The 2024 NBA trade deadline is fast approaching, and while some teams have already made moves, there are still many others that need to be traded.
With that in mind, we asked our experts to come up with a trade they would like to see before the February 8 deadline, whether it's a smaller deal to help the title contender fill the hole, or a larger deal that could completely change the landscape of the entire league.
They came up with six deals they'd like to see in the next 10 days in the ESPN trade simulator — and yes, the Los Angeles Lakers were involved.
Philadelphia 76ers get: Tyus Jones.
Washington Wizards get: Robert Covington, Kenyon Martin, two second-round picks.
The deal accomplishes two things for the 76ers: gives them an experienced ball-handler to command the second team (which this team desperately needs), and it can also help ease the playing time burden on Tyrese Maxey. Maxey, the most likely candidate for the Most Improved Player, averaged 37 per gameHe leads the NBA in minutes played by 5 minutes, which is his average of 33 per game last seasonA significant increase in the playing time of 6 minutes. Jones has played in the playoffs in each of the last three seasons, averaging less than one turnovers per game in his career and shooting 41 percent from three-point range — all of which the 76ers need.
If the 76ers are able to make some trades like this one in the coming weeks to bolster the rotation, it will give them the strength to compete with the top teams in the East. It would also give Darryl Mo another option for the 76ers' salary space rather than just chasing a star player, a chase that has seemed increasingly unlikely lately.
Washington, meanwhile, got two second-round picks because Jones didn't fit the team's long-term plans. This is one of the few deals that Washington is likely to do before the deadline.
Tim Buntums.
New York Knicks get: Malcolm Brogdon.
Portland Trail Blazers get: Evan Fournier, a 2024 first-round pick and a 2024 second-round pick.
The Knicks have enjoyed great success since the start of 2024 with an 11-2 record and the league's best defensive performance. OG Anunoby has been the perfect piece of the puzzle for this team, and in January's game, he had a plus/minus of +239 – the best in the league in that period.
Anunoby has been an absolute team leader on the defensive end, especially when paired with the Knicks' bench lineup, which typically includes Miles McBride, Quentin Grimes, and Presher Achiuwa. The problem, of course, is that Akiyi, who doesn't have a lot of ball control or chance-creating in this combination, could cause problems in the playoffs. It's perfectly understandable to understand how the Knicks got to this point. They included Emanuel Quickley, the No. 2 Sixth Man of the Year last season, in their trade with the Toronto Raptors in order to get Anunoby.
The lack of offense from the bench isn't much of an issue at the moment, especially when the Knicks beat defending champion Denver Nuggets in the garden on Thursday. But it's clear that New York, without Quickley, will sooner or later need a backup ball upgrade. Who better fit than the man who once defeated Quickley in the Sixth?
Brogdon will always have injury concerns, but when he is available, he's a consistent scorer who can comfortably play off the bench and in the starting lineup. Considering he played for Boston and Milwaukee and played against rival 76ers in the playoffs last season, he has a good understanding of the Eastern Conference.
The deal would provide meaningful draft capital for Portland, which is being rebuilt, although the Trail Blazers may want more. Fournier is only an expiring contract, so Portland could ask for a young talent like Grimes. But given the large number of first-round end and second-round picks the Knicks have, the Knicks could cleverly dress up the deal without including actual rotation players. After all, you never know when a team coached by Tom Thibodeau will need extra players.
Chris Herring.
Oklahoma City Thunder get: Andre Drummond.
Chicago Bulls get: Alexei Pokusevski, 2025 second-round picks (from Philadelphia 76ers), two 2027 second-round picks (from Philadelphia 76ers and Minnesota Timberwolves).
The Thunder are already in contention for the top spot in the West, so the conservative choice would be to observe their current roster during the playoffs and then look for areas for improvement in the offseason. However, nothing is certain for the future (just ask the Thunder in 2012), so while Oklahoma City is very likely to be in this position again, and will do so for years to come, the Thunder should still look to make improvements to the roster.
The addition of Drummond solves the Thunder's only weakness, which is defensive rebounding. The Thunder rank 29th in defensive rebounding percentage, and opponents are able to get 15 second-chance offensive attempts per game, which is the second-most of any team.
According to the stats, Drummond leads the league in both offensive and defensive rebounding percentages at his position. In the average of only 15In nine minutes of playing time, he averaged 84 rebounds. Drummond was forced to start when Nikola Vucevic was sidelined due to injury, averaging 174 rebounds.
Surrendering two second-round picks to a player like Drummond who is about to expire may seem like a risky trade, but Oklahoma City has a league-high 21 second-round picks, and Pokusevski is averaging a career-low 61 minute. He will be a free agent in the offseason.
Bobby Marks.
Los Angeles Lakers get: Dejounte Murray.
Atlanta Hawks get: Spencer Dinwiddie, 2029 first-round pick (from Lakers).
Brooklyn Nets get: D'Angelo Russell.
Murray's partnership with the Lakers was a natural fit. He's a player for Krach's company and the best player the Lakers can reasonably get by the trade deadline. The biggest obstacle is the Lakers' salary match. Russell's salary is the same as Murray's, but the Hawks don't want him to exercise his $18.7 million player option because it could prevent them from signing restricted free agent Saddiq Bey without paying luxury tax.
For the Nets, they could bring Russell home to shore up their weakness on the offensive end. Russell's only All-Star experience was as part of a team similar to the current young Nets. With Dinwiddie having a weak season, Russell will provide the Nets with a huge offensive upgrade that they can easily handle with his 2024-25 player option. Dinwiddie is in the final season of his contract, allowing Atalanta to use bird rights to re-sign him or let him leave as an unrestricted free agent.
Kevin Pelton.
Oklahoma City Thunder get: Jacob Poeltel, Dennis Schroder.
Toronto Raptors get: Davis Bertans, Alexei Pokusevski, Tre Mann, Aaron Wiggins, two first-round picks, two second-round picks.
The Thunder are ready to compete for a championship this season and still have a whole bunch of draft picks in stock. The Raptors have traded two starters for young players and draft picks, signaling their intent on rebuilding. The deal allows both parties to exchange to help themselves get help in need.
The Thunder have one of the strongest starting lineups in the league, but lack experienced depth both at the big man and point guard positions. With this deal, they get starter-caliber players at both positions. While Chet Holmgren is the favorite to compete for Rookie of the Year, he's still a slim rookie at center that missed last season due to injury. Poltel is a burly (7ft, 260lb) center who can consistently complete the threat of a double twelve. Thanks to Holmgren's agility and excellent jumper, he and Poeltl can also play together.
Shay Gilgeous-Alexander is the Thunder's point guard and a candidate for the MVP award, but he's more of a scoring guard than a true playmaker. Josh Giddey, on the other hand, is the better playmaker, but his jumpers aren't always consistent. Schroder, on the other hand, is a shooting guard with size and a great shooting touch, and he can complement both players well. Schroder spent two seasons with the Thunder, leading the team in the playoffs, has experience as a starter and off the bench, can form the same backcourt as Gilgeous-Alexander or Giddey, and insures the Thunder in the event of injury.
Over the past eight months, the Raptors have made coach changes, leaving starting point guard Fred VanVleet in free agency, trading their only All-Star Pascal Siakam and letting go of another starter, defensive expert O.G. Anunoby. All signs are that they are undergoing a rebuild, likely around 2021-22 Rookie of the Year Scott Barnes and new additions R.J. Barrett and Emmanuel Quickley. Draft picks are the first choice for a rebuild, and trading four picks (two of which are first-round picks) for a sixth and a seasoned big man is a reasonable compensation. This move will cap off their rebuilding efforts this season and give them the opportunity to bring in plenty of young talent through the draft, or use draft pick trades to bring in young players who have the potential to be the core of the future.
Andre Snellins.
New York Knicks get: Mikal Bridges.
The Brooklyn Nets get: Evan Fournier, Quentin Grimes, 2024 first-round pick (Dallas, top-10 protected first-round pick (Milwaukee), top-4 first-round pick (New York, unprotected first-round pick (New York, unprotected) and 2029 first-round pick (New York, top-5 protected).
Bridges' move to New York is unlikely. If you need proof, you can turn the clock back to 1983. That was the last time the Knicks and the Nets made a trade (the Knicks traded a 1984 second-round pick in exchange for Len Elmore). In the 20 years I've spent in New Jersey, there have never been trade talks between the two teams.
But it's not "a deal we think it's going to happen", it's a "deal we want to see".
So what would have happened if Knicks president Leon Rose had given Nets general manager Sean Marks a call one morning with an unprecedented five first-round picks and Quentin Grimes in exchange for Bridges? That's two more first-round picks the Cleveland Cavaliers sent to the Utah Jazz for All-Star Donovan Mitchell.
Will Marks politely decline because imagining Bridges in a Knicks jersey might be overwhelming? Or he could be bolder and ask for more: The Knicks could increase the total number of trades to eight first-round picks.
Considering that New York was once cautious when discussing trading draft picks for Mitchell, why would the Knicks suddenly change direction now? The difference is that Grimes would be the only rotation player to drop in this deal, making the Knicks' theirs.
The lineup can be sustained for the foreseeable future. As Adrian Wojnarowski reports, Nets management is aiming to build around Bridges, not trade away the team's best player. Bridges is one of the NBA's top balanced players with two years left on his contract after the season.
But what happens if Brooklyn's losing streak continues? If the biggest first-round pick package in history were to be used, would the Nets change course?
Bobby Marks.