2024 NBA Draft-Day Trades That Make Sense for Every Team (2024)

The 2024 NBA draft isn't just about picking new players from the amateur ranks and hoping they'll someday develop into stars. It's also quietly a trade trigger, as many teams with future outgoing picks gain fresh flexibility when their 2024 selections get "unlocked" on draft night.

Here, we'll cook up swaps for all 30 teams to consider when the new two-night draft kicks off on June 26.

We've got deals of all kinds here—with teams trading up and down the board, packaging future assets with players in blockbuster scenarios and everything in between.

When possible, we'll set up exchanges that involve 2024 picks. For teams like the Golden State Warriors and Dallas Mavericks, who only possess late second-rounders, we'll have to get more creative.

The NBA is approaching one of the biggest shuffle-up events of its offseason calendar. Let's get prepared with 30 potential trade ideas.

The Trade

Atlanta Hawks Acquire: No. 4 pick in 2024 draft, 2025 first-round pick

San Antonio Spurs Acquire: No. 1 pick in 2024 draft, AJ Griffin

Last week, Hawks general manager Landry Fields told reporters that "we're planning on picking one." That's exactly the kind of thing you'd say if you were trying to coax better offers out of teams that might covet the top spot in the draft.

In this hypothetical, the Spurs decide there's one prospect in the class whom they can't let get away.

Let's say for the sake of argument that Victor Wembanyama makes it known he'd like to team up with fellow Frenchman Zaccharie Risacher. To get him, San Antonio moves up three spots and surrenders its own No. 4 pick while also giving back the 2025 first-rounder Atlanta sent over in the Dejounte Murray trade.

Don't discount the value of the Hawks getting one of their own future picks back. Teams that lack their own first-rounders lose critical optionality. While Atlanta doesn't seem primed for a tank, it could take a step back this offseason by trading Trae Young or Dejounte Murray. The reacquisition of that 2025 selection would allow for some upside if the Hawks land in the lottery next year.

The Trade

Boston Celtics Acquire: Torrey Craig (player option)

Chicago Bulls Acquire: Jaden Springer, 2026 second-round pick

Just days removed from winning their 18th championship, the Celtics likely aren't going to make seismic changes to a squad that'll rightfully enter next season as the favorites to repeat. Granted, Boston's second-apron status means it couldn't swing a major deal if it wanted to. The Celtics can't take in more money than they send out in a trade and can't aggregate salaries, either.

Here, Boston sends 21-year-old guard Jaden Springer to the Bulls with a future second-rounder attached in exchange for veteran wing Torrey Craig.

As a charter member of Springer's fan club who appreciates his live-wire intensity and defensive potential, I'd note this seems like a screaming deal for Chicago. Then again, Craig's experience, superior positional versatility and three-point shooting (39.2 percent last season; 39.5 percent in 2022-23) give him an actual shot to see the floor in Boston.

Springer, for all of his potential, didn't get much action this past season and could easily fall behind whomever the Celtics select at No. 30 in the draft.

The Trade

Brooklyn Nets Acquire: No. 3 pick in 2024 draft, 2026 first-round pick, eliminate swap rights on 2027 first-round pick, Jae'Sean Tate, Jock Landale

Houston Rockets Acquire: Mikal Bridges

Maybe the Atlanta-San Antonio trade got the return-to-sender juices flowing, because we have another scenario in which the main assets coming back to one team (the Nets) belonged to them in the first place.

Brooklyn may never trade Bridges, despite what's felt like constant outside interest over the last few seasons. Then again, the Nets might finally pick a direction this offseason.

On The Ringer's NBA Draft Show, Kevin O'Connor said: "The Rockets, according to my sources, are listening to trade offers for that No. 3 pick ... They're talking to the Nets, they're talking to the (Memphis) Grizzlies. They could end up moving down to No. 9 if it's Memphis or out if it's Brooklyn and then get back Mikal Bridges."

That's more than enough to cook up a swap that gives Brooklyn back one of the firsts it sent to Houston, plus the elimination of swap rights on another. Add to that the No. 3 pick and around $15 million in salary that it can wipe off the books after 2024-25, and the Nets make out well here.

Meanwhile, Houston adds a high-end starter in Bridges, positions itself for a serious playoff run and makes good on rumors that it wants to take a big swing in the trade market.

The Trade

Charlotte Hornets Acquire: No. 12 pick in 2024 draft, 2025 first-round pick (via PHI; protected 1-6), Lindy Waters III

Oklahoma City Thunder Acquire: No. 6 pick in 2024 draft

This trade sees the rebuilding Hornets embrace the notion that nobody's sure about the top end of this draft by moving down six spots and picking up a few extra assets in the process. Given the uncertainty surrounding this class, it's entirely possible that the player whom Charlotte selects at No. 12 will outperform the one taken at No. 6.

The Thunder obviously think differently in this hypothetical.

Oklahoma City has protected 2025 first-rounders inbound from the Heat and Jazz, as well as a complicated three-way swap with the Rockets and Clippers. The Philly pick theoretically could land at No. 7, making it more palatable than the top-10-protected first from the Jazz. Miami's selection comes with top-14 protection.

The Thunder will face constant roster crunches if they hold onto all of their draft assets, so bundling them up for small moves up the board makes sense. Adding Waters, a dangerous high-volume three-point shooter, should be enough to get Charlotte to bite.

The Trade

Chicago Bulls Acquire: Jalen Duren, Jaden Ivey, No. 5 pick in 2024 draft

Detroit Pistons Acquire: Ayo Dosunmu, Zach LaVine, No. 11 pick in 2024 draft

Detroit's decision to fire Monty Williams with $65 million left on his contract suggests two very different possibilities.

It could mean ownership is sick of being known for setting the all-time record for consecutive losses, and that moving on from Williams is part of a more global win-now effort. Or it could indicate that the Pistons are ready to take yet another step back, continue building through the high lottery and exercise an inhuman amount of patience.

This trade only works if the first explanation for Williams' ouster is the right one.

LaVine's contract and injury history are the reasons why he's out of favor around the league, but his unique offensive production needs to be acknowledged. Across the four-season span prior to last year (when he was limited to just 25 games), LaVine was the only player in the league to play at least 200 games while averaging at least 24 points, four assists and shoot at least 39 percent from deep.

Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Luka Dončic, Jayson Tatum—name any superstar you like. None of them pulled that off.

That would be the Bulls' argument to Detroit, in any case. LaVine is still likely viewed as a negative asset. But maybe Chicago wouldn't have to hard-sell a package that also nets the Pistons Dosunmu, a rotation-caliber guard who'll make only $7 million next year, and the No. 11 pick.

Chicago—improbably, given its history—would undergo a bit of a reset here. It dumps massive money into Detroit's cap space, snags the No. 5 overall pick and installs Duren as its center of the future. Nikola Vučević might need to be rerouted elsewhere, but that's an issue for another day.

At long last, we've forced the Bulls to get off the treadmill of mediocrity.

The Trade

Cleveland Cavaliers Acquire: Andrew Wiggins

Golden State Warriors Acquire: Caris LeVert, No. 20 pick in 2024 draft

It took a decade, but Andrew Wiggins could finally get to play for the team that drafted him.

This full-circle deal makes sense for the Cavs whether they extend Donovan Mitchell or not. And it looks even better if, somewhat improbably, all four of Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen are still on the team through the summer.

Maybe Cavs fans will gripe about giving up this year's first-rounder and LeVert for a seemingly declining Wiggins, who has three years left on his deal. But Wiggins is six months younger than LeVert, has been an All-Star, defends at a level no one in Cleveland's wing rotation can touch and shot over 38 percent from deep in each of the three seasons immediately preceding 2023-24.

While his trend line is seemingly headed the wrong way, Wiggins is an objectively better player than LeVert, and he'd be a superior fit on the Cavs' roster as well.

Golden State, motivated to duck the tax while potentially replacing Klay Thompson's spot in the rotation, can take a year-long look at LeVert before committing to a longer-term agreement when he hits free agency in 2025. Considering the success the Dubs had in nabbing Brandin Podziemski at No. 19 last year, they should feel confident in their ability to unearth another gem at No. 20.

The Trade

Dallas Mavericks Acquire: Jerami Grant

Portland Trail Blazers Acquire: Tim Hardaway Jr., Maxi Kleber, 2025 first-round pick, 2031 first-round pick

Maybe you think the only two first-round picks that the Mavericks can trade are too much to give up for a 30-year-old Jerami Grant with four years and $132 million left on his contract. But Dallas could lose Derrick Jones Jr. in free agency and cannot justify reducing its overall talent level coming off an NBA Finals appearance.

Framed another way: Is there such a thing as being too all-in when a team was as close to glory as the Mavericks were this past season?

Grant has hit over 40 percent of his triples in each of the last two years, can defend multiple positions and has been a self-sufficient scorer in ways neither Jones nor P.J. Washington ever has. He's an indisputable upgrade and could even push Jones to the bench if the springy left-hander re-signs with the Mavericks.

Meanwhile, Portland would land a pair of future first-rounders with bad salary attached in the form of Hardaway. That isn't a bad outcome for a squad still in the infancy of its rebuild.

The Trade

Denver Nuggets Acquire: Vasilije Micić

Charlotte Hornets Acquire: Zeke Nnaji, No. 28 pick in 2024 draft

Zeke Nnaji is currently in line to be the Nuggets' fifth-highest-paid player next season. Considering he falls somewhere closer to 10th in whatever unofficial ranking you'd make of Denver's players on the floor, that might seem like a problem.

For the Nuggets, who project to be over the second apron if they re-sign Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Nnaji's $8.9 million salary could actually be more like a solution.

Nnaji's contract is Denver's best tool to improve itself without tinkering with its core. Here, the Nuggets send him to the Charlotte Hornets, who'd theoretically have more interest in a so-far-underwhelming 23-year-old with floor-stretching upside. Charlotte gets its hands on Denver's No. 28 pick in the process.

The player coming back to the Nuggets, Vasilije Micić, is a veteran distributor who could run second units either ahead of or next to Reggie Jackson. At 30 and toting a career mark of 27.9 percent from deep, Micić is far from a game-breaker. But he averaged 6.2 assists in only 27.2 minutes per game after joining Charlotte in a midseason trade last year and might be able to improve the Nuggets' offense in those perennially poor non-Nikola Jokić minutes.

The Trade

Detroit Pistons Acquire: Dejounte Murray, No. 1 pick in 2024 draft

Atlanta Hawks Acquire: Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren, No. 5 pick in 2024 draft, 2027 second-round pick, 2028 second-round pick (via NYK)

Alex Sarr might not go first overall, but it's difficult to imagine him sliding all the way to the Pistons at No. 5. His scheme-versatile defense, tantalizing upside as a floor-spacing 5 and potential ability to generate his own looks in isolation make him a fascinating fit for a Pistons team that hasn't yet found the ideal frontcourt counterpart for Cade Cunningham.

Duren, who'd head to Atlanta in this deal with disappointing guard Jaden Ivey, hasn't shown much facility for self-creation or excelled on defense. However, both of the Pistons going to the Hawks in this trade are young enough to take multiple leaps, which would put Detroit in the risky position of badly losing the deal.

Murray is the certainty here—he's a quality sub-All-Star guard who'd fit better next to Cunningham than Ivey ever did. If the Hawks don't see a huge difference between the No. 1 and No. 5 picks, a return of Ivey, Duren and a pair of second-rounders might be just enough to get them to part with Murray. Those two were recent lottery picks, which isn't quite the same thing as getting actual first-rounders. But it's close.

It'd likely make the Pistons pause, but Atlanta could also insist on the inclusion of an additional future first-rounder or Ausar Thompson. Detroit should be more willing to consider the former than the latter.

The Trade

Golden State Warriors Acquire: Dejounte Murray

Atlanta Hawks Acquire: Andrew Wiggins, 2028 first-round pick, 2026 second-round pick (via Atlanta)

The peak version of Andrew Wiggins is probably worth more to the Warriors than the peak version of Dejounte Murray. But it's been a long time since Wiggins was the team's second-best player during its 2022 championship run.

The Hawks would be gambling on Wiggins rediscovering his top form, but they'd also be executing the backcourt breakup that everyone has been speculating about for months. At the very least, the idea of Wiggins as a defensive stopper on the wing makes more sense than running it back with Murray and Trae Young at the guard spots.

Considering it's possible that Wiggins and Murray are equally valuable in a vacuum, it'd be a huge win for Atlanta to secure a future first-rounder in the deal.

Meanwhile, Golden State onboards a player in Murray who could offset the possible departures of both Klay Thompson and Chris Paul while shielding Stephen Curry from the toughest defensive matchups. He'd also allow the Dubs to sell the idea that they're still intent on contending without nuking the young core by trading Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski or anyone else who might play a big role on the post-Curry version of the team.

The Trade

Houston Rockets Acquire: No. 8 pick in 2024 draft, 2025 first-round pick (via CHI; top-10 protected)

San Antonio Spurs Acquire: No. 3 pick in 2024 draft

Cody Williams is the target here for the Rockets, who can pick up an asset and move down in the first round as long as another team believes a top-three pick is worth the trouble of trading up.

In a draft where the players typically listed among the top five all come with questions, sliding back in the first round is a defensible play. Williams has plenty of question marks himself, but the rapid rise of his brother Jalen Williams, plus intriguing measurables like a 7'1" wingspan on a perimeter player, make him an exciting option for a Rockets squad that could use a two-way wing.

The Spurs, who also pick fourth, are the aggressors here. While nobody's sure how to organize the top 10, this move assumes San Antonio sees a drop-off in the early lottery, one that means their No. 8 selection won't yield a player they love. Granted, they'd have to be smitten to surrender a future first-rounder from Chicago, even one with limited upside.

The consensus from various mock drafts suggests Williams may not last beyond the No. 10 pick, so the Rockets are erring on the side of caution by only moving down to No. 8.

The Trade

Indiana Pacers Acquire: Jonathan Isaac, No. 18 pick in 2024 draft

Orlando Magic Acquire: Bennedict Mathurin, Jarace Walker, No. 36 pick in 2024 draft

Pacers supporters might balk at sending off the team's two most recent lottery picks, but Mathurin's score-only game feels superfluous in Indy's backcourt, and Walker barely played as a rookie. More than that, Indiana now employs two max-salaried stars and just made the Eastern Conference Finals. It is firmly in win-now mode.

Isaac, who was perhaps the best per-minute defender in the entire league last year, offers short-term upside that Mathurin and Walker can't touch.

Without question, Isaac's lengthy injury history makes him a risk. That's why Orlando would be throwing in the No. 18 overall pick as a sweetener. If healthy, though, Isaac's five-position switchability, rim protection and off-ball disruption make him one of the few players in the NBA who could single-handedly turn Indiana's shoddy defense into an elite one.

Maybe he'd only do that for 15 or 20 minutes per game, but that's going to matter at the level of competition (aka late-stage playoff games) that the Pacers hope to see.

Orlando is banking on last year being the outlier in Isaac's career, and that he won't be able to stay healthy for an extended period again. It's also adding an exciting bucket-getter in Mathurin to a backcourt that not only needs him but can also hide his defensive shakiness with Jalen Suggs.

Meanwhile, Walker could hypothetically play behind Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner or alongside both if Banchero sees more time as a small-ball 5.

The Trade

Los Angeles Clippers Acquire: Bojan Bogdanović, Julius Randle, Miles McBride, No. 24 pick in 2024 draft, No. 38 pick in 2024 draft, 2025 first-round pick (via MIL; top-four protected), 2026 first-round pick

New York Knicks Acquire: Paul George

Without an extension in place for Paul George, the Clippers need to consider all their options. They can't allow PG to walk away for nothing in free agency if he declines his player option, and with certain former MVPs not-so-subtly making eyes at George in public, the Clips should also view the threat of his departure as very real.

George doesn't bolt and sign with the Sixers in this scenario. Instead, he uses his leverage to work a trade that lands him on a more stable (and recently successful) East team.

The thought of him joining forces with Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby, Isaiah Hartenstein and Mitchell Robinson has obvious appeal—both for him and the Knicks.

L.A. gets back a solid return here for a player who, in this scenario, has tired of hoping superstar teammate Kawhi Leonard can stay healthy for six months in a row. Three first-rounders, a late second and a trio of rotation players (one of whom, Randle, has made two All-NBA teams) might be the best the Clippers can do, especially considering George could ultimately bounce without netting them any assets at all.

The Trade

Los Angeles Lakers Acquire: Donovan Mitchell

Cleveland Cavaliers Acquire: Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent, No. 17 pick in 2024 draft, 2029 first-round pick

The Lakers need a third star if they want to be taken seriously as contenders next season, and the Cavaliers may be forced to move Donovan Mitchell this summer if he doesn't agree to sign an extension with them.

While L.A. could choose any number of available big names to pursue, Mitchell is a better fit than the extremely ball-dominant and defense-averse Trae Young, and his future health prospects seem more hopeful than Zach LaVine's.

Though he won't technically be a free agent, Mitchell should have significant input on where he lands. He can telegraph reluctance to re-sign with any other potential trade suitor, which gives the Lakers a real shot to get him for what may seem like a bargain.

Here, Cleveland isn't getting back the three first-rounders and two swaps it surrendered to get Mitchell in the first place, but a pair of firsts might be the best available offer.

Notably, the Lakers aren't giving up the 2031 first-rounder they're technically allowed to deal here. That's a reflection of the leverage Mitchell will have. Cleveland can't lose him in 2025 free agency for nothing, and failing to deal him prior to this season would reduce deadline offers because Mitchell could be a short-time rental for the vast majority of acquiring teams.

The Trade

Memphis Grizzlies Acquire: No. 5 pick in 2024 draft

Detroit Pistons Acquire: Ziaire Williams, No. 9 pick in 2024 draft, 2026 second-round pick (via MIA, IND or BOS)

UConn's Donovan Clingan might be available when the Memphis Grizzlies select at No. 9, but why leave anything to chance? The Grizz need a paint-protecting, board-hoarding 5 to slot into the role vacated by Steven Adams last year, and Clingan fits the bill.

The same goes for Purdue's Zach Edey, and he'll almost certainly still be there if Memphis were to stand pat at No. 9. But Edey comes with more uncertainty surrounding his mobility and overall ceiling as a pro.

That isn't to say Clingan is anything close to a surefire prospect, but there's a reason why most draft experts have him going several spots above Edey.

If the Pistons don't believe there's any great advantage to picking fifth versus ninth, moving down makes plenty of sense. For a team under new management that could be in full-on asset-accumulation mode, a slight slide down the draft board is a worthy trade-off for a second-draft crack at once-promising forward Ziaire Williams and a future second-rounder.

The Trade

Miami Heat Acquire: Trae Young

Atlanta Hawks Acquire: Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, Jaime Jaquez Jr., No. 15 pick in 2024 draft

Rather than subtracting Jimmy Butler—an option that has seemed fairly likely since Pat Riley's pointed comments about the five-time All-NBA honoree—this deal sees the Heat make a major addition.

Young and his ball-dominant, defense-averse style might be a tough fit with #HeatCulture, but what if Miami's demanding environment is exactly what the high-scoring guard needs to unlock the next level in his game? Anointed as a franchise cornerstone since his arrival in Atlanta, Young might benefit from playing with an organization that values selflessness, attention to detail and grit over just about everything else.

Plus, Miami has been relatively weak on offense for most of the Butler-Adebayo era. Young, a truly dominant initiator, can lift a team's attack all by himself.

The Hawks might prefer a package that brings back multiple future first-rounders, and the Heat could include their 2030 selection if it comes to that. But Jaquez was one of this past season's top rookies, the No. 15 pick in the upcoming draft could net a future starter, and the Herro-Robinson duo would fill the shooting void left by Young.

The Trade

Milwaukee Bucks Acquire: Ayo Dosunmu

Chicago Bulls Acquire: Pat Connaughton, No. 23 pick in 2024 draft, No. 33 pick in 2024 draft

This is the Milwaukee Bucks doing what they can to upgrade as an extremely limited second-apron team.

Is this package even enough to get the Bulls to part ways with a player who makes sense whether they're rebuilding or going for another 40ish-win season? Maybe not, but this is the absolute best the Bucks can do.

Bobby Portis could be the outgoing salary instead, but his $12.6 million figure comes with a 15 percent trade kicker that might cause the Bulls to back out. What's more, Portis is probably more important to Milwaukee's rotation than Connaughton, whom Dosunmu partially replaces.

Then again, Chicago might not keep Patrick Williams in restricted free agency and could also lose Andre Drummond, opening up frontcourt minutes that Portis could handle.

Ultimately, this deal is easiest to understand from the Bucks' perspective. They're going to lose Malik Beasley in free agency, desperately need an ace defender against wings and have every reason to push their chips in.

The Trade

Minnesota Timberwolves Acquire: No. 22 pick in 2024 draft

Phoenix Suns Acquire: No. 27 pick and No. 37 pick in 2024 draft

Mike Conley will turn 37 before the 2024-25 season kicks off, and it's downright frightening how vital he is to a Wolves offense that currently has no other reliable floor generals under contract. Both Kyle Anderson and Monte Morris could be back via new deals, but the need for a trustworthy innings-eater who could conceivably slot into starting duties in the event of a Conley injury remains significant.

Here, the Wolves trade up a handful of spots in the first round and target USC product Isaiah Collier, a player who's projected to go late in the first round but perhaps too early for Minnesota to land him with its own pick.

Collier comes with shooting concerns, but he's a physical playmaker who can get into the lane and set up teammates.

Phoenix, restricted by the second apron and once again likely to use minimum salaries to fill out its rotation, gets a pair of shots to select prospects who might actually get to play this season. From the Suns' perspective, two opportunities to find help in the draft might be better than one.

The Trade

New Orleans Pelicans Acquire: No. 16 pick in 2024 draft, 2028 first-round pick (via LAC)

Philadelphia 76ers Acquire: Brandon Ingram

Per Kelly Iko of The Athletic, the Pelicans reached out to the Philadelphia 76ers about a potential Brandon Ingram trade. It's hard to know how far down the road that conversation went, but it's telling that the Pels were the ones to reportedly initiate it. It means they're theoretically amenable to trading Ingram without getting an actual player in return.

Other than Joel Embiid, the Sixers don't have anyone under guaranteed contract to trade at the moment.

Sending Ingram away for nothing but draft capital makes sense for New Orleans. It'd clear maximum playing time for Herb Jones and Trey Murphy III while also removing two unpalatable options from the menu: extending Ingram for more than the Pels would prefer or losing him in 2025 free agency for nothing.

Ingram would feel a bit like a consolation prize for a Sixers team linked to flashier targets, but the 26-year-old was an All-Star in 2019-20 and may revert to that form with a change of scenery. Slotting in as a third option behind Embiid and Tyrese Maxey might be the best use of Ingram's skills.

Better still, his expiring contract means he might not cost Philly more than a few of the five first-rounders it can trade on draft night.

The Trade

New York Knicks Acquire: Deni Avdija

Washington Wizards Acquire: Bojan Bogdanović, No. 24 pick in 2024 draft, 2025 first-round pick, 2025 first-round pick (via MIL)

Deni Avdija should be on every competitive team's list of targets, so the Knicks might have to dig deeper into their cache of draft assets to land him. If it takes throwing in the top-13-protected 2025 first-rounder coming from the Pistons, they should strongly consider it.

Avdija is an up-and-coming two-way threat on the wing. He's capable of defending multiple positions, distributing and, as of last season, hitting threes. His 37.4 percent knockdown clip from beyond the arc raised his ceiling considerably.

In New York, he'd add heft to an otherwise undersized wing rotation and slot in perfectly next to OG Anunoby (player option). Critically, his ability to facilitate would ease the burden on Jalen Brunson and allow the Knicks to move off Julius Randle's contract in a separate deal.

Washington should be intensely focused on collecting as many future first-rounders as possible, even if that means accepting picks with protections. The goal should be accumulating the maximum amount of lottery tickets for the 2025 draft with an eye toward projected top pick Cooper Flagg.

The Trade

Oklahoma City Thunder Acquire: Mikal Bridges

Brooklyn Nets Acquire: Cason Wallace, Lu Dort, No. 12 pick in 2024 (via HOU), 2025 first-round pick (via LAC), 2025 first-round pick (via MIA)

Lauri Markkanen is the ideal OKC target, but we've cooked up enough fake scenarios involving him to leave it alone for a while. Instead, we turn our attention to the seemingly untouchable, forever-in-demand Bridges, who'd present a similarly profound upgrade to the Thunder's starting and closing five.

Brooklyn has driven a hard bargain in talks for Bridges, but OKC has the assets to overwhelm. Wallace was a lottery pick, the Thunder are adding three more first-rounders to the pile in this hypothetical, and Dort started for a team that won more games than anyone else in the West. At some point, the Nets' resolve has to break.

The selling points for OKC are obvious. Bridges is an ace defender and elite role player on offense who's been overtaxed as a creator during his time with the Nets. He'd slot into third- or fourth-option status with the Thunder, preserve their five-out offensive spacing and give opposing defenses nowhere to hide.

The Nets would probably love to get their own first-rounders back from the Rockets if they're moving Bridges, as that'd give them back the option to rebuild more conventionally. But this package from the Thunder is solid, too.

The Trade

Orlando Magic Acquire: Payton Pritchard and No. 30 pick in 2024 draft

Boston Celtics Acquire: No. 18 pick in 2024 draft

It'll be a shock if the Magic don't sign and/or trade for a bigger backcourt upgrade than Payton Pritchard, and we shouldn't discount the possibility of 2023 first-rounders Anthony Black and Jett Howard improving enough to play real rotation minutes next year.

Still, a cost-controlled combo guard who's hit 39.5 percent of his career threes is nothing to dismiss. Especially for a scoring-starved Magic squad that needs to acquire that kind of shooting boost while also keeping its requirement of max-level hustle intact.

Guys like Anfernee Simons and Malik Monk will juice Orlando's offense, but Pritchard stands out for his ability to hit shots and work his tail off defensively.

Remember, too, that Markelle Fultz and Gary Harris are free agents. Pritchard could have a more substantial role here than in Boston, where he logged 22.3 minutes per game but never played in high-leverage situations if his teammates were all healthy. Maybe that'd be different in Orlando, where his big-game experience would also come in handy as the Magic try to take the next step in their development.

The Celtics are a second-apron team that doesn't need much, and most schools of thought suggest it'd be wiser for them to use Pritchard's $6.7 million salary to get back an actual player. But maybe they'd prefer the upside of picking a dozen spots higher in this year's first round, where it's a lot easier to imagine them finding a rotation piece than at No. 30.

The Trade

Philadelphia 76ers Acquire: Mikal Bridges

Brooklyn Nets Acquire: No. 16 pick in 2024 draft, No. 41 pick in 2024 draft, 2026 first-round pick (via HOU, OKC or LAC), 2028 first-round pick (via LAC), 2029 first-round pick (top-10 protected)

If you're getting sick of seeing Mikal Bridges mentioned in trade speculation, take a number. This isn't the first time the plug-and-play starter on a dirt-cheap contract shows up in this exercise. It might not be the last, either.

The blank-slate Sixers have Joel Embiid as their only guaranteed contract for next season, and they need to target someone who'll dramatically improve the roster without eating up all the cap space they'll need to build out an actual rotation.

Per B/R's Bryan Toporek, adding Bridges' $23.3 million salary would leave the Sixers with up to "$42.8 million in cap space along with the $8.0 million room MLE. That might give them enough flexibility to sign a 2-guard like Malik Monk or Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, add a high-end backup center."

In that scenario, the Sixers could even have some cash left to spend on retaining their own free agents. Swinging bigger on targets like Jimmy Butler or Paul George would render several valuable roster-building tools unavailable.

Brooklyn gets four of the five first-round picks that the Sixers are allowed to trade, including the No. 16 selection in 2024, plus the added bonus of No. 41 in the same draft. Is that enough to get Bridges without an actual player going back to the Nets in return?

Maybe we'll find out on draft night.

The Trade

Phoenix Suns Acquire: No. 24 and No. 38 picks in 2024 draft

New York Knicks Acquire: No. 22 pick in 2024 draft

Assuming there's no one whom the Suns absolutely can't live without at No. 22, moving down in the draft while picking up an additional asset would be ideal. Phoenix is terrifyingly short on roster-building tools, so adding the No. 38 pick for a two-spot slip down the draft ladder isn't the small-time swing it may seem.

We had Phoenix giving up No. 22 to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a previous section, and the thinking is similar here. The Suns should probably make a pick at No. 24 and hope they land somebody who can actually see rotation minutes for new head coach Mike Budenholzer next season. Even if that isn't the plan, Phoenix could bundle up its pair of new draft assets and see if any team wants them in exchange for, say, three or four future second-rounders.

As it stands now, the Suns' only future pick between now and 2030 besides the No. 22 pick this year is a protected 2028 second-rounder from Boston. A team that can't aggregate salaries or send out more money than it takes back in any trade needs sweeteners. A deal like this could grant the Suns at least a modicum of flexibility.

The Trade

Portland Trail Blazers Acquire: Anthony Black, No. 18 pick in 2024 draft

Orlando Magic Acquire: Anfernee Simons

The Magic finally get the man whom we've all been trying to send them in fake trades for months. The clean fit of Simons' offensive game in a backcourt that needs buckets hardly needs justification, but we'll give some anyway.

Simons is 25 and has already registered a pair of seasons with scoring averages north of 20 points per game. He's a dunk-contest-worthy athlete, a 38.6 percent career shooter from long distance and can moonlight as a primary distributor in a pinch. Basically, he's a perfect fit alongside Jalen Suggs, who can smother the toughest opposing guard matchup and split ball-handling duties.

The prize for Portland is Black, the No. 6 pick in 2023. He averaged only 4.6 points and 1.3 assists in 16.9 minutes per game as a rookie, but the 6'7" guard projects as a plus defender and connector. If the Blazers go forward with Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe in the glamor roles, they'll need a "little things" contributor.

Maybe the Magic would be reluctant to part with such a high pick so early in his career, but it's going to be a while before Black is ready to make a difference for a playoff team—which Orlando is. Other formulations involving Cole Anthony or Jett Howard probably won't get Portland's attention. Black feels like just the right piece, especially if the Magic want to limit the pick outlay to only one first-rounder.

The Trade

Sacramento Kings Acquire: Jerami Grant

Portland Trail Blazers Acquire: Kevin Huerter, Trey Lyles, No. 13 pick in 2024 draft, 2027 first-round pick (top-10 protected)

According to Matt Moore of The Action Network, the Kings are looking to deal Harrison Barnes, Kevin Huerter and draft picks for Zach LaVine, who has three years and $138 million left on his deal.

Sacramento won't need to replace Malik Monk, who already agreed to a new four-year deal. But even if the Kings hadn't been able to keep him, we couldn't in good conscience have suggested giving up assets for LaVine.

If the Bulls add picks to entice the Kings rather than the other way around, this is a different conversation. For now, though, Sacramento should turn its attention elsewhere—like Blazers forward Jerami Grant.

Grant has averaged over 19 points per game in each of the last four years and would be an upgrade over veteran Harrison Barnes, who might be a trade candidate himself if the Kings pull this off.

To land Grant, the Kings have to give up their No. 13 pick on draft night, plus a protected future first. If Portland wants to move up for a game-changing prospect, it could do so by packaging No. 13 and its own No. 7 pick.

The Blazers might field better offers for Grant, who doesn't fit their rebuilding timeline. But both Lyles and Huerter could be flipped for future value, and that distant 2027 first-rounder offers intriguing upside.

The Trade

San Antonio Spurs Acquire: Darius Garland, No. 20 pick in 2024 draft

Cleveland Cavaliers Acquire: Keldon Johnson, Zach Collins, No. 4 pick in 2024 draft

If Donovan Mitchell extends with the Cavs this offseason, Garland could request a trade. From Cleveland's perspective, landing a top-five pick as a package headliner while under duress is a pretty good result.

The Cavs could certainly use Johnson's physicality and hard-charging style, and he's not so far removed from a 2021-22 season in which he drilled 39.8 percent of his threes on 5.3 attempts per game. He could even slot in as a small-ball 4 if Cleveland also busts up its frontcourt by trading Jarrett Allen.

Collins has two years and $34.8 million left on his deal. He's the bad money that San Antonio might insist on including so it can feel better about moving on from the No. 4 pick.

Maybe there are alternative formulations of this trade that exclude Collins and have the Spurs dealing the No. 8 selection instead, but this one is more exciting. Plus, even if the Cavs are forced into trading Garland, they're going to need at least one premium asset back. The No. 4 pick feels about right.

San Antonio gets its point guard, still has a top-10 pick and moves off bad money. Meanwhile, the Cavs reorient themselves around Mitchell, address their lack of a capable combo forward and get to take a shot at a long-term piece with the No. 4 selection.

Fans of both teams will probably hate this trade, which might be a sign that it's halfway decent.

The Trade

Toronto Raptors Acquire: Cam Johnson

Brooklyn Nets Acquire: Bruce Brown, No. 19 pick in 2024 draft, No. 31 pick in 2024 draft

The deadline on Bruce Brown's club option is June 28, but the Toronto Raptors could pick it up a few days early to execute a trade on draft night using his $23 million salary.

Per HoopsHype's Michael Scotto, that's exactly the Raptors' plan.

With an eye toward clearing as much 2025 cap space as possible, the Nets swoop in to take on Brown's expiring deal, sending back Cam Johnson. Johnson is actually a year older than Brown, and his deal will take him through his age-30 season, but he's clearly the superior player. The combo forward hasn't shot worse than 39.1 percent from three since he was a reserve for the Phoenix Suns back in 2020-21.

By removing Johnson's contract and replacing it with Brown's nearly identical 2024-25 salary, Brooklyn positions itself to have nearly $100 million of cap room next offseason. As it stands, only Mikal Bridges (who we've tried to trade a half-dozen times in this exercise) and Dorian Finney-Smith ($15.4 million player option) have guaranteed money coming to them the season after next.

The incoming picks will need to be paid, and the Nets have a few team options they'll likely pick up. But still: This move positions them to have more flexibility than anyone else in the 2025 offseason—just in time to go star hunting.

Toronto gets an ace shooter who'd slot in beautifully next to Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, Scottie Barnes and Jakob Poeltl, all for a pair of picks and a salary it doesn't want.

The Trade

Utah Jazz Acquire: Cason Wallace, Luguentz Dort, No. 12 pick in 2024 draft, 2025 first-round pick (via PHI; top-six protected), 2026 first-round pick

Oklahoma City Thunder Acquire: Lauri Markkanen

Is three first-rounders, a former lottery pick in Wallace and a shutdown defender in Dort enough to pry Lauri Markkanen and his bargain-basem*nt $18 million salary away from the Jazz? If it's not, the Thunder can bump up their offer with one or two more future firsts, or even swap in picks with higher upside than the protected selection coming via the Sixers in next year's draft.

OKC doesn't need to negotiate against itself just yet, though. This might be enough to land a perfect upgrade to a team that won more games than anyone else in the West last year.

That's right: We're billing Markkanen as the acquisition that'd put OKC over the top.

His movement shooting, interior finishing and length would give the Thunder new dimensions. And the updated version of the team that replaced Josh Giddey with Alex Caruso still has more than enough perimeter defense to stay stellar on that end.

The Jazz fully reorient their timeline here, adding picks and a young player in Wallace, 20, who makes more sense next to Keyonte George, Walker Kessler and Taylor Hendricks, all of whom are 22 or younger.

Utah has options. It can use its cap space to renegotiate and extend Markkanen. The added years of security might even make him a more valuable trade asset, assuming the dollar figures don't wind up prohibitively high.

But if the Jazz intend to move him this summer, this package from OKC (or the bigger one the Thunder offer when Danny Ainge inevitably plays hardball) is no joke.

The Trade

Washington Wizards Acquire: No. 7 and No. 14 picks in the 2024 draft

Portland Trail Blazers Acquire: No. 2 pick in the 2024 draft

The quality of a draft class is in the eye of the beholder, and most who've beheld this particular crop of talent aren't in love with what they've seen.

This deal assumes the Blazers are fixated on Alex Sarr or Zaccharie Risacher and believe they can't get either of them at No. 7. It also assumes the Wizards are more in line with consensus, which is to say they don't believe there's a whole lot of difference, ceiling-wise, between the players whom they could get at No. 2 and those further down the draft board.

Perhaps most importantly, Washington doesn't have a true cornerstone around which to build. Maybe that'll make the Wizards more amenable to a volume approach. Two cracks at finding the best player in a thoroughly confusing draft seems like a better option than trying to locate him with just one.

Grant Hughes covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter (@gt_hughes), and subscribe to the Hardwood Knocks podcast, where he appears with Bleacher Report's Dan Favale.