NBA Trade Season Unofficially Kicks Off

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Friday, December 15th unofficially kicks off the craziest part of the NBA season: trade season. On Friday, around 85% of the league will be eligible for trades, including over 80 players who signed contracts in the 2023 offseason. More will become eligible for trades on January 15th. Notable players eligible for trades on December 15th include:

Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors
Caris LeVert, Cleveland Cavaliers
Max Strus, Cleveland Cavaliers
Russell Westbrook, Los Angeles Clippers
D’Angelo Russell, Los Angeles Lakers
Gabe Vincent, Los Angeles Lakers
Khris Middleton, Milwaukee Bucks

The entire list can be found here. A month from now on January 15th and just weeks before the 2024 trade deadline, more players become eligible for trades. Notable players eligible for trades on January 15th include:

Cameron Johnson, Brooklyn Nets
Austin Reaves, Los Angeles Lakers
Kyle Kuzma, Washington Wizards

The entire list of players eligible for trades on January 15th can be found here.

With teams having a feeling of their rosters a quarter of the way through the 2023-24 NBA season, this trade season could be an intense one. Numerous teams are expected to be active over the next couple of months, trying to bolster a championship contender or save their season from disaster.

Golden State Warriors

The Golden State Warriors have had a troubling NBA season thus far. Currently sitting at 10-14 and outside of the playoff picture, the Golden State Warriors could be desperate to make a move this trade season. Stephen Curry has been the only thing holding the Warriors together with Klay Thompson struggling, Andrew Wiggins struggling, and Draymond getting suspended twice just over a quarter of the way through the season. With the latest reports and rumors noting that Klay Thompson was offered and turned down a two-year deal worth $48M and he and the team not being close on trade talks, it is not impossible that Klay could be traded in what would be one of the most shocking moves if it did happen. Although it likely will not happen, Draymond Green could be moved if the Warriors front office believes he is no longer a good fit on the team. With Golden State focused on making the most of Stephen Curry’s prime, the Warriors are expected to be very active over the next couple of months.

Los Angeles Lakers

While the Lakers are currently 15-10 and in a playoff spot (if the season ended today), the team still has some things they can fix. The Lakers are one of the worst three-point shooting teams in the league, one of two teams attempting under 30 threes per game. Over the last two months, L.A. has been one of the very few teams reported to be interested in Chicago Bulls star Zach Lavine. With Lavine being a former UCLA guy and being represented by Klutch Sports (the same as LeBron James and Anthony Davis), a Lakers/Bulls trade feels inevitable. The question is what that trade will involve. Many reports have a combination of Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, or D’Angelo Russell, a role player, and a pick, but a Lakers/Bulls trade will not happen until January 15th if Reaves is involved. Recent rumors have suggested the Lakers are looking to move on from Russell, especially if another star is joining the team.

Chicago Bulls

With the Bulls likely going through a retooling phase, multiple players could be on the move. The odds of Zach Lavine being on the Bulls in two months is nearly zero while DeMar DeRozan has been reported as another player who could be on the move. He has been linked to both the New York Knicks and Miami Heat as preferred destinations if moved. With rumors and reports suggesting contract talks between DeMar and the Bulls are far from great, he could be on the move, so the Bulls don’t lose him in the offseason for nothing. Recent reports have noted that the Bulls have shut down all talks regarding Alex Caruso, who has garnered interest from nearly every other team in the league. While it’s possible he could be traded for the right package with his value being at his highest, the Bulls see him as an important piece of their future as the team looks to retool post Zach Lavine.

Toronto Raptors

In Toronto, Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby are both names linked to multiple contenders across the league. While Siakam is set to be a free agent this offseason and Anunoby has a player option for the 2024-25 season, both could be on the move this trade season. With the Raptors not being an NBA title contender right now and everything pointing to Scottie Barnes as the player to build around, it would be better for Toronto to move on from Siakam and Anunoby instead of risking letting both walk for nothing.