep those players as expiring salaries for the deadline, move them on elsewhere or simply waive them and eat the money.