Now that Ben Simmons and James Harden have been traded, the race is on to find the next NBA star who may be available in trade. Damian Lillard is the obvious one who’s been on the radar for quite some time, but Donovan Mitchell and Zion Williamson could be two more stars who are traded in blockbuster moves in the near future.
Of course, nothing can happen now that the trade deadline has passed, but the offseason will present a whole new monster.
As organizations look to scrap what didn’t work, or attempt to build the next Big 3/superteam, the NBA landscape is always changing. A year ago today, few expected Harden to already be traded once again, but sometimes contracts, player chemistry, and perhaps some off-court antics quickly altered his future in Brooklyn.
The same goes for a player such as Zion Williamson. Prior to the star forward hurting his foot this past offseason, the New Orleans Pelicans seemed primed to take a step forward. Now the relationship may be souring, which could lead to a trade after playing in just 85 games since selecting him No. 1 overall in 2019.
According to Howard Beck of Sports Illustrated, Williamson, Lillard and Mitchell are the three star players NBA organizations have their eyes on in the next player movement cycle.
Related: Speculation grows that Zion Williamson could force trade from New Orleans Pelicans
How “available” are stars such as Donovan Mitchell?
The first we’ll start with is Damian Lillard. With the Portland Trail Blazers embracing a youth movement, Lillard has always been extremely loyal, never offering a hint that he’d actually like to be traded. Maybe that changes this offseason?
Or maybe the Blazers and Lillard finally feel as if they’re trending in the right direction with all the recent roster changes, which surprisingly included trading C.J. McCollum. Time will tell on that front.
The same goes for Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans. There could be some tension there, but nobody seems to know for sure. If the Pelicans feel they have to trade their star away, Zion would bring back an enormous amount of trade compensation, just as Anthony Davis did.
Lastly, there’s Donovan Mitchell, who’s reportedly grown tired of playing with Rudy Gobert, which could be a reason for their slip down the Western Conference standings. If the Utah Jazz experience yet another quick, disappointing playoff elimination, Mitchell just might ask for a ticket out of town.
Basically, while they each have their unique factors to separate their situation from one another, there’s a path for all three of these star players to be available this offseason.
Related: NBA games today – Full offseason schedule, including start of NBA free agency