Ranking the NBA's Top 10 Trade Targets

Basketball's biggest swap meet, officially known as the 2026 NBA offseason, is ticking toward the final buzzer.

Kawhi Leonard's potential return up north still needs finalizing , and there's still no resolution on Jalen Duren's restricted free agency, but just about every other notable box on the summer checklist has been ticked. It's mostly cricket chirps on the transaction front.

That won't, of course, last forever. In fact, the trade market could re-open at a moment's notice, as franchises start figuring out what they have—and, maybe more importantly, what they still lack—once training camps open later this month.

That makes this an optimal time to survey the trade landscape and identify ( and rank! ) logical candidates for relocation. The following 10 players have all elicited some manner of trade buzz or at least trade speculation, and they'll be subjectively ranked here by perceived trade value, using everything from established production and contract situations to age and projectable upside.

10. Jimmy Butler III, Golden State Warriors

If the Warriors are in the mood for a significant shakeup—perhaps to convince Stephen Curry to put pen to paper on a contract extension —they'll need to send out a sizable salary to make the money work. Butler's (notably expiring) $56.8 million allotment might be the one, especially with more recovery time needed for his ACL.

While there are no direct indications of the Dubs seeking a Butler blockbuster, ESPN's Brian Windhorst said on The Hoop Collective that "[Butler] could function as a huge expiring contract in a trade."

Butler's market is murky given his age (37 this month) and availability issues, but he could appeal both to clubs looking to free up cap space ahead of 2027 free agency and those eyeing a potential midseason lift from a six-time All-Star with some dynamic playoff runs on his resume.

As the league's lone resident in second-apron territory , the Nuggets are being financially squeezed like no one else. It already cost them promising swingman Peyton Watson, and it's fair to wonder whether Denver might need to keep dealing in order to balance the books.

If the Nuggets could stomach another sacrifice, Gordon might be the most logical choice, if only because Denver's discussions earlier this offseason revealed that Gordon was "drawing the strongest external trade interest," per NBA insider Marc Stein . That passes the smell test, since Gordon's two-way versatility could scratch a number of itches for an interested suitor.

That said, he has had struggles staying on the court (87 appearances the past two seasons combined), and those seem unlikely to dissipate with his 31st birthday fast approaching. He's also just starting a three-year, $103.6 million contract extension, meaning he'll offer some security but also come at a pay rate that could be tricky for win-now shoppers to fit in the budget.

Porter has long loomed as a trade candidate. As an in-prime 28-year-old on a team that's knee-deep in rebuilding waters, the timeline troubles are obvious. Plus, with his production having peaked this past season (career-highs of 24.2 points and 3.4 three-pointers), there might be some strike-while-the-iron's-hot urgency on Brooklyn's end.

Throw in the fact Porter is on an expiring contract (at $40.8 million ), and the trade winds just about knock you off your feet. Barring an extension with Brooklyn , the New York Post 's Brian Lewis said on the Third Apron podcast that he'd "be shocked" if Porter lasts past the deadline without a new deal.

Porter is a 6'10" shotmaker with a career conversion rate of 39.8 percent from distance. His trade appeal, in that sense, is obvious. Then again, if he's functioning primarily as a perimeter specialist—he isn't a playmaker, and his defensive impact is spotty—his skill set reads as awfully limited for someone with a salary this rich.

The Blazers have more starting-caliber backcourt players than starting spots available in the backcourt. They won't stay like this forever.

While The Athletic's Jason Quick previously reported that Portland "does not feel it is essential to unload one of its guards," the report also noted how the Blazers "want more big-man depth and realize they have a logjam." While that could theoretically make anyone a trade candidate, Damian Lillard has yet to return from his Achilles tear, Scoot Henderson would be a major sell-low and the Blazers just bought low on Ja Morant this summer.

So, maybe that leaves Holiday as the odd man out, which might be what the trade market prefers. While he isn't young (36) or cheap ( $34.8 million with a $37.2 million player option for next season), he contributes at both ends, works on or off the ball and has filled a supporting role on two title teams. He can't command a fortune, but he'd almost surely fetch at least a first-round pick.

The Wizards seem fully content with having Davis in The District, but is the feeling mutual? Possibly, but maybe only if the price is right (read: maximum contract-sized). When Davis' name was buzzing about the rumor mill earlier this offseason, Yahoo Sports' Kevin O'Connor relayed there were "rumblings [that Davis is] demanding that full max from Washington but would sign for less if traded to a contender."

So, it might be conditional contentment on Davis' side, meaning things just might boil over if there aren't a few Brinks' trucks sent his way. And, really, why would Washington make that commitment any time soon? Davis needs to prove he can stay upright—he has topped 70 games once since 2017-18—and this roster needs to show whether it has any shot at competing in the increasingly difficult East.

So, maybe The Brow happens to shake loose sooner than later. As a 33-year-old with a shaky injury history and apparently massive contract desires, he won't be for everyone. Those not scared off by those factors could be all the way in, though, since his healthy version remains a defensive asset (All-Defensive first team in 2023-24) and an efficient 20-plus-points scorer.

The Cavs are very much in win-now mode. They invested $370 million in their backcourt combo of Donovan Mitchell and James Harden this offseason, and they coughed up an unprotected future first for the right to pay Peyton Watson another $88 million. You don't stomach these kinds of sacrifices unless you feel you have a realistic chance of capturing the crown.

But what if Cleveland again gets denied entry into the NBA's elite class? Because this core has yet to prove it can compete with the conference's best—it finally reached the conference finals this past season, but was swiftly swept out of them—and that particular bar was raised several times this summer.

If the Cavaliers can't compete, then they can't justify the contract cost. And if they ever make that concession, Allen would be "the most likely" player to move, per Heavy.com's Sean Deveney . While Allen's skill set is fairly limited, his market might be robust. Few rim-runners provide a bigger impact on both ends of the floor than the career 64.1 percent shooter who has thrice received votes for Defensive Player of the Year.

Dallas insists it has zero interest in dealing Irving, but that stance is routinely met with eye-rolling skepticism. As it should be. Even if the Mavericks believe he'd be the ultimate mentor for Cooper Flagg, there's no getting around the 15-year age gap between them and the obvious timeline turbulence that creates.

As ESPN's Tim MacMahon put it, "front offices across the league anticipate that one or both parties could decide it's in their best interest to part ways." That feels more like a when than an if , since Dallas might need a best-case-scenario kind of season just to factor into the Western Conference playoff race.

Scoring-starved, win-now suitors will be hoping it's obvious early that the Mavs can't compete, since Irving will intrigue as a potential one-stop shop to fix any offensive issues. The nine-time All-Star is a dizzying ball-handler, a 50/40/90 club member, a clutch shot-maker and a discerning distributor who offers on-or-off-ball versatility.

Last summer, the Rockets wagered on Durant being their missing-piece addition who could elevate them into full-fledged contention. They wound up suffering the same fate as they did the season prior to his arrival, going exactly 52-30 and losing a first-round series in six games.

Now, that's not to suggest Durant is at fault for the lack of elevation—he was his usual awesomely efficient self—but maybe it has Houston wondering whether its young core can catch up to the 37-year-old (38 this month) future Hall of Famer. Maybe moving him for better long-term assets could be the prudent move to make, although Heavy.com's Sean Deveney cautioned that "Durant is not seen as a top-level commodity by many front offices," so it's unclear what kind of haul Houston would receive.

Then again, it's Kevin freakin' Durant—a living-legend caliber scorer who made All-NBA second team just this past season. Any team with win-now intentions in need of an offensive boost would have to give him a long look, even if he isn't getting younger and lacks contract security past this campaign ( $46.1 million player option for 2027-28).

2. Trey Murphy III, New Orleans Pelicans

There are a lot of players on this list—most ranked lower—with more accolades than Murphy. In terms of name brand, his just doesn't measure up. Except that's not what we're measuring, remember? We're talking trade value, and that's where Murphy has the edge on just about anyone conceivably connected to the market.

He is 26 years old, he fills a coveted role (a three-and-D wing with more scoring punch than the label implies) and he is, relatively speaking, affordable ( $87 million for the next three seasons). The only question is availability, as Yahoo Sports' Kevin O'Connor previously reported the Pelicans "have resisted all trade offers so far and hope to compete next season."

New Orleans, which piled up 117 losses over the past two campaigns, is not at all positioned to compete in the Wild West, so that availability concern might address itself. And as soon as it does, the trade bidding war could be ferocious. He might not be a star—he isn't much of a playmaker or shot-creator—but he is a rock-solid support piece who is efficient and effective in his role.

Putting Garland No. 1 here might raise a few eyebrows. He isn't as accomplished as most of the players on this list, and his connections to the trade market might be the loosest. In short, it's mostly a speculative wager that the Clippers could have to consider a Garland trade to help restock the asset collection after their recent five-first-round-picks punishment .

L.A.'s long-term outlook is now the bleakest in basketball, but letting go of Garland could bring hope of some eventual relief. He wouldn't bring back a blank-check return, but multiple first-round picks feels doable from the right suitor. The 26-year-old is already a two-time All-Star and impresses with both efficient scoring and steady playmaking, but he presumably hasn't exhausted his growth potential yet.

He does have defensive limitations, though, and his injury history is far from spotless. Point guard also isn't a great position of need around the NBA. That said, teams with trouble at the position could see his potential impact being immediate and immense. He's also at the right intersection of age and experience to appeal both to win-now shoppers but also trending-up rebuilders who feel they're on the verge of a breakthrough.