2023 NBA Trade Deadline Primer

Keith Smith
Keith Smith, Resident NBA ExpertJanuary 25, 2023
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The 2023 NBA trade deadline is about two weeks away.  So far, we’ve seen two in-season trades. The Boston Celtics salary-dumped Noah Vonleh on the San Antonio Spurs. And, in a more meaningful move, the Los Angeles Lakers acquired Rui Hachimura from the Washington Wizards for Kendrick Nunn and three second-round picks.

Two weeks or so out from deadline day is when things usually start to pick up. Teams that insisted on multiple first-round picks for their players come down to a single first-round pick, while their partners in trades come up from offering a couple of second-rounders to offering that single first-rounder. As desperation increases, so does reasonability in trade talks.

Here’s what each of the 30 NBA teams are working with to trade as we sit two weeks from the deadline.

Atlanta Hawks

Cap/Tax Picture: $1.2 million under the tax

Notable Traded Player Exceptions: $4.6 million (Maurice Harkless), $3.6 million (Kevin Huerter)

Draft Pick Situation: Hawks owe two future firsts (2025 and 2027) to the Spurs, as well as a swap in 2026. Atlanta is owed extra first-round pick from Sacramento. Hawks have at least seven tradable second-round picks.

Most Likely to be Traded: John Collins. He’s been in rumors forever. Feels like something might actually got done this time.

Boston Celtics

Cap/Tax Picture: $23.7 million over the tax

Notable Traded Player Exceptions: $5.9 million (Dennis Schroder), $3.2 million (Danilo Gallinari Disabled Player Exception)

Draft Pick Situation: Celtics owe this year’s first-rounder to the Pacers. They also have a top-1 protected swap with the Spurs in 2028. Boston has at least five tradable second-round picks.

Most Likely to be Traded: Justin Jackson. Nothing exciting here beyond a tax-savings move. It’s far more likely Boston is active on the buyout marker than the trade market.

Brooklyn Nets

Cap/Tax Picture: $34.8 million over the tax

Notable Traded Player Exceptions: $2.5 million (James Harden)

Draft Pick Situation: Brooklyn is about neutral in first-round picks. They owe a couple of their own to Houston, but they have a couple coming from Philadelphia. The Nets have at least four tradable second-round picks.

Most Likely to be Traded: Patty Mills. He’s no longer in the Nets rotation and his $6.5 million for this year is a nice piece of salary-matching in a trade.

Charlotte Hornets

Cap/Tax Picture: $28.6 million under the tax

Notable Traded Player Exceptions: None

Draft Pick Situation: Hornets owe a protected first-rounder to the Spurs, but have a protected first-rounder coming from Denver. Charlotte has at least six tradable second-round picks.

Most Likely to be Traded: Mason Plumlee. This would have been Kelly Oubre Jr., but his recent hand surgery has him in a bit of flux. If Charlotte pivots towards development, and they should, Mark Williams will get the bulk of the center minutes. That makes Plumlee very available.

Chicago Bulls

Cap/Tax Picture: $1.7 million under the tax

Notable Traded Player Exceptions: None

Draft Pick Situation: Bulls owe protected first-round picks to Orlando and San Antonio in coming years. Chicago doesn’t have a fully clear first-rounder until 2029. The Bulls also have one truly tradable second-round pick, as others all have conditions attached, including a pending forfeit from tampering.

Most Likely to be Traded: Coby White. If Chicago makes any sort of upgrade to their rotation, it’s likely White will be traded. He’s a pending restricted free agent and the Bulls have a bunch of other guards.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Cap/Tax Picture: $2.5 million under the tax

Notable Traded Player Exceptions: $3.9 million (Ochai Agbaji)

Draft Pick Situation: Cleveland owes four future first-round picks to the Pacers (one) and Jazz (three), as well as two years of swap rights to Utah. The Cavs have at least seven tradable second-round picks.

Most Likely to be Traded: Caris LeVert. It’s unlikely Cleveland does any major moves at the deadline, but if they do, LeVert has to be involved. The Cavs have guys on the roster who can fill what he does and his $18.8 million expiring contract is a very nice piece of salary-matching in a trade.

Dallas Mavericks

Cap/Tax Picture: $15.8 million over the tax

Notable Traded Player Exceptions: None

Draft Pick Situation: Dallas owes a first to New York that should convey this season. They are free to trade all of their other first-rounders. The Mavs have at least three tradable second-round picks.

Most Likely to be Traded: Dwight Powell. There isn’t a great candidate for Dallas. But Powell would likely be the one to move if the Mavericks made a big move.

Denver Nuggets

Cap/Tax Picture: $10.5 million over the tax

Notable Traded Player Exceptions: $9.1 million (Monte Morris), $3.5 million (JaMychal Green)

Draft Pick Situation: Denver owes future first-round picks to Charlotte, Orlando and Oklahoma City. They won’t be able to trade a first-round pick at this deadline. The Nuggets have at least four tradable second-round picks.

Most Likely to be Traded: Ish Smith. This would be a move simply to lessen the Nuggets tax bill, or Smith could go to yet another team in a swap of similar salaries.

Detroit Pistons

Cap/Tax Picture: $627 thousand under the cap

Notable Traded Player Exceptions: None

Draft Pick Situation: Detroit owes a heavily protected first to New York that may not convey for at least a couple of seasons. The Pistons have at least seven tradable second-round picks.

Most Likely to be Traded: Alec Burks. The Pistons have set a high price for Bojan Bogdanovic. Teams will probably just wait and see if Nerlens Noel is bought out. That leaves Burks as an attainable mid-range players for other teams.

Golden State Warriors

Cap/Tax Picture: $40.2 million over the tax

Notable Traded Player Exceptions: None

Draft Pick Situation: The Warriors owe one protected first-round pick to the Grizzlies. Golden State has at least four tradable second-round picks.

Most Likely to be Traded: James Wiseman. This is strictly a hunch. If the Warriors are going to bolster their bench in any kind of meaningful way, Wiseman would be the guy to go the other way in a trade.

Houston Rockets

Cap/Tax Picture: $14.5 million under the tax

Notable Traded Player Exceptions: $3.9 million (Christian Wood)

Draft Pick Situation: Houston has a couple of extra first-rounders coming from Brooklyn and Miami. They also owe two protected picks to Oklahoma City, and there are swap rights in the mix too. The Rockets should have at least at least six tradable second-round picks.

Most Likely to be Traded: Eric Gordon. Gordon is the only veteran of note on the Rockets roster. Most of the other players are on rookie scale contracts and not going anywhere.

Indiana Pacers

Cap/Tax Picture: $27.8 million under the cap

Notable Traded Player Exceptions: None

Draft Pick Situation: Indiana will get additional 2023 first-round picks from Boston and Cleveland. The Pacers also have all of their own first-round picks. The Pacers have at least five tradable second-round picks.

Most Likely to be Traded: Daniel Theis. It doesn’t seem very likely that Indiana is trading Myles Turner or Buddy Hield, despite years and months of rumors respectively. Theis seems to get moved during every trade window lately. If the Pacers are sending anyone out, it’ll probably be him.

LA Clippers

Cap/Tax Picture: $41.7 million over the tax

Notable Traded Player Exceptions: $9.7 million (Serge Ibaka)

Draft Pick Situation: The Clippers owe two more first-round picks to the Thunder, plus two years of swap rights. LA has six tradable second-round picks.

Most Likely to be Traded: Robert Covington. Adding salary is no obstacle for the Clippers. They’ve got the greenlight to keep adding to an already giant tax bill. Covington is only a sometimes rotation player. If his $12.3 million salary can get LA an upgrade, they’ll do it.

Los Angeles Lakers

Cap/Tax Picture: $20.3 million over the tax

Notable Traded Player Exceptions: None

Draft Pick Situation: The Pelicans can swap for the Lakers pick this year. And Los Angeles owes New Orleans first in either 2024 or 2025, pending a Pelicans potential deferment. That leaves the Lakers with their 2027 and 2029 firsts as tradable. Los Angeles has four tradable second-round picks.

Most Likely to be Traded: Damian Jones. This isn’t as exciting or as fun as a huge Russell Westbrook trade, but that seems unlike. Instead, Jones could be moved in a salary-dump which would save some on the tax bill and also eliminate his player option for next season as a potential issue for the Lakers.

Memphis Grizzlies

Cap/Tax Picture: $28.9 million under the tax

Notable Traded Player Exceptions: None

Draft Pick Situation: The Grizzlies have all of their own first-round picks and one extra pick coming from the Warriors. Memphis has nine tradable second-round picks.

Most Likely to be Traded: Danny Green. It’s unlikely the Grizzlies will do much at the deadline, even if they should. They’re really close to being the best team in the West and one more player could push them over. But Memphis likes to keep their own guys. If they do make a move, it’ll probably involve Green.

Miami Heat

Cap/Tax Picture: $163 thousand under the tax

Notable Traded Player Exceptions: None

Draft Pick Situation: The Heat owe one first to the Thunder, but own all of their other first-round picks. The Heat have at least four tradable second-round picks.

Most Likely to be Traded: Dewayne Dedmon. Dedmon has been replaced by Orlando Robinson in the rotation. Omer Yurtseven could return and bump Dedmon to fourth on the center depth chart. His $4.7 million could get moved to bring in help, or to clear some needed breathing room under the tax line.

Milwaukee Bucks

Cap/Tax Picture: $26.4 million over the tax

Notable Traded Player Exceptions: None

Draft Pick Situation: The Bucks only own two of their own future first-round picks. The others are owed to some combination of the Rockets, Pelicans and Knicks, plus the Pels own swap rights on two other years too. Milwaukee has eight tradable second-round picks.

Most Likely to be Traded: Serge Ibaka. This one is cheating a bit, as the Bucks and Ibaka already agreed to find him a new home. If not Ibaka, keep an eye on Jordan Nwora or George Hill. They could both be nice pieces of salary-matching in a deal.

Minnesota Timberwolves

Cap/Tax Picture: $3.1 million under the tax

Notable Traded Player Exceptions: $4.4 million (Jarred Vanderbilt)

Draft Pick Situation: Minnesota owes Utah four future first-round picks, only one of which is protected. Because of the Stepien Rule, the Wolves can’t deal another first. The Timberwolves have three tradable second-round picks.

Most Likely to be Traded: Bryn Forbes. Super boring, but the Wolves don’t project to do anything big at the deadline. All of their meaningful salaries belong to rotation players. Minnesota is likely to focus on getting healthy and treating that as their “acquisitions”.

New Orleans Pelicans

Cap/Tax Picture: $3.6 million under the tax

Notable Traded Player Exceptions: None

Draft Pick Situation: The Pelicans own three extra first-rounders courtesy of the Lakers and Bucks. They also have swap rights on three years with those two teams too. New Orleans has at least five tradable second-round picks.

Most Likely to be Traded: Willy Hernangomez. When the Pelicans are healthy (or assuming they ever are), Hernangomez is the fifth big in their rotation. New Orleans should be able to pick up another second-rounder if they deal Hernangomez to a big-needy team.

New York Knicks

Cap/Tax Picture: $7.7 million under the tax

Notable Traded Player Exceptions: None

Draft Pick Situation: The Knicks first-round pick situation is complicated. They have all of their first-rounders moving forward. They have additional picks coming from Dallas, Detroit, Washington, and potentially Milwaukee, moving forward. Those picks all have various protections attached, but all should eventually convey to New York. The Knicks have eight tradable second-round picks.

Most Likely to be Traded: Cam Reddish. The contract is small enough to moved easily. New York is apparently asking only for a second-rounder or two in the deal. Reddish will likely get moved before the deadline.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Cap/Tax Picture: $7.9 million under the tax

Notable Traded Player Exceptions: $10.2 million (Derrick Favors), $4.2 million (Ty Jerome)

Draft Pick Situation: Oklahoma City has at least eight extra first-round picks headed their way from a combination of the Rockets, Clippers, Jazz, Heat, 76ers and Nuggets. In addition, the Thunder have at least 12 tradable second-round picks.

Most Likely to be Traded: Darius Bazley. It’s unlikely the Thunder will do much at the deadline. They aren’t sitting on cap space anymore. And OKC can’t realistically add any more draft picks. If they want to avoid any messiness with Bazley in restricted free agency, the Thunder might move him along to another team.

Orlando Magic

Cap/Tax Picture: $28.6 million under the tax

Notable Traded Player Exceptions: None

Draft Pick Situation: The Magic have extra firsts coming from the Bulls and the Nuggets, in addition to all of their own first-round picks. Orlando has at least 12 tradable second-round picks.

Most Likely to be Traded: Mo Bamba or Terrence Ross. Is this finally the year Ross gets traded? What about Bamba who has lost all of his minutes in a healthy, and crowded, frontcourt? Don’t be surprised if both are moved by the deadline, as Orlando consolidates things a bit on their roster.

Philadelphia 76ers

Cap/Tax Picture: $1.2 million over the tax

Notable Traded Player Exceptions: None

Draft Pick Situation: The Sixers have four of their own first-round picks over the next seven years, with three picks owed to a combination of the Nets, Thunder and possibly Jazz or Rockets. In the second round, Philadelphia owns only two picks that they will definitely get. This partially from forfeiting second-round picks in 2023 and 2024 due to tampering.

Most Likely to be Traded: Jaden Springer. If the 76ers can move Springer and take no salary back, they’ll get themselves clear of the tax. That’s likely to be a goal heading into the trade deadline.

Phoenix Suns

Cap/Tax Picture: $16.3 million over the tax

Notable Traded Player Exceptions: None

Draft Pick Situation: Phoenix is the only team in the NBA that owns all of their own first and second round picks, and doesn’t have any extra picks in either round.

Most Likely to be Traded: Jae Crowder. Even if it’s for a very minor return, Phoenix has to move on from Crowder. They’ll likely get something of value, as he can help several contenders, but it’s a surety that Crowder will be moved before the deadline. Keep an eye on Dario Saric here too.

Portland Trail Blazers

Cap/Tax Picture: $67 thousand under the tax

Notable Traded Player Exceptions: $6.5 million (Robert Covington), $3.3 million (Nickeil Alexander-Walker)

Draft Pick Situation: Portland owes a lottery protected pick to Chicago. Those protections carry out through 2028, but the pick should convey before then. The Blazers have four tradable second-round picks.

Most Likely to be Traded: Josh Hart. It’s probably more likely Portland stands pat, but Hart could be part of a deal to bring a bit more size to the roster. He’s also on a very tradable contract.

Sacramento Kings

Cap/Tax Picture: $17.2 million under the tax

Notable Traded Player Exceptions: $4 million (Tyrese Haliburton)

Draft Pick Situation: The Kings owe a protected first-round pick to the Hawks, but own the remainder of their own first-rounders. Sacramento has between nine and 11 tradable second-round picks.

Most Likely to be Traded: Alex Len. Sacramento has a lot of potentials for this spot. The Kings should be looking to aggregate together a bunch of salaries of non-rotation players. That could deliver a rotation player who makes upwards of $20 million this season. That’s the way to go all-in on a playoff push.

San Antonio Spurs

Cap/Tax Picture: $26.9 million under the cap

Notable Traded Player Exceptions: None

Draft Pick Situation: The Spurs have five extra picks coming their way from the Hawks, Hornets and Bulls. They also own all of their own first-rounders moving forward. San Antonio has 12 tradable second-round picks.

Most Likely to be Traded: Josh Richardson. Nope, not Jakob Poeltl. There seems to be real interest in re-signing the big man, so that leaves the veteran guard on the block. Richardson could help a lot of contenders and it would free up some minutes in a semi-crowded Spurs backcourt.

Toronto Raptors

Cap/Tax Picture: $4.5 million under the tax

Notable Traded Player Exceptions: $5.3 million (Goran Dragic)

Draft Pick Situation: Toronto owns all of their own first-round picks with no extras coming in. The Raptors own all of their own second-rounders, minus a 2024 second-round pick they owe to Memphis.

Most Likely to be Traded: Gary Trent Jr. Maybe Toronto starts a major remodeling of their roster, but that seems more like a summer project. If they wait, and Trent isn’t a part of the future plans, expect the Raptors to get something of value before losing Trent for nothing this summer.

Utah Jazz

Cap/Tax Picture: $6.9 million under the tax

Notable Traded Player Exceptions: $9.8 million (Joe Ingles), $9.6 million (Rudy Gobert), $4.9 million (Bojan Bogdanovic)

Draft Pick Situation: Utah owes one protected pick to Oklahoma City. Beyond that, the Jazz have eight additional first-rounders coming their way, mostly from the Cavaliers and Timberwolves. Utah has three tradable second-round picks.

Most Likely to be Traded: Malik Beasley. This is really a take-your-pick of any number of veterans on the Jazz roster. Beasley seems likely to fetch a solid enough return, while having a somewhat shaky spot moving forward that Utah could move on from him.

Washington Wizards

Cap/Tax Picture: $1.4 million under the tax

Notable Traded Player Exceptions: $6.3 million (Rui Hachimura), $3.9 million (Aaron Holiday)

Draft Pick Situation: The Wizards owe a protected first-round pick to the Knicks, but own all of their other first-rounders. Washington has at least seven tradable second-round picks.

Most Likely to be Traded: Will Barton. The veteran wing has fallen out of the Wizards rotation. He could still help a number of contenders who need a bench scorer. If he’s not traded, Barton could also work a buyout. Keep an eye on Kendrick Nunn as a guy who might get re-flipped after arriving in the Rui Hachimura trade.


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