5 bold trades that could alter the 2024-25 NBA season
For some NBA teams that have hit an early summer, preparations for the 2024-25 NBA season are already underway. The Charlotte Hornets and the Phoenix Suns are already up and running with new coaches Charles Lee and Mike Budenholzer respectively.
The LA Lakers have fired Darvin Ham and have an interest in some of the seasoned names in the league to lead the franchise next season. As for the players, some names like DeMar DeRozan, Klay Thompson, Zach LaVineand Trae Young are already being pegged as stars to watch out for during free agency.
As the 2024 NBA Playoffs inch towards the Conference Finals stage, the front offices of all 30 teams in the league will get busy looking at retooling their roster by adding or waiving some names.
Here, we take a look at some of bold, but not impossible trades that can change the balance of power across the league next season.
Five bold trades that could alter the 2024-25 NBA season
#1 LeBron James to the Golden State Warriors
Last season, there were reports the Golden State Warriors were interested in trading for LeBron James.
While the news had fans from both franchises scoffing at the possibility, Golden State has pulled such a move before when they added Kevin Durant to their side in 2016.
They ended up winning two titles soon after. As for James, the 4x NBA champion leaving to link up alongside Akron man Steph Curry would mean giving up his $51 million player option and signing a veteran's minimum contract.
His demand of opting in and trading would also need LA to look at getting suitable assets for the veteran forward.
#2 DeMar DeRozan to the Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers have the firepower in Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.
The duo's chemistry was one of the more impressive things to watch after James Harden's move to the LA Clippers. Adding a veteran in DeMar DeRozan to form Philly's 'Big 3' will make them a bonafide title contender in the East, while also offering a chance for all three players to win their first title.
The six-time NBA All-Star is a guaranteed bucked, and his clutch heroics in the fourth quarter for the Chicago Bulls this season saw them on the cusp of making the playoffs.
The 34-year-old averaged 22.1 points, 5.4 assists and 4.0 rebounds on 46.6 percent shooting, which proves that he can still be a force. Add to the fact that the Sixers have the necessary assets to acquire the Compton native.
#3 Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks
Previous reports indicated that the Mavericks had their eyes on Lakers big Anthony Davis.
The big is on a three-year, $177 million contract with the Lakers, but if the front office decides to pull the trigger (assuming LeBron James decides to leave), the Mavericks will be one of the teams looking to add more teeth to their two-way play with a dominant big like Davis.
That might be one of those trades altering the landscape of the West, but a move of this magnitude would elevate Dallas to title contender status immediately.
#4 Klay Thompson to the LA Lakers
One of the biggest talking points ahead of the summer of 2024 is Klay Thompson's future with the Warriors.
The four-time NBA champion has already been linked to the Orlando Magic as their top trade target, but there have been reports churning that the Lakers might make a beeline for the veteran F/G if he's indeed on the market.
Thompson to LA might raise questions, but there are reasons why Thompson would be interested in inking a deal with LA if the boxes are checked.
#5 Donovan Mitchell to the LA Lakers
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell has been widely discussed as one of the targets on LA Lakers' radar this offseason.
With the team looking to add an All-Star guard to maximize James and Davis' chances of winning a championship, there's every chance that they will go after the former Utah Jazz star.
This trade-through will need the Lakers to break the bank. They also have to sacrifice some of the versatile roster depth they have. The acquisition, though, would likely yield results for LA.