We could very well be headed for an unprecedented firesale season in the NBA trade market. With the Dallas Mavericks basically admitting defeat after firing Nico Harrison this week, rumors instantly ignited about moving on from Anthony Davis and other veterans. The Kings are reportedly considering a complete reboot, and other teams are looking for moves as well.
Could this be the rare season where we see a flurry of trades before Christmas? Let’s dive into the rumors.
The Mavs face reality
You thought it was one way, but it was the other.
Following the Mavericks’ disastrous start and the firing of Nico Harrison, immediately word started to spread that Dallas was giving up the ghost and willing to part with the veterans as the pivot to a Cooper-Flagg-led future (which should have been the plan from the moment they got the No.1 pick).
Here’s a look at their talent and what to expect:
Anthony Davis
- Marc Stein reported in his Substack that teams are hesitant to trade for Anthony Davis until he can prove he’s healthy. Stein has reported a disconnect in which Nico Harrison was pushing Davis to return before the Mavs’ medical staff was ready to clear him.
- It is amazing just how many bad stories there are about Harrison, by the way. Messing with a calf injury is how you wind up with a guy tearing his Achilles.
- Bulls fans won’t want to hear it because they want to avoid taking on the Davis contract (with a future extension on the table), but Chicago remains a team that makes the most sense. They have Nikola Vucevic’s expiring contract, young players like Ayo Dosunmu or Coby White (if the Bulls don’t want to extend him after extending Josh Giddey), and a safe array of picks. If the heat turns up on Arturas Karnisovas, expect to hear more of them as a suitor, but it should be noted that AK has made almost zero trades since taking over.
Daniel Gafford
- Daniel Gafford is the most likely trade candidate. The Mavericks have Derek Lively as their future big. Gafford had a great three-month run with the Mavericks in 2024 where he looked like Rudy Gobert in terms of rim protection and has settled back into being Daniel Gafford.
- With so many teams looking for center depth for the onslaught of double-big lineups, Gafford should have suitors.
Kyrie Irving
- The interesting thing will be what Kyrie Irving wants when he returns from injury. Irving rehabbed his public image in Dallas thanks to never being asked about anything off-court, ever, and having Luka Dončić to take the most attention for his inconsistency.
- If Irving wants out to play for a contender, will the Mavericks assent? What if the market is cool with him coming off the Achilles tear? Does he go back to being Kyrie Irving? What team is itching to take on Irving at this age, off that injury, with his off-court reputation? It’s probably best for Kyrie and the Mavs to stick with a long-term relationship.
PJ Washington
- PJ Washington isn’t eligible to be traded because he just signed an extension, which is a shame because this is a great sell-high opportunity though PJ may be on track to be the Mavs’ new Michael Finley who just took over as the new (co)head of basketball operations.
The Kings are a dumpster fire
Radio host Dave Carmichael in Sacramento laid out what he believes is the plan for the tailspinning Kings (AKA 2024 Bulls Redux), and it’s basically a veteran firesale.
Zach LaVine
- Sam Amick of The Athletic reports that there is a good trade market for Domantas Sabonis , but not one for Zach LaVine.
- LaVine, at this point, pretty clearly has a reputation as a losing player. That’s likely unfair given how long he’s been stuck next to DeMar DeRozan who doesn’t enable LaVine’s strengths, but at some point it’s a fair criticism.
- LaVine has a $48 million player option, which, yes, you should assume he will be activating for next season.
- However, there’s some upside here. You take on LaVine at this price, you get a year and a half (by the time the deal gets done) of overpriced performance. Then re-sign him for a lesser market value. You’re trading for what the next contract will be worth, not the next two years.
Domantas Sabonis
- As for Sabonis, this is tough. You need a team that thinks it can cover for him defensively, and that needs the kind of player he is.
- This is speculative, not reporting, but the Cavs are an option as a Sabonis suitor. The Cavs have had talks with the Kings several times through the years, including as recently as last year about deals involving Jarrett Allen, including in three-way talks with the Pelicans. The Cavs have looked for big upgrades talent-wise. Sabonis hurts the defense, but if you believe Evan Mobley can cover, it can work with Sabonis as a major frontcourt offensive weapon. But Sabonis next to two small guards in Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland may not be doable in a playoff environment.
- Otherwise, if Atlanta faces facts when it comes to Trae Young, is that a good All-Star swap? Pair Sabonis with Kristaps Porziņģis and defenders everywhere? If you do that, who goes to the bench when Jalen Johnson moves to small forward?
Other Kings
- Keegan Murray is not eligible to be traded after his extension this fall, but even if he were, league sources have adamantly said he’s off limits.
- The one player every executive is keeping an eye on is Keon Ellis. That’s a value contract for a great perimeter defender with some shooting chops.
Other trade bits:
- Memphis is not willing to consider Ja Morant trades unless it’s a no-brainer (which no one is calling with), according to sources. They want to make this work. Morant may have to force the issue if there is to be a trade.
- The teams looking to make trades are always the good teams. You want to deal from positions of strength and opportunity, and bunker down and hide when things are tough until you can re-establish leverage.
- Boston is routinely mentioned as a team that continues to canvass for opportunities. It’s tough because they aren’t willing to take on money after their cost-cutting efforts this summer, but they remain one of the more opportunistic teams.
- Jaden Ivey was not extended. He’s injured, again. Daniss Jenkins is killing it on his two-way contract. Two personnel staff members I talked to asked questions about that this weekend.
- The Nuggets are said to be actively looking for a point guard who can add shooting, even before Christian Braun’s ankle injury, which will keep him out six weeks.
- Utah continues to stonewall all talks for Lauri Markkanen. If they move him, it will be sudden .