Deal or no deal? Finding new homes for Fox, LaVine, Johnson

Welcome to Deal or no deal?, our annual transaction wish list leading up to the NBA's Feb. 6 trade deadline. These aren't necessarily trades that have been reported on or speculated about but rather scenarios we've come up with, and ones we believe all parties involved should consider.

If you're looking for prospective Jimmy Butler deals, I covered why Butler won't get his way in his standoff with Pat Riley and the Heat. I also explored the many ways the Raptors can get involved in trade season.

Without further ado, let's get to the three deals I'd most like to see.

Fox gets his wish

Spurs receive: De'Aaron Fox
Kings receive: Keldon Johnson, Tre Jones, 2025 protected 1st-round pick (via Chicago), 2027 1st-rounder (via Atlanta), 2030 1st-rounder (via San Antonio, Dallas, or Minnesota)

The presence of a generational talent like Victor Wembanyama allows for fast-tracked rebuilds. It also attracts fellow stars, which helps explain why San Antonio is atop 2023 All-Star De'Aaron Fox's reported wish list. In my proposed deal, Fox gets to his preferred destination 17 months before he can test free agency, Wembanyama gets the game-changing guard who can propel him to the next level, the Spurs significantly increase their talent pool without trading any of their own picks, and the Kings are well compensated.

Of note, the Bulls' pick is top-10 protected in 2025, top-8 protected in 2026 and 2027, and converts to a 2028 second-rounder if it hasn't conveyed by then. The 2030 pick would give Sacramento the most favorable first-rounder between San Antonio, Dallas, and Minnesota. If such a deal were to go through, the Spurs would still have plenty of draft capital to dangle in search of a third star to join Fox and Wembanyama; in addition to controlling all their own picks, two more Hawks first-rounders, and a ton of extra second-rounders, San Antonio would also hang on to Minnesota's unprotected 2031 first-rounder.

The new-look Spurs would feature a rotation consisting of Wembanyama, Fox, Devin Vassell, Harrison Barnes, Jeremy Sochan, Chris Paul, Stephon Castle, Julian Champagnie, and Zach Collins, with all but Paul under team control beyond this season.

As for Sacramento, Johnson and Jones' expiring contracts would mostly be salary filler, although the latter is an underrated and competent point guard. This deal would allow the Kings to further orient their offense around Domantas Sabonis, give youngsters like Keegan Murray and Keon Ellis more room to shine, and give the front office some significant trade equity if they want to hunt for another star to pair with Sabonis. It would also give the Kings a nice starting point if they decide to pivot to a rebuild.

LaVine completes the Rockets

Rockets receive: Zach LaVine, Chris Duarte
Bulls receive: Jalen Green, Steven Adams, Jeff Green, Jae'Sean Tate

Many Rockets fans (and Jalen Green apologists) will hate this deal, but it's the right move. Green has shown more flashes of brilliance this season and is an improved defender, but he's an inefficient volume scorer and poor playmaker who's owed as much as $105.3 million over the next three years. The difference between Green and an elite three-level scorer like LaVine could be the difference between regular-season success and genuine championship contention for Houston.

A league-leading offensive rebound rate and positive turnover differential have helped the Rockets cobble together a top-10 offense, but it's smoke and mirrors. Houston ranks in the bottom five in 3-point shooting, effective field-goal percentage, and true shooting, with a 25th-ranked half-court offense, per Cleaning The Glass.

The team's defense, depth, and smarts have it knocking on the door of contention, but a shot-creator like LaVine could put it over the top. The two-time All-Star is enjoying the most efficient season of his career and has averaged 24.6 points and 4.4 assists on 48-39-84 shooting over the last seven years. LaVine has also suited up for at least 76.8% of games in six of those seven seasons, for those concerned about the 29-year-old's injury history and contract (which has approximately $95 million remaining over the next two years).

From the Bulls' perspective, the 22-year-old Green still has enough talent for Chicago to make him a pillar of its rebuild, which should begin in earnest after years of circling mediocrity. Meanwhile, Duarte, Adams, Tate, and Jeff Green are merely included for salary-matching purposes, with the latter three Bulls-bound veterans all on expiring contracts.

What complicates a Green-for-LaVine trade at the moment is the former's "poison pill" contract. Though Green is playing out the final year of his rookie-scale deal on a $12.5-million salary, his looming extension means that his incoming salary for trade purposes is $29.5 million. A trade becomes easier once Green's extension kicks in this summer.

The cleanest possible LaVine deal between Houston and Chicago would include the Rockets sending picks and the expiring contract of Illinois native Fred VanVleet to Chicago in a one-for-one swap. However, the point of trading for LaVine would be to win big and win immediately. Moving VanVleet isn't conducive to winning.

Grizzlies go for it with Johnson

Grizzlies receive: Cam Johnson, Trendon Watford
Nets receive: Marcus Smart, Luke Kennard, 2028 1st-round pick, 2030 1st-rounder (via Memphis, Phoenix, or Washington)

A new-look offense has Memphis' attack looking more playoff-proof than the last time we saw the young Grizzlies in the postseason. Adding a dynamic scorer and high-volume shooter like Johnson would complete the picture. The 28-year-old is averaging 19.4 points while flirting with a 50-40-90 season, and his true shooting percentage of 65.8% ranks ninth all time among qualified shooters who averaged at least 19 points in a campaign, per Stathead.

Johnson's contract has also become a bargain, with the forward's salary in each of the next two years coming in at approximately 13% of the cap. In fact, this deal would slightly decrease the Grizzlies' payroll for next season (by roughly $1 million).

Kennard is on pace to lead the league in 3-point percentage for the third time in four seasons, but he can't match Johnson's volume, overall offensive repertoire, or defensive abilities. Meanwhile, injuries have limited Smart to just 38 games over his first two seasons in Memphis. The value-add of turning Kennard and Smart into Johnson would be immeasurable and well worth the price of multiple first-rounders. (Watford would serve as salary filler.)

The Grizzlies have overcome injury woes to play at a 55-win pace while boasting top-7 marks on both ends of the court. Johnson would make an already elite team that much scarier, giving Memphis a core four of Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson, Desmond Bane, and Johnson (though he comes with his own injury concerns, having missed more than 27% of his teams' games over his six-year career).

That core could eventually get too expensive, but the Grizzlies still have plenty of promising players (like Jaylen Wells, Scottie Pippen Jr., Jay Huff, Vince Williams Jr., and GG Jackson) on extremely cheap deals.

As for the Nets, Smart's $21.6-million salary for 2025-26 could become another valuable trade chip if the former Defensive Player of the Year can get healthy. Adding a couple more first-rounders would further aid their quest in trading for another disgruntled superstar at some point. The 2030 pick would be whichever is more favorable between Memphis' first-rounder and the less desirable of Phoenix's and Minnesota's first-rounders. (The Wizards have the right to swap with the Suns, and the Grizzlies currently have the right to swap their own pick for the least favorable pick between Washington and Phoenix.)

Joseph Casciaro is theScore's lead Raptors and NBA reporter.