With the NBA playoffs nearing their final stages and the 2024 draft set to begin in a month, there's a lot of intrigue brewing in the upcoming offseason.
While the Boston Celtics, Indiana Pacers, Minnesota Timberwolves and Dallas Mavericks are still in the postseason, the rest of the league is already preparing for the draft and free agency, which begins on July 6.
The free-agent class isn't overflowing with superstars, but several notable names could become available on the open market or in trades, and there's a lot more drama surrounding the top picks of the draft than there was a year ago, when Victor Wembanyama was the clear No. 1 pick.
Let's take a look at some of the latest trade buzz ahead of the 2024 NBA Draft.
Cleveland Cavaliers standout guard Donovan Mitchell is arguably the top player who could be available on the trade market this offseason. The 27-year-old Mitchell is in the final year of his contract and could be available on the trade market if he doesn't agree to an extension.
“We're hearing the Cavs will either sign Mitchell to an extension or trade him this summer,” wrote Terry Pruitt of Cleveland.com. “They're not even thinking about the start of the 2024-25 season, when Mitchell will be in free agency.”
If Mitchell were to become available, there would be plenty of teams interested, including the Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers.
The Athletic's Jason Lloyd reported on May 14 that Los Angeles would be “one of the front-runners” to acquire Mitchell, and more recently, Yahoo Sports' Jake Fisher reported that Philadelphia is also interested.
“If he doesn't sign an extension with the Cavaliers, Philadelphia would join the ranks of teams interested in acquiring Mitchell,” the source said.
Of course, Fisher noted that Los Angeles Clippers star Paul George is likely Philadelphia's top pick if he becomes a free agent, and there's no guarantee Cleveland won't try to sign Mitchell.
But if Mitchell doesn't sign an extension, the Lakers and Sixers are expected to make at least a few calls to Cavaliers president Koby Altman.
The Atlanta Hawks reached the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021 but haven't won a playoff series since. Last season, Atlanta won just 36 games and failed to advance past the play-in round. Now, the Hawks may be considering a complete rebuild.
HoopsHype's Michael Scotto reported on May 13 that Atlanta could potentially trade either Dejounte Murray or Trae Young.
“While there has been strong resistance to moving Young in past years, executives from rival teams believe Atlanta will be more open to those discussions this offseason than they have been in the past,” Scott wrote.
More recently, Bleacher Report's Eric Pincus reported that the Hawks explored a trade for Murray at the deadline but ultimately were unable to come to an agreement with the Lakers.
“The Brooklyn Nets were in talks with the Lakers to acquire Russell (Los Angeles acquired Dejounte Murray from the Atlanta Hawks) prior to the Dennis Schroder trade, according to multiple sources. Although talks between the Lakers and Hawks fell apart, the Nets are still in need of a starting-caliber guard.”
If Atlanta is indeed interested in splitting the Young-Murray duo, the Lakers could again emerge as a possible trade target. The Athletic's Shams Charania, Jovan Buha and Sam Amick reported on April 30 that Los Angeles is expected to be “aggressive” on the market for Young, with him “one of many names expected to be in talks.”
The New York Knicks had an interesting game against the Pacers, but ultimately couldn't overcome a series of injuries to key players. The Knicks are unlikely to make any major changes to their roster this offseason, but they are reportedly looking to add another playmaker to join Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby and Julius Randle.
“The Knicks are still, as always, constantly searching for new stars. [franchise owner James] Dolan, as always, is counting on it,” The Ringer's Howard Beck wrote.
But before the Knicks begin making trade inquiries in the free-agent market, they'll likely try to sign Anunoby, who has a $19.9 million player option for next season. If New York needs to free up cap space after that to add a top talent, they might consider moving Randle, who is just back from season-ending shoulder surgery.
However, according to The Athletic's Fred Katz, the Knicks don't want to trade Randle unless they absolutely have to.
“The Knicks have no intention of trading Randle, but recognize they may need to do so in order to acquire a star,” Katz wrote. “If no suitable target emerges this summer, the Knicks may look to the 2025 trade deadline in hopes of making a purchase then.”
Randle is set to become eligible for a contract extension on Aug. 3, and New York may want to keep him on a long-term deal. A lot will depend on the caliber of player the Knicks can acquire and whether trading Randle for him would be beneficial for the team.
*Contract information from Spotrac.
