1 Trade Every NBA Playoff Team Wishes It Could Make Right Now (2025)

Let's pretend the trade restrictions are turned off and these squads can go after a little help for their prospective title runs.

In that fantasy and with teams sorted by their odds to win the Finals, these are the trades each organization wishes it could make.

Miami Heat (+200000)

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Terry Rozier, Duncan Robinson, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Pelle Larsson and a 2030 first-round pick for Trae Young and Garrison Mathews

The Miami Heat just knocked Trae Young out of the play-in tournament, but they sure could use his offense right now.

They're down 0-3 to the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Orlando Magic are the only Eastern Conference team scoring fewer points per 100 possessions.

Having a dynamic pick-and-roll playmaker like Young would take tons of pressure off Tyler Herro, give Bam Adebayo a teammate who'd generate easy baskets for him inside and generally open up the floor for everyone on the Heat.

Getting all of that (plus some shooting from Garrison Mathews) for four players who either aren't playing or are barely playing and one far-flung pick would be worth it.

For the Atlanta Hawks, this deal gives them two movable contracts that will expire after 2025-26 (Terry Rozier and Duncan Robinson), two additions to a young core that includes Zaccharie Risacher, Dyson Daniels and Jalen Johnson and an unprotected first-rounder.

Orlando Magic (+100000)

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Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, Tristan da Silva, a top-five protected 2027 first-round pick and a 2029 first-round pick swap for Trae Young

I promise Young won't be the target for every team in this slideshow, but he really does make a lot of sense for the East teams that are struggling to score.

As noted, Orlando is the only team in the conference putting up points at a lower rate than Miami, and offense has been a problem for this team all season.

The idea of an attack piloted entirely by the Magic's impressive young forwards, Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, is a blast, in theory. But in reality, it's led to some brutal scoring droughts.

Those would be far less common with Young orchestrating individual possessions, and him being on the team wouldn't have to eliminate the point forward plays altogether. On the contrary, Young sharing the floor with Banchero and Wagner could give him more off-ball opportunities to juice his own efficiency.

This deal would obviously tighten the Magic's rotation up a bit, but Cole Anthony and Tristan da Silva are barely playing. And Young's offensive output can outweigh the loss of KCP's defense.

For Atlanta, deciding between this package and the one above probably comes down to whether the team prefers two interesting young players and a pick or one interesting young player (da Silva) and two picks.

Either way, leaning into a rebuild around Risacher, Daniels and Johnson might make sense at this point.

Detroit Pistons (+45000)

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Tim Hardaway Jr., Simone Fontecchio, Marcus Sasser, a top-20 protected 2029 first-round pick and a 2027 second-round pick (via Dallas) for CJ McCollum

New Orleans Pelicans combo guard CJ McCollum ended the season on the injury report, but the last news on his bone bruise came over a month ago, and it's safe to assume the tanking Pels were being overly conservative with injury timelines down the stretch.

Assuming he'd be able to go (which we'll do, as we continue to operate in this post-trade deadline fantasy world), McCollum would be a pretty clear upgrade over Tim Hardaway Jr. in the Detroit Pistons' starting five. He can match THJ's volume as a three-point shooter, while having a lot more ability to score from the mid-range and create for himself and others off the bounce.

He'd also take a lot of pressure off Cade Cunningham without stressing Detroit's own defense much more than Hardaway does.

With his age (33), it might seem a little aggressive to include a first-round pick, but this one is heavily protected, and nothing else in this package should cause much heartburn for Detroit.

As for the Pelicans, a first for McCollum would be a coup. And even if the protections specified that the unconveyed first eventually turned into a couple seconds or something along those lines, this is probably still worth it for a New Orleans team that should be firmly in asset-accumulation mode.

Milwaukee Bucks (+14000)

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Kyle Kuzma, Pat Connaughton and a 2031 second-round pick for Khris Middleton

This one is admittedly a little cheeky, but it's time to admit defeat on the Kyle Kuzma deal and bring back Milwaukee Bucks legend Khris Middleton (at least in our fantasy world).

After posting a truly abysmal minus-4.7 box plus/minus as a Buck in the regular season, Kuzma is averaging 6.0 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.0 assists in the playoffs. And beyond that lack of production, Milwaukee seriously misses Middleton's playmaking and steady outside shooting.

No, Middleton is not as mobile on the defensive end as he once was, but he still brings a lot more positives to a lineup than Kuzma.

As for the Wizards, they'd surely say something along the lines of, "Why yes, we will take more rebuild-ready assets like that second-round pick, Pat Connaughton's expiring contract and Kuzma's reasonable salary."

Houston Rockets (+10000)

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Fred VanVleet, Cam Whitmore, a 2027 first-round pick (via Phoenix), a 2028 first-round pick and a 2030 first-round pick for Kevin Durant

The math is a little tougher on this one than some of the previous deals, since the Phoenix Suns are a "second apron" team that can't aggregate outgoing salaries or take in more money than it sends out.

In short, this is about the only combination of players that works for the Houston Rockets to bring Kevin Durant in for this run.

That's why Houston is sending the Suns back its own 2027 pick and including two more firsts for good measure. It's a relatively steep price to pay for a 36-year-old with KD's injury history, but the Rockets' resulting rotation would be pretty terrifying.

Houston would still have most of the key cogs of its rough-and-tumble defense, and Durant would give the Rockets a far more reliable clutch-time option on offense.

For the Suns, regaining control of one of their own firsts would be huge. Adding two more for a player everyone already knows is on his way out makes this a fairly easy "yes" from Phoenix, but the picks aren't the only selling point.

Fred VanVleet's 2025-26 salary comes by way of a team option, so there could be some instant flexibility there. And Cam Whitmore would give the team a promising, athletic wing to play alongside Devin Booker (or be a building block in the event Booker gets moved, too).

Indiana Pacers (+8500)

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Isaiah Jackson, Ben Sheppard and a 2027 second-round pick (via Utah) for Luke Kennard

Luke Kennard had a hard time maintaining a significant role for the Memphis Grizzlies, but he remains one of the league's best shooters and an underrated playmaker.

And given Kennard's place in Memphis' hierarchy and the fact that his contract expires after this season, it shouldn't take a ton to get him.

Neither Isaiah Jackson nor Ben Sheppard is playing right now. And while that pick from Utah could be early in the second round, it certainly can't bring the immediate shooting Kennard could.

For the Grizzlies, again, this would be all about just getting something before Kennard likely walks this offseason.

Denver Nuggets (+6000)

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Zeke Nnaji and a top-seven protected 2031 first-round pick swap for Kyle Anderson

Some combination of Zeke Nnaji and/or Dario Šarić can get to around the right salary range for a number of players who could help the Denver Nuggets' woeful bench, including Kelly Olynyk, Royce O'Neale and Naji Marshall.

But those players aren't going to move the needle much (if at all) in trade conversations, and the Nuggets already spent all their available future second-round picks in other deals.

That leaves a first-round pick swap to go after a veteran like Kyle Anderson. That seems pretty steep, but the protection makes it a little more palatable.

And with the 31-year-old under contract for less than $10 million a year through 2026-27, this is a move that would be about more than just the next several weeks.

Denver's second unit and defense have been atrocious this season. Anderson can help on both fronts, while also being able to play anywhere from the 3 through the 5. His guard skills could make him a fun option to act as the Nikola Jokić-like point center against backups. His defensive instincts might be better than anyone currently on the Nuggets.

For the Heat, this gives them a shot at a 24-year-old big man in Nnaji who still has a hint of promise, while also opening the possibility of moving up in a distant draft.

New York Knicks (+3600)

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Precious Achiuwa and Tyler Kolek for Kenrich Williams

Finding a good trade for the New York Knicks is a little tricky, since it's hard to imagine Tom Thibodeau committing much playing time to anyone but the regulars. And most of the assets that could be attached to any of those regulars to upgrade have already been spent.

That leads to smaller moves that might involve something like Precious Achiuwa's $6 million expiring salary, which happens to match up pretty well with Kenrich Williams' salary.

There are a handful of players making around $2 million for New York who'd have to be included to make the money work, but we'll go with Tyler Kolek in an effort to dissuade Sam Presti from demanding some second-rounders.

Even with the 24-year-old point guard headed to the Oklahoma City Thunder, a demand for those more far-flung assets could still be on the table.

Williams doesn't play a ton, but he's good. The 30-year-old guards multiple positions, has hit 38.7 percent of his threes over the last five seasons and is a willing passer.

On the Thunder side, they already have more than enough young talent on the wings to make up for the loss of Williams. Plus, this gives them an interesting option for a reserve guard who's under contract through 2027-28 for a minuscule portion of the salary cap.

Los Angeles Lakers (+3100)

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Rui Hachimura, Maxi Kleber, a 2028 first-round pick swap and a 2030 first-round pick swap for Nicolas Claxton

The Los Angeles Lakers' obvious need is inside. Their nominal starting center is playing under 10 minutes a game, and the small-ball lineups are dicey, at best, against a big team like the Minnesota Timberwolves.

This deal sends Rui Hachimura (one of the fixtures of those lineups), Maxi Kleber (who never plays) and some draft consideration to the Brooklyn Nets for a real solution to L.A.'s problem.

Nic Claxton offers rim protection and the kind of lob threat that Luka Dončić has gotten so much over the years, without totally sacrificing what makes the small-ball lineups interesting. For a center, he's solid at moving his feet and covering perimeter players.

For the Brooklyn Nets, this gives a rebuilding team two expiring contracts that can be moved next season, but more importantly, it presents two shots at moving up in future drafts.

Minnesota Timberwolves (+2800)

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Cameron Johnson and Ziaire Williams for Julius Randle and a 2030 first-round pick swap

I'll preface this one by saying that the Minnesota Timberwolves, despite finishing sixth in the West, don't really have any glaring weaknesses, are a second-apron team operating under some severe team-building limitations and are playing well.

This exercise is harder to apply to them than just about anyone else left standing, but there's at least one player out there who could help in both the short and long term.

Minnesota would miss Julius Randle's playmaking and passing, but Cameron Johnson can make up a little of that, and he's a significantly more reliable shooter. He's a solid positional defender who would work in the T-Wolves' scheme, too.

Plus, getting Ziaire Williams would give Minnesota a little insurance on the wings.

Would this be enough for the Brooklyn Nets, though? They might insist on another pick swap, and the Wolves might be able to justify that. But again, they aren't really in a desperate spot.

This trade does give Brooklyn a little draft consideration and another potentially movable contract for next season (assuming Randle picks up his $30.9 million player option).

Los Angeles Clippers (+2800)

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Amir Coffey, Kobe Brown and a 2031 first-round pick swap for Santi Aldama

Giving up draft capital for what could amount to a couple-week rental is probably crazy, but Santi Aldama would be the kind of post-deadline acquisition who could swing a title race. And the package laid out above probably isn't even enough for the Memphis Grizzlies to give him up.

But imagine the front office already knows it's not in the mix for Aldama in free agency this offseason. Getting something for the 24-year-old now is better than losing him for nothing. And Kobe Brown could be included in a trade somewhere down the line.

The Clippers' end of this is easier to explain, the concern above notwithstanding.

Aladama's combination of size and wing skills would make him a natural fit in lineups with Kawhi Leonard, Nicolas Batum and/or Derrick Jones Jr. He's a willing ball-mover, shooter and defender. And he has plenty of experience playing a complementary role.

Golden State Warriors (+2000)

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Kevon Looney and Jonathan Kuminga for Onyeka Okongwu

Despite averaging 15.8 points over the last two seasons, Jonathan Kuminga had been completely excised from the Golden State Warriors' playoff rotation before Jimmy Butler's injury put him back in the mix.

Even if the 22-year-old plays well in this new opportunity, it seems clear he's not a part of Golden State's future plans. So, if the Warriors could just dodge his restricted free agency altogether and get a starting-caliber center on a reasonable deal in the process, they should probably do it.

Onyeka Okongwu would make lineups with Draymond Green and Butler a nightmare to score on. And though he's not prime Andrew Bogut or anything, Okongwu is a solid and willing passer who could fit Golden State's offensive philosophy, too.

It might be hard to pry him from the Hawks without giving up draft consideration, but Kuminga still has a ton of potential as a multi-positional forward with top-tier athleticism. And he's somehow two years younger than Okongwu.

A forward/wing platoon with Kuminga, Risacher, Johnson and Daniels could be one of the most intriguing in the league.

Cleveland Cavaliers (+450)

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Max Strus, Isaac Okoro, a 2030 first-round pick swap and a 2031 first-round pick swap for Cameron Johnson

The Cleveland Cavaliers are another team that doesn't really need anything right now.

They're cruising toward a potential sweep of the Miami Heat, have multiple playmakers, plenty of shooting and the ability to play big or small.

So, as we did with Minnesota, we'll target one of the league's most malleable players as the trade target.

Cameron Johnson could easily slot between the Darius Garland-Donovan Mitchell backcourt and the Evan Mobley-Jarrett Allen frontcourt as a better, higher-volume version of Max Strus.

For Brooklyn, this deal would give it a young-ish wing in Isaac Okoro to fit into the rebuild, Strus' very movable contract and some draft consideration several years down the road.

Boston Celtics (+200)

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Xavier Tillman and a 2031 second-round pick for Alec Burks

The Boston Celtics being over the second apron means they can't aggregate outgoing salaries in a trade.

So, unless you think they'd be willing to move one of the big-money players like Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday or Kristaps Porziņģis during the playoffs, we almost have to look at fringe moves like the one above.

Miami might be able to give up the last few weeks of Alec Burks' contract without a second-round pick if Boston sent a younger player like Baylor Scheierman, but that feels like too much from the Celtics' perspective.

Instead, this move has them giving up a big who's not in the rotation for a wing who could give them some real minutes as a shooter and secondary creator against reserves.

Oklahoma City Thunder (+160)

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Isaiah Joe, Ousmane Dieng, a 2029 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick, a 2029 second-round pick (Atlanta) and a 2029 second-round pick (via Miami) for Cameron Johnson

There's a temptation to whip up a trade that reunites Kevin Durant with the Thunder, but that would almost certainly cost them Isaiah Hartenstein.

Considering OKC's historic regular season and the fact that it just swept through the first round, something that substantial just doesn't make sense.

At least not right now.

Instead, we'll go back to Cameron Johnson one last time. OKC can get him with a player who's on the fringe of the rotation (Isaiah Joe), a prospect (Ousmane Dieng) and some of its mountain of draft capital.

And unlike KD (who's pretty malleable himself), Johnson can enter this rotation without costing it any regulars and without taking much usage from stars such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

The Nets may want another first-round pick, and the Thunder could probably afford that, but this is still a strong return for a player who doesn't really fit Brooklyn's rebuilding timeline.