NBA trade candidates: 75 players, divided among 12 categories, who could be moved this offseason

The Boston Celtics are NBA champions and the 2024 offseason has arrived. One of the major lessons of the last handful of summers in this league has been that basically any player in the NBA is available for the right price. Nobody thought Jrue Holiday was a trade candidate last offseason. But Milwaukee wanted Damian Lillard and had to give somebody up to get him. Paul George's 2019 trade was only possible because Kawhi Leonard demanded it. The list goes on and on. The NBA has become a trades league. Short of prime MVP candidates on championship contenders with multiple years of team control remaining, basically anyone can get moved.

Of course, some players are likelier than others. Even as the 2024 playoffs were held, rumors began to fly about who might be moved in the coming months as the majority of the league prepares for the 2024-25 season. Below are 75 players who, for some reason or another, are viable trade candidates this offseason. Not all of them will be traded. 

Notable players not listed below will be dealt. The lesson, ultimately, is that basically anyone is theoretically available. Still, these 75 players sorted into the following 12 categories are the most important names to watch.

Category 1: Stars that seem very available

The following stars have actively featured in trade rumors so far this offseason.

• 1. Jimmy Butler, Heat: Butler reportedly wants a max, two-year extension. The Heat, thus far, have not appeared willing to give him one. Other teams, including the Philadelphia 76ers, reportedly are willing to pay him. Trading away a star would be uncharacteristic for the Heat, but if they want the assets to go get a younger one, they might need to move Butler to reload.
• 2. Trae Young. Hawks: Atlanta's backcourt has failed spectacular over the past two seasons, and Young, given his resume and youth, seems to have the higher trade value of the two big-name Hawks guards on the market. Interest thus far has appeared tepid, but 25-year-old three-time All-Stars almost always manage to drum up a significant market.
• 3. Darius Garland, Cavaliers: Garland's representatives at Klutch Sports will reportedly speak to the Cavaliers about a trade if Donovan Mitchell elects to extend in Cleveland. Their fit together as two smaller, offense-centric guards hasn't worked thus far, so if Mitchell stays put, he's an obvious trade candidate.
• 4. Brandon Ingram, Pelicans: The Pelicans are facing a luxury-tax crunch, and with Herb Jones and Trey Murphy proving essential as starters next to Zion Williamson, Ingram is the odd man out. Expect the Pelicans to try to move Ingram for a point guard or center before he becomes a free agent next offseason.
• 5. Dejounte Murray, Hawks: The other Atlanta guard was shopped at the trade deadline, but many of the interested parties were limited in how many draft picks they could give up. Some of them, including the Lakers, have more to work with now. If the Hawks just want to tweak instead of tearing down, Murray, not Young, becomes the likelier guard to move.

Category 2: Stars that may or may not be available

The following stars are possible offseason trade candidates depending on what direction they or their teams choose to go in.

• 6. Karl-Anthony Towns, Timberwolves: The Timberwolves are in a dire financial situation, and trading Towns is their only path to both meaningfully changing their roster and saving money. Towns is a four-time All-Star with a unique skill set as an elite shooter center that can also play power forward, but his uneven playoff run and enormous supermax contract make him a scary trade proposition. Minnesota was so good this season that they may simply be willing to pay an enormous tax bill to keep this team together.
• 7. Michael Porter Jr., Nuggets: The Nuggets have had the NBA's best starting lineup for two years now. Porter is a big part of that. But he has also underwhelmed in consecutive playoff runs, and the Nuggets have severe tax issues of their own to consider. They likely won't seriously explore Porter trades, but if they're going to make any sort of sizable change, he's the obvious player to move given his max contract and stalled development as an individual shot-creator.
• 8. Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers: If Mitchell wants out, he'll get his trade. The Cavs won't hold on to an impending free agent that plans to move. Signs, for now, point toward him extending, but until his name is on the dotted line, Mitchell must be considered a trade candidate.
• 9. Mikal Bridges, Nets: The Rockets reportedly offered the Nets their first-round picks back for Bridges at the trade deadline. The Nets said no, thinking they would need Bridges to credibly star-hunt. With Mitchell potentially off of the board and one of those Brooklyn picks jumping up to No. 3 in the lottery this year, might the Nets reconsider? They have no immediate path to contending, and the clock is ticking on the cheap contract Bridges is currently playing on.
• 10. Jarrett Allen, Cavaliers: Cleveland's two small guards approach hasn't worked, but neither has its two non-shooting big man plan. Evan Mobley is the only core Cavalier that won't be discussed in trade talks this offseason, so if they want to balance the front court, Allen is the one who would move. Mobley played well at center in the playoffs, so Cleveland could feel comfortable moving their other high-end big.

Category 3: Stars that probably won't move (but are worth a call)

The following stars are not known to be available and haven't actively been featured in rumors, but are still worth a phone call.

• 11. Kevin Durant, Suns: The Suns were knocked out in the first round, changed coaches and have next to no roster maneuverability this offseason thanks to the second apron. Durant has sought new teams for far less in the past. The Suns seem determined to keep trying with this group, but if someone throws enough their way for Durant, they'd have to at least consider breaking up a team that did not meaningfully contend last season.
• 12. Kawhi Leonard, Clippers: So... what do the Clippers even do if Paul George walks as a free agent? Sure, you could just run it back with Leonard and James Harden, but to what end? Do you really want to open the Intuit Dome with a 40-win team? The Clippers won't trade Leonard for the sake of trading him, but if anyone offers a way to help repair their desolate, draft pick-less future, they'd have to at least consider it.
• 13. Lauri Markkanen, Jazz: The Jazz have feigned interest in winning early in the past two seasons before operating as sellers at the trade deadline. They have no clear direction, and in a loaded Western Conference, it's hard to imagine them doing much more than contending for a Play-In spot. They could use their extra draft capital to trade for a star and move up, but how many stars want to move to Utah? Trading Markkanen would load them up even further with draft ammo and allow them to wait out the current, older contenders in the West. To Danny Ainge especially, anyone is available for the right price.

Category 4: Free agents and player options

The following can choose to move through free agency, but are also possible trade candidates.

• 14. LeBron James, Lakers: By all accounts, James is expected to remain in Los Angeles. If he wants to go anywhere else besides the cap space teams (and among them, only Philadelphia seems especially appealing), he would probably need to do so through an opt-in-and-trade. Again, this is unlikely, but the Warriors pursued James at the trade deadline in February, and other teams will surely at least try.
• 15. DeMar DeRozan, Bulls: Most of the cap space teams are rebuilding. Rebuilding teams won't want DeRozan. K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago reported that DeRozan turned down a two-year deal that could have been worth up to $40 million annually, suggesting that he still wants to get paid. If it's not going to happen in Chicago, it would almost have to happen through a sign-and-trade with a good team.
• 16. D'Angelo Russell, Lakers: The Lakers badly want Russell to opt into the final year of his deal for $18.7 million so they can use that expiring contract as cap filler in a trade. Russell, obviously, would likely prefer to choose his destination in free agency and get a longer-term deal than accept going wherever the Lakers send him. Of course, he'd have to believe he can get a hefty, long-term deal for that plan to be viable. There isn't an obvious suitor on the market yet, so for now, Russell is a trade candidate if he opts in.

Category 5: Cap dumps

The following players have contracts that their incumbent teams would either actively like to dump or may need to dump for some specific purpose.

• 17. Zach LaVine, Bulls: The Bulls held onto LaVine for too long when he did have value. They tried to get value when he had none. Now they are reportedly willing to listen to even cheaper offers, but the raw cap dump moment seems to have likely passed. The Bulls would have to give up draft pick value to get off of the three max years remaining on LaVine's contract now. Would anyone even do that in the second apron world? It would have to be a rebuilder that could eat three years of bad money in the hopes of possibility rehabilitating his value. Those teams exist, but they're rare.
• 18. John Collins, Jazz: The Jazz took on Collins in a cap dump last offseason. He still has two years of bad money left on his deal, and with younger players like Walker Kessler and Taylor Hendricks in need of minutes plus another lottery pick incoming, the Jazz may regret taking on his contract. Utah is not strapped financially at the moment, and Collins is still a worthwhile player, but if they can move him painlessly, they likely would.
• 19. Nikola Vucevic, Bulls: Chicago bid against itself in giving Vucevic a $60 million deal nobody would have come close to matching last offseason. Last season, he played at a backup-level. The Bulls are going to approach the tax if they re-sign DeRozan and Patrick Williams. They'd love to get off of the last two years of the Vucevic deal, but who wants a backup center at that price?
• 20. Tim Hardaway Jr., Mavericks: The Mavericks are going to need to shed a bit of money to offer defensive standout Derrick Jones Jr., who played this season on a minimum salary, the full mid-level exception. That's likely going to be the bare minimum if he's to remain in Dallas. Hardaway is the obvious dump candidate because Jaden Hardy proved this postseason that he's capable of filling his role as a bench shot-maker in Dallas.
• 21. P.J. Tucker, Clippers: The Clippers would love to duck the second apron, but if George re-signs, they'll need some help. Considering how little use they got out of Tucker after the deadline, he's the obvious dump candidate. His $11.5 million salary isn't enormous, so it's conceivable someone could take a swing on him to help their defense.
• 22. Maxi Kleber, Mavericks: Kleber is the other candidate for a Mavericks savings trade. He's a valuable stretch big option that can also defend wings, but he's constantly injured, and with Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford entrenched at center, Dallas may feel comfortable moving on and relying on Jones Jr. and P.J. Washington fully as their wings of the future.
• 23. Zeke Nnaji, Nuggets: The Nuggets re-signed Nnaji likely to give themselves a bit of matching salary to use in possible future trades. Having that contract around is still valuable, but the Nuggets are in a bit of a tax crunch themselves. Moving off of Nnaji now may help them create the cash needed to re-sign Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in free agency without dealing with the second apron.
• 24. Paul Reed, 76ers: Philadelphia matched Utah's offer sheet for Reed last offseason merely to avoid losing an asset for nothing, but now that he's firmly established as a run-of-the-mill backup center, the 76ers would probably rather just pay the minimum for a similar caliber of player and use the $7.7 million he is owed elsewhere in free agency. His contract is not guaranteed, so the 76ers could simply waive him, but he could also feasibly have some trade interest, so he's a candidate here for now.

Category 6: Expensive role players

The following role players could help winning teams, but have large salaries that make them complicated trade candidates.

• 25. C.J. McCollum, Pelicans: Ingram is the likelier Pelicans trade candidate, but they've been linked to several point guards. Nominally, McCollum has been the starting point guard in New Orleans over the past few years, and he either might be needed as matching salary if Ingram isn't in such a trade, or he might prefer to be moved if the alternative is going to the bench.
• 26. Jerami Grant, Trail Blazers: The Blazers signed Grant to a widely panned five-year, $160 million contract last offseason, and as predicted, struggled through the first year of a rebuild. That contract is going to get ugly toward the end, but for now, Grant is still a very good starting forward, and those are in short supply. Portland has no path to short-term winning, so cashing out on Grant now and accepting a rebuild is their best bet.
• 27. Kyle Kuzma, Wizards: The Wizards nearly traded Kuzma to Dallas at the deadline, but when they asked him if he wanted to be moved, he said no. Perhaps another wing-needy team (maybe even his former employers in Los Angeles) could sway him. The Wizards have so much rebuilding time ahead of them that virtually any veteran should be on the table. Kuzma is just the only one anyone seems to want.
• 28. Cam Johnson, Nets: Anything is on the table in Brooklyn. Need good players to trade for a star? Almost anyone could use a shooting forward like Johnson. Want to go backward and embrace a rebuild? Johnson could be dealt on his own for value.
• 29. Bruce Brown, Raptors: Brown had a down year in Indiana and Toronto, but only a year ago, practically the entire league was chasing him in free agency. The version of him we saw in Denver is one of the most versatile role players in the NBA, and some team will try to trade for him, pick up his team option and try to extend him at a slightly lower number from there. 
• 30. Malcolm Brogdon, Trail Blazers: The Blazers played with fire by keeping Brogdon at last year's deadline. His injury history means his value could plummet at any given moment, and the Blazers have so many young guards that minutes probably won't be very available for Brogdon moving forward. He was Sixth Man of the Year in 2023, so someone could certainly use him on their bench.
• 31. Clint Capela, Hawks: The Hawks have Onyeka Okongwu ready for a bigger role, and while they aren't locked in on a specific prospect at No. 1 overall, French big man Alex Sarr is the current favorite for the top pick. In other words, the Hawks are probably about to be heavily invested in two young bigs, so Capela, who was nearly traded to Dallas last summer, will probably be available.
• 32. Jakob Poeltl, Raptors: Toronto overpaid for Poeltl at the 2023 deadline, and they compounded that mistake with a hefty four-year contract last offseason. The Raptors don't have an obvious young replacement in the wings, but they traded for Kelly Olynyk at the 2024 deadline, and his ability to shoot will probably be necessary given the makeup of the rest of this roster. A non-spacing, defense-first big man might not be a player archetype that makes sense in Toronto anymore.
• 33. Bogdan Bogdanovic, Hawks: The higher-profile guards are available in Atlanta, but why should the Hawks start there? If they do trade Young or Murray, they goal will presumably be to get younger. Bogdanovic is 31 and ready to help a win-now team. If they don't trade Young or Murray? No sense in remaining this heavily invested in a third guard.
• 34. De'Andre Hunter, Hawks: Yes, every member of the 2023-24 Atlanta Hawks aside from Jalen Johnson should be considered available. Anyone who watched the 2023-24 Atlanta Hawks would understand this.

Category 7: Reasonably priced role players

The following role players could fit into most teams' cap sheets.

• 35. Dorian Finney-Smith, Nets: Finney-Smith, like Johnson, works as a trade candidate regardless of what direction the Nets take. Teams trading them a star would want him (just as the Nets did when they dealt Kyrie Irving to Dallas), but winners would also seek him out in an individual trade, and his relatively affordable salary widens the field of possible contenders. He definitely veers more towards the "D" end of the "3-and-D" spectrum, but he can fit in just about anywhere.
• 36. Jordan Clarkson, Jazz: Need a bucket? Clarkson can get you one (or several), and he can do so at an affordable price since the Jazz had the foresight to renegotiate and extend him last offseason in a way that allowed them to front-load his deal. He made $23 million last season, but will fall to $14 million this season. 
• 37. Bobby Portis, Bucks: The Bucks probably aren't eager to move Portis, especially since he just closed the season with a strong playoff series against the Pacers, but their hands are tied. They have very little in the way of draft capital or young players and they absolutely need to add perimeter defense. Portis is the most valuable player they can offer without breaking up their core.
• 38. Robert Williams III, Trail Blazers: When healthy, Williams has been a real Defensive Player of the Year candidate. It's just that "when healthy" is becoming a rarer and rarer phenomenon lately. He played only six games last season due to a knee injury, and he has never played more than 61 in a season. He's also a bit overpaid to be a backup center, so if someone thinks they can keep him on the court, they'd likely be trading for him as a cheaper starter.
• 39. Dennis Schroder, Nets: Bench bucket types can rarely defend at a high level, but Schroder is a downright pest when he's locked in. His inconsistent shooting is a bit of a problem, and he's never been entirely comfortable coexisting with big men in pick-and-roll, but he's a capable point guard that has competed for Sixth Man of the Year and started for decent teams. 
• 40. Alex Caruso, Bulls: Ladies and gentlemen, may I present the most desirable role player of the 2024 offseason. Caruso has been arguably the NBA's best defensive guard for years. He's grown into a significantly more reliable shooter in Chicago. He's a stellar cutter and connective passer. Oh, and he makes less than $10 million. Basically any team could fit him onto their balance sheet, and as such, he's been widely targeted since practically the moment he landed in Chicago. There's no good reason for a Bulls team that never makes it beyond the Play-In stage to hoard a premium role player like this, but with just one year left on his contract and a CBA that will make extending him for fair value impossible, now seems like the right time for him to move.
• 41. Jevon Carter, Bulls: If you can't afford Caruso, Carter is the budget mode. He can defend above his size, hound ball-handlers and hit 3's at a relatively low volume. If you have ball-handlers elsewhere and just need a role player, Carter is an affordable option that fell out of favor in Chicago last season.
• 42. John Konchar, Grizzlies: The Grizzlies are facing a bit of a roster and minutes crunch next season with a number of players coming back from injuries and others, like Vince Williams and GG Jackson, emerging as viable supporting pieces during last year's lost season. If they want to add a meaningful piece or two this offseason, they'll probably be open to moving off one of their older role players. Konchar, a jack of all trades, master of none type, would seemingly have plenty of interest on a contract that will pay him roughly $6 million annually for the next three years.

Category 8: Possibly gettable for the right price

The following players would likely only be available for more than conventional wisdom suggests they are worth.

• 43. Anfernee Simons, Trail Blazers: The Blazers have three guards for two starting spots. No. 2 overall pick Scoot Henderson had an up-and-down rookie year, but he's not going anywhere, and Shaedon Sharpe has shown signs of stardom in his first two seasons. That leaves Simons, an odd trade candidate that doesn't quite have star upside, but could easily slot in as a good team's secondary scorer. Portland isn't eager to move him, but it's typically better to get ahead of a necessary move than to let the situation fester. If Portland knows Henderson and Sharpe are the future, it's worth hearing out offers now.
• 44. Collin Sexton, Jazz: Sexton thrived as a starter when Utah was actually trying to win, but he still heard his name plenty around the trade deadline. With Keyonte George primed to take over as Utah's primary offensive guard, Sexton could still fit in a smaller role, but he's too valuable to be traded just for the sake of trading him. The Jazz will need a worthwhile offer to consider it.
• 45. Naz Reid, Timberwolves: Minnesota emphatically should not trade Reid. If they need to save money, moving Towns and paying Reid 30% of his salary to produce 80% as much makes far more sense. But big men that can shoot like him without killing a defense are such rarities that there are going to be several cap space teams that call up the Timberwolves and ask some version of "how many draft picks would it take for you to send Reid into our cap space?" It's going to be tempting given how much such a trade could save Minnesota, so Reid makes the list even though, again, he should not be dealt.

Category 9: Necessary cap filler

The following players are mostly the cap figures their incumbent teams will try to use to add other players on this list.

• 46. Ben Simmons, Nets: Nobody wants Simmons the player anymore. But his hefty $40 million expiring salary could help the Nets in all manner of ways. The simplest would be to use him as matching salary in a star trade. If Brooklyn decides to take the longer view, using him to take on some bad money for assets makes some sense as well. If there's a viable LaVine suitor, for example, it would likely be Brooklyn in a scenario in which they no longer prioritize 2025 cap space.
• 47. Chris Paul, Warriors: The advantage of Paul's contract is that it is fully non-guaranteed. That means the Warriors could guarantee it partially for the sake of matching salary without burdening a trading team with the whole deal. Say, for instance, the Warriors want a $10 million player. They could send out Paul, only guarantee $10 million, and then the receiving team could waive him and avoid paying the remaining $20 million that is still on the deal. This means the Warriors can use him as matching salary in almost any sort of deal. 
• 48. Andrew Wiggins, Warriors: Wiggins is a more complicated contract to trade than Paul's. He has three more guaranteed years on his contract, so an acquiring team would have to want him for the long haul. Wings are hard to come by even at Wiggins' price point, but the last two years have been very disappointing. Some team would have to trust that it could get him back to his 2022 form.
• 49. Bojan Bogdanovic, Knicks: Another non-guaranteed contract, but the Knicks would probably prefer to keep him if they don't have an immediate trade option. They can probably stay below the second apron without waiving him him, and he's a useful rotation player, so he'll only be moved if necessary.
• 50. Harrison Barnes, Kings: The Kings have been aggressive on the trade market since their surprising return to the playoffs in 2023, but if they really are going to hunt for a major addition, Barnes is one of their two mid-sized contracts that can slot into the deal. Keegan Murray is growing into a reliable, primary forward, so even if the Kings would prefer to have Barnes around, they could probably survive without him if needed.
• 51. Jusuf Nurkic, Suns: It doesn't seem likely that the Suns would trade Durant, Devin Booker or Bradley Beal. Grayson Allen just signed an extension, so he's not trade-eligible at the moment. That leaves Nurkic's $18 million or so as their only significant tradable salary. The Suns will explore upgrades, but given how little draft capital they have left, it's hard to imagine them finding a deal.
• 52. Kevin Huerter, Kings: Huerter is Sacramento's other movable mid-sized salary, but he is likelier to move if Sacramento manages to re-sign Malik Monk. Unlike Barnes, Huerter has seemingly been replaced in the starting lineup by Keon Ellis. The Kings needed a defense-first perimeter player, and Ellis has filled that role, and Monk does more than enough bench scoring at shooting guard to keep Huerter around.
• 53. Rui Hachimura, Lakers: Welcome to the Lakers section of this trade guide. By all accounts, they plan to be aggressive on the trade market, but with Russell on a player option, their other role players are likelier to be included in deals simply because they can't control their trade fate. Hachimura makes the most of this trio ($17 million), and he played the best last season. The Lakers would prefer to keep him, but, well, you have to give something to get something.
• 54. Gabe Vincent, Lakers: Vincent missed most of last season due to injury, but if he can get back to the form he played in during the 2023 playoffs, $11 million is a bargain. In a perfect world, the Lakers can trade Russell and keep Vincent as their backup point guard, but if they have to aggregate salary, Vincent is an obvious candidate.
• 55. Jarred Vanderbilt, Lakers: Vanderbilt, like Vincent, barely played last season, but he showed his value as a defender and energy player during the 2022-23 season. He has the longest contract, as he's locked up for four years, but he has the lowest cap figure for next season at roughly $10.7 million. He'd probably interest several teams independently, but the Lakers won't move him unless they're getting a meaningful upgrade.
• 56. Steven Adams, Rockets: The Rockets just got Adams at the trade deadline, and they'd like to keep him as a backup center, but they are reportedly big-game hunting, and unless they want to trade Dillon Brooks, they're going to have to aggregate several salaries to do anything notable. Like the Lakers, we have three Rockets to cover. Adams is the priciest at $12.6 million.
• 57. Jeff Green, Rockets: Rocket No. 2 is Green, who was a valuable mentor to the younger Rockets last season, but that's a less important role next season with Cam Whitmore, Tari Eason and Ja'Sean Tate in need of every available forward minute.
• 58. Jock Landale, Rockets: Landale has one of the most uniquely tradable contracts in the NBA. It's non-guaranteed for each of the next three seasons, making him very valuable matching salary in a possible bigger trade.

Category 10: Second draft candidates

The following players are former first-round picks with four or fewer years of experience that could use a change of scenery.

• 59. Onyeka Okongwu, Hawks: Capela is the likelier Hawks big man to get traded, but Okongwu will have more value. If Atlanta needs him for a bigger move, he'd likely be available if Alexandre Sarr is indeed the No. 1 pick. Their skill sets as big men that doesn't really shoot 3's are somewhat redundant anyway.
• 60. Jalen Green, Rockets: Green's name was floated around at the trade deadline. His great end to the season may have been enough to put a stop to those rumors, but he is eligible for a rookie extension this offseason, and Houston has several young ball-handlers waiting in the wings. If he gets too pricey, or if the Rockets need to include a high-upside young player in a star trade, Green probably isn't untouchable.
• 61. Josh Giddey, Thunder: We all saw what happened in the playoffs. Giddey's inability to shoot 3's or defend at a high level made him a liability. For his skill set to be maximized, he has to play for a team that will let him be a full-time point guard. That is never going to happen on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's team. He's eligible for a rookie extension as well, so it's time for the Thunder to find him a new home.
• 62. Jaden Ivey, Pistons: Ivey is still a year away from extension-eligibility, and he ended the season on a positive note. But Monty Williams just never embraced him as he should have. The Pistons are already committed to one young guard in Cade Cunningham. They may add another through the No. 5 pick in the draft, or they could pursue someone on the trade market. Ivey isn't quite as ball-dominant as Giddey needs to be, but he's best-suited as a primary ball-handler given his own shooting issues. Some team prepared to invest in him as a true point guard should be trying to get him.
• 63. Ziaire Williams, Grizzlies: Williams' career hasn't gone as planned through three disappointing seasons in Memphis, and with the Grizzlies likely looking to trim some fat, he is almost definitely gettable. After shooting below 40% from the field in his third season, though, his outlook is pretty bleak.  
• 64. Moses Moody, Warriors: Moody has played well across three years for the Warriors, but has never been able to carve out a steady role. Klay Thompson is a Warriors lifer, and Brandin Podziemski has seemingly jumped him in the shooting guard pecking order. With no obvious long-term fit, the Warriors could probably stand to move Moody before they'd need to sign him to a rookie extension.
• 65. Jalen Hood-Schifino, Lakers: Hood-Schifino spent most of his rookie season in the G-League, and given the Lakers' desire to upgrade their point guard slot, he's likelier to be used as cap filler than to earn a real role in the Laker rotation.
  

Category 11: The cost of doing business

The following players will not be actively shopped, but would likely be needed if their teams try to make a major trade this offseason.

• 66. Julius Randle, Knicks: The Knicks nearly made the Eastern Conference finals without Randle. They'd love to see what they can do with him. But the reality of their star-hunting ambition is that Randle almost has to be in any blockbuster they make. His $30.3 million salary is necessary for matching, and even if it wasn't, it doesn't make sense to keep him around if he's the No. 3 shot creator. He needs the ball to succeed. The better Jalen Brunson gets, the less it's going to be available for him.
• 67. Austin Reaves, Lakers: The Lakers have thus far treated Reaves as a part of their core. If they want to trade for a true third star this offseason, he'll likely have to be involved. Three first-round picks only get you so far on the trade market, and Reaves is their most valuable player outside of their two existing centerpieces. 
• 68. Jonathan Kuminga, Warriors: Kuminga emerged as a difference-maker last season, and that bodes well for the Warriors if they want to trade for an older one this summer. He's a viable centerpiece in that kind of deal, though he is extension-eligible this offseason.
• 69. Jaime Jaquez Jr., Heat: It's not even clear if Miami was willing to include Jaquez in a Damian Lillard trade last offseason. After a strong rookie year, he's become even more valuable with three years of rookie-scale money left on his contract. The Heat gave away another first-round pick in the Terry Rozier trade, so if they want to add someone notable, they're going to have to use players to do it.
• 70. Brandin Podziemski, Warriors: The Warriors could get by at shooting guard with Thompson and Moody if needed, and Podziemski would be highly-valued by any team trading Golden State veteran help at another position. He's not quite the asset Kuminga is, but he has two extra years of cheap, team control, so some teams might prefer him.
• 71. Nikola Jovic, Heat: Jovic and Jaquez play similar positions, so it would make sense for Miami to consider moving one of them for veteran help. He played well in a bigger role down the stretch, and his improvement as a 3-point shooter bodes very well for his future.
• 72. Deuce McBride, Knicks: McBride is New York's last rotation player on a below-market deal, but boy, is it well below-market. He'll make less than $13 million in total over the next three years. That's pennies for the caliber of defender he's always been and the kind of shooter he's growing into. The Knicks won't let him go cheap, but if they need young talent for a big trade, he's the obvious chip.
• 73. Jose Alvarado, Pelicans: If the Pelicans don't view Alvarado as part of their future, using his dirt-cheap team option to their advantage in a trade could make sense. Basically any team could afford to trade for him, so if a team facing a hefty tax bill wants a high-end reserve, they could conceivably send the Pelicans draft capital to get him where they couldn't with pricier players. Of course, the Pelicans could choose to let Alvarado hit restricted free agency only to re-sign him to a bargain contract as they did with Herb Jones last summer.

Category 12: Team options that could be dealt

The following players have team options that may simply be declined, but may be held onto simply to serve as tradable salary.

• 74. Evan Fournier, Pistons: The Pistons have enough cap space to simply absorb any player they want to acquire, but hey, you'd always rather find a use for a salary than simply decline a team option. Fournier will probably just be cut loose into free agency, but the Pistons seem to want to upgrade this offseason, and if for whatever reason a trade partner wants salary it could flip at the deadline, Fournier is here to fill that purpose.
• 75. Luke Kennard, Grizzlies: The Grizzlies probably can't justify paying Kennard almost $15 million next season, but just declining his team option would be a bit wasteful. They're still on the market for a long-term center to replace Steven Adams, and Kennard's salary could be useful in landing someone to fill that role.