The trade deadline is not yet officially known. Always placed after the All-Star Weekend, this appointment will be one of the highlights of the 2025-26 NBA season. Here are the five players who could move during the next NBA trade period.
The first part of the 2025-26 NBA season is already providing us with numerous lessons for what lies ahead. In the East, the Pistons have been transformed thanks to Cade Cunningham in MVP mode. Only the Raptors and Heat seem capable of keeping pace with Detroit.
Out West, the Thunder are well on course to break the Warriors’ record. And whilst the Spurs are well-placed for the 2026 Playoffs race, the depth of this Conference should push General Managers to pull off a few crazy moves during the NBA trade period.
Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks)
© Iconsport / SUSA
Will the Giannis case open again? After a promising start, the Bucks are collapsing. The Milwaukee franchise now sit in a worrying 11th place (9-13). Impossible at this level to hope to even catch the play-in tournament.
And inevitably, the Bucks’ poor results are reviving a rumour that dates back to last spring. Can Giannis Antetokounmpo leave his lifelong franchise? The answer is yes. After 12 NBA seasons in the East, the two-time MVP is still in San Antonio’s plans.
The Giannis trade had lost momentum last June. But pairing Wembanyama with the Greek Freak is still on the agenda. For their part, Milwaukee could take advantage of Antetokounmpo’s departure to free up salary cap space and force the arrival of Zach LaVine (Sacramento Kings).
Anthony Davis (Dallas Mavericks)
© Iconsport / SUSA
Will Nico Harrison’s defence-win-championship project be sacrificed in favour of a build around Cooper Flagg? In mid-November, the Mavericks thanked their GM. An announcement that had the effect of a bombshell in the NBA world.
And inevitably, such a departure could have consequences. Dallas currently sit in 12th place in the Western Conference. The only positive point of this start to the season: confirmation that Cooper Flagg is indeed of the calibre of the greats. So yes, the Mavericks would do well to focus around their young forward.
Several franchises could look to acquire Anthony Davis. The Bulls are notably amongst the names mentioned to sign the 32-year-old center. An interesting reinforcement in the short term, but one that would slow Chicago’s youth-focused project.
Ja Morant (Memphis Grizzlies)
© Iconsport / SUSA
Ja Morant has not played since 15th November. Six small minutes against the Cavaliers that prove how much Memphis no longer count on their superstar. Sidelined by Tuomas Iisalo, Morant will have to find a new landing spot. The Wolves have already positioned themselves to sign Ja Morant.
A partnership with Anthony Edwards is already making NBA fans salivate. However, several other franchises are capable of going after the flamboyant 26-year-old point guard. The Pelicans could thus sacrifice several first-round NBA Draft picks (2027, 2028 and 2029) to pair Morant with Williamson.
The Bucks are also capable of trading Ryan Rollins, Bobby Portis and Kyle Kuzma as well as a 2026 first-round Draft pick to acquire Ja Morant. A risky gamble, as Milwaukee would be sacrificing their youth, whilst the Grizzlies’ point guard offers no long-term guarantees.
Lauri Markkanen (Utah Jazz)
© Iconsport / SUSA
Will Lauri Markkanen discover a fourth NBA franchise? Elected Most Improved Player in 2023, the 28-year-old Finn is having the best start to a season of his career. Problem: the Jazz seem absolutely not open to discussion regarding Markkanen’s trade.
Already this summer, Utah’s directors had been intransigent at the idea of releasing the power forward. Lauri Markkanen’s name had been regularly linked with the Lakers. Except that the Finn’s contract would push the California franchise to go crazy.
As a reminder, Markkanen is entering the first year of a four-year, $195m contract. Everything therefore depends on the Jazz’s ambitions. Rumours of a departure should however not diminish. Knowing that Austin Ainge had dropped a bombshell last October: “Nobody is untradeable.”
Clippers have no draft picks
© Iconsport / SUSA
Here is a franchise that should fuel the NBA trade period on its own. The reason? The California franchise’s sporting situation is alarming. With a win ratio of 23.8 percent (5-16), the Clippers are second-to-last in the Western Conference.
Except that Los Angeles have no control over their picks in 2026, 2027, 2028 and even 2029. A disaster, whilst Tyronn Lue’s roster is the league’s oldest. You will have understood: the Clippers have no chance of getting out of this in the upcoming NBA Drafts.
The results of signing Paul George in 2019. Except that today, James Harden is ageing (36 years old), and Chris Paul is already in pre-retirement. So inevitably, the rumour of a Kawhi Leonard trade should animate the coming weeks in the NBA. Sacrificing the superstars seems to be the only option for the Clippers to recover assets in the 2026 Draft.
This article was originally published on We Sport.
