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We’re certainly going to see some trades during the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft on Wednesday. Heck, we’ve already seen one major blockbuster, with Mikal Bridges headed to the New York Knicks.
As teams navigate through an unpredictable draft, they are also going to be talking about veteran players. The likes of Paul George could very wel be moved. Brandon Ingram of the New Orleans Pelicans could, too.
Here, we look at five NBA Draft trades we could witness in Brooklyn Wednesday evening.
There has been some talk about San Antonio pulling off a blockbuster NBA Draft trade for Atlanta Hawks star guard Trae Young. We’re not going to go that far in our predictions for Wednesday. But those rumors also included Gregg Popovich looking to move up to the No. 1 overall pick for a player of their choosing. Donovan Clingan and Alex Sarr come to mind as real possibilities. The idea is obvious. Get a frontcourt running partner for a generational talent in Victor Wembanyama. San Antonio would then be able to turn its attention to finding backcourt help via free agency and/or the trade market.
Recent reports indicate that Atlanta is set to choose from Zaccharie Risacher or Donovan Clingan with the first pick in Wednesday’s draft. The team could very well opt to risk it all by moving down three spots while adding another top-eight pick. With Trae Young and Dejounte Murray both potentially headed out of town, this could help the Hawks expedite their rebuild.
It’s safe to say that the Lakers’ overall goal come Wednesday night will be to acquire more assets as a way to add a star player to the mix with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Fresh of hiring JJ Redick, the goal is championship in Southern California. The more draft picks these Lakers boast, the better opportunity they have moving forward this summer to pull off a blockbuster trade.
From the Knicks’ perspective, this is rather obvious. New York’s blockbuster trade for Mikal Bridges enables the team to target a specific position and/or player in the first round. Ideally, a prospect that’s ready to play. Why not package two later first-round selections to move up several spots? Former Duke center Kyle Filipowski could be the target here.
Paul George could very well opt into his contract and request a trade from the Clippers. Such a move would have to come before Wednesday night in Brooklyn if a deal is to come to fruition. But there is a real chance that it could happen. If so, why wouldn’t the Thunder come calling to bring him back? Imagine a core group in OKC of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, Alex Caruso, Jalen Williams and George. That has championship written all over it.
From the Clippers perspective, this might be the best they’ll be able to do if George does indeed request a trade. With a deal potentially inevitable, picking up two long-term starters in Dort and Wallace would be a boon. Los Angeles could then use the two first-round picks in a package to acquire another star to team up with Kawhi Leonard. It could also opt to go into full-scale rebuild mode. Though, that seems highly unlikely.
Related: Offseason NBA power rankings
The Bulls are going to trade LaVine this summer. It really is just a matter of time. After moving Alex Caruso in a deal earlier this offseason, things are changing in Chicago. Flipping LaVine and his bloated five-year, $215.2 million contract makes sense. If the Bulls can get any type of assets for the injury-plagued wing, that’s just icing on the cake.
In this scenario, Orlando moves down several spots in the first round while trading two veterans in Isaac and Anthony. It also picks up a high-scoring wing in LaVine to team up with the franchise cornerstone Paolo Banchero. It’s an area the upstart Magic must address after earning a surprise playoff appearance. From 2018-23 with the Bulls, LaVine averaged 25.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists on 39% shooting from distance.
Read more: 5 Zach LaVine trade scenarios from the Chicago Bulls
Houston was linked to Mikal Bridges before Brooklyn sent him to the Knicks. We also know that the Rockets are looking to move down from the third selection for an All-Star caliber player to team up with their young core. Grant might be the best option in a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers. The forward is averaging 20.8 points and 4.2 rebounds on 38% three-point shooting since the start of the 2020-21 season.
This hypothetical trade enables Houston to keep a top-seven selection that it can package for more veteran talent. Remember, the Rockets pulled off a trade with Brooklyn on draft-eve to get more draft flexibility in an attempt to acquire a star. As for Portland, it gets a young wing in Whitmore and moves into the top three for a premium prospect. It would be a win-win.
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