NBA Trade Rumors: Predicting six offseason trades that have become more likely after the surprising NBA Draft Lottery results.
With the 2024 NBA Draft Lottery officially in the books, we're one step closer to getting a great indication of what could end up transpiring during the actual draft. But for a minute, let's forget about the order and/or how the draft board will fall. Based on the results from the NBA Draft Lottery, there could be other shockwaves to follow.
In this piece, we'll explore seven offseason trades that have become even more likely to take place after the draft lottery results.
The Washington Wizards will trade Kyle Kuzma
Entering the 2024 NBA Draft Lottery, the Washington Wizards were one of the teams that had the best chance of earning the No. 1 overall pick. Even though the Wizards didn't win the No. 1 selection, picking No. 2 isn't a bad consolation prize for them. In what many describe to be a "weak" draft class, the Wizards should still be able to get a talented young prospect with the second overall pick.
Because they didn't fall outside the top 2, it's pretty safe to say that now would be a good time for the Wizards to lean entirely into their rebuild and trade Kyle Kuzma. After earning one of the top two picks in the NBA Draft, I firmly believe that became more likely a possibility heading into the offseason.
The Wizards are going to get a strong piece to jumpstart their rebuild and will have a couple of pieces as their new foundation. They can add to that by potentially trading Kuzma at the NBA Draft or at some point during the offseason.
The Portland Trail Blazers could move up
The Portland Trail Blazers fell outside the top 4 and will now be selecting No. 7 and 14 (via Golden State) overall. For a team that was hoping to move up and not down, it was hard to find many positives for the Blazers after the draft lottery. The Blazers are nearly a year removed from pivoting toward a rebuild and it will only get more difficult to find franchise cornerstones without another top pick in this year's NBA Draft.
But, if the Blazers truly wanted to, there could be a path toward moving up into the top 3-5 range. If Portland was willing, they could package one of their veteran or young pieces along with the No. 7 and/or 14 pick to move into the top 3. How smart of a move that would be; who knows? Especially as many continue to label this draft as weak. However, if there's a player the Blazers truly want to target in the top 3, then perhaps this is something Portland should think long and hard about.
With what transpired during the NBA Draft Lottery, I firmly believe there's a much greater chance that the Blazers could move up in this year's NBA Draft. How that will ultimately look like, it's anyone's guess. But they certainly have the firepower to do so.
The Detroit Pistons' impatience will lead toward a win-now move
Aside from the Washington Wizards, the Detroit Pistons were the other team with a 14 percent chance to earn the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. But unlike the Wizards, who will be selecting No. 2 overall, the Pistons took a huge fall on lottery night. Instead of selecting in the top 2, the Pistons will be picking fifth overall. The Pistons finished with the worst record in the NBA and won't have much to show for it entering the 2024 NBA Draft. In not a deep draft, picking No. 5 overall can be compared to picking outside the top 10 in many other drafts.
In short, the Pistons were royally screwed. And because of that, I do believe that some impatience is going to appear for the Pistons at some point this summer - to the extent that they're likely going to lean toward making a win-now move that could be considered rash by some. The big question is whether it will come in free agency or via trade.
Two players that could be on the team's radar this offseason that they've already been linked to are Tobias Harris and Zach LaVine. There's a chance that either of those moves could be considered a big mistake.
The Houston Rockets will make some sort of big move
If the Houston Rockets making some sort of big offseason move wasn't likely before, it only became much more likely with what transpired at the 2024 NBA Draft Lottery. In moving up six draft spots, the Rockets were one of the big winners of the draft lottery. They head into the NBA Draft with the No. 3 overall pick and, perhaps most important, a huge asset they could build a needle-moving trade package around. If the Rockets wanted, they could pair the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft with Jalen Green and shop it around the league.
It's unclear what exactly that could fetch them on the open market but you'd have to believe it's going to give them a good chance to land another fringe star, if not an All-Star, that they can pair alongside Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks, and rising star Alperen Sengun. If the Rockets are going to be aggressive this summer, this is the type of trade package that they should be shopping on the trade block heading into the start of the offseason.
Either way, I'd be extremely shocked if the Rockets ended up making a pick at No. 3 with the long-term intention of keeping it.
Zach LaVine could find a new home
The Chicago Bulls may not have moved up or down the draft board at the 2024 NBA Draft Lottery but that doesn't mean the results won't impact them. After what transpired at the draft lottery, I believe it's safe to say that the likelihood that Zach LaVine will be traded at some point this offseason grew even more. There are likely going to be a handful of teams disappointed by the draft lottery results that could emerge as potential landing spots for LaVine either at the NBA Draft or during the offseason.
The Detroit Pistons are truly the one team to watch on the LaVine front. After falling outside the top 4, this is a team that could be desperate enough to make a bold move for the disgruntled star. Considering they were considered the "favorites" to land LaVine at one point before he was taken off the trade block because of a season-ending injury, they're certainly a team that can circle back around this summer.
The Bulls may have inched closer to finally parting ways with LaVine and it may have little to do with picking No. 11 overall in the 2024 NBA Draft.
The Oklahoma City Thunder trade their lottery pick
It's time. No matter how their playoff run ends this season, it's quickly becoming apparent that it's time for the Oklahoma City Thunder to make their big move. And with their lottery pick remaining at No. 12, it makes little sense for the Thunder to keep this selection. They already have an established core and need to package some of their assets to make a big move at some point during the offseason as they attempt to continue to build a championship-supporting cast around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Even if the Thunder end up losing to the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference semifinals, this is a team that has seen enough that they should be considered ready to make a bold move. There's a good chance that could take place at the NBA Draft. At the very least, perhaps depending on how the draft board falls, the Thunder could make a selection at No. 12 with the intention of trading the player.
With the strides that the Thunder have made this season in their progression as a team, I'd be shocked if a big move wasn't on the horizon. And if one does develop, it will almost certainly be built around draft picks.
The Atlanta Hawks will trade Trae Young/ Dejounte Murray, or both
And finally, in what was the biggest surprise of the draft lottery, the Atlanta Hawks jumped up all the way from No. 10 to win the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Even though there are no Victor Wembanyama-like prospects in this year's draft class, this is still a huge asset for the Hawks to have heading into the offseason - especially in one that is filled with plenty of uncertainty. If there's one big takeaway from the Hawks winning the No. 1 overall pick, it's probably that they're even more likely to trade Trae Young, Dejounte Murray, or both at this point.
If there's any part of the front office that believes a rebuilding of the roster is needed, this is the perfect time for that sort of pivot. The Hawks can select a player with the No. 1 overall pick that could help fuel their new build. They could use the pieces they get in a potential return of Young and/or Murray to further set a new foundation too.
Just a couple of months ago, the Hawks were sitting in NBA mediocrity. Now, you can make the argument that the tide is shifting for the franchise and that they're in a good place heading into the offseason. If they want, they can be as aggressive as they want in the trade market.