The NBA’s next 7 stars to be traded after the Trae Young deal

The NBA is all about superstars. If a team has one, everything they do is viewed through the prism of building around them. If they don’t have one, the only goal for smart organizations is to maximize their chances at landing one.

Superstars are still great values in the NBA even on max contracts. If their standing diminishes a bit from superstar to star, though, things can get ugly fast. Trae Young has been an NBA All-Star each of the last two years, and is firmly in his prime at 27 years old. He was still essentially salary dumped last week when the Hawks traded him to the Washington Wizards for C.J. McCollum’s expiring contract and Corey Kispert. In the second-apron era, having a star (not a superstar) on a max contract can be a death wish without a strong infrastructure around them. When it’s time to go, teams are becoming increasingly more willing to just dump a player even if the return doesn’t match our preconceived notions.

With Young shipped out, here’s the next wave of NBA stars who could be available in the trade, with the teams interested and the potential timeline.

Ja Morant, G, Memphis Grizzlies

When could he be traded? Trade deadline 2026 or Summer 2026

Teams interested? Sacramento Kings, Chicago Bulls, Toronto Raptors

Morant already figured to be available on the trade market even before Shams Charania reported that the Grizzlies were willing to listen to offers for their star point guard late last week. Morant should be firmly in his prime at 26 years old, but his play has dipped significantly this year as he’s struggled to adjust to injuries and Memphis’ new coaching style. His scoring efficiency has been awful (-7.3 rTS% compared to league average) and his three-point shooting is the among the worst of any guard in the league. The Grizzlies have a -9 net-rating with Morant on the floor this year, and are nearly even (-0.4 net-rating) with him off. Like his draft mate Zion Williamson, it feels like it’s going to take a desperate team to trade for Morant. Like Trae Young, he would probably go for far less than many fans would expect. I’d bet on the Morant situation lingering for a while longer as team weighs its future point guard options, and the league considers how valuable he’ll actually be on the final two years of his max contract.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, F, Milwaukee Bucks

When could he be traded? Summer 2026

Teams interested? Miami Heat, New York Knicks, Houston Rockets, Atlanta Hawks, Oklahoma City Thunder

The latest in the ongoing Giannis trade speculation comes straight from the superstar’s mouth: “There will never be a chance, and there will never be a moment, that I will come out and say ‘I want a trade,'” Antetokounmpo told The Athletic. Don’t get too excited yet, Bucks fans, because the real inflection point will be if Giannis accepts the Bucks’ max extension this upcoming summer. If he says no, Milwaukee owes it to the fanbase to search for the best deal assuming there’s no viable pathway to building an Eastern Conference contender in such a short timeframe.

It just feels like Giannis is repeating the same mistakes Kevin Garnett once made in Minnesota and Damian Lillard once made in Portland. He’s still only 31 years old, but these last few prime years should be spent competing for championships, not trying to get Milwaukee out of the play-in tournament. Antetokounmpo has been sensational this season scoring more than a point-per-minute (no one has done that since Wilt), and it would be a thrill to see him on a contender again. I am highly skeptical the Bucks can rebuild a middling roster so quickly, but life is always easier in the East, where Giannis is by far the best player in the conference. If he turns down an extension, I’m guessing either the Bucks trade him or Giannis walks in 2027 free agency.

Zion Williamson, F, New Orleans Pelicans

When could he be traded? Summer 2026

Teams interested? Who knows, but: Miami Heat, Los Angeles Clippers, Chicago Bulls, Brooklyn Nets

Williamson is back in the lineup for New Orleans, and he’s playing pretty well. In the 15 games since he return, Zion is averaging 23.4 points per game on 65.2 percent true shooting. He doesn’t pack the box score in any other areas at this point and his shooting remains non-existent, but I still think there will be a market for Williamson if the Pelicans finally decide to the pull the cord. He still has tons of scoring gravity going to the rim, and he’s a good enough passer to take advantage of it to help set up teammates (his 10.4 potential assists per 100 possessions this season ranks in the 94th percentile). It still feels like Zion requires a very specific fit to work, but stardom is at such a premium in the NBA that someone will talk themselves into the idea of his upside if he can finally stay healthy. The fact that his contract is avoidable for each of the final two years after this season due to previous missed games also mitigates much of the risk of taking him on. The Pelicans feel like they’re close to getting out of the Zion business, and it will be fascinating to see how the rest of the league values him.

Anthony Davis, C/F, Dallas Mavericks

When could he be traded? 2027 trade deadline, 2028 offseason

Teams interested? Atlanta Hawks, Toronto Raptors, Detroit Pistons

From the moment Young was traded to the Wizards, Anthony Davis was mentioned in the same breath as the next domino to fall. Now Davis is sidelined indefinitely with a left hand injury that kills his chances of being traded at the deadline. Dallas can easily pivot into a tank now, and wait to see what the team looks like when Kyrie Irving returns from injury next season with Davis, Cooper Flagg, and hopefully a top rookie next season. Unfortunately for the Mavericks, 2026 is the only first-round pick they control before four straight years of trades or swaps, so they better get an elite running mate on Cooper Flagg’s timeline while they still can.

It wasn’t long ago that Davis was a consensus top-10 player in the league. His injury history, huge contract ($52.4 million guaranteed next season, then a $62.7 million player option for 27-28), and looming 33rd birthday are the obvious question marks. It sure seems like the Hawks were the clubhouse leader to land him before the injury. Dallas has no incentive to tank after this year, so it’s possible Davis could finish out his contract there. Still, if the Mavs don’t want to extend him, it’s best to trade him before he walks for nothing in free agency, meaning he still deserves a spot on this list.

Michael Porter Jr., F, Brooklyn Nets

When could he be traded? Trade deadline 2026 or Summer 2026

Teams interested? Golden State Warriors, Detroit Pistons, Milwaukee Bucks

Porter Jr. doesn’t fit the traditional definition of a star, but he’s playing like one this year. MPJ has exploded under Nets had coach Jordi Fernandez, who has increased his usage, altered his play types, and unlocked a stunning combination of volume and efficiency that should make him an All-Star. Porter Jr. was considered a bad contract when the Nets landed him and a future unprotected draft pick from Denver in the Cameron Johnson trade, and they would be wise to strike while the iron’s hot on the trade market. Almost any team could use a 6’10 sniper who also rebounds well, but Brooklyn doesn’t really have any reason to trade him without a future unprotected first-round pick coming back. It wouldn’t be too surprising if the Nets eventually decide he can be part of their long-term future, but ultimately this team is still in a rebuild and should be motivated to take the best deal for MPJ now. Porter Jr. has been so good this year that it’s easy to forget about his “foot drop” and other lingering injury issues. He’s always been a super talented player, but I’d be worried he can’t maintain this production without a brilliant coach like Fernandez putting him in a featured role.

Paolo Banchero, F, Orlando Magic

When could he be traded? Summer 2027

Teams interested? Too soon to tell

This is a bold prediction, and to be the clear there have been no rumblings of the Magic considering a Banchero trade yet. These things can happen quickly in the NBA though, and any list this long needs to look beyond the next 12 months. The Magic have been flat-out better without Banchero each of the last two years, and this year they’re 7-3 in games he misses, and also -3 with Paolo on and +3 with him off. The bigger issue might be that Banchero and Franz Wagner have just never made each other better, and Orlando would probably be better off fully orienting the offense around Wagner’s driving while looking for more shooting and defense in Banchero’s spot. Paolo’s play has been particularly ugly as of late, and at this point I’m losing faith despite being a long-time believer in him dating back to the 2022 draft. The Magic are about to get really expensive in short order, and that means someone will eventually have to go if they don’t breakthrough. At this point, it’s starting to feel like a possibility that Banchero could eventually be the odd man out.

Karl-Anthony Towns, C, New York Knicks

When could he be traded? Summer 2026 or Summer 2027

Teams interested? Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State Warriors, Toronto Raptors

The pressure is on the New York Knicks to breakthrough to at least the NBA Finals this season, and if they fail again, it’s only a matter of time before they start tinkering with their core. Towns seems like the most likely piece to move if the franchise eventually decides he just isn’t solid enough defensively to survive next to Jalen Brunson. Towns remains a super skilled offensive player with league-best shooting out of the five (though it’s fallen off this year some) and good defensive rebounding ability. Teams led by guards who struggle to shoot make sense for Towns, and after this year there will only be two years left on his contract …. at an average of an enormous $59 million per year. The Knicks are in full-on championship-or-bust mode, and if they eventually go bust, I wouldn’t be surprised to hear Towns trade rumors.