NBA Rumors: Predicting 8 headline-worthy players who will end up driving the chaos ahead of the NBA Trade Deadline.
Officially set for February 6, the 2025 NBA Trade Deadline is going to be here before we know it. While it's not a certainty that there is going to be plenty of player movement, with the way the rumor mill has been churning, you'd have to imagine there's at least a shot for some chaos to truly erupt over the next month. While much of the trade smoke currently revolves around Jimmy Butler, there are several other names who could be on the move at this year's NBA Trade Deadline. As we quickly inch closer to the deadline, we predict eight notable players who could go a long way in driving the chaos in the days leading up to February 6.
Honorable mention: Zach LaVine, Chicago Bulls
We begin with an honorable mention. The biggest reason why I don't believe the Chicago Bulls are going to be able to part ways with Zach LaVine at this year's NBA Trade Deadline is because of the lack of market there currently is for him. For more than a year now, it appears as if the Bulls have been willing to trade LaVine. The fact that this deal hasn't happened and that there isn't a tangible market is not a good sign for Chicago's chances to move on from LaVine.
While the Bulls would love to trade LaVine ahead of the trade deadline, I don't see it happening. With still a month out before the deadline, I do suppose that could change but at the same time, it's also one of those things that I don't entirely expect to change.
What teams could realistically be interested in Zach LaVine: It's hard to predict what teams would be legitimately interested in LaVine at this point. However, the one team that was at least somewhat intrigued by the possibility of trading for LaVine was the Denver Nuggets. In the end, I still highly doubt that deal will get done considering the Bulls don't have a a ton of interest in taking significant salary back. But I suppose they're one team to keep a close eye on.
I would also not entirely count out a surprise team like the Detroit Pistons, who could look to find a replacement for Jaden Ivey after he was lost for the season. Even though they only have a small shot to make the postseason, I believe this front office may not be entirely willing to punt on the season.