NBA Trade Predictions are always a fun exercise because you get to put together packages that people may not think of. Every team in the Pacific Division is trying to win, but finding the right deal to help them do so could be a little tricky.
Lakers Receive: Daniel Gafford
Mavericks Receive: Gabe Vincent, Dalton Knecht, 2031 Top-10 Protected First-Round Pick
The Lakers need for a center can’t be understated. They watched their season end with a 27-point, 24-rebound performance by Rudy Gobert. The connections to Daniel Gafford are obvious given his history with Luka Doncic, and he may be available this off-season. He is a perfect fit as he is an athletic rim-running big who plays with a lot of energy.
The Lakers showed their willingness to part with Dalton Knecht in the trade for Mark Williams that fell apart, so they clearly are ok with moving him. Trading a first-round pick may not be ideal, but with limited assets, they have to part with a pick. Gafford is set to be a free agent following the season, so extending him will be a necessity for the Lakers.
The Mavericks don’t need to trade Gafford by any means, but they have the flexibility to do so given their frontcourt depth. It is unclear if they plan to extend his contract, and if they don’t, moving him before he leaves is the right thing to do. Knecht gives them a much-needed shooter who still has a lot of room to grow, and the first-round pick helps replenish their draft capital. The trio of Anthony Davis, Derick Lively, and PJ Washington makes Gafford expendable, and it may be worth it to trade him if they are going to let him walk.
Clippers Receive: Cam Johnson, 2025 Second-Round Pick(#36), 2027 Second-Round Pick Via Los Angeles Lakers
Nets Receive: Bogdan Bogdanovic, Drew Eubanks, Kobe Brown, 2025 First-Round Pick(#30), 2031 Top-5 Protected First-Round Pick
The Clippers are always a sneak team in the trade market, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them make a run at Cam Johnson. He fits perfectly as a 3-and-D wing, and he would give the Clippers a starting lineup that can go head-to-head with anyone. Los Angeles struggled on offense against the Nuggets in the first round, and they need to find ways to improve on that end of the court.
Adding a sharp shooting wing who can put the ball on the floor is a great way to do that. Given the age of the roster, that 2031 first-round pick could be very valuable and tough to part with, but if the Clippers are serious about contending, they have to give up something of value.
The Nets need to trade Cam Johnson this summer and fully commit to a young roster. He is a very good player, but he doesn’t fit with the current roster. Brooklyn may want to add another lottery pick in this class, but that 2031 pick from the Clippers would instantly become one of the best available assets in the league. The Nets would now have five first-rounders in this draft with the 30th pick, and they would have a lot of flexibility to maneuver in the draft. Brooklyn won’t get a top-five pick for Johnson in this draft, but there is a chance that the Clippers pick will be a top-five pick in 2031.
Warriors Receive: Coby White
Bulls Receive: Moses Moody, Gui Santos, 2026 Unprotected First-Round Pick, 2028 Top-10 Protected First-Round Pick
The Warriors need another scorer alongside Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler, and Coby White would be a perfect fit. His contract is small enough for the Warriors to take on without trading one of their star players. Golden State will have to extend his contract as he is a free agent after next season, but they have shown a willingness to spend money in order to compete for a title.
White would slide in perfectly next to Curry and Butler as a scorer, shooter, and secondary playmaker. Due to his age and contract, it won’t be cheap to acquire White, but the Warriors control almost all of their picks, giving them the flexibility to send multiple picks out the door.
The Bulls have started their rebuild, but they still have a lot of work to do with their roster. Coby White is a good, young player, but the Bulls would be better off capitalizing on his value instead of paying him $30+ million a year next summer. They are not a piece away from contending, so creating as much flexibility for the future is in the Bulls best interest. Getting two first-round picks is a great haul for Chicago considering their lack of young talent currently on the roster. Chicago appears to have finally selected a direction, and this deal would go a long way in starting the rebuild.
Kings Receive: Duncan Robinson, Jaime Jaquez Jr., 2026 Second-Round Pick, 2027 Second-Round Pick
Heat Receive: DeMar DeRozan
The Kings don’t seem to have much of a plan, and that is the worst place a team could be. They have a lot of talented, players, but no true direction, and that is the worst place to be as an organization. Out of everyone in their core group of players, DeMar DeRozan is the easiest player to trade, and they should absolutely look to move him. He is coming off another productive season, but he is 35 years old and he will only lose value over time.
The return in this deal may not sound great, but Duncan Robinson offers the Kings potential cap relief, and Jamie Jaquez Jr. is an intriguing young player who popped as a rookie. For a 35-year-old player who operates mostly in the mid-range and isn’t a great defender, teams aren’t going to be flooding the Kings with offers to make a deal. Getting a young player on a rookie deal, and an expiring contract is a good deal for the Kings given their current situation.
The Heat have been after DeRozan for a long time, and they may finally be able to get him. He is not the player that most fans want the team to get, but he would provide a much-needed scoring punch to one of the league’s worst offenses.
The Heat can afford to lose Robinson as he has become too inconsistent on the offensive end to make up for his defensive liabilities. Losing Jaquez Jr. for a 35-year-old isn’t ideal, but due to the lack of draft capital the Heat have, they have to give up one of their young players. He fell out of the rotation this year, and his play style is very similar to DeRozan’s, so it would be hard to pair them on the court together.
Suns Receive: Jalen Green, Jock Landale, Cam Whitmore, 2025 First-Round Pick(#10), 2027 Second-Round Pick Via Memphis, 2028 Second-Round Pick, 2030 Second-Round Pick Via Boston
Rockets Receive: Kevin Durant
It is inevitable that the Suns will trade Kevin Durant this summer, it is just a matter of finding the right deal. Of all the teams interested in the Suns star, the Rockets may be able to make the best offer for Phoenix.
Jalen Green is coming off a career year, and he is still just 23 years old with plenty of room to grow. He isn’t a great fit next to Devin Booker, but the Suns can flip him to another team, or find a way to make things work with the two of them on the court. Cam Whitmore is an intriguing young player who has flashed, but he couldn’t find a consistent role on a very deep Rockets team. With the Suns, he will be able to find plenty of minutes as Phoenix lacks depth and overall young talent.
The 10th overall pick, which originally belonged to the Suns is the prize of this deal. For a team lacking young talent on controllable contracts, getting back a top-10 pick in a strong draft is massive. Players such as Derik Queen, Jeremiah Fears, and Carter Bryant, along with others, could all be available, and all would provide the Suns with a new franchise-building block.
The Rockets can afford to make a deal such as this due to their depth. Neither Jock Landale nor Cam Whitmore got much playing time, meaning Durant would essentially replace Jalen Green’s production, and that is a major upgrade. With the current state of the roster, it will be hard for the 10th overall pick to find playing time in Houston, thus making it expendable as well. The Rockets have enough depth and assets to make a win-now move for Durant, as they will still have plenty of flexibility after this deal.
The Lakers have to find a center to pair with Luka this summer. The Clippers need to add more offensive firepower if they want to contend next year. The Warriors need to find a player to pair with Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler. The Kings need to realize they are not going to contend and begin a rebuild. The Suns need to tear everything down and restart around Devin Booker. All of these teams will be aggressive this summer, but it isn’t the best idea for everyone.
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