In and around the NBA trade rumor mill, the focus is usually on the players who are most likely to move–that’s why we have a Big Board of trade candidates, after all. But any trade requires not only a player who can be moved, but a team with a big hole that needs filling.
As the opening of training camp nears, there are still some potential contenders who are severely lacking at key positions and may need to look to the trade market to fill those holes. Some of the holes are in the starting five, some are on the bench, but all will be worth monitoring as the season starts and the NBA trade rumor market develops.
Let’s look …
NBA Trade Rumors: Lakers Need a Power Forward
Los Angeles Lakers: Starting power forward. This is arguably the most glaring hole anywhere in the NBA, certainly among potential contenders, as the Lakers made the odd choice to prioritize backup point and guard adding a slew of mediocre wings ahead of getting a starting caliber power forward. They’re hoping to use Sandro Mamukelashvili off the bench but would then probably be left with Jake LaRavia, Jared Vanderbilt or an undersize wing at the 4. Not ideal. The Lakers probably will monitor the trade market all season for a legit power forward.
Miami Heat: Point guard. The Heat are hoping to put together a championship roster, but Dru Smith as the backup point guard to Davion Mitchell really is not going to cut it. The Heat badly need more play-making and should probably have a better starter on board, with Mitchell as the ideal backup. Efforts to deal off Nikola Jovic have been fruitless.
Knicks: Backup center. The Knicks lost Mitchell Robinson in free agency and have only replaced him so far with veteran Andre Drummond. They’ve been methodical in looking for an upside third guy, but the search has not panned out. Could Miles McBride be the bait?
Do the Cavaliers & Nuggets Have Enough at PG?
Cavaliers: Point guard. OK, on the depth chart, James Harden is a point guard and he averaged 8.0 assists last year. But he is, really, a ball-dominant scoring guard who can pass, and he is playing with another ball-dominant scoring guard, Donovan Mitchell. They were able to get to the East finals last season, but the road will be rougher this year. They could use a true point guard off the bench, and will be counting on Craig Porter Jr. to pull it together this season. If he is not up to the task, the Cavs will seek other options, though their trade chips are limited.
Nuggets: Backup point guard. The Nuggets actually have two holes, and they plugged those holes with less-than-optimal options. They brought back journeyman Tyus Jones, who was traded and cut twice last year, and he will back up Jamal Murray. There’s nothing behind Jones except two-way guard KJ Simpson. And the Nuggets again have their long-standing backup center problem, with Marvin Bagley (on his fifth team in six years) now getting the job of backing up Nikola Jokic. The Nuggets, though, have precious little to trade to fill these holes.
NBA Trade Rumors: Big Men in Short Supply
Hawks: Backup big men. There is a lot to like about this Hawks team coming into the 2026-27 season, but depth up front is not on that list. Onyeka Okongwu is the center and Jalen Johnson is the power forward, with Jock Landale the backup center. But there’s precious little on the bench beyond Landale. The Hawks drafted two bigs–Zubi Ejiofor and Henri Veesaar–and might need to get something out of one or both of those players early in the year (Ejiofor is more NBA-ready). The Hawks have three first-round picks available to trade, as well as a handful of second-rounders and plenty of moveable contracts if the opportunity to add a quality big man arises.
Pistons: Backup power forward. The Pistons used a draft pick on Ebuka Okorie and are hoping that, between he and Daniss Jenkins, there is enough on the roster to back up Cade Cunningham. But investing in point guard left a hole in the frontcourt, and as of now, new 4-man John Collins will be backed up by Ron Holland, who shot 42.3% from the field and 25.3% from the 3-point line in 78 games last year. Detroit’s big issue is securing Jalen Duren to a new contract, of course, but the frontcourt faces issues even if and when he is signed.
And now, let’s look at who’s on the NBA trade rumor Big Board …
NBA Trade Rumors: Point Guard Stars on the Market
Darius Garland, Clippers. (Remaining contract: two years, $87 million.) The Aspiration-Kawhi Leonard punishment could set into motion a series of events that winds up with Garland being placed firmly on the market as the Clippers seek to recoup as many future draft picks from the roster. Anyone want to give up two picks for him?
Kyrie Irving, Mavericks. (Remaining contract: two years, $82 million, player option in second year.) Marc Stein mentioned him, so we’re putting him on the list, but nothing is imminent. Like a lot of veterans, the idea is to play him through January, build value and see if something can be done at the deadline.
Dejounte Murray, Pelicans. (Remaining contract: two years, $63 million, player option.) Teams will want to see how he looks now that he should be fully healed from his Achilles tendon injury, but expect him to be a trade candidate as the deadline nears.
Jamal Murray, Nuggets. (Remaining contract; three years, $161 million.) Maybe? It’s not likely to happen now, but the finances in Denver are grim. It’s not hard to see a Jaylen Brown situation here.
Mikal Bridges, Knicks. (Remaining contract: four years, $150 million.) It would make sense for the Knicks to give them flexibility going forward, so we’ll slide him on this list. But the Knicks appear determined to try to hammer the team under the second apron for as long as it can stay there–there will be a breaking point, though.
Shaedon Sharpe, Trail Blazers. (Remaining contract four years, $90 million.) Sharpe is out with a torn meniscus, a tough break for him and the Blazers that will probably remove him from trade consideration. Still, he averaged 20.8 points last season and Portland has a guard logjam.
Ty Jerome, Grizzlies. (Remaining contract: two years, $19 million, including player option.) Jerome took advantage of the mess in Memphis last year and averaged 19.7 points, shooting 42.0% from the 3-point line. The Grizzlies will need to thin out their roster, and the 29-year-old Jerome really does not fit here. He would have good value if Memphis wants to flip him for future assets, but the Grizz do not have much else at point guard.
Dalton Knecht, Lakers. (Remaining contract: two years, $10 million, including two team options.) Knecht showed some promise as a rookie but fell off in Year 2 and is now a contract filler in a potential trade. It has been surprising that no team has been willing to gamble on his upside–he is only 25.
Jaden Hardy, Lakers. (Remaining contract: one year, $6 million.) The Lakers need to drop a player, and Hardy is a good candidate if they can find a taker. Using him in a Jonathan Kuminga deal was their dream scenario, but now they just want to be rid of him.
NBA Trade Rumors: Trey Murphy & the Wings
Brandon Ingram, Raptors/Clippers. (Remaining contract: two years, $82 million, player option.) The Clippers should be seeking to do what they can to pile up draft picks, and moving off of Brandon Ingram next offseason could fetch them one.
Moses Moody, Warriors. (Remaining contract: two years, $26 million.) Moody is potentially going to be ready for the start of the season, and is said to be staying put. But if the Warriors do anything trade-wise this summer, speculation holds it will involve Moody.
Trey Murphy, Pelicans. (Remaining contract: three years, $88 million.) There have been rumblings that the Pelicans would deal Murphy, and equal rumblings have indicated they won’t. Murphy is a favorite in NBA trade rumors, but New Orleans is slow-playing any potential trade.
Saddiq Bey, Pelicans. (Remaining contract: one year, $6.5 million.) Bey came back with a strong season last year after tearing his ACL, averaging 17.7 points and shooting 45.1% from the field and 36.7% from the 3-point line. They were hollow numbers on a bad team, but he showed he still could be an adequate wing off someone’s bench.
Patrick Williams, Bulls. (Remaining contract: three years, $54 million,) It would be symbolic and probably cathartic for fans to see Williams dumped as a new front office and coaching staff comes in. But Williams’ contract is prohibitive.
Michael Porter Jr., Nets. (Remaining contract: one year, $40 million, partial guarantee.) Porter will wind up in the trade-candidate bin if extension talks falter. They appear to be faltering, so watch from him to be a name on the market in the coming months.
Derrick Jones Jr., Clippers. (Remaining contract: one year, $10 million.) Jones is a defensive ace still, and his expiring contract gives the Clippers some wiggle room to move him. They’re caught in the Aspiration pause, however.
Kyle Kuzma, Bucks. (Remaining contract: one year, $20 million,) His expiring contract is attractive and if the Bucks pull a sign-and-trade for Peyton Watson, Bennedict Mathurin or Jonathan Kuminga, he could be involved.
DeAndre Hunter, Kings. (Remaining contract: one year, $25 million.) The Kings want to keep him as an expiring contract they could potentially flip, but he’s being mentioned as a possible target. If Sacto can get back an asset without taking long-term money, he could be dealt at the deadline.
Royce O’Neale, Hornets. (Remaining contract: two years, $21 million,) The Hornets still have some sorting to do. O’Neale is not a long-term piece, of course, but he has value. The team could hang onto him, see how he fits and flip him at the deadline.
Jake LaRavia, Lakers. (Remaining contract: one year, $6 million.) Hustles, plays every game, but inconsistent. His contract makes him an attractive piece, though, as the Lakers are still figuring out the back end of their roster.
Herb Jones, Pelicans. (Remaining contract: four years, $82 million, including player option.) Jones is a popular name on the market, but the Pelicans are said to want two first-round picks, and with Jones having struggled with injuries and his 3-point shot in the past two seasons, that’s too steep. His remaining contract scares off potential suitors, too.
Cam Johnson, Nuggets. (Remaining contract: one year, $23 million.) The Peyton Watson move probably means Johnson stays put, but he will be very tradeable in the coming months before the deadline. Johnson struggled in his lone season in Denver, and he has been a prominent feature on the NBA trade rumor mill for years now. But teams wanted the Nuggets to include picks in a Johnson deal, and that was not happening. He still has enough of a reputation around the league to warrant trade interest, but the apron-addled Nuggets value the fact that he has an expiring contract. They need that space for Nikola Jokic next summer.
PJ Washington, Mavericks. (Remaining contract: 4 years, $90 million.) Like Daniel Gafford, Washington is aging out of the Mavericks’ timeline, as he turns 28 this summer. He’s a stretch 4 who plays good defense, but his shooting has been suspect–he made just 32.5% of his 3s last year. Like Gafford, they’re hoping to get a first-round pick in a deal for him, but the contract is prohibitive and the production is not worth it.
Checking the Big Man Market
Paolo Banchero, Magic. (Remaining contract: five years, $245 million, player option.) Good luck finding a taker for that deal.
Jalen Smith, Bulls. (Remaining contract: one year, $9 million.) Plenty of teams are still on the hunt for a backup center, and Smith would be a nice fit in multiple situations. The Bulls could cash in for younger assets or wait and move him during the season.
Nikola Jovic, Heat. (Remaining contract: four years, $62 million.) There is trepidation about trading for Jovic, who is certainly available and is still only 23 years old. But the remaining contract is a hefty bite for teams to take.
Grant Williams, Hornets. (Remaining contract: one year, $15 million.) The Hornets are not quite done with their roster, and Williams’ expiring deal has some value. He can still be a worthy big man off the bench.
Zeke Nnaji, Nuggets. (Remaining contract: four years, $32 million.) The Nuggets shopped Nnaji this summer, but there were no takers. He does not have a weighty contract, but four years is lengthy for him.
Jarred Vanderbilt, Lakers. (Remaining contract: two years, $26 million.) The Lakers have been trying to find a taker for Vanderbilt, but no one has been eager to take on his contract. It’s possible the Lakers will use him in their rotation, much to JJ Redick’s chagrin, and attempt to trade him during the season.
Aaron Gordon, Nuggets. (Remaining contract: three years, $110 million.) Someone may have to go in the coming months because of the Nuggets’ impending financial crunch. If it is not Jamal Murray, it could be Gordon, though his recent injury history makes that tough.
Daniel Gafford, Mavericks. (Remaining contract: 3 years, $54 million.) Gafford will be 28 in October, and with the Mavs focused on getting younger, moving him along has been one of the team’s goals.
NBA Trade Rumors: Lakers Lineup, Heat Playmaker & 7 Holes to Be Filled by Deals