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We’re using outdated terminology when we refer to the “trade market.” In the modern NBA, buyers shop in one of a few very different sorts of markets. There is the relatively standard market, of course. Teams like Detroit and Toronto are good teams with clear needs and control of their own future first-round picks. These teams can get linked to several available players and usually decide to pay a modest price for a mild upgrade. They’re making the sort of moves you’d expect at the deadline. They need shooting. They trade for a shooter. Pretty straightforward.
But the all-in era of roster-building has created two new markets. A handful of teams, mostly in big markets, most of whom are either contending now or have contended in the recent past, have exhausted most of their pick supply. They’re lacking clean, matchable salary most of the time as well. These teams are the ones with serious needs, the ones whose budgets are stretched and who need certain types of players to fill in around the stars they’ve already swung for. Yet the resources at their disposal to get that depth are severely limited. For them, just finding a usable bench piece is often a win.
And then you have the other side of this coin. Usually smaller markets, or at least non-glamour ones, these are the teams that traded away stars in the recent past and have been able to parlay the massive package of picks and youth acquired in those deals into nearly impossible levels of flexibility. Teams like the Spurs, Rockets and Thunder are already among the very best in the NBA, yet they have the resources to trade for almost any player they want in the entire league. For them, the question isn’t what they need right now. It’s how best to allocate these considerable resources to win not just in the present, but in the future.
So to properly set the stage for the upcoming trade deadline, we have to establish what sort of market each of these potential buyers is actually shopping in. In doing so, we can figure out what they need and whether or not they have the tools they’ll need to actually get it. So below is our guide to the buyers of the 2026 trade deadline.
One last note: not every winning team is going to be listed here. We will address why certain winners aren’t likely buyers at the bottom, but essentially, some teams largely have what they need, or don’t have realistic paths to improving without disturbing what they already have. So if you’re looking for a specific team you expected to find, it might be at the bottom.
Detroit Pistons
Financial situation: Very comfortable. The Pistons have around $19 million in room below the luxury tax, and with the $26 million expiring salary owed to Tobias Harris, Detroit can easily match money for almost any player it targets.
Assets: The Pistons control all of their future first-round picks, but no external picks. In addition to its draft tools, the Pistons have a fair number of potentially interesting young players. Ausar Thompson, Isaiah Stewart and Jalen Duren are probably off limits unless there’s a blockbuster to be made. Impending restricted free agent Jaden Ivey is probably gettable. The Pistons just don’t have the minutes and shots he needs. Ron Holland is the swing player here. Young, cost-controlled, brimming with upside, Holland’s defense and athleticism are very valuable, but his offensive limitations are enough of a concern that he might be gettable for the right target. Such a deal would have to make the Pistons a no-brainer Eastern Conference favorite.
Needs: Shooting. Detroit bludgeons opponents in the paint, outscoring them there by around 14 points per game. However, the Pistons rank just 27th in 3-point attempt rate and 18th in 3-point percentage. If they can add a secondary scorer that makes 3s without compromising their defense or paint dominance, they’ll have a pretty clear path to the Finals. Michael Porter Jr. is frequently rumored as a possible Detroit target for exactly this reason. Lauri Markkanen is probably too pricey at this point, and there’s no indication that Trey Murphy is gettable right now either. Keep an eye on Jaren Jackson Jr. as a way to improve an already terrifying defensive front-line while adding shooting in the process.
Boston Celtics
Financial situation: Tight. I’ve explained it in more depth here, but the short version is that the Celtics are a repeater tax team, and if the Boston could find a way to duck the tax this year and next to reset the repeater clock, doing so would be advantageous. However, doing so would mean shedding around $12 million in salary this season, which probably means getting worse. There’s no indication right now that Boston wants to do that, even with Jayson Tatum still hurt.
Assets: Boston owes its 2029 first-round pick to Portland along with swap rights in 2028 to San Antonio. Its 2032 pick is frozen as the Celtics were a second-apron team last season. All of this means Boston can trade two picks: either its 2026 or 2027 selection and then its 2031 pick. In addition, Anfernee Simons, by virtue of being a $27 million expiring contract, is probably the financial mechanism Boston would use to add a significant player.
Needs: Center. Neemias Queta has emerged as a viable, starting-level player, but he’s probably best-suited to playing around half of the game as opposed to 30-35 minutes. Boston is going to need another dependable big to pair with him. Ideally, that would be someone who can shoot. The Celtics have obviously had a lot of success with shooting big men in the past, but there aren’t many of those on the market right now. Like most of the center-needy teams out there right now, expect Boston to sniff around Daniel Gafford. Ivica Zubac was a popular target a month or two ago, but the Clippers have played well enough lately to ensure he won’t be moving.
Toronto Raptors
Financial situation: The Raptors are just above the luxury tax with all five expensive starters locked up next year as well. Expect the Raptors to take some sort of proactive step to shed money, if only to duck the tax this year.
Assets: Toronto controls all of its own first-round picks moving forward. Additionally, there’s some redundancy on their bench. Gradey Dick’s minutes have gone down sharply compared to next season, so it wouldn’t be terribly surprising to see him moved. Ochai Agbaji has also lost playing time this year, so he’s another possible trade chip.
Needs: Like the Pistons, the Raptors need shooting as they’re near the bottom of the league in both 3-point attempt rate and 3-point percentage. Center is quickly becoming a problem as well with Jakob Poeltl out with a back injury. Sandro Mamukelashvili has been excellent as a reserve this season, but he’s an impending free agent due for a payday. Really, the Raptors need talent. There is not enough star-level upside for this team to plausibly win the Eastern Conference. That’s why they’ve been linked to so many big names. With Ja Morant and Anthony Davis now hurt, though, it seems likelier that the Raptors tinker on the fringes before re-examining the bigger-picture concerns over the summer.
New York Knicks
Financial situation: Very tight. The Knicks are just barely below the second apron, where they are hard-capped this season. We’ll also bring up their obvious interest in Giannis Antetokounmpo here because it’s financially relevant. New York would much, much rather get him now than in July. Why? Because they’re already hard-capped now. If they can make the trade during the season, they’ll drop the hard cap over the summer, which will be important in attempting to re-sign Mitchell Robinson. However, if they have to aggregate salaries to get Antetokounmpo later, they’ll create a new hard cap for the 2026-27 season, making it harder to keep Robinson and fill out the bench. As far as making a smaller trade this season, Combining Guerschon Yabusele, Pacôme Dadiet and another minimum salary would allow them to take back around $9 million with enough left over to fill out the roster.
Assets: The Knicks are mostly out of their own picks, at least from a trade perspective. They have their own first-round picks in 2026, 2030 and 2032, but they can’t be traded because of the Stepien Rule. However, the Knicks can offer swap rights, which would figure to be pretty valuable in those deep future years because of how old this team is. The Knicks also have a pretty robust selection of second-round picks to work with, most notably Washington’s this year and next (through the top-eight protected first-round pick the Wizards owe them this year that won’t convey). So the Knicks have room to shop on the margins, but unless they’re giving up players, they don’t have enough draft capital to get anyone too major.
Needs: Ironically, the biggest need here is essentially 2024-25 Yabusele. The Knicks knew they needed a versatile front-court player who could guard multiple positions and make 3s. They signed that player. It didn’t work. There isn’t an obvious replacement out there. Naji Marshall might be a bit out of their asset price range. Another guard for the bench would likely help though. Jose Alvarado is a bit more gettable, and as a native New Yorker, would immediately become beloved by the Madison Square Garden crowd. And of course, Antetokounmpo trumps all. If he becomes available between now and the deadline, the Knicks will do whatever it takes to get him short of trading Jalen Brunson.
Miami Heat
Financial situation: Miami ducked the tax before the season by trading Haywood Highsmith. The more pertinent issue here is Miami’s future cap space ambitions. If Andrew Wiggins declines his player option after the season, the Heat are looking at around $30 million in space this summer. If not, they’d have pathways to much more in 2027. Given Miami’s history of free agency recruiting, the Heat will likely be careful not to risk that space unless they can get a difference-maker.
Assets: The Heat owe their 2027 first-round pick to Charlotte. This makes trading picks in 2026 or 2028 impossible because of the Stepien Rule. That means the Heat can currently offer two first-rounders (2029 and 2031) along with three swaps (2028, 2030 and 2032). There’s a fair bit of young talent here as well. Kel’El Ware is the prize of that group with the tools to one day be an All-Star, but Jaime Jaquez, Nikola Jović, Kasparas Jakučionis and Pelle Larsson should all draw some measure of interest.
Needs: Like the Raptors, it’s talent first and foremost. The Heat do not have an obvious All-Star-caliber player this season with Bam Adebayo having a down year on offense. They need a centerpiece. Like the Knicks, they’re waiting on Giannis clarity. Unlike the Knicks, they could be a bit more open-minded about any other stars that become available. Ideally, that talent would be able to pressure the rim somewhat consistently. The Heat have struggled to finish all season as they’ve mostly eschewed ball-screens on offense.
Indiana Pacers
Financial situation: The Pacers have around $5 million in room below the luxury tax this season and around $8 million in projected room for next season, though that will vary pretty significantly based on where Indiana is drafting. Next year’s line is important because Bennedict Mathurin is headed for restricted free agency and will command an amount big enough to drag the notoriously thrifty Pacers deep into the tax if re-signed without further moves.
Assets: The Pacers control all of their own future first-round picks, and more notably for the time being, Mathurin. He’s a former No. 6 pick averaging around 18 points per game. He’ll attract interest from younger teams. The Pacers are just too crowded on the wing to justify paying him.
Needs: To be clear here, the Pacers aren’t buying for this season. They’re trying to find a center for next season, ideally with Mathurin as the bait. They’ve been linked to Daniel Gafford like several teams, and Pelicans youngster Yves Missi has come up quite a bit lately. Keep a very close eye on Missi. Indiana loves trading for so-called “second draft” players, high draft picks who haven’t really worked out with their first teams. Aaron Nesmith, Obi Toppin and of course, Tyrese Haliburton have been major successes on this front.
San Antonio Spurs
Financial situation: Spectacular. They have almost $6 million in tax room this season and over $43 million in tax room next season. The Spurs can do basically anything financially in the short term, though obviously, things get tighter as their young players start getting paid in the years to come.
Assets: As many as they need. The Spurs control all of their own picks except for 2027, and they control several valuable first-rounders from other teams, including Atlanta’s this year and next, the more favorable of their own and Boston’s in 2028, the most favorable of their own, Minnesota’s and Dallas’ in 2030 and the more favorable of their own and Sacramento’s in 2031. The Spurs can functionally trade for any player in the NBA that is not completely and utterly untouchable. On the lower end of the spectrum, Jeremy Sochan is a former lottery pick who has seemingly fallen out of favor in San Antonio as he heads for restricted free agency, but is a valuable enough defender that he may draw interest elsewhere leading up to the deadline.
Needs: If the Spurs like anyone as a long-term fit, they can go get them. Say they’re interested in Trey Murphy. Great. He’d replace Harrison Barnes as a long-term shooting forward next to Devin Vassell. The Spurs have the picks to get him. Shooting is the one problem area here, and the Spurs might like another big man just as a hedge against overusing Victor Wembanyama in the regular season. But really, don’t expect the Spurs to be too aggressive here. They’re right now where the Thunder were in 2024. This season is more about evaluating what they have than making an all-in push.
Houston Rockets
Financial situation: Tough. The Rockets are $7 million or so above the tax line. They made that commitment when Fred VanVleet was healthy. Now he isn’t, and they’re over the tax while needing a guard. Given Houston’s likely status as a repeat payer in the distant future, it wouldn’t be terribly surprising to see Houston duck the tax. If Houston does something big, VanVleet’s $25 million cap figure would likely be involved. Keep in mind that Tari Eason will need a big contract after the season, so the Rockets will be mindful of long-term money.
Assets: Like San Antonio, the Rockets have the assets to do basically anything. They control all of their own picks except 2026. In 2027, they’ll get both Phoenix’s and Brooklyn’s pick while sending the Nets their own late selection. Then in 2029, they get the two best picks between themselves, the Suns and the Mavericks. If they want a star they can get a star. If they want to tinker they can tinker.
Needs: Fred VanVleet, but he’s not available. Another guard who can handle the ball without getting killed on defense would be the short-term compromise. Ayo Dosunmu makes a lot of sense, as would Jose Alvarado. The Rockets could also use another body at center just to weather the injury Steven Adams is currently dealing with. Anyone at any other position needs to be able to shoot, as the Rockets attempt fewer 3s than anyone bit the Kings.
Los Angeles Lakers
Financial situation: The Lakers are pressed right up against a first-apron hard cap. They are also clinging to 2026 cap space. Most of the roster expires after the season, and the Lakers will not be interested in taking on long-term money unless it’s attached to a star. This roster will probably be rebuilt over the summer.
Assets: The Lakers have one tradable first-round pick right now, in either 2031 or 2032. They can offer swap rights in 2026, 2028, 2030 and whichever year they don’t give away between 2031 and 2032. However, if they wait until the offseason, they’ll have three picks to trade: 2026, 2031 and 2033. They have only one tradable second-round pick in 2032.
Needs: An entirely new roster filled with players that emphasize defense and energy. Unrealistic? OK. How about one defensive-minded wing or big on an expiring contract who won’t compromise their long-term plans. With only one second-round pick and expiring contracts to work with, though, the Lakers have their work cut out for them. Could they convince Portland to part with either Robert Williams III or Matisse Thybulle as a low-risk swing?
Minnesota Timberwolves
Financial situation: The Wolves are looking at around $3.5 million in second-apron hard cap space right now. That’s enough wiggle room to get something done, but not much. As of right now, they’ll have around $21 million in second-apron space next season. Staying below next year is probably a priority as well, so keep that in mind.
Assets: The Wolves are basically out of first-round picks. They have their own 2026 pick, but it’s not tradable. Every other pick is encumbered in some way or frozen. Minnesota does have a handful of second-round picks to dangle, though, and they also have young players who would likely interest teams. Rob Dillingham has thus far been a bust, but he’s a recent No. 8 overall pick. Terrence Shannon has been hurt lately, but has been good when he’s played. Joan Beringer has impressed in tiny samples. Jaylen Clark and Leonard Miller could probably get minutes on a worse team.
Needs: More playmaking out of the backcourt. If they had 2021 Mike Conley instead of 2026 Mike Conley they might win the championship. Alas, there isn’t a 2021 Mike Conley-esque player out there. That means Minnesota is looking at different kinds of guards. Coby White would give them more of a scoring point guard, which could at least ease defensive pressure on teammates even if he’s not exactly a traditional playmaker. That’s the best player likely available to Minnesota without breaking up the roster’s core. It would cost several of those young players, but if they feel confident they could re-sign White to an affordable deal, it would be worth it.
Golden State Warriors
Financial situation: Tricky. The Warriors are pressed up against the second apron, but they also have an extremely top-heavy salary structure with Stephen Curry making more than any other player in the league and Jimmy Butler on a 35% max. That means they have very little matching salary beyond Jonathan Kuminga‘s $22 million or so unless Butler is in the deal.
Assets: Golden State, for the most part, controls its own first-round picks. Technically its 2030 pick is encumbered, but it is top-20 protected to the Wizards. That’s an easy workaround, as picks between 21 and 30 just aren’t that valuable, so if the Warriors traded that pick with the caveat that it only goes to the team in question if it lands between 1 and 20, the acquiring team would likely be fine with that. Kuminga seems to have value to a handful of teams interested in his long-term upside, and Brandin Podziemski has drawn interest in the past, though he’s never evolved beyond a good reserve or low-end starter like the Warriors hoped.
Needs: A miracle. Golden State was the fringiest of fringe contenders even with a healthy Butler. Now, the Warriors would be lucky just to trade their way back to where they were. The only trade that could make them better would be turning Butler’s contract and all of their draft picks into Giannis Antetokounmpo. If that’s off the table, they badly need someone to generate the rim pressure and free-throw attempts that Butler gave them. No one else on the team provides either. The goal is likely just to remain competitive while the Warriors sort out what comes next after the season, so a smaller addition here is probably in the cards. Look out for the Kings as the team most interested in Kuminga. Either Malik Monk or DeMar DeRozan could roughly fill in Kuminga’s salary slot for the Warriors.
Portland Trail Blazers
Financial situation: Portland has only $1.5 million or so in room below the luxury tax, so don’t expect any major expenditures. Down the line, Portland probably wants to position itself for 2027 cap space so it can renegotiate and extend Deni Avdija, who may make his first All-Star team this season. That means long-term expenditures without meaningful outgoing salary will be tough.
Assets: Portland controls most of its own picks, with the caveat that it owes a lottery-protected pick to Chicago that can convey any time between now and 2028. Whenever Portland next makes the playoffs, Chicago gets that pick, and if it doesn’t in the next three years, the Bulls get nothing. More importantly, Portland has draft control over Milwaukee from 2028 through 2030. Those picks, which come after Giannis Antetokounmpo will presumably be traded, are a potential goldmine. Toss in a 2028 first-round pick from Orlando that came on draft night and the Magic are sitting pretty draft wise.
Needs: Ideally, another shot-creator to put next to Avdija. Holiday is more of a stopgap than a long-term point guard. Ideally, Shaedon Sharpe or Scoot Henderson would have grown into this role, but Henderson hasn’t played because of injury this season while Sharpe’s shot-selection and consistency remain an issue. The Holiday trade signaled an organizational philosophy of aggression and defense here. Jake Fischer signaled possible interest in Mikal Bridges should the Knicks trade for Antetokounmpo, so expect Portland to be opportunistic. If there’s a big fish available at any position that they think fits their long-term plans, don’t be surprised if the Blazers go for it.
One team is set to benefit from the Giannis Antetokounmpo drama, and it’s not (just) the team that gets him
Sam Quinn
Los Angeles Clippers
Financial situation: The Clippers are right up against their first-apron hard cap. However, they’re positioned for significant 2026 cap space if they want it through a number of hefty expiring contracts. If they want to prioritize that cap space, they’ll likely avoid trading for hefty long-term contracts. If they’re open to delaying it, they could generate value by taking on longer-term money.
Assets: The Clippers have tradable first-round picks in 2030 and 2032, but it would be downright irresponsible to use them for a win-now trade given this team’s record and age. That means the Clippers are most likely trading with the handful of second-round picks they still have.
Needs: More than anything, a Norm Powell replacement. They thought that would be Bradley Beal. He got hurt and struggled even before he went down. Now the Clippers desperately struggle to score when James Harden and Kawhi Leonard are on the bench. The goal here will probably turning Bogdan Bogdanović’s expiring salary into that backup creator. They probably don’t have enough for Coby White, but any of Sacramento’s spare scorers could make some degree of sense. If the Kings want to get off of Monk’s contract, that’s a swap that suits both sides. Prying Collin Sexton off of the Hornets could make sense as well.
Unlikely to buy
The following teams look like buyers on paper, but probably won’t make any win-now trades at this deadline:
- The Thunder won’t want to disturb the alchemy of their locker room. They’re a defending champion already. They’re 37-10 and are cruising to the No. 1 seed in the West. They don’t want to worry about integrating a new personality and changing their playing style. If they lose in the playoffs, they’ll consider changes from there.
- The Cavaliers are too strapped financially. They’re $22 million above the second apron. They can’t aggregate salaries without getting below it, and there doesn’t seem to be much interest in their role players given their expensive contracts. Max Strus still hasn’t played this season. Cleveland will likely view him as its deadline addition.
- The 76ers have the assets to improve, but not the matching salary. With Paul George and Joel Embiid making 35% maxes, all of Philadelphia’s remaining money is tied to important players. Quentin Grimes and Kelly Oubre Jr. are important, they’re not just matching salary. In all likelihood, Philadelphia just looks for ways to duck the tax. When the Sixers figure out Grimes’ long-term contract situation over the summer, that’s when they’ll reconsider bigger moves.
- The Magic are just going to try to duck the tax by trading Tyus Jones. If they’re going to do something bigger involving a core player, it likely waits until the offseason when they’ve determined if they need a new coach and when Paolo Banchero‘s rookie deal kicks in.
- The Nuggets are another “just duck the tax” team. They have everything they need if healthy, and they barely have any draft assets left anyway.
- The Suns, like Cleveland, have an internal player they will view as its deadline addition in Jalen Green. The Suns will try to duck the tax by trading Nick Richards, but will otherwise probably stand pat.