Shockwaves Ahead: Which Superstar Athletes Could Flip the Offseason Trade Market?
The NBA offseason is shaping up to be a whirlwind, just like everyone predicted — but who could’ve guessed it’d be THIS wild? Trades already featuring Kevin Durant, Desmond Bane, Jrue Holiday, and more have set the stage, yet I can’t shake the feeling that some blockbuster moves are still lurking just around the corner. So, who are the eight star players potentially packing their bags before the 2025-26 season tips off? From the Cleveland Cavaliers tinkering with their Big 4 balance, to whispers of LeBron pondering a surprising switch, this rollercoaster of personalities, stats, and team strategies might flip everything we thought we knew. Buckle up — things might just get downright unpredictable. LEARN MORE.
We’ve identified eight star players who just might find themselves on a different team before the start of the 2025-26 NBA season.
They told us that this offseason would be a hectic one, and boy, they weren’t lying.
So far, we’ve seen the likes of Kevin Durant, Desmond Bane, Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis and Norman Powell change teams via a trade.
These moves are enough to say this down period has lived up to the hype. But something tells us there are still one or two big dominoes that could yet fall.
So we’ve identified eight star players who could be on a different team before the start of the 2025-26 NBA season.
Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen, Cleveland Cavaliers
Yes, it seems unlikely the Cavaliers will want to split up their Big 4 now that they have a clear stranglehold over the Eastern Conference next season. But it’s still worth keeping tabs on these two players.
We’ve previously dissected the roster imbalances created by Cleveland’s four best players. Is this the offseason that Cleveland decides to move Garland and Allen for parts that better fit around Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley?
With the right deal (preferably one that lands them a high-level 3-and-D wing/forward), the Cavaliers could still be the best team in the East.
Potential Suitors: Boston Celtics
Jaylen Brown and Derrick White, Boston Celtics
Though the Celtics seem to have completed their cost-cutting mission, they still could be reading the tea leaves when it comes to Brown.
He has the seventh-highest average annual value in the NBA, yet he’s 115th in DRIP (a projection of a player’s contribution to team plus/minus per 100 possessions).
Could Boston look to get off Brown while his trade value is still fairly high and start a new era around Jayson Tatum once he returns from injury?
Speaking of trade value, White’s has to be at an all-time high after a rockstar postseason. The Celtics could look to cash in on White’s hot stretch and land some much-needed draft capital.
Potential Suitors: Cleveland Cavaliers
LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets are one of those teams that are super hard to get a sense of what direction they seem to be going in at any given time. It seems like the Hornets are following in the footsteps of the Detroit Pistons – adding veterans to support/amplify their star floor general.
In the Hornets’ case, they’ve brought in Collin Sexton, Spencer Dinwiddie, Mason Plumlee and Pat Connangton to give Ball some adults in the room.
But what if the Hornets have decided that they are too worried about Ball’s health (he hasn’t played 50 games since 2021-22)? Maybe they’re ready to turn the page and build around the core of Brandon Miller/Tidjane Salaun/Kon Knueppel/Tre Mann?
If this were to happen, Ball, who ranks 12th in offensive DRIP (O-DRIP), would immediately become one of the hottest names on the market. And before you ask, no, he is not one of those empty-calorie players!
Now, given the acquisitions we highlighted above, we’ll qualify this by saying it seems unlikely this is the offseason Charlotte decides to trade Ball.
Potential Suitors: Houston Rockets, Brooklyn Nets, Chicago Bulls, Toronto Raptors
Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz
Unlike the Hornets, we know exactly where the Jazz are headed. They want to be bad, and they want to play a lot of young players. They’ve already gotten rid of three of the four players over 26 who logged at least 900 minutes (Sexton, Jordan Clarkson and John Collins) for them last season.
What’s stopping them from trading the fourth person in that group?
At this point, the 28-year-old Markkanen is too far into his career to realistically fit into Utah’s timeline. Besides, Markkanen’s blend of size, shooting and finishing makes him one of the most unique offensive players in the league (25th in O-DRIP).
His skill set meshes perfectly with pretty much any superstar in the league.
Last season was a down year for Markkanen (seeing dips in scoring volume and efficiency), but that’s partly because he was forced to endure the growing pains of a rebuilding team.
He’s still in the heart of his prime and under contract for the next four seasons. Any team would be lucky to have him.
Potential Suitors: Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Portland Trail Blazers, Golden State Warriors
LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
Could the game’s all-time leading scorer change teams one more time? He did exercise his $52.6 million player option, which means the Lakers still have him under contract.
But some recent comments from his agent, Rich Paul, make it seem like James and the team are going in opposite directions.
Knowing James, this is probably nothing. But what if it isn’t? James is by far and away the best 40-year-old player in NBA history, and that isn’t intended as a slight. Even in Year 22, James was still 19th in the entire league in DRIP.
James can no longer shoulder the load as the primary scorer/creator on championship teams like he did back in his glory days, but he can certainly still be the second- or third-best player on a well-constructed unit.
Potential Suitors: Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
You knew we had to mention Antetounkmpo. Ever since the Bucks were eliminated in the first round for the third straight season, there has been speculation about whether the two-time MVP is finally going to request a trade from the only team he’s ever known.
As time has gone on, this request has seemed less likely. If he were traded to the Western Conference, he’d be entering a blood bath. And most teams with the assets to realistically acquire Antetokounmpo in the East don’t have the supporting cast to give him the contender he is searching for (although the Atlanta Hawks look pretty darn good right about now).
In any event, if Antetokounmpo does decide he wants out of Milwaukee, he would immediately become the best player available (eighth in DRIP). As such, he just might be the most important name to monitor over the rest of the offseason.
For more coverage, follow along on social media on Instagram, Bluesky, Facebook and X.
The post Blockbuster Watch: Star Players Who Could Still Be Traded This Offseason appeared first on Opta Analyst.
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