The 2023 NBA season is winding down, and we have an idea of which teams have separated themselves from the others in the league. We also know the best players in the league and the talent they are currently playing with. Of course, the NBA has become a league where star players need to be surrounded by tons of talent, and that is why general managers are always looking to make deals and improve rosters. In fact, there are eight NBA players who are most likely to be moved after this season.
In a league of players that not only encourages movement but values it the most, the rosters of NBA teams could look very different in just a few months when summer is here. The summer of 2023 is shaping up to be one of the most exciting in recent memory, as we could be seeing a host of star players leaving their teams to join new destinations. There are eight star players that could be on the way out, and it could all happen this summer when the 2022-23 season is finally over. Here are the top NBA players who will most likely request a trade this summer to reshape the NBA next season.
Zach LaVine
Athletic guard Zach LaVine has come into his own over the last few seasons. He’s averaging 25.1 PPG and still possesses an elite jumper that he can pull off with efficiency (48.4% FG, 38.5% 3-PT FG, and 85.0% FT). LaVine has made two All-Star Teams already but missed out on making another one this season. LaVine could be slowly showing signs of becoming frustrated in Chicago, especially with the Bulls’ struggles for most of the season.
The best possible destination for LaVine is New York, where the young man can compete at an elite level for a massive market with the Knicks. The Knicks need a star player to pair with All-Star Julius Randle and budding All-Star Jalen Brunson. If the reports are true that LaVine’s camp is pushing for a move to New York, there could be a massive change in how the East looks next year.
Pascal Siakam
Pascal Siakam is among the most valuable players in the trade market because he is only 28 years old with a ton of experience in the playoffs already. He can score inside, shoot the ball, and play solid defense in the post. Siakam was an All-Star this season and has a lot left in the tank as a two-way star who can compete for a winning side. Unfortunately, Toronto is likely out of the mix in the East, and a player of Siakam’s ability belongs on a team with other stars.
The Cameroonian can do it all as a power forward, including defending multiple positions and running the floor, so he could be fed up with a losing situation and demand a trade to a contender. Siakam is averaging 24.2 PPG, 7.8 RPG, and 5.9 APG, and since the team is not winning, it is no surprise that the Raptors have had talks with other teams involving their best player. If the Raptors can get a return of young players and first-round picks, Pascal Siakam could be the next player to leave.
Bradley Beal
Bradley Beal has developed into an elite offensive player over the past few years. His career-high in scoring in the 2020-21 season had placed Beal on the radar for many top NBA teams, and a player like Beal can transform a team’s offense singlehandedly. Even with a ton of roster changes over the years, the Washington Wizards will not be a contender, and everyone with eyes can see that.
Beal is 29 years old and in his prime, so it does not make sense why a special offensive talent should waste his years on an average team. A player of Beal’s talents can be used for legitimate championship purposes, and he might want to finally win after earning a couple of max contracts with the Washington franchise. Finally, Beal could be done with the Wizards because the franchise is not surrounding him with appropriate talent, and a rebuild could be on the horizon. Just like most players on this list, Beal does not fit in a rebuilding plan.
Karl-Anthony Towns
Karl-Anthony Towns is still an exciting prospect in the league despite his roller coaster of a season. Towns possess a unique all-around game that includes shooting, rebounding, and defense. He is still a franchise cornerstone, but he has not had enough help in Minnesota until recently, and even then, the big man does not seem fully content where he is. There is also news that Towns is fed up with the lack of stability within the organization as well.
The Minnesota Timberwolves could falter relatively early this season, whether they fall into a play-in seed or end up becoming a first-round exit. Towns is only 27 years old and is a tremendous shooter for his size, so teams are clearly monitoring the big man who could be fed up with losing and wants to win a ring or be in a better position to do so. Minnesota probably won’t mind rebuilding around Anthony Edwards who seems to be made out of the right stuff.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
The Oklahoma City Thunder seem to want to keep Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in town alongside the young core of Josh Giddey and Chet Holmgren, but that might not be the case if the team continues to lose games. Gilgeous-Alexanderis a 6’6” guard who can score at an All-Star level, so he will be a wanted commodity after his breakout campaign. The All-Star guard is averaging 31.3 PPG, 4.8 RPG, and 5.4 APG this season which looks like superstar numbers.
It is likely the budding superstar will receive consideration from a lot of teams needing a new franchise player, and continuously losing games despite being so talented could be the final straw. Gilgeous-Alexander is still only 24 years old, so he has at least nine more years to play at an All-Star level, and he could feel that playing with the Thunder could be stifling his career. A player of Shai’s status could request a trade, and that is nowhere near an illogical decision.
Trae Young
Trae Young is one of the best offensive point guards in the NBA, although he is always under criticism and will likely never change his high-usage, high-turnover style of play that also does not include much defense. At this rate, it is unlikely that Trae Young will ever be fully respected in Atlanta, according to the reports that continue to come out about his teammates and their possible dislike for the star player.
But that doesn’t mean that Trae can’t be an All-Star for almost any team in the league because the point guard can still get to the rim, shoot from outside, and pass at an elite level. Young is averaging 26.6 PPG and 10.0 APG this past season, All-Star numbers for a player who knows how to get points on the board. A lot of contending teams are interested in Young’s signature, so the All-Star could be on the way to a host of teams including the Miami Heat and the New York Knicks. If the reports are true, Young could be on the way out of Atlanta very soon.
Damian Lillard
Damian Lillard might be a top-ten player in the league this year because he has returned to superstar form after a season filled with injuries last year. The superstar point guard is averaging 32.2 PPG and 7.3 APG this season and has been an offensive force despite the Trail Blazers likely missing the postseason. Dame is doing everything he can for Portland, and it actually could be time for the 7-time All-Star to call it a career with the Trail Blazers.
This could be the final season where Lillard stays quiet because it is obvious the superstar point guard will not waste his remaining prime years on a lottery team. Lillard is 32 years old, making the next few seasons critical points in his future Hall of Fame career. If Portland does indeed miss the playoffs as the point guard suggests, Lillard could have enough of being a big fish in a small pond and force his way to another team which could kickstart an immediate rebuild for the Trail Blazers.
Joel Embiid
Joel Embiid could end up becoming the MVP favorite this season after he somehow missed out on it last year to Nikola Jokic. Alongside Jokic, Embiid is the best big man in the world and has been tearing it up all season with the Philadelphia 76ers. The Cameroonian national is posting 33.3 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 4.2 APG, 1.1 SPG, and 1.7 BPG for the Philadelphia 76ers. Embiid has been the best player for the 76ers all year long, and his impact has been tremendous.
However, things could change in Philadelphia. If the team does not win a title and Embiid faces another early playoff exit, he could become swayed into demanding a trade, especially if James Harden re-joins the Houston Rockets. It is not a great look if the 76ers fail this season if the center wins MVP, and if Harden leaves, it is very likely that Embiid will demand a trade for a new challenge elsewhere.
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