The 2024 NBA trade deadline is the last chance for teams to reload their rosters ahead of the playoffs or get a head start on a rebuild before the offseason. With the deadline approaching on Thursday, February 8th, many teams are likely feeling the pressure to solidify their direction as buyers or sellers.
Last year's playoffs showed just how open the league is today, with the No. 8 seed Miami Heat advancing to the NBA Finals and the No. 7 Los Angeles Lakers advancing to the Conference Finals. . So far this year, there is a clear picture of a championship, but with no clear favorites, many teams will feel they can get through with a suitable fixed-term contract.
We've been tracking all the big trade rumors leading up to Thursday's 3pm ET deadline. As gossip swirls, here are five teams that definitely need to make a deal.
chicago bulls
Are you a buyer or a seller? Seller.
Who do they have to deal with? DeMar DeRozan, Alex Caruso, Andre Drummond
The Bulls' continuity effort seems like the NBA's most puzzling plan until you realize how poor their organizational goals are. All this team wants is to make the playoffs every year, even if it means getting eliminated early, and teams in recent years haven't even been able to do that. The reality is that this era of the Bulls has been cooking ever since Lonzo Ball went down with a knee injury over two years ago, keeping him sidelined to this day. With an old and maxed-out team looking at future assets, almost everyone agrees that it's time for the Bulls to begin a rebuild… except for the Bulls themselves.
The Bulls are past the deadline to pivot, but there's still time to salvage some assets from this era. With Zach LaVine officially out for the rest of the year after surgery on his right foot and Patrick Williams sidelined with a foot injury, Chicago faced reality and acquired a much-needed veteran for young players and draft picks. It is necessary to move some of the people. Alex Caruso is said to be in demand around the league, and the Bulls should sell him to the highest bidder. DeMar DeRozan can still contribute on a playoff team, and the fact that his contract expires after this season may actually make him more appealing. Andre Drummond remains one of the league's better backup centers on a minimum contract, and his ability to own the offensive glass makes him a unique opponent in a playoff setting.
The Bulls still owe San Antonio a top-10 protected 2025 first-round draft pick. Now is an ideal time to trade a veteran and collect next year's pick before the Cooper Flag Derby heats up. There's nothing worth saving in this era of the Bulls.
Los Angeles Lakers
Are you a buyer or a seller? buyer.
Who do they have to deal with? 2029 first round draft picks: Austin Reaves, D'Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura
Considering the durability and productivity of LeBron James and Anthony Davis this season, the Lakers are surprisingly middling. James is 39 years old and can't lead a team every night, but he can still flip a switch and be an elite player for short periods of time. Davis has been a serious two-way terror this season, giving the Lakers a chance to compete with anyone in a seven-game series. This guy needs more help for two superstars. Otherwise, you risk ending the season in a play-in tournament.
The Lakers are a team that currently ranks 28th in 3-point shooting percentage and need as much shooting as possible. They could also use point of attack defense. Names like Dejounte Murray and Bruce Brown have been thrown around, but L.A. would be wise to look for a big man with a similar stretch. The Lakers could conserve ammunition for one more year and get up to three first-round picks to trade this summer, but can they really afford to waste another season with James staring down his 40th birthday? ? The Lakers should do their best as long as James is on the team, and that means getting bold and creative now.
golden state warriors
Are you a buyer or a seller? buyer.
Who do they have to deal with? 2026 and 2028 first-round draft picks: Andrew Wiggins, Chris Paul, Moses Moody
Just as the Lakers work year after year to build the best team possible around LeBron James, the Warriors also owe it to Stephen Curry to do his best while he's still near the top. Curry remains healthy at age 35, but the championship infrastructure around him has been crumbling all season. Klay Thompson fought off allegations of being “washed out,” Draymond Green couldn't stay on the court, and Andrew Wiggins and Kevon Looney fell off a cliff. The recent rise of Jonathan Kuminga gives Golden State some hope, but they need more additions to even make the play-in tournament, let alone the playoffs.
The Warriors have a contract with injured Chris Paul that will pay him a large salary when his contract expires. They could also consider offloading Wiggins for salary relief. More than anything, the Warriors need a defense centered around Curry, who ranks only 20th in the unit this season. Nets forward Dorian Finney-Smith could also be a great addition for Golden State, as is Caruso from the Bulls. It would be ideal to acquire a new big man, but market expectations seem low at the moment. Curry still has enough power to lead the Warriors to a deep run with a little extra help. There's no point in holding onto future draft picks if a suitable trade is being considered.
milwaukee bucks
Are you a buyer or a seller? buyer.
Who do they have to deal with? Bobby Portis, Pat Connaughton, 2024 second-round pick, 2027 second-round pick from Portland.
The Bucks acquired Damian Lillard just before the season and put all their efforts into challenging for another championship. Milwaukee may have the league's best duo of superstars, but the supporting cast is clearly missing key pieces, primarily the point of defense and a productive backup big man in Brook Lopez. The problem is he only has one. The Bucks are losing all of his future first-round picks and don't have many attractive pieces to trade outside of core. Jon Horst he GM will have to work miracles to get the extra help the team needs, but now is the time to get creative.
Does your team have players who can guard the lead guard? Then they will help the Bucks. Milwaukee's perimeter defense has looked incredibly shaky since the trade that traded Lillard for Jrue Holiday, and it's only going to get worse in the playoffs as teams target Lillard on every possession. Even more underrated this year is the decline of Bobby Portis. He looked to score too much in the post and lost a step defensively. Lillard and Giannis need more help, so the Bucks need to send out whatever they can muster.
philadelphia 76ers
Are you a buyer or a seller? buyer.
Who do they have to deal with? 2028 Clippers unprotected first-round pick, 2026 Thunder first-round pick, tons of expiring contracts, and other future first-round picks.
Daryl Morey's authoritative “Five Percent Theory” states that any team that has even a five percent chance of winning a championship has an obligation to strive for it. The Sixers still fit that definition, even after Joel Embiid's devastating knee surgery, as long as they believe the superstar center can return to the playoffs. The Sixers would need to trade nearly their entire roster on expiring contracts and a surplus of future first-round picks from the James Harden deal. This team can make a legitimate bid to whoever it wants, but Morey doesn't make bad trades just to get a trade.
The Sixers could use another scorer to take some pressure off Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, or they could use another defensive playmaker. Caruso, DeRozan, and Drummond could each be eligible from Chicago. Atlanta Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic will provide the extra scoring punch the team needs. Kelly Olynyk of the Jazz could also serve as Embiid's backup or player who could potentially play alongside him.
The Sixers must decide whether to pursue a title now or save cap space heading into the offseason. Embiid is approaching his 30th birthday, and it seems wise to prioritize the present.
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