10 Most Tradeable NBA Stars

Like TNT before it, the NBA KNOWS drama. For reasons that range from team underperformance, to emotional discontent, to sometimes even a lack of sunshine, star players who once seemed like fixtures with their teams will eventually be on the move. Of the 10 names below, you can probably bet on a few being moved before the season starts, and likely on draft night. Why? This is the day of the year where teams have the most draft capital. Not only do they have this year’s pick to dangle without restriction, but an extra year becomes available down the line (2033). With the new draft rules, moving a certain pick also has added value than let’s say at the trade deadline. The top 10 in no particular order…

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Giannis Antetokounmpo – Bucks

Contract: 1/$58.5m remaining + Player Option for $63m
2026-27 Salary: $58.5m salary this season
Reason for Trade: The Bucks have done everything they can to make Giannis happy, but each maneuver was short sited in its own way to try to improve immediately. In the end, the team is short on both assets and talent. Think of it like when a guy maxxes out his credit cards to impress a girl and she still leaves him.
Landing Spots: Miami, Houston, Boston, and OKC

Ranking Giannis Destinations 2.0

Zion Williamson – Pelicans

Contract: 2/$87m remaining (2027-28 not guaranteed)
2026-27 Salary: $42m
Reason for Trade: The Pelicans are getting younger and Zion is someone who they simply can’t depend on to be there as a leader and focal point of their offense. Before they do anything though, the Pelicans need to find out where they want to go. The rest of the NBA will line up with arms outstretched, cash in hand if they try to bottom out this season
Landing Spots: Miami!!! Zion and the Heat were made for each other. He needs “Heat Culture” and especially their fitness accountability desperately. If other teams have more to offer for Giannis, it would be smart for the Heat to pivot to Zion.

Ja Morant – Grizzlies

Contract: 2/$87m remaining
2026-27 Salary: $42m
Reason for Trade: The Grizzlies have made it clear with the trades of Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr that they are not in the winning games business at the moment. While tanking won’t be what it once was with the new rules, getting rid of Morant and his off the court antics is still probably a priority.
Landing Spots: Think teams in need of a shakeup like Minnesota, Phoenix, and Chicago. The Kings could theoretically be involved too, but they are a patsy for any trade and it doesn’t seem fair to include them

Domantas Sabonis – Kings

Contract: 2/$94m
2026-27 Salary: $45.5m
Reason for Trade: What are the Kings doing? They have 6 players making over $20m per season and none of them really make any sense playing next to each other. It’s not that Sabonis is the worst of those 6, rather he probably has the most value. Trading him would be the way to change things up in hopes for a better future.
Landing Spots: Sabonis is not going to go to a team you would think of as a contender, he is just too flawed as a possible playoff defender. Atlanta could have the right defensive people around him to make his skill set work. In an equal but opposite sort of way, Toronto could use him on offense when lacking a true distributing point guard.

Kawhi Leonard – Clippers

Contract: 1/$50m remaining
2026-27 Salary: $50m
Reason for Trade: Leonard is still 35 years old and playing great when he is on the floor. He is also in the last year of his contract. The Clippers do not have control of their future draft picks and will need to find other ways to rebuild. Dealing Leonard for younger talent like they did in swapping James Harden for Darius Garland could be a smart way to gain assets.
Landing Spots: If Sabonis is for the unserious, Leonard is for the VERY serious. All of the teams that feel they are one all-purpose player away will be calling the Clippers. That means Minnesota, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Detroit, and even the Lakers.

NBA Mock Draft 1.0: MCU Edition

Jaylen Brown – Celtics

Contract: 3/$183m remaining
2026-27 Salary: $57m
Reason for Trade: Maybe I am biased, but it certainly feels like there should be some shame or reckoning that comes for the Celtics in losing to the Sixers in the playoffs. They had to cut their roster down tremendously to avoid an enormous tax bill before the season and it has left them low on roster variety. Essentially, their entire team is wings. Brown is their ticket to Giannis.
Landing Spots: Milwaukee. The Celtics aren’t giving up Brown for just anyone, he is way too good. For Giannis though? That’s different. Brown is only moving for a blue chip talent, not draft capital (unless they have their eyes on someone else down the line).

Michael Porter Jr – Nets

Contract: 1/$41m remaining
2026-27 Salary: $41m
Reason for Trade: I’m not saying he’s a star, but the Nets are going to move him. It will probably be for anything they can too. He is an expiring contract and will not be resigning with the Nets. It’s hard to find a good place for him though considering he can really shoot but not play any defense. At $40m, that’s tough. He needs to be back into a spot similar to his role in Denver.
Landing Spots: Orlando still needs shooting after landing Desmond Bane, but that trade really depleted their assets. They could look to package and consolidate some lesser salaries to clean up their books long term (like Wendell Carter). Other than them, the Bulls and Kings make sense for all the wrong reasons.

Evan Mobley – Cavs

Contract: 4/$22.5m remaining
2026-27 Salary: $50m
Reason for Trade: The Cavs took a BIG L in the playoffs this year and do not have many levers left to pull. They are built to win now but have no real ability to win now. That means trading someone young and good like Mobley. They are going to call about Giannis and can offer Mobley, #29, a 2031 1st, a 2033 1st, and 3 pick swaps. That’s a pretty good haul if the Bucks want to make Mobley their star.
Landing Spots: After Milwaukee, you would need to look at defensively challenged teams looking to make a leap even if that is not appealing to Cleveland. Portland and Toronto would make sense and they could put together good packages. The Lakers would love him, but have no way of getting a deal done, unless… well, you know what that would look like. Mobley for Lebron James, #25, their 2031 1st, and their 2033 1st. Pairing Mobley, Luka, and Reeves would look pretty good.

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Kyrie Irving – Mavericks

Contract: 1/$39.5m remaining + a Player Option for $42.5m
2026-27 Salary: $39.5m
Reason for Trade: Irving is 34 years old. The Mavericks future is with Cooper Flagg and other young players they get from here. If they can get a good young player for Irving or picks, they need to do it. Do not go half assed on the future with Flagg.
Landing Spots: Detroit or Atlanta. Both teams need shooting, scoring, and another ball handler while sacrificing Irving’s defensive inadequacy should not be a problem. The price shouldn’t be too much, and both have assets to spare.

Lauri Markkanen – Jazz

Contract: 3/$149.5m remaining
2026-27 Salary: $46m
Reason for Trade: He’s just always on the block, right? Funny thing is that he isn’t young anymore. He is 29 and no longer fits with the Jazz future. If I am them, I am dangling him in front of the Clippers for the #5 pick, Atlanta for #8, and even OKC for #12 and #17. There would need to be salary too, but any high end young assets would be welcome
Landing Spots: Markkanen is the ideal 3rd banana on a good well-balanced team. Aside from the teams mentioned above, the Detroit Pistons should do what they can to get him playing off Cade Cunningham. It would open up their offense and give them a huge upgrade over Tobias Harris.

Contracts: Spotrac

Photo: Chris Graythen/Getty Images)