NBA Swing: Which Star Will Request a Trade Next?

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In the last few weeks, there have been several stars who have requested a trade. James Harden was one of the first superstars to request a trade prior to the 2023 free-agency period. This is his third trade request in the last handful of years, requesting trades from Houston in 2021 and from Brooklyn in 2022. At the beginning of the free agency period, Damian Lillard requested a trade from the Portland Trailblazers after a decade-plus of loyalty in Portland. Superstars requesting trades is nothing new in the NBA, but who could be the next superstar to request a trade?

Zach Lavine

Since being traded to the Chicago Bulls prior to the 2017-18 season, Zach Lavine has been the main guy for Chicago. A two-time All-Star, Zach has proven he’s one of the top players in the league at his position, but his name has always been in trade rumors. Around the time of the deadline, reports came out that the Bulls were in talks with the New York Knicks about a potential Lavine trade, but nothing happened when the deadline came. Reports came up again early in the offseason, noting the Bulls were reaching out to teams gauging interest in the guard. When it comes to the Bulls fanbase, many have a love-hate relationship with Lavine wanting to trade him and start another rebuild in Chicago. Fans have argued that Lavine is getting paid like a max player but hasn’t played like one at times. With players like Bradley Beal recently being traded, there are questions about what Lavine could be worth on the market right now. Lavine has shown his frustrations with the team at times, most notably when he was benched by head coach Billy Donovan early in the 2022-23 season. While he hasn’t requested a trade, another bad season for Chicago could see Lavine looking for another home to finish his contract with.

Luka Doncic

Entering his sixth year in the league, Luka Doncic has been nothing but amazing. An MVP-caliber player, Doncic has been a great individual player but has not seen much success with the Dallas Mavericks. In their last five seasons, Dallas has made the Western Conference Finals once, lost in the first round twice, and has missed the playoffs completely twice. This past season, Dallas had a good start, but fell apart towards the end of the season, intentionally tanking in the final games to keep their first-round draft pick for the 2023 draft. Reports came out that Luka was not happy with Dallas’ decision to tank at the end of the season. Dallas would trade significant players around the trade deadline to acquire Kyrie Irving, with the duo not looking great together on the court. With Irving re-signing with the Mavs this off-season and the team making some decent off-season moves, this season could very well determine Doncic’s future in Dallas. Under contract until 2027, Doncic would be valuable to many teams if he were to request a trade.

Joel Embiid

The 2023 MVP has had the work luck in recent years. The team hasn’t made it past the second round during Embiid’s tenure, losing in Game 7 of the second round of the 2023 playoffs. Even with superstars including Ben Simmons, Jimmy Butler, and James Harden by his side throughout his tenure, Embiid and the Sixers have been stuck. Embiid voiced his frustration after his 2023 playoff exit, saying that he and Harden could not win alone. The outlook for the Sixers immediate future does not look great with James Harden requesting a trade and reiterating his trade request earlier this week. While Tyrese Maxey has recently stepped up, there are questions about if he could be that number two option next to Embiid. With the Sixers likely to take a step back next season, it’s only a matter of time before Embiid may request a trade. Rumors have had him linked to a reunion with Jimmy Butler in Miami and the Knicks being interested if he requests a trade.

Donovan Mitchell

Donovan Mitchell is in an interesting spot. Signed through 2026, Mitchell has a player option for the 2025-26 season. Prior to being traded to Cleveland, Spida thought he was going to be traded to New York Knicks, who have expressed interest in him for years. After a first-round loss in five games to the Knicks, rumors of Mitchell wanting to go to the Knicks started to make the rounds. In an Eastern Conference where the top is dominated by a few teams, it’ll be extremely difficult for the Cavaliers to take that next step. While it’s likely Mitchell will want to run it back for the 2023-24 season, the 2024-25 season will be a nightmare for the Cavs. If they have another early playoff exit, it’s likely Mitchell will opt out of his player option for the 2025-26 season, allowing him to walk for nothing after trading a massive haul for him. The Cavaliers may have to accept the fact that Mitchell will leave Cleveland the first chance he has.

Jaylen Brown

Currently in the last year of his deal, Jaylen Brown is in line for a contract that could end up being worth over $300M. While that’s great for Brown, that’s not great for the Boston Celtics, who could be paying nearly $600M to Brown and Jayson Tatum. The Celtics have had plenty of success since the pairing of Tatum and Brown came together, reaching the Finals once and the Conference Finals three other times. They haven’t been able to take that next step. With foes like the Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat giving them tough competition in the East, there is no telling if they will reach the Finals again. For Brown, he has already mentioned tension with the fans of Boston and how he’s unsure of his future in Boston. When it comes to the potential contract extension, there is no doubt that Brown will accept an inevitable extension if he can, but he may go the path of players like Bradley Beal and Damian Lillard and request a trade after receiving the big contract. If a trade request from Brown happens, it’s likely it won’t be until an extension is signed with the Celtics.