Why these NBA stars could be on the move this season

The NBA is back for its 80th season, and while there will be plenty of basketball to break down over the next eight months, we all know that the Association is also uniquely equipped to provide plenty of transactional drama.

Headlining this year's rumor mill are Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James, the former seemingly nearing the end of his legendary run in Milwaukee, and the latter perhaps eyeing a more competitive team than the incumbent Lakers for what could be his last dance. However, The Greek Freak and King James have been discussed ad nauseam already, so let's highlight a handful of other stars who could be on the move this year.

For what it's worth, though these suggestions are based purely on opinion, they are not pie-in-the-sky scenarios. For a variety of reasons discussed below, they could emerge as realistic trade candidates over the next few months. When I attempted this exercise during the summer of 2024, six of the stars I projected as 2024-25 trade candidates ended up being moved over the ensuing year (Karl-Anthony Towns, Julius Randle, Brandon Ingram, Jimmy Butler, Zach LaVine, and Kevin Durant).

Here are this year's candidates:

Ja Morant

A healthy, drama-free season from Morant would make this suggestion seem foolish in hindsight. The two-time All-Star transformed the Grizzlies upon his arrival in Memphis, consistently raising the team's floor and ceiling over his first few years in the league. Unfortunately, whether due to off-court issues that led to multiple suspensions or general durability concerns, Morant hasn't been the same player Memphis once committed its future to.

The Grizzlies took the first step toward a potential teardown when they traded Desmond Bane this summer. In an ideal world, their newfound flexibility could be used to build something sustainable around Morant and two-way big man Jaren Jackson Jr.

But if Morant can't stay in the lineup, or the Grizzlies just don't look capable of contending again any time soon in the unforgiving West, I could see the front office pivoting to a Jackson-centered rebuild or even completely starting from scratch. In either scenario, Morant might be the first to go. Though there are valid questions to be asked about his present-day value, Morant is still a breathtaking star when healthy, entering what should be his prime years, and under contract for less than 25% of the cap in 2026-27 and 2027-28. Rival teams would surely be willing to pay up for such a player.

Domantas Sabonis

The good vibes in Sacramento lasted about a year before the Kings turned back into ... well, the Kings. This team has offensive talent, but it's also a misfit roster put together by a directionless front office trying to compete in an incredibly tough conference. The Kings have 13th place written all over them, and that should be enough to fuel trade speculation about Sabonis.

The big man's value will be a fascinating case study. As a double-double machine and a three-time All-Star who can serve as a playmaking hub and has led the league in rebounds three straight years, Sabonis is a bonafide floor-raiser. But as a non-shooting, defensively challenged center, he likely caps a team's ceiling while playing on a contract that will pay him roughly $45 million per year for the next three seasons.

Still, there is plenty of space between the surefire contenders and shameless tankers. The majority of NBA teams reside in the meaty middle, and at least one of them would be willing to part with assets for a 29-year-old star under long-term control who has averaged roughly 19 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists on 64% true shooting over the last five years.

Trae Young

The Hawks will be one of this season's most fascinating teams. They could challenge for a top-four seed and loom as an outside threat to make the conference finals. They could also continue their trend of hovering around .500 and the depressing Eastern Conference play-in race. The former would likely lead to an extension agreement with Young, who has only a 2026-27 player option remaining on his contract. The latter might force both player and team to explore new avenues, in which case the pending free agent could be this year's biggest trade target.

Having said that, those contractual uncertainties and Young's glaring defensive issues could also suppress his trade market. Still, keep an eye on Atlanta's fortunes over the next couple of months. It has the potential to set the stage for the rest of the league's trade activity.

Bam Adebayo

Pat Riley's Miami Heat are almost always the buyer in star-trade negotiations, not the seller. But this year will be different. The Heat are a projected play-in team again, and they can no longer rely on Jimmy Butler's ceiling-raising postseason heroics to propel them in the spring. As presently constructed, Miami is a very expensive pile of mediocrity.

Adebayo is a solid big man and borderline All-Star, but he's lost a step over the last year or so, and he's set to earn 30-plus percent of the salary cap for at least the next two seasons. Teams can no longer afford to commit such dollars to second-tier stars in the age of aprons, and certainly not when they're non-contenders. That leaves a team like, say, the Warriors as a possibility to overpay Adebayo instead, while the Heat could create flexibility ahead of future free-agent pursuits in 2027.

Honorable mentions: Zion Williamson, LaMelo Ball

Williamson must get fit and escape injury if New Orleans is going to compete in the tough West and avoid sending Atlanta a juicy pick in a loaded class. But at what point do they rip the band-aid off and find a taker (plus future assets) for Williamson's incentive-laden contract?

As for Ball, he's an entertaining and audacious guard any team would love to build around ... if they could ever be sure he was healthy and focused. Unfortunately, Ball has missed 42% of Charlotte's games over his five-year career and can be a deeply unserious player on both ends of the court. Don't be shocked if the Hornets cut bait with him barring a significant step forward when it comes to his durability and maturity.

Joseph Casciaro is theScore's lead NBA reporter.