When Giannis Antetokounmpo was traded from the Milwaukee Bucks, there was a great deal of intrigue about how he would fit into his new home, but there was also a sense of relief. You see, the 12 months prior to the transaction were filled with endless speculation. The kind that, frankly, gets really old.
The same thing happened with Jaylen Brown before he got traded to the Philadelphia 76ers. And do you know what's funny? Now that these guys are gone, the rumors still won't end. Rather, they will find new players to create hypothetical scenarios for. It's an inevitable part of the league we love.
So, in anticipation of this phenomenon, let's look at four players who project to annoy us with how many times we hear their names in trade talks this season.
The Warriors could trade Stephen Curry
I feel like this one is the most obvious one. Stephen Curry's days as one of the faces of the NBA are numbered. Next season will be his age-38 campaign. Everything Curry says points to him wanting to end his career with the Golden State Warriors, and everything the team does seemingly points to them trying to maximize the end of their best player's career.
However, while the Warriors are trying their best to build a strong supporting cast around Curry, nothing seems to be going their way. Couple this with general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr.'s recent comments that the team would adhere to a trade demand from Curry, and you have a recipe for unlimited trade speculation.
Will the Warriors and Curry actually end their perfect marriage? Or is this all just useless noise? Who knows, but whatever happens, I'm sure we're going to get tired of hearing about it.
Anthony Davis could be Wizards trade bait
Since February of 2024, Anthony Davis has only played 29 games. Yet, he has been traded twice: once to the Dallas Mavericks, and once to the Washington Wizards.
The first transaction came out of left field, but that second trade to the Wizards was months in the making. So, we are already tired of seeing Davis' name on our FanSpo timeline. You'd think that the rumblings are now over with. The Wizards could be punchy this year, and Trae Young makes for a tantalizing pick-and-roll partner.
However, that isn't enough to keep Davis off the rumor mill, as reports indicate that the two parties won't be reaching an extension until after the start of the 2026-27 season, not before.
The frustrating part about all this Davis stuff is that he hasn't been healthy in awhile, and it is hard to remember what makes him great enough to keep being apart of blockbuster trades. Hopefully, this year, Davis can remind us why he's such a hot commodity.
Nuggets need to recoup value for Nikola Jokić
The Denver Nuggets went from being an inner circle title contender in 2025-26 to a mere darkhorse heading into next season. Their best player, Nikola Jokić, is one of the best players on the planet, and is still looking to solidify his legacy as an all-time great -- having just one championship ring in his hardware collection.
Jokić also has a player option for 2027-28, meaning he could become an unrestricted free agent next offseason, which would put the Nuggets at risk of losing their best player in franchise history for nothing.
If the Nuggets look sluggish out the gate, look for Jokić trade rumors to heat up as we inch toward the deadline, and given his status as a player, expect this storyline to run as a segment on every sports talk radio show.
Kings will dump Domantas Sabonis
The Sacramento Kings look to be in rebuild mode, with several young pieces on their roster. However, they haven't completely overhauled the old regime. Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, and Malik Monk are still with the team, and they are all still good enough to convince another team that they are capable of helping them.
Given that Sabonis is the best player of that trio, he will be the one getting the most buzz. Of all the players mentioned in this post, his news cycle will be the least annoying to hear about since he is probably the one who is most likely to be traded.
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