5 NBA Draft trades that absolutely need to happen

The 2024 NBA Draft is less than a month out and we're just beginning to understand the full scope of the chaos about to unfold. In what is considered a "weak" draft, uncertainty will breed the unexpected. A lot of trades are about to go down, with teams looking to move up, move back, or move out of the draft entirely.

This is very much an 'eye of the beholder' sort of draft class. There is a strong case for teams located near the top to trade back in favor of multiple "lesser" assets. Meanwhile, teams looking for ready-now talent could package their assets to move up and acquire a day-one contributor.

NBA offseasons are always ripe with possibilities, but with a uniquely balanced draft and a restrictive new collective bargaining agreement taking effect, the floodgates are open. Buckle in.

That said, let's dive into some reasonable NBA Draft trades — some more likely than others — that just need to happen. I am here to improve the product, folks. A humble servant of the basketball gods.

Let's cook.

5. Grizzlies trade up for Donovan Clingan

ESPN's Jonathan Givony floated the Memphis Grizzlies as a team that could move up to acquire UConn sophomore Donovan Clingan. It's one of the more obvious fits in the draft, with Clingan stepping into the shoes once filled by Steven Adams. The Grizzlies can justify sticking with Jaren Jackson Jr. as the full-time five, but he is optimized defensively with a proper bruiser behind him.

Clingan stands 7-foot-3 with a 9-foot-7 standing reach. Adams was great with his physicality and timing, but it shouldn't take too long for Clingan to outstrip his defensive value. He has legitimate All-Defense upside rooted in a towering frame, 282 pounds of muscle, and agile hips. Clingan isn't going to contain guards on an island, but he moves his feet well around the basket and displays plus instincts as a shot-blocker.

Paired with Jackson's roaming prowess in the frontcourt, Clingan would immediately cement the Grizzlies as one of the best defensive teams in the Western Conference. With Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Marcus Smart all expected back healthy next season, Memphis has its eyes on the prize. Clingan should be one of the most impactful rookies.

There are offensive benefits, too. Clingan is limited by poor touch and a lumbering gait, but he's a gaping lob target who can fulfill the Steven Adams roll of setting monster screens and working two-man actions with Ja Morant around the elbow. Clingan doesn't possess advanced footwork in the post, but he has soft hands to reel in every pass and the strength to power through most defenders in the restricted area.

The Charlotte Hornets move back a few spots, where an appealing perimeter option (Nikola Topic, Rob Dillingham, Ron Holland) should still be available. Santi Aldama is a nice throw-in — the sort of versatile frontcourt piece who can hit 3s, pass a little, and operate next to or behind Mark Williams in the rotation.

4. Lakers trade No. 17 pick for Bulls' Alex Caruso

The Chicago Bulls are fast approaching an inflection point. Eventually, the front office needs to bite the bullet and trade Alex Caruso while his value is high. The Bulls aren't going anywhere in the near future and Caruso has the chance to field uncommon value on the trade market relative to your average role player.

Whether he's deployed as a sixth man or a starter, Caruso is going to impact winning. He hit 40.8 percent of his 3s this season and made his second straight All-Defense team. The Bulls are a dumpster fire, but the Caruso signing was a true accomplishment. His contract rates as one of the best values in the entire sport.

That is why the Los Angeles Lakers make this trade. On the surface, two first-round picks for a 10-points-per-game role player is a bit rich. For starters, this is a weak draft. More than that, Caruso supplies $20 million value on a $9.8 million contract. With how harshly the new CBA restricts heavy spenders — and the Lakers are heavy spenders — it's hard to overstate the benefits of such a deal.

It doesn't hurt that there is legitimate sentimental value here. Caruso entered the league with Los Angeles and became a beloved cult figure before the Bulls swiped him in free agency. Not paying Caruso is a longstanding regret for this front office. This is a chance to right that wrong and add a bona fide winner to the mix. Caruso makes all the small efforts, whether that's diving on the floor for a loose ball, drawing a charge, setting a screen, or crashing the glass. He's the ultimate do-it-all, two-way connector. Few low-usage players leave such a thorough imprint on the game.

This is a huge win for the Lakers, and it finally moves Chicago toward its long-awaited rebuild.

3. Thunder trade No. 12 pick to Cavs for Jarrett Allen

The Oklahoma City Thunder continue to find value in the draft every summer, but Sam Presti finally has the opportunity to push all his chips in. OKC is in the thick of contention in the West and the right offseason move could land the Thunder in the NBA Finals a year from now.

Meanwhile, the Cleveland Cavaliers need to reshape their roster. Jarrett Allen is a tremendous defender, a bona fide All-Star, but it's time to invest in Evan Mobley as the frontcourt anchor. He needs to be the full-time center for offensive purposes, and Allen should fetch a healthy return package when factoring age, contract, and production into the equation.

OKC has its own talented, lanky starting five in Chet Holmgren, but a lack of physicality and poor rebounding doomed the Thunder in the postseason. That Mavs series was closer than folks give them credit for — OKC could have won without the rebounding edge — but there's no point in leaving their biggest weakness unaddressed. Allen does not inherently fit OKC's five-out scheme, but he would meaningfully improve the Thunder's postseason outlook.

The Thunder don't have to pay Holmgren or Jalen Williams for a couple more years. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the only max contract on the roster until then, which gives Presti some helpful flexibility. Allen eats up $20 million in cap space through 2025-26, at which point OKC can reassess. The on-court benefits are undeniable. Allen allows OKC to scale up and play tall in certain matchups. Dallas, Minnesota, Denver. These are the teams in the Thunder's way right now.

Allen won't shoot 3s or handle the rock, but he's a potent lob threat who can set screens and add a new dimension to OKC's offense. With a mountain of draft picks at his disposal, Presti can afford to pay a premium for an elite, high-end starter who addresses a need.

Cleveland bets on the upside of Josh Giddey, adds much-needed wing depth with Kenrich Williams, and stockpiles draft picks for a future trade (or future depth).

2. Rockets trade No. 3 pick for Nets' Mikal Bridges

Can we call this in already?

The Houston Rockets tried to give the Brooklyn Nets their own picks back (and quality young talent) in exchange for Mikal Bridges at the deadline, but those overtures were rejected. Well, Brooklyn missed the playoffs and spiraled further into aimless obscurity. The Rockets are very much on the come up, and the centerpiece of those rumored trade offers — former No. 2 pick Jalen Green — appeared to blossom into a star during the season's final months.

Sometimes it's better late than never. The Nets should very obviously trade Bridges in exchange for control of their own draft picks. That allows them to rebuild properly. The Rockets' No. 3 pick is Brooklyn's pick. That should be the Nets right now, deciding which highly-touted prospect to build around. Instead, Houston is sitting on a king's ransom because the Nets were too stubborn to admit defeat and think long term.

The Nets aren't getting Jalen Green (or Amen Thompson, or Cam Whitmore) at this point, but Dillon Brooks can replace Bridges in the starting five, set the culture with his fiery leadership style, and potentially return more assets in a future trade. The draft picks will add up over time. Again, the Nets are getting their own picks back. They would control their own destiny, their own ability to tank. With how strong the upcoming drafts are, there is plenty of incentive to lock in a solid rebuilding strategy while it's still possible.

Houston gets to take the next step. Bridges is a clean fit and he bridges the skill gap between Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun. The Villanova product replaces Brooks' wing defense and then some, all while providing an elite spot-up shooter and supplementary scorer. Miscast as the Nets' No. 1 option, Bridges would look far better in a more supportive environment, with a better coach. The Rockets can help remind the world of Bridges' all-world defense and winning attributes.

1. Hawks trade No. 1 pick for Hornets' LaMelo Ball

This is just not going to happen. I know that, I won't pretend otherwise. But, it's a fun concept. More importantly, it's a reasonable concept for both sides. If this trade actually happened, I would gladly provide my full, unabashed endorsement. I can't promise I would be in the majority, but what fun is that?

There is well-documented angst about LaMelo Ball's future with the Hornets. He has been hurt each of the past two seasons and the Brandon Miller emergence has led to questions about the hierarchy of power in Charlotte organization. He also ran over a kids' foot with his car, which isn't great. There are highlight reels of Ball running red lights outside the Hornets' arena, so I would understand the desire to reset.

Dejounte Murray makes roughly $10 million less annually and he's on a four-year contract, instead of a five-year contract. The Hornets keep a high-level creator in the point guard spot, add the No. 1 pick (in addition to their No. 6 pick), and get short-term frontcourt reinforcements with Clint Capela.

The price of business is LaMelo and Mark Williams. For Atlanta, this is a great value proposition — a worthwhile risk that could change the trajectory of the entire franchise. Ball is more expensive, sure, but he's younger than Murray and he's an infinitely better fit next to Trae Young. Whereas Murray needs to dominate possessions to be effective, LaMelo is a bombs-away spot-up shooter whose quick processing is tailored to a connector role. Ball doesn't put consistent pressure on the rim or create his own offense at the highest level. That is where Trae thrives. This is a symbiotic, if unconventional partnership.

Mark Williams is a sneaky important addition, too. He replaces Capela with a young, affordable rim protector who can anchor the Hawks' defense for the next decade. This leaves Onyeka Okongwu's future in limbo, but the Hawks reinforce the defense and add a more conducive co-star next to Young in the backcourt.

It looks like a lot on paper — Murray, Capela, and the No. 1 pick — but this is a weak draft. Risks and all, I am betting on 22-year-old LaMelo Ball over the top pick in this class every day of the week. The Hawks would receive a lot of criticism for this move, but the Young-Melo pairing would quickly silence doubters.