5 Blockbuster NBA Trade Ideas: Moves for Markkanen, Ingram, LaVine, More

5 Blockbuster NBA Trade Ideas: Moves for Markkanen, Ingram, LaVine, More0 of 5

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The 2024 NBA offseason may be slowing down, although some teams still have a lot to figure out before training camps open in late September.

The Utah Jazz need to make a decision on Lauri Markkanen, as he becomes extension-eligible on August 6 but is probably the best player available on the trade market. Brandon Ingram doesn’t look like a long-term fit with the New Orleans Pelicans, and the Chicago Bulls should still be searching for a Zach LaVine trade partner. With Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby signing big, new contracts with the New York Knicks and Mikal Bridges now in town, does Julius Randle still fit in the Big Apple, or would a return home make more sense?

These are some fresh blockbuster trade ideas as we enter the second half of July.

Hawks Are Surprise Winners of Lauri Markkanen Sweepstakes1 of 5

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Atlanta Hawks Receive: F Lauri Markkanen

Utah Jazz Receive: F/C Onyeka Okongwu, G/F Dyson Daniels, SG Kobe Bufkin, 2025 first-round pick (unprotected via Los Angeles Lakers), 2025 first-round pick (top-12-protected via Sacramento Kings)

The Atlanta Hawks did the right thing by punting on the Dejounte Murray experiment. As a result, they now have some extra draft picks and young talent to play with.

Unfortunately, this team still doesn’t look better with Murray gone and has its next three first-round picks either owed outright or in pick swaps to the San Antonio Spurs. The Hawks should be trying to get better around Trae Young and Jalen Johnson, yet they will probably be worse than the team that won the No. 1 overall pick last year. If they win it again, the Spurs will reap the benefits instead.

Building a big, physical team around Young should be the goal. Markkanen is a 7-foot small forward who now becomes the Hawks’ secondary scorer (23.2 points, 41.4 percent on catch-and-shoot threes) and part of a potentially huge starting five alongside Young, 6’8″ Zaccharie Risacher, 6’9″ Johnson and 6’10” Clint Capela. Atlanta would still have Bogdan Bogdanović, De’Andre Hunter, Larry Nance Jr., Garrison Mathews, Cody Zeller and others off the bench.

With the 2025 draft class projected to be one of the best in years, this trade would give the Jazz potentially five first-round picks to jumpstart the franchise.

They already own unprotected picks from the Cleveland Cavaliers and Minnesota Timberwolves and now add additional selections from the Lakers and Kings (top-12-protected in 2025, top-10 in 2026, turns into 2026 and 2027 second-round picks if not conveyed). Trading Markkanen also helps Utah’s chances of keeping its own pick (top-10-protected, owed to the Oklahoma City Thunder).

The Jazz also get some good, young former first-round picks to add to their talent base. Daniels can’t be aggregated in a trade until September 4, although making this into two separate deals (with Daniels going into a $6.4 million trade exception owned by Utah) would allow the two sides to complete the deal immediately.

Darius Garland Solves the Orlando Magic’s Point Guard Problem2 of 5

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Orlando Magic Receive: PG Darius Garland, G/F Jaylon Tyson

Cleveland Cavaliers Receive: G Jalen Suggs, C Wendell Carter Jr., G Cole Anthony

The Orlando Magic got better this summer by signing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope away from the Denver Nuggets, yet they still didn’t solve the franchise’s No. 1 issue.

This team needs a true point guard, someone who can orchestrate the offense, set the table for others and still be able to shoot. As Paolo Banchero told Ben Golliver of the Washington Post, “I would rather be more of an offensive hub than the point guard, if that makes sense.”

Signing Caldwell-Pope to be the team’s starting shooting guard means Jalen Suggs will be playing point guard full-time after he averaged just 2.7 assists per game last season. After finishing 22nd in offense (112.9 rating) and 27th in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.68), this Magic scoring attack could look clunky at times.

Darius Garland is the perfect solution, a 24-year-old who can grow with the franchise and has averaged 20.6 points, 7.7 assists and shot 38.9 percent from three over the past three seasons.

A starting five of Garland, Caldwell-Pope, Franz Wagner, Banchero and Jonathan Isaac with Anthony Black, Moritz Wagner, Gary Harris, Jett Howard, Tristan da Silva, Tyson (the Cavs’ first-round pick this summer), Goga Bitadze and others would make the Magic a force in the East for the next decade.

For the Cavaliers, Suggs would be the perfect backcourt partner for Donovan Mitchell with his size (6’5″), defense and three-point shooting (39.7 percent). Mitchell played point guard for stretches last season with Garland out and thrived in the role.

Carter’s three-point shooting (37.4 percent) would allow him to play alongside both Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, and the Cavs can use Anthony as a sixth man behind Mitchell and Suggs. Cleveland would be deeper and better defensively with a starting five of Mitchell, Suggs, Max Strus, Mobley and Allen with Anthony, Carter, Caris LeVert, Georges Niang, Dean Wade, Sam Merrill and others rounding out the rotation.

Brandon Ingram Gives Pacers a New Big 33 of 5

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Indiana Pacers Receive: F Brandon Ingram

New Orleans Pelicans Receive: C Myles Turner, SF Aaron Nesmith

The Indiana Pacers, just weeks after playing in the Eastern Conference Finals, have become somewhat of an afterthought when looking at the East pecking order.

With the Boston Celtics winning the title, the Philadelphia 76ers signing Paul George, the New York Knicks trading for Mikal Bridges and the Orlando Magic adding Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Indiana may have to make another move to secure its spot among the conference’s elite.

Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam are locked in for the next four years or more, giving Indiana an All-Star-caliber guard and big to build around. Adding Ingram (20.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 5.7 assists) would give the Pacers another high-level talent, this time on the wing.

Losing Turner hurts, although the veteran center is entering the final year of his contract, and Siakam’s Toronto Raptors were far better when he was at center (plus-12.9 net rating) than power forward (minus-3.5) last season.

A starting five of Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard, Ingram, Obi Toppin and Siakam with Bennedict Mathurin, T.J. McConnell, Jarace Walker, Ben Sheppard, Isaiah Jackson, James Wiseman and others off the bench is a deep and talented group in Indiana.

The Pelicans solve their starting center dilemma with Turner, an ideal fit next to Zion Williamson given his three-point shooting ability. Nesmith is a talented defender on a good contract who hit 41.9 percent of his threes last season and would be an important part of New Orleans’ rotation.

Zach LaVine to Clippers in 3-Team Deal4 of 5

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Los Angeles Clippers Receive: SG Zach LaVine, 2025 and 2026 second-round picks (via Denver Nuggets), 2028 and 2029 second-round picks (via Chicago Bulls)

Denver Nuggets Receive: PG Russell Westbrook, G/F Amir Coffey

Chicago Bulls Receive: SG Norman Powell, F/C P.J. Tucker, G Bones Hyland, PF Zeke Nnaji

The Los Angeles Clippers meet the criteria for a team desperate enough to take on Zach LaVine, as the UCLA product can serve as a cheaper and younger version of Paul George who’s now on a shorter contract as well.

Adding LaVine’s scoring and playmaking to a core of Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, Terance Mann and Ivica Zubac at least gives the Clippers a fighting chance in the West after losing George, especially with the additions of Nic Batum, Derrick Jones Jr., Mo Bamba and Kevin Porter Jr.

The Clippers also get four second-round picks in the trade, helping them restock the cupboard.

The Nuggets turn one rarely used bench option on a bad contract in Nnaji into two rotation players in Westbrook and Coffey, adding them to a revamped bench that now features Dario Šarić.

Chicago is finally free of LaVine’s deal, giving the franchise a lot more financial flexibility moving forward. Tucker is on an expiring $11.5 million deal and can be flipped to a contender, while Powell (13.9 points, 43.5 percent from three last season) would draw interest on the trade market.

Hyland (23) and Nnaji (23) could actually be developed on a young Bulls team after being asked to contribute to championship-hopeful teams thus far in their careers.

Julius Randle Joins Dallas Mavericks5 of 5

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Dallas Mavericks Receive: PF Julius Randle

New York Knicks Receive: PF P.J. Washington, C Daniel Gafford, SG Jaden Hardy, 2025 second-round pick (via Toronto Raptors), 2028 second-round pick (via Miami Heat)

Julius Randle, 29, is still an All-Star forward, yet it’s fair to question how he fits into this new-look New York Knicks team that traded for Mikal Bridges and re-signed OG Anunoby this summer.

Jalen Brunson, Bridges, Anunoby and Randle are all locked in as starters, and Mitchell Robinson will be elevated to one as a result of Isaiah Hartenstein leaving in free agency. This means both Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo will need to come off the bench, although both still deserve big minutes and roles. The combo of Brunson, Hart and Anunoby registered a net rating of plus-26.3 in 689 possessions last season, yet they will now be split up more often with Randle back.

Randle can also opt out of his team-friendly contract next summer, although a new max deal would push the Knicks past $200 million in salary and make them close to being a second-apron tax team.

If the Knicks feel like they can’t afford Randle moving forward, or are more comfortable playing smaller and getting Hart in the starting lineup, the Dallas Mavericks would be the ideal new home.

A starting five of Luka Dončić, Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, Randle and Dereck Lively II would be the most talented team the Mavs have had since 2010-11, and they’d still have a bench of Maxi Kleber, Naji Marshall, Quentin Grimes, Olivier-Maxence Prosper, Dante Exum, Dwight Powell and others.

The Knicks need another center with Hartenstein gone, a role Gafford (11.0 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.1 blocks, 72.5 percent shooting) can serve as either a starter or reserve. Washington (12.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.0 steals, 0.8 blocks) is a solid rotation forward, and Hardy, 22, packs some scoring punch and potential off the bench.