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7 NBA stars who could be traded next
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 07: Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets reacts to a three-point shot against the Phoenix Suns during the first half of the NBA game at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 07, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to the start of the NBA’s second wave of player movement.
LeBron James’ prolonged free agency seemingly held up other moves around the league while he was making up his mind on where to play next season. Now that James has committed to the Philadelphia 76ers , the rest of the NBA is back open for business, and there’s likely another round of transactions coming. Restricted free agents like Jalen Duren and Peyton Watson will finally get some clarity on their futures in short order, and there are still plenty of possible trade candidates before rosters are finalized for the 2026-27 season.
Training camps around the league don’t open until the final days of September. Buzzer-beater trades have become a regular occurrence over the last few years, with blockbusters like Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks, and the Timberwolves trading Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks , immediately coming to mind. With tanking dead and so many teams having dreams of contention in both the East and the West, the regular season could be set for active trade deadline, too. These are the big names who could be available on the trade market over the next year.
Kevin Durant, F, Houston Rockets
Kevin Durant’s first year in Houston checked every box: there was a weird, unresolved Twitter burner scandal, a first-round playoff loss to the Lakers without Luka Doncic, and another hyper-efficient scoring season with 26 points per game on 64.1% true shooting. Durant is about to turn 38 years old, and he’s under contract for this season and next season. The Rockets could be really good this season if everything goes according to plan. Fred VanVleet is back from injury, Amen Thompson again feels like he’s on the verge of a true breakout, and there are multiple other young players who could level up with Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., Reed Sheppard, and Tari Eason. Then again, the West is loaded, and if Houston doesn’t rise to the challenge, there’s bound to be a fall guy. It could be Sengun, or head coach Ime Udoka, but Durant has a history of wearing out his welcome pretty quickly in the latter stages of his career. KD has become the NBA’s ultimate mercenary, and no one should be surprised if he’s on the move again in the next year.
Kyrie Irving, G, Dallas Mavericks
The Mavs could really use Kyrie Irving’s ball handling to take pressure off Cooper Flagg to begin this season. I just wonder how long that will last with Dallas projecting as a likely lottery team this year. The Mavs need to align everything around the 19-year-old Flagg, and unfortunately for them, they don’t control their own first-round pick until 2031 due to trades originally intended to build around Luka Doncic. I’d expect more changes in Dallas with Masai Ujiri and Mike Schmitz now running the front office, and Irving should have plenty of suitors if he looks good early as he returns from a torn ACL. At 34 years old, Irving doesn’t fit Flagg’s timeline, and I doubt the Mavs are good enough in a loaded West to reject trade interest when it comes. The Mavs need all the future assets they can get if they hope to build a contender around Flagg by the time he reaches his prime, and trading Kyrie, P.J. Washington, and others is the best way to start that process.
Anthony Davis, C/F, Washington Wizards
Davis is extension eligible on Aug. 6, and that puts the Wizards in a tough spot. You know agent Rich Paul is going to want a lucrative contract, but Davis hasn’t played a game for Washington yet, and his age (33) and lack of durability make him a risky bet into his mid-to-late 30s. The Wizards already gave Trae Young a nonsensical max extension, so maybe Davis will get what he wants. If he doesn’t, I wouldn’t be surprised if the trade winds start blowing with AD aiming to land on a more competitive team. The Wizards could be pretty decent this year if everything comes together, but to me this is probably still a lottery team given the depth of the Eastern Conference. Washington can probably trade Davis for a lot more than they gave up for him if he starts the season strong. I have a hard time believing he’ll be in D.C. long term.
James Harden, G, Cleveland Cavaliers
Harden is still a free agent at the time of writing, but everyone expects he’ll return to the Cavs on a multi-year deal. The veteran guard helped Cleveland reach the conference finals last season, but it’s hard to feel good about that after the rest of the East improved this summer while the Cavs swung-and-missed on a LeBron reunion. Donovan Mitchell is locked in long-term, but the rest of this core shouldn’t be feeling too comfortable, and that’s especially true for Harden. On the brink of his 37th birthday, Harden is still a very good regular season player whose pull-up three-point shooting and playmaking brings value to any contender. If the Cavs take a step back this year, I’d imagine Cleveland tries to move off Harden before it finally listens to offers for Evan Mobley.
Tyler Herro, G, Milwaukee Bucks
Herro is entering the final year of his contract on a team that is just beginning what’s sure to be a long and painful rebuild. The Bucks have other guards who need opportunities with Ryan Rollins, Brayden Burries, and Kasparas Jakucionis. Herro feels likely to be on the trade regardless of whether he inks an extension. His next contract could be a bit dicey from a team perspective, but he’s still an excellent offensive player with true three-level scoring ability who can help juice any offense off t...
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