2 weeks Ago By Grant Hughes
The defending champion Boston Celtics (+300) have a substantial lead on the field in 2024-25 championship odds . As they should. But beyond them, parity reigns.
More than a half-dozen other teams—from the Oklahoma City Thunder at +700 to the Phoenix Suns at +1600—are in the mix as second-tier favorites. To which we say: That's still not enough! The deals we'll cook up here are designed to further crowd that upper echelon of championship chasers. Getting anyone onto Boston's level is nearly impossible, but we can certainly nudge squads like the Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat and Memphis Grizzlies (all +4000 or worse) into the inner circle by boosting their talent levels and filling rotation gaps via trade.
Future assets are flying out the door as we try to turn fringe contenders into legitimate title threats. Maybe none of them can challenge the Celtics, but we can at least create a few more teams capable of scaring them in a seven-game series. The Trade Golden State Warriors acquire LeBron James* from the Los Angeles Lakers for Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, Kevon Looney, 2026 first-round pick, 2028 first-round pick, 2030 first-round pick (1-20) The odds of a trade like this actually happening might seem like they're somewhere in the million-to-one neighborhood, but we know the Dubs and Lakers at least had a conversation on the topic at the 2024 deadline.
The Warriors' offseason pursuits of Paul George and Lauri Markkanen offered solid evidence that they're exploring every possible star-acquisition avenue. With Stephen Curry inking a one-year, $62.6 million extension that'll keep him under contract through the 2026-27, the assumption should be that Golden State will remain committed to finding suitable win-now running mates for the biggest icon in franchise history.
The cost here is exorbitant, especially considering James is entering his age-40 season. Golden State is giving up all of the first-round equity it has left (swaps excluded) along with a potential star in Kuminga. And yet it still seems as if the Lakers would only consider taking back a package like this if James expressly demanded to be traded.
It's not even clear this move would vault the Warriors into the top tier of contenders. A potential starting quartet of Curry, Brandin Podziemski, James and Draymond Green would certainly be intriguing, but the Dubs would be woefully short on the wings they'd need for a deep playoff run. That's to say nothing of the collective injury risk of a core with as many miles on its tires as this one.
Ultimately, it'd still be hard to bet against the James-Curry combo. Their work during Team USA's run to gold in Paris was proof of concept. *Trade restriction expires Oct.
4, 2024 The Trade Memphis Grizzlies acquire Brandon Ingram from the New Orleans Pelicans for Marcus Smart, Brandon Clarke, 2025 first-round pick, 2026 second-round pick The Memphis Grizzlies currently sit in a cluster of what you might call third-tier title threats, and it's fair to ask whether Ingram is a good enough player to meaningfully change that positioning. The issue with Ingram at the moment seems to be a disconnect between what he wants in an extension (four years and over $200 million) and what he's worth in a market that features few teams with enough 2025 cap space to warrant figures that high. The financial side of things obscures Ingram's game, which was good enough to earn him an All-Star nod as a 22-year-old in 2019-20 and has essentially held at that level ever since.
Increased three-point volume would be nice to see from the now 27-year-old forward, but Ingram has plenty of other ways to contribute. He's a stellar passer at his position, as evidenced by the 5.2 assists per game he's averaged across five seasons with the Pels, and he can basically roll out of bed and score 20 efficient points—many of them self-created.
Slot that skill set into the third-option role on a Memphis team that won 50-plus games in both of the seasons leading up to last year's injury parade, and maybe there's enough overall talent to get the Grizzlies closer to favorite status. Few teams could boast a trio of offensive weapons as good as Ja Morant, Desmond Bane and Ingram, and Jaren Jackson Jr.'s potential to regain DPOY status could mean top-five efficiency marks on both ends.
The price here is relatively low because the Pelicans are at risk of losing Ingram for nothing in 2025 free agency. Memphis is probably giving up more than a team normally would for a rental, but New Orleans still only accepts this package if it's firmly convinced the current lack of interest in Ingram means no superior offers are coming between now and the February trade deadline. The Trade Houston Rockets acquire Jimmy Butler from the Miami Heat for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Cam Whitmore, Jeff Green, a 2027 first-round pick (via PHX) and a 2028 first-round pick Is two first-rounders enough pick equity to get the Heat to bite on a Butler trade? Though we've seen more than twice that many firsts change hands in deals for inferior players like Mikal Bridges this offseason, keep in mind that Butler is currently extension-eligible and could enter free agency as soon as the summer of 2025 if he doesn't find an offer to his liking.
He and the Heat seem to be at an impasse on that issue at the moment. It's not beyond the realm of possibility that Miami would accept something like this, which includes potential future stars in Green and Whitmore along with that pair of valuable firsts. From Houston's perspective, the deal lands a veteran star with loads of Finals experience—one who would help balance out a roster that skews extremely young.
Even after sending out Green and Whitmore, the Rockets would still have rookie Reed Sheppard, Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Şengün, Amen Thompson and Tari Eason to drag down their median age. That many high lottery picks makes it easier to part with so many future assets for Butler—and, realistically, the Rockets can't afford to keep all of their prospects anyway.
Houston finished an even 41-41 last season, and adding Butler to a team ripe for major organic growth could result in at least another 10 wins. Fred VanVleet, Sheppard, Butler, Smith and Şengün would make up a balanced two-way first unit that would still have real clout off the bench in Thompson, Steven Adams, Eason and Jae'Sean Tate. The West is loaded, and Houston wasn't even a Play-In team last year.
But between all their rising youth and the arrival of a highly motivated Butler (this is effectively a contract year for him), the Rockets could barge into the top tier of the league. The Trade Miami Heat acquire Trae Young from the Atlanta Hawks for Terry Rozier, Duncan Robinson, 2028 first-round swap, 2029 first-round pick, 2030 first-round swap, 2031 first-round pick The Atlanta Hawks don't own their 2025 first-rounder, so trading Trae Young as part of a tank doesn't make sense. That's why they're taking back rotation-caliber veterans to slot into their softer rebuild around No.
1 pick Zaccharie Risacher and Jalen Johnson. Even with Young, the Hawks project to be a Play-In team this year. What's the harm in moving him for great value and looking toward the latter half of the decade? Atlanta's side of the deal is really all about getting control of the Heat's first-rounders from 2028 to 2031.
By then, Risacher and Johnson will be ready for some young reinforcements via the draft. Young is due to earn $43 million next year and $46 million in 2025-26 with a $49 million player option for 2026-27. That's a hefty price tag for an offense-only guard whose leadership qualities haven't exactly shone through to this point in his career.
But he'd cure what ails the Heat by providing the reliable shot creation and perimeter scoring that has eluded them for years. Miami's offense has ranked above the league average just once in the last four years, and it's been a bottom-10 producer in each of the past two seasons. Scoring woes have essentially wasted a perennial top-10 defense.
If any team is equipped to onboard Young, an extreme one-way player, it's this one. The Trade New Orleans Pelicans acquire Walker Kessler, John Collins and a 2025 first-round pick (via CLE) from the Utah Jazz for Brandon Ingram It's probably time to accept the fact that the Pelicans aren't going to get great offers for Brandon Ingram, a free agent after this season whose recent decision to skip a voluntary minicamp held by Pelicans players in California suggests he's got a foot out the door. The opportunistic Jazz can justify the risk of onboarding Ingram, and they should be more willing to meet his $200 million extension demands than the Pelicans.
Utah's timeline is longer, which allows it to be patient. If it takes until next year for Ingram to rehabilitate his value ahead of a trade, the Jazz can wait—or simply keep a high-scoring forward with an All-Star nod on his resume as a partner for recently re-inked Lauri Markkanen. New Orleans has more immediate needs, chiefly at center.
That's where Kessler comes in. An elite shot-blocking big who'd also address the Pels' suspect defensive rebounding, Kessler would shore up the back line with his size and length. Veteran Daniel Theis is New Orleans' current best option at center, and Zion Williamson simply doesn't provide the rim-protection or rebounding the position requires.
The Jazz have little use for Collins and the remaining $53.2 million he's owed through 2025-26, but that's also true of the Pels. He's only involved as matching salary, and the Jazz need to throw in a first that should fall in the 20s as a sweetener.
New Orleans winds up with a potential starting lineup of Dejounte Murray, Herb Jones, Trey Murphy, Williamson and Kessler—with the option to slot in CJ McCollum when offense is at a premium. Stats courtesy of NBA.com , Basketball Reference and Cleaning the Glass .
Salary info via Spotrac . 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 .
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