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With less than a month for the NBA 2023-24 season, there are still some trade scenarios that will likely play out ahead of the start of training camp.
While Damian Lillard to the Miami Heat, and James Harden to the LA Clippers are moves that are definitely on the cards, there is that possibility of other major trades going down over the course of the season as well.
Last year, it was Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant's blockbuster trades to the Dallas Mavericks and the Phoenix Suns respectively that changed the balance of power out west.
While the Suns made it to the playoffs, they were a disappointment after being put away by the Denver Nuggets in the second round. As for the Mavericks, the Kyrie-Luka Doncic pairing didn't get the liftoff Dallas needed and they failed to make the postseason.
But not all results could go that way, and with trades being affected by the new collective bargaining agreement, there are restrictions in place. Here are 10 trades that could happen during the course of the NBA 2023-24 regular season.
10 players who will be traded ahead and during the NBA 2023-24 season
#10 Damian Lillard to the Miami Heat
Damian Lillard to the Miami Heat has been one of the most regularly talked-about NBA offseason news.
The 32-year-old sharpshooter was expected to be a part of the Heat by now, but with the Portland Trail Blazers playing hardball by standing firm on their requirements to facilitate a Lillard trade, the guard's situation is still yet to be resolved.
Meanwhile, the Heat's desperateness to land a matchwinner alongside proven champions in Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo will eventually end with Lillard heading to the Magic City.
#9 James Harden to the LA Clippers
Despite news of failed talks between the LA Clippers and the Philadelphia 76ers, James Harden continues to hope that he will suit up alongside Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and Russell Westbrook at some point during the NBA 2023-24 season.
Harden isn't alien to forcing his way out of franchises. He did that with the Houston Rockets and the Brooklyn Nets, now he's set to stay on his word of not reporting to training camp if he's not traded by then.
Look out for another multiteam trade in the works if 'The Beard' has his way.
#8 Dillon Brooks
After the Memphis Grizzlies parted ways with Dillon Brooks following their first-round ouster at the hands of the Los Angeles Lakers this past season, the F/G was acquired via sign-and-trade by the Houston Rockets this summer.
While the four-year, $86 million contract looks pretty plush for a defensive-minded player, chances are the Rockets and Ime Udoka will a some point have to deal with Brooks' issues.
And should that suggest ruining the team's chances of hitting their potential ceiling, the Canadian could very well be on the trade block.
#7 Buddy Hield
Buddy Hield might not be an Indiana Pacer by mid-season. The sharpshooter has been a potential trade rumor staple for a couple of seasons now, and with the franchise not giving him an extension yet, he will be one of the more sought-after restricted free agents next season.
But with the trade deadline giving teams to bolster their units, Hield, who averaged 16.8 points per game and shot at a healthy 42.5% from three-point land will surely land a new home.
#6 DeMar DeRozan
Another star who has been on the radar of multiple teams, DeMar DeRozan's future with the Chicago Bulls depends on how the team fares.
In his two seasons with the franchise, the 15-season-old veteran averaged 26.2 points and continues to produce at a consistent rate.
If the Bulls falter in the first couple of months, expect the side to hit the rebuild button by trading DeRozan who has an expiring $28.6 million contract. Maybe this is the season the Lakers can land the player they have been chasing for a while now.
#5 Deandre Ayton
While the Phoenix Suns chose to retain Deandre Ayton, they will keep their eye open for players who can be an upgrade over the big man.
They have the option of trading him for a couple of players to fit the bull and be a more seamless fit alongside Bradley Beal, Kevin Durant, and Devin Booker.
The Suns are still a unit that needs a rim protector, and a wing defender, and shopping their center for one of two players is definitely on the table during the NBA 2023-24 season.
#4 Zach LaVine
Zach LaVine was mentioned in the Damian Lillard sweepstakes, and prior to that development, he was also looked at as the player the Bulls would do away with this summer.
The Philadelphia 76ers, the San Antonio Spurs, and the Los Angeles Lakers have all been listed as potential landing spots for the mercurial guard, and like DeRozan's, his time in the Windy City depends on how the team performs.
In his six seasons with Chicago, he's averaged 24.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 4.4 assists in his 349 games.
These are numbers that prove he is a force and it remains to be seen if he finds a new team to finish the NBA 2023-24 season.
#3 Tobias Harris
Tobias Harris is one of the stars on the Sixers roster who has been mentioned in talks. With a $39.2 million expiring contract, Philadelphia can land good assets for the money for their forward.
With the Brooklyn Nets in need of a player who can manage ball-handling duties, and for the Boston Celtics who need a replacement for Malcolm Brogdon who is reportedly on the market, Harris might be on the radar of these two teams who might pull the trigger on the trade.
#2 Karl-Anthony Towns
The Minnesota Timberwolves have a core trio of Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards, and Rudy Gobert. But injuries and inconsistency saw them knocked out in the first round of the playoffs by the Nuggets.
Towns' skillsets with his spacing, rebounding, and playmaking match teams are looking for a third superstar. The Mavericks are one such team that could use work on the defensive end and take the load of Doncic and Irving, as do the likes of the Toronto Raptors and the Atlanta Hawks.
#1 Kyrie Irving
While Kyrie Irving has inked a three-year, $126 million deal with the Mavericks, the team is all about the win-now mentality. And if the offensive combo of Irving and Doncic falters again, expect the guard to be traded to a new outfit ahead of the trade deadline.
The Lakers have been perennially linked to Irving and maybe the NBA 2023-24 season might see him in the Purple and Gold if the stars align.
