The season just started, so it’s likely teams will spend the first few weeks figuring themselves out. Due to this, most will stay away from trade rumors, except probably all those involved in the ongoing Ben Simmons sweepstakes. Teams will eventually decide to sell some veterans they have for future assets, while competitive teams will emerge as buyers. There’s plenty of experienced NBA players on likely lottery teams, so they’ll be headed elsewhere.
NBA Players who will be Traded this Season
Backcourt Veterans
The candidates in the backcourt include Goran Dragic, Terrence Ross, and Buddy Hield.
A quick glance at the Toronto Raptors indicates a very solid roster. With that being said, they’ve already experienced a slow start and are a couple of years away from becoming a contender once again, especially in a more deep Eastern Conference. Dragic, who arrived in the Kyle Lowry trade, is widely known as one of the most talented veteran leaders in the league. He’s the ideal backup point guard for a contending team, and plenty of them will be calling Toronto for him at the trade deadline.
Ross can be both a sufficient starter and a top player off the bench. He’s extremely athletic and is full of highlight plays. He’s also a fantastic on-ball defender. Last, but certainly not least, Ross can drain threes with the best of them. Orlando will likely choose to hang onto him for the majority of the season to serve as a mentor to their collection of young and talented guards, but eventually, a contending team will realize that Ross may be the final piece of the puzzle in their championship formula.
Hield will be tough to trade due to his massive contract. He is, however, one of the best shooters in the entire league. That trait is hard to come by and is one of the most sought-after skills in the modern game. Creating a trade package for him won’t be easy, but the Sacramento Kings will be shopping him all season long due to the guards they already have on their roster.
Frontcourt NBA Players
The candidates in the frontcourt include Derrick Favors, Thaddeus Young, and Marvin Bagley.
Favors plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Teams know that the Thunder are in the business of collecting assets. This makes it easy to assume they’d be willing to unload Favors for a second-round pick or two. Favors is still only 30-years-old. He can feature as a starting center for the next couple of seasons. For most contending teams, however, Favors is seen as a great presence off the bench. Any team looking for frontcourt depth will take him in an instant.
Young is similar to Favors in a way. They’re both veterans, very strong defensively, and can contribute on offense too. The San Antonio Spurs aren’t as open to rebuilding as the Thunder, but it’s clear they’re not in serious playoff contention. Dealing Young also assures more playing time for players such as Keldon Johnson. The list of suitors for a player of Young’s caliber will certainly be lengthy.
Unlike Favors and Young, Bagley is still a young player. He’s yet to prove himself, though, as a former lottery pick selected ahead of players such as Luka Doncic and Trae Young. Sacramento decided not to extend his contract by the deadline and has used him sparingly. All signs indicate a break-up between Bagley and the Kings this next offseason. Instead of losing him for nothing, Sacramento is best suited to shopping him and at least getting a future or asset or two in exchange.
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