It isn’t often that an NBA superstar gets traded. There are a lot of mechanisms at play. A team won’t rush to trade their best player. Even if they’re in a position where they need to do just that, they’re going to take their time. No general manager wants to be the one who got a subpar return for their franchise player.
With that in mind, the Portland Trail Blazers have finally traded Damian Lillard. After months of flirting with the Miami Heat, the Blazers sent Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks. This was a monumental trade. It didn’t happen overnight. We saw Lillard in the rumor mill for months before he was finally moved.
Who’s next? As it stands, there are plenty of NBA stars in the rumor mill. Often, that means that they’ll inevitably be moved. Here are the next three stars that we expect to find new homes.
James Harden
This almost goes without saying. Feel free to skip to the next section. By now, James Harden’s departure from the Philadelphia 76ers is inevitable. The only question is whether he’ll be traded or walk in free agency.
In all likelihood, he’ll be traded. Sixers GM Daryl Morey knows that Harden can walk next summer. He can’t let that happen. The Sixers need to get something in return for Harden. With that in mind, expect them to trade him by this year’s trade deadline.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: James Harden & Philadelphia 76ers Updates
Will they get an optimal return? That’s to be determined. Harden has depressed his own trade value. He routinely requests trades: with his free agency pending, Harden is a significant flight risk. With that said, if Morey can make some clever maneuvers, he may be able to save this ship from sinking. If not, could another Sixers star be on the move?
Joel Embiid
James Harden’s departure may be inevitable. Joel Embiid’s is a little less so. By all accounts, he’s committed to the Sixers. At the same time, we’ve heard that one before. If the Sixers can’t get a strong win-now return for Harden, it could spell the end of Embiid’s tenure with the team as well.
Unlike with Harden, the Sixers would get a haul for Embiid. This is the league’s most recent MVP. If trading Harden triggers a domino effect that leads to an Embiid trade request, the sky won’t fall in Philadelphia. They should be able to get an impressive package of young players and draft picks in exchange for Embiid.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Joel Embiid & Philadelphia 76ers Updates
This is the nature of the NBA’s news cycle. Embiid hasn’t requested a trade – we are simply speculating. Is there another NBA star who there’s been rumors about?
Donovan Mitchell
Donovan Mitchell hasn’t requested a trade, either. That said, there’s a little more meat on these bones. We’ve been hearing that Mitchell would prefer to play in a bigger market for years on end. In case you didn’t notice, Cleveland doesn’t exactly meet that criteria.
Perhaps that’s why we’ve heard that Mitchell isn’t interested in extending with the Cavaliers. This could be much ado about nothing. There’s no rush for these two sides to talk about an extension. If the Cavaliers bounce back from a disappointing 2022-23 season, Mitchell could be a Cavalier for life.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Donovan Mitchell & Cleveland Updates
If they don’t? Keep an eye on this situation. Mitchell could be another disappointing season away from a trade request. If he makes one, don’t expect the Cavaliers to rush to make a deal.
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