By NBA insiders | ESPN, 2026-01-06 20:00:00
距离交易截止日仅剩一个月，尽管本赛季至今尚未有交易发生，但各支球队正在全联盟范围内考察球员，希望能做出正确的运作，开启一段争冠之旅。
东部头名之间的胜场差微乎其微，且由于多支球队的明星球员遭遇伤病，整个分区的竞争格局十分开放。在东部顶端，底特律活塞、纽约尼克斯和波士顿凯尔特人将随着二月的临近，密切关注潜在的交易动向。
在排名稍后的球队中，密尔沃基雄鹿队和扬尼斯·阿德托昆博 (Giannis Antetokounmpo) 一直处于早期交易传闻的风口浪尖。这支前总冠军球队能否安抚他们的超级巨星？而已经崛起为竞争者的费城76人队又该如何补强阵容？
与此同时，俄克拉荷马城雷霆队在西部的统治地位几周前还看似牢不可破，但近期的几场失利为其他球队打开了机会之门。卫冕冠军会采取行动以保住西部头把交椅吗？还有哪些交易可能会决定季后赛的最终格局？
我们的ESPN内部专家将为您剖析每支争冠球队在截止日前的需求，以及他们可能采取的实际运作。
东部：
DET | NYK | BOS | TOR
ORL | CLE | MIA | PHI | MIL
西部：
OKC | SA | DEN | LAL
HOU | MIN | GS | PHX | LAC
东部联盟
底特律活塞
最大需求： 投射能力和自主创造投篮机会应该是底特律的首要任务。尽管MVP候选人凯德·坎宁安 (Cade Cunningham) 能够胜任这份重担，但过度依赖他可能会在坎宁安开始疲惫时给活塞队带来麻烦。他是队内当之无愧的最佳得分创造者，他吸引的防守注意力能为队友在三分线外和篮下创造出空位机会。但活塞队并非一支高产量或高效率的三分球队。近年来能够打进分区决赛的球队，部分原因就在于拥有出色（即便不是时灵时不灵）的投射能力。想通过一名球员同时解决这两个问题代价高昂，但只要能补强其中一项，就足以支撑球队的季后赛征程，至少能坚持到五月下旬。—— 文森特·古德威尔 (Vincent Goodwill)
潜在目标： 小迈克尔·波特 (Michael Porter Jr.) 将是底特律前场的一次重大升级。这位前NBA总冠军带来了丰富的季后赛经验，并且正在布鲁克林打出职业生涯最佳赛季，场均贡献25.9分，三分命中率高达40.8%。由于所有选秀权均可交易，活塞队拥有从篮网队撬走波特的资产，而且相比其他明星级球员，得到他可能不需要付出那么大的代价。—— 扎克·克拉姆 (Zach Kram)
纽约尼克斯
最大需求： 前场可能需要进一步巩固。尼克斯队始终在关注中锋米切尔·罗宾逊 (Mitchell Robinson) 的健康状况，同时考虑到卡尔-安东尼·唐斯 (Karl-Anthony Towns) 易陷入犯规麻烦且存在防守短板，他们也不希望过度依赖唐斯。对于一支防守效率仅处于联盟中游的球队来说，引进一名能为OG·阿奴诺比 (OG Anunoby) 减负的强悍前锋无疑是受欢迎的。但纽约的薪资已经逼近第二奢侈税线，任何补强都将难以寻觅。—— 古德威尔
潜在目标： 尽管盖尔雄·亚布塞莱 (Guerschon Yabusele) 的表现令人失望——他的场均得分从上赛季在费城的11分降至纽约的3.2分——但尼克斯的阵容深度仍有所提升。通过交易得到快船队的尼古拉斯·巴图姆 (Nicolas Batum)，将为尼克斯的前场增添一位更可靠的老将。而且得到他无需付出太多，这对尼克斯至关重要，因为在完成米卡尔·布里奇斯 (Mikal Bridges) 的重磅交易后，他们已无法交易任何未来的首轮签。—— 克拉姆
波士顿凯尔特人
最大需求： 凯尔特人队仍在等待杰森·塔特姆 (Jayson Tatum) 的回归，他在去年季后赛对阵尼克斯时遭遇跟腱撕裂，可能会在本赛季晚些时候复出。尽管如此，假设波士顿会有所行动，他们最大的需求是摆脱奢侈税以重置累进奢侈税计时器，并看看是否能送走安芬尼·西蒙斯 (Anfernee Simons)。在后卫线人员过多的情况下，增加一名大个子球员是合乎逻辑的。—— 蒂姆·邦坦普斯 (Tim Bontemps)
潜在目标： 凯尔特人队竞争力十足，不应仅仅为了节省奢侈税就抛售西蒙斯。但如果他们通过交易来创造一些薪金灵活性，从而在外线轮换中腾出一个位置，那么在后续操作中，公牛队的阿约·多孙穆 (Ayo Dosunmu) 将是一个很好的替代人选。速度飞快的多孙穆能为这支联盟节奏最慢的球队增加一些快攻得分，而他的三分投射（本赛季43%）和强悍的持球点防守将使他完美契合乔·马祖拉 (Joe Mazzulla) 的战术风格。—— 克拉姆
多伦多猛龙
最大需求： 多伦多已经拥有相当深厚的阵容。但他们确实需要想办法避开奢侈税，目前猛龙队已超出奢侈税线200多万美元。不过，如果猛龙寻求交易，他们应该瞄准另一名大个子球员，因为雅各布·珀尔特尔 (Jakob Poeltl) 持续的健康问题在过去几周频繁地让他缺席比赛。—— 蒂姆·邦坦普斯
潜在目标： 尼克·理查兹 (Nick Richards) 是一位完全合格的替补大个子，他目前在菲尼克斯的中锋轮换阵容中已被边缘化。但他可以填补多伦多的空缺，而且他仅有500万美元的薪水将在本赛季后到期，这很可能有助于改善猛龙队的财务状况。—— 克拉姆
奥兰多魔术
最大需求： 板凳得分。在12月13日杰伦·萨格斯 (Jalen Suggs) 因臀部受伤倒下之前，球队最大的需求是通过送走老将后卫泰厄斯·琼斯 (Tyus Jones) 来降至奢侈税线以下。奥兰多目前超出奢侈税线560万美元，而琼斯的场均得分正迈向职业生涯新低。自12月中旬以来，琼斯首发了8场比赛，为魔术队的后场提供了保障——魔术后场在1月3日萨格斯遭遇内侧副韧带挫伤后再次受到冲击。抛开财务因素，健康是魔术队最大的需求之一，本赛季萨格斯、德斯蒙德·贝恩 (Desmond Bane)、弗朗茨·瓦格纳 (Franz Wagner)、保罗·班凯罗 (Paolo Banchero) 和温德尔·卡特 (Wendell Carter Jr.) 共同首发的比赛仅占三分之一。魔术队曾以为通过引进贝恩解决了外线投射问题，但他们正连续第三个赛季在三分球命中数上排名联盟末五位——目前排名第25。
潜在目标： 即使魔术队想解决他们的外线投射问题，尤其是替补席的火力，他们也需要考虑财务标准来选择目标球员。由于魔术队下赛季的薪资将接近第二奢侈税线，他们无法接纳延续到下赛季的合同。正是这种薪资限制，导致球队与琼斯签下一年合同，并放弃了前首轮秀杰特·霍华德 (Jett Howard) 第四年的球队选项。篮网队的卡梅隆·托马斯 (Cam Thomas) 将是一个极佳的选择。他590万美元的薪水可以与琼斯或霍华德的合同匹配，并为奥兰多带来一位板凳席上的场均20分得分手。—— 鲍比·马克斯 (Bobby Marks)
克利夫兰骑士
最大需求： 尽管打出了或许是联盟本赛季至今最令人失望的开局，但目前没有迹象表明骑士队打算在交易截止日前对阵容进行大调整。由多诺万·米切尔 (Donovan Mitchell)、埃文·莫布里 (Evan Mobley)、达柳斯·加兰 (Darius Garland) 和贾勒特·阿伦 (Jarrett Allen) 组成的核心阵容在过去三个赛季中从未突破过第二轮，如果本赛季无法扭转颓势，一笔大交易可能就是克利夫兰最迫切的需求。米切尔表现出色，但他的三位搭档状态起伏不定，这可能迫使克利夫兰重新审视其建队模式。
潜在目标： 骑士队是唯一一支薪资超过第二奢侈税线的球队，这将使任何交易在截止日都变得异常困难。他们最好的选择是寄希望于伤愈复出的球员——马克斯·斯特鲁斯 (Max Strus) 和小拉里·南斯 (Larry Nance Jr.)——以及更健康的加兰、莫布里和萨姆·梅里尔 (Sam Merrill) 能提升球队实力。否则，骑士队可能会寻求送走近期被降为替补的德安德烈·亨特 (De’Andre Hunter) 和他2300万美元的合同，以寻求升级或薪金减负，从而为球队争取未来的操作灵活性。—— 贾马尔·科利尔 (Jamal Collier)
迈阿密热火
最大需求： 篮板能力。尽管热火队在防守篮板方面的排名要好得多，但赛季头一个月的表现应足以敲响警钟。在赛季前15场比赛中，迈阿密的防守篮板率排在联盟倒数第二。截至本周一，热火队在让对手获得的二次进攻得分榜上排名第六。
潜在目标： 考虑到他们的财务状况（距离奢侈税线还有160万美元）和缺乏可交易的次轮签，新奥尔良的卡洛·马特科维奇 (Karlo Matkovic) 是一个理想人选，热火队或许不用付出太大代价就能得到他。本赛季掉出轮换阵容的马特科维奇，手持一份220万美元的到期合同（下赛季为球队选项），他在本赛季和上赛季共有20场比赛篮板数至少达到6个。—— 马克斯
费城76人
最大需求： 费城是会在截止日引援，还是会尝试通过减薪来避开奢侈税，这将是一个有趣的看点。假设76人选择补强，他们可能会引进另一位大前锋，因为他们本赛季大部分时间都由双向合同球员多米尼克·巴洛 (Dominick Barlow) 或贾巴里·沃克 (Jabari Walker) 在该位置首发，替补中锋阿德姆·博纳 (Adem Bona) 也曾客串。保罗·乔治 (Paul George) 和小凯利·乌布雷 (Kelly Oubre Jr.) 可以打4号位，但两人都不具备真正的大前锋身材。—— 邦坦普斯
潜在目标： 公牛队的杰伦·史密斯 (Jalen Smith) 本赛季表现不俗，场均36分钟内能贡献18.4分和12.7个篮板，效率很高。史密斯既能打大前锋，也能担任小球中锋，他将很好地融入费城的前场，完善一个时而显得过于偏重后卫的轮换阵容。—— 克拉姆
东部X因素：密尔沃基雄鹿
最大需求： 天赋。人员流失削弱了密尔沃基雄鹿队在扬尼斯·阿德托昆博身边的天赋，尽管阿德托昆博本人仍在打出职业生涯顶尖数据。鲍比·波蒂斯 (Bobby Portis) 和阿德托昆博是队中仅存的2021年冠军成员，球队休赛期送走了达米安·利拉德 (Damian Lillard) 并签下了迈尔斯·特纳 (Myles Turner)。但特纳的影响力有限，他场均12.4分的得分是自2019-20赛季以来的最低值。莱恩·罗林斯 (Ryan Rollins) 和小凯文·波特 (Kevin Porter Jr.) 联手弥补了利拉德的产出，但除了阿德托昆博，雄鹿的进攻选择依然太少，当他下场时，球队表现极为挣扎。
潜在目标： ESPN上周报道称，雄鹿已经开始询价几位球员：萨克拉门托的扎克·拉文 (Zach LaVine) 和马利克·蒙克 (Malik Monk)，以及波特兰的杰拉米·格兰特 (Jerami Grant)。这三名球员都能在一定程度上减轻阿德托昆博的进攻负担。但密尔沃基用于提升阵容的资产有限。雄鹿只有一个可交易的选秀权（2031年或2032年），考虑到阿德托昆博未来的不确定性，这是一项高风险的提议。但请密切关注雄鹿，他们已多次表现出为留住阿德托昆博而全力以赴的意愿。—— 科利尔
西部联盟
俄克拉荷马城雷霆
最大需求： 额外的投射能力总是受欢迎的。雷霆队本赛季三分命中率为36.7%，位列联盟第八。这并非明显弱点，但他们上赛季季后赛期间的三分表现曾出现下滑（33.8%），这让他们在对阵掘金和步行者时处于风险之中。在最近输给马刺的三场比赛中，有两场雷霆的三分球分别为37投9中和44投11中，未能在维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) 收缩内线时抓住机会。联盟消息人士预计雷霆在截止日不会非常活跃，考虑到他们轮换阵容稳定、未来薪金空间有限，且战绩已达30胜6负，但雷霆总经理萨姆·普雷斯蒂 (Sam Presti) 以其出其不意的操作而闻名。—— 安东尼·斯莱特 (Anthony Slater)
潜在目标： 雷霆队的交易条件非常苛刻。考虑到他们的薪金状况，引进一名合同延续到本赛季之后的球员基本是不可能的，而且他们本赛季也没有太多薪金空间来增加薪水，否则就会触发奢侈税。在几乎没有上场时间的奥斯曼·吉昂 (Ousmane Dieng) 作为匹配薪资的情况下，符合条件的候选人寥寥无几。一个可能的人选是：布鲁克林篮网队侧翼海伍德·海史密斯 (Haywood Highsmith)，他预计在截止日前从休赛期的半月板手术中恢复。作为一名职业生涯三分命中率37%且能防守多个位置的球员，海史密斯将能融入俄克拉荷马城的体系。—— 凯文·佩尔顿 (Kevin Pelton)
圣安东尼奥马刺
最大需求： 圣安东尼奥不会像上赛季那样在交易截止日寻求重磅操作，当时球队引进了控球后卫德阿龙·福克斯 (De’Aaron Fox)。相反，马刺队会尝试在阵容边缘补充有影响力的球员。马刺队的三分命中率为35.5%，排名联盟第17位。在2025年的最后三场比赛中（包括输给克利夫兰和犹他的比赛），球队的远投命中率仅有27.4%。哈里森·巴恩斯 (Harrison Barnes)、德文·瓦塞尔 (Devin Vassell) 和朱利安·尚帕尼 (Julian Champagnie) 是圣安东尼奥最好的远射手，但马刺队需要从替补席上再添一位。—— 迈克尔·C·莱特 (Michael C. Wright)
潜在目标： 把扬尼斯·阿德托昆博从名单上划掉吧，因为迄今为止，圣安东尼奥并未就这位老将前锋与雄鹿进行过任何对话。马刺拥有进行大交易的资产，但总经理布莱恩·莱特 (Brian Wright) 和其他管理层成员都清楚，这支年轻球队正在形成的化学反应是多么容易被破坏。如果说有什么动作，圣安东尼奥更倾向于增加深度。孟菲斯灰熊队的前锋杰伦·威尔斯 (Jaylen Wells) 将是一个合适的人选，作为一名年轻的外线防守者，他还能提供可靠的投射。—— 佩尔顿
丹佛掘金
最大需求： 中锋支援。掘金队急需一名应急中锋，因为尼古拉·约基奇 (Nikola Jokic)（膝伤）和约纳斯·瓦兰丘纳斯 (Jonas Valanciunas)（小腿伤）正在从预计将让他们缺席数周的伤病中恢复。丹佛还有意为其侧翼阵容增加身高和运动能力。后者可能是一个长期问题，因为佩顿·沃特森 (Peyton Watson) 今夏将成为受限制自由球员，他出色的表现可能使他的身价超出掘金的预算。—— 蒂姆·麦克马洪 (Tim MacMahon)
潜在目标： 由于掘金的薪资仅略低于第一奢侈税线，且刚好在奢侈税线之上，买断市场对丹佛来说是更现实的途径。如果掘金能为前锋亨特·泰森 (Hunter Tyson) 找到新下家，他们就能腾出一个阵容名额用于赛季中期引援。如果这一操作能迅速完成，国王队的大个子德鲁·尤班克斯 (Drew Eubanks) 或许能帮助填补因约基奇和瓦兰丘纳斯受伤而留下的中锋空缺。—— 佩尔顿
洛杉矶湖人
最大需求： 在2025年最后五场比赛中输掉四场后，湖人队主教练JJ·雷迪克 (JJ Redick) 给出了坦率的评估。“坦白说，我们的阵容里有很多球员都只擅长做好一件事，我们必须找到攻守平衡点，”当被问及双能卫小尼克·史密斯 (Nick Smith Jr.) 能否获得稳定出场时间时，雷迪克如此说道。洛杉矶需要的是更多攻防兼备的球员，他们既能帮助弥补卢卡·东契奇 (Luka Doncic)、勒布朗·詹姆斯 (LeBron James) 和奥斯汀·里夫斯 (Austin Reaves) 的防守缺陷，又能通过命中空位三分来提升三巨头在进攻端的效率。湖人队的三分命中率（34.3%）排名联盟第26，防守效率值（每百回合失分117.4）也排在第24位。要想被视为真正的竞争者，这两项数据都需大幅提升。—— 戴夫·麦克梅纳明 (Dave McMenamin)
潜在目标： 如果我管理湖人队，我会每天给萨克拉门托国王队打电话，询问后卫基翁·埃利斯 (Keon Ellis) 的情况。他上赛季场均出战24.4分钟，本赛季在主教练道格·克里斯蒂 (Doug Christie) 拥挤的后场轮换中进进出出。埃利斯职业生涯三分命中率高达41.6%，并擅长持球防守。或许最重要的是，他正处于新秀合同的最后一年，拿着底薪。埃利斯不仅能轻松融入湖人当前的薪金表——并让他们能用其他到期合同来解决前场问题——他极小的薪金空间占用也将有助于最大化球队今年夏天的操作灵活性。—— 佩尔顿
休斯顿火箭
最大需求： 在首发控卫弗雷德·范弗利特 (Fred VanVleet) 夏季遭遇前交叉韧带撕裂后，火箭在赛季开始前就需要一名控球后卫。但火箭一直坚持采用集体负责的方式来组织进攻。从结果来看，这种方式很难被诟病，阿门·汤普森 (Amen Thompson)、里德·谢泼德 (Reed Sheppard)、凯文·杜兰特 (Kevin Durant) 和阿尔佩伦·申京 (Alperen Sengun) 都轮流执掌这支进攻效率排名联盟第三的球队。是的，失误仍然是个问题——火箭的失误率排名联盟第28——但休斯顿相信随着赛季的深入，他们在这方面会有所改善。—— 莱特
潜在目标： 几乎所有控卫的名字都可能与火箭联系在一起，成为潜在目标。但球队在交易截止日前不太可能有大动作，因为他们受硬工资帽限制，距离第一奢侈税线仅有125万美元空间。凯尔特人后卫佩顿·普里查德 (Payton Pritchard) 是个合理的人选，因为他熟悉火箭主教练艾米·乌度卡 (Ime Udoka)；雄鹿后卫莱恩·罗林斯似乎也很合适，他是一名擅长无球跑动的防守者。然而，最可能的情况是休斯顿在截止日按兵不动，继续增加二年级后卫里德·谢泼德的角色，后者在防守端进步明显，同时三分命中率高达41.7%。—— 佩尔顿
明尼苏达森林狼
最大需求： 安东尼·爱德华兹 (Anthony Edwards) 本赛季已成为森林狼事实上的首发控卫，因为年龄终于让迈克·康利 (Mike Conley) 无法常规性地承担这一角色。明尼苏达希望找到一个更好的选择，以减轻爱德华兹的职责。森林狼管理层曾希望罗伯·迪林厄姆 (Rob Dillingham) 能成为解决方案——球队在2024年选秀中向上交易得到了他——但迪林厄姆现在还无法胜任这个角色，甚至可能永远都无法胜任。—— 麦克马洪
潜在目标： 森林狼需要的是一位有身材、有投射能力的组织型控卫，还不能增加薪水。简直太容易了！ 即便是明尼苏达本地人泰厄斯·琼斯，其700万美元的薪水也可能超出了森林狼的承受范围。一个可能的人选是孟菲斯后卫小斯科蒂·皮蓬 (Scotty Pippen Jr.)，他的底薪合同还有三个赛季。随着卡姆·斯潘塞 (Cam Spencer) 的崛起以及泰·杰罗姆 (Ty Jerome) 即将回归，灰熊可能会在皮蓬于全明星周末前后从脚趾手术中恢复之前，将他视为可交易的球员。—— 佩尔顿
金州勇士
最大需求： 艾尔·霍福德 (Al Horford)，勇士休赛期最重要的引援，在经历了两个月伤病和低效表现后，终于找到了一点节奏。如果他的状态持续回暖，他们进入中锋市场的意愿可能会降低，但联盟消息人士称他们已经进行过一些试探。正如预期的那样，他们已就乔纳森·库明加 (Jonathan Kuminga) 与多支球队进行了试探性对话，但消息人士透露，他们表示不愿意接纳他们认为是负资产且合同延续到本赛季之后的球员。这自夏季以来一直是个障碍，当时他们在关于库明加的先签后换谈判中，拒绝了萨克拉门托对马利克·蒙克的兴趣。—— 斯莱特
潜在目标： 尽管篮网前锋小迈克尔·波特的名字不像通常在交易截止日前与金州联系在一起的明星那么响亮，但他可能更适合球队。可以不送出德雷蒙德·格林 (Draymond Green) 就吃下波特3800万美元的薪水，尽管这肯定需要把摩西·穆迪 (Moses Moody) 加入交易。金州在侧翼有足够的深度，但缺少像波特这样明确的首发球员。增加另一位神射手——波特本赛季三分命中率高达40.8%——并且拥有足够的身材来扮演哈里森·巴恩斯/凯文·杜兰特的角色，将为格林打中锋的阵容注入活力，并可能激活这支至今更像是伪强队的争冠希望之师。—— 佩尔顿
菲尼克斯太阳
最大需求： 由于杰伦·格林 (Jalen Green) 因右腿筋问题本赛季仅出战两场，很难判断菲尼克斯在截止日的需求。太阳的防守至今一直是强项，效率值排在联盟第9，但球队的篮板排名第23，场均盖帽排名第24。一名护框大个子或侧翼球员在这方面肯定会有所帮助。另一个值得关注的位置是后卫深度。科林·吉莱斯皮 (Collin Gillespie) 正打出职业生涯最佳的一年，德文·布克 (Devin Booker)、格雷森·阿伦 (Grayson Allen) 和乔丹·古德温 (Jordan Goodwin) 都具备一定的组织分配球能力，所以这并非一个迫在眉睫的需求，只是阵容中一个值得加强的领域。—— 麦克梅纳明
潜在目标： 由于薪资刚刚超过奢侈税线，太阳有机会通过交易已掉到轮换第三顺位的替补中锋尼克·理查兹来完全摆脱奢侈税。如果他们完成这笔交易并腾出一个阵容名额，就可以解决本赛季一直令人头疼的替补大前锋问题。凯尔特人前锋克里斯·布歇 (Chris Boucher) 的底薪合同价格理想，考虑到凯尔特人的税务压力，他们很可能会支付其剩余薪水。布歇在波士顿并不适配，但他在多伦多多年来都是一名有价值的替补。—— 佩尔顿
西部X因素：洛杉矶快船
最大需求： 诺曼·鲍威尔 (Norman Powell) 的离开、布拉德利·比尔 (Bradley Beal) 导致赛季报销的臀部手术，以及布鲁克·洛佩斯 (Brook Lopez) 和博格丹·博格丹诺维奇 (Bogdan Bogdanovic) 的赛季初状态下滑，严重限制了科怀·伦纳德 (Kawhi Leonard)、詹姆斯·哈登 (James Harden) 和伊维察·祖巴茨 (Ivica Zubac) 身边的得分选择。洛杉矶的替补场均得分排在联盟末五位。快船主教练泰伦·卢 (Tyronn Lue) 需要另一位具备得分和组织进攻能力的威胁点，特别是如果快船希望凭借近期的强势表现重返竞争者行列的话。—— 麦克梅纳明
潜在目标： 交易的关键在于对方也需要有所收获，而在联盟对伦纳德涉嫌规避工资帽的调查进展缓慢之际，快船的选秀权悬而未决，导致洛杉矶实际上没有太多筹码可供提供。快船更好的选择或许是利用现金为被雪藏的克里斯·保罗 (Chris Paul) 和表现不佳的科比·布朗 (Kobe Brown) 寻找新下家，从而腾出阵容名额，将双向合同球员乔丹·米勒 (Jordan Miller) 和科比·桑德斯 (Kobe Sanders) 的合同转正。—— 佩尔顿
由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
点击查看原文：2025-26 NBA trade deadline: Best fits for East and West contenders
2025-26 NBA trade deadline: Best fits for East and West contenders
The trade deadline is a month away, and though a deal is yet to be made this season, teams are checking on players around the league with the hopes of making the right move to go on a title run.
The top of the East is separated by only a few games, and the conference is wide open as several teams deal with injuries to their stars. At the top of the East, the Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks and Boston Celtics will keep an eye on potential moves as February approaches.
Further down the standings, the Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo have been at the forefront of early trade speculations. Can the former champions appease their superstar? And how can the Philadelphia 76ers add to a roster that has emerged as a contender?
Meanwhile, the Oklahoma City Thunder’s hold on the West looked unbreakable just a few weeks ago, but recent stumbles have opened the door for other teams. Will the defending champs make any moves to stay atop the West? What other moves could define the playoff picture?
Our ESPN insiders break down what each contender needs ahead of the deadline and plausible moves they could make.
East:
DET | NYK | BOS | TOR
ORL | CLE | MIA | PHI | MIL
West:
OKC | SA | DEN | LAL
HOU | MIN | GS | PHX | LAC
Eastern Conference
Detroit Pistons
Biggest need: Shooting and shot creation should be first on Detroit’s list. Heavily relying on MVP candidate Cade Cunningham, who ably handles the responsibility, can haunt the Pistons if he begins to wear down. He’s by far the best shot creator on the roster, and the attention he creates allows teammates to get open looks on the perimeter and at the rim. But the Pistons aren’t a high-volume or efficient 3-point shooting team. Teams that have recently gotten to the conference finals have done it partially thanks to good, if not streaky, shooting. Finding both of those in one player would cost a lot. But finding one trait could shore up a playoff run that could last at least until late May.– Vincent Goodwill
Player they could target: Michael Porter Jr. would represent a major upgrade in Detroit’s frontcourt. The former NBA champion brings plenty of playoff experience and is in the midst of a career season, averaging 25.9 points on 40.8% 3-point shooting in Brooklyn. With all of their picks available to trade, the Pistons have the assets to pry Porter away from the Nets, but the Pistons likely won’t need to give up as much for him as they would for other star-level players. – Zach Kram
New York Knicks
Biggest need: The frontcourt likely needs more solidifying. The Knicks are always watching center Mitchell Robinson’s health and don’t want to lean too much on Karl-Anthony Towns given his propensity for foul trouble and his defensive shortcomings. A rugged forward who could ease the burden on OG Anunoby would certainly be welcomed on a team that is barely middle of the pack in defensive efficiency. But New York is right up against the second apron; any help will be hard to find. – Goodwill
Player they could target: The Knicks’ depth has improved despite a disappointing showing from Guerschon Yabusele, whose scoring average has dropped from 11 points per game in Philadelphia last season to 3.2 in New York. Trading for the Clippers’ Nicolas Batum would give the Knicks a more reliable veteran in the frontcourt, and it wouldn’t require a lot to acquire him, which is a necessity because New York can’t deal any of its future first-rounders after the Mikal Bridges blockbuster. – Kram
Boston Celtics
Biggest need: The Celtics are still missing Jayson Tatum, who could come back later this season from the torn Achilles he suffered in last year’s playoffs against the Knicks. Still, assuming Boston makes a move, its biggest need is getting out of the luxury tax to reset its repeater tax clock and see if it can move Anfernee Simons. With a guard-heavy roster, adding a big man would make sense. – Tim Bontemps
Player they could target: The Celtics are competitive enough that they shouldn’t dump Simons solely for tax relief. But if they make a trade to create some financial flexibility, thereby opening a spot in the perimeter rotation, the Bulls’ Ayo Dosunmu would be a good replacement in a subsequent move. The speedy Dosunmu could add some fast-break points to the league’s slowest-paced team, and his 3-point shooting (43% this season) and strong point-of-attack defense would make him a fit for Joe Mazzulla’s style. – Kram
Toronto Raptors
Biggest need: Toronto has a pretty deep roster already. But it really needs to find a way to duck the luxury tax, which the Raptors have exceeded by just over $2 million. But if the Raptors look to make moves, they should target another big man, given Jakob Poeltl’s ongoing health issues that have regularly kept him off the court over the past few weeks. – Tim Bontemps
Player they could target: Nick Richards is a perfectly acceptable backup big who has been passed into Phoenix’s center rotation. But he would fill a hole in Toronto and, with a mere $5 million salary that expires after this season, likely help with the Raptors’ finances. – Kram
Orlando Magic
Biggest need: Bench scoring. Before Jalen Suggs went down because of a hip injury Dec. 13, the biggest need was dropping below the luxury tax by moving veteran guard Tyus Jones. Orlando is $5.6 million above the luxury tax, and Jones is on pace to average the fewest points of his career. Since mid-December, Jones has started eight games and provides insurance for the Magic’s backcourt, which took another hit with Suggs’ MCL contusion on Jan. 3. Finances aside, health is one of the Magic’s biggest needs with Suggs, Desmond Bane, Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero and Wendell Carter Jr. starting only a third of the games this season. The Magic thought they addressed their perimeter shooting by adding Bane, but for a third straight season, Orlando is on pace to finish in the bottom five in 3-point shooting – currently ranking 25th.
Player they could target: Even if the Magic wanted to address their perimeter shooting, especially off the bench, there are financial criteria for the type of player they should target. Because the Magic are nearing the second apron next season, they are not in a position to take back salary that stretches into next season. The salary restriction is why the team signed Jones to a one-year contract and declined the fourth-year team option of former first-round pick Jett Howard. The Nets’ Cam Thomas would be a great pickup. His $5.9 million salary fits with Jones or Howard and gives Orlando a 20-point scorer off the bench. – Bobby Marks
Cleveland Cavaliers
Biggest need: There has been no indication that the Cavs are looking to make major roster shakeups ahead of the trade deadline, despite what is, perhaps, the most disappointing start in the league so far. The core of Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen hasn’t advanced past the second round in the past three seasons, and a big trade might be the biggest need for Cleveland if it fails to turn around this season. Mitchell has been excellent, but his three supporting players have been up-and-down, which could force Cleveland to reexamine its team formula.
Player they could target: The Cavs are the only team over the second apron, which will make any trade very difficult at the deadline. Their best bet is to hope that the players returning from injury – Max Strus and Larry Nance Jr. – as well as a healthier Garland, Mobley and Sam Merrill will boost their roster. Otherwise, the Cavs could look to offload De’Andre Hunter, who has been moved to the bench recently, and his $23 million contract in search of an upgrade or salary relief to give the team a chance at future flexibility. – Jamal Collier
Miami Heat
Biggest need: Rebounding. Even though the Heat have ranked far better in defensive rebounding, the first month of the season should serve as a warning. Miami had the second-worst defensive rebound percentage in the first 15 games of the season. Through Monday, the Heat rank sixth in most second-chance points allowed by their opponents, as well.
Player they could target: Considering their finances ($1.6 million below the luxury tax) and lack of tradeable second-round picks, New Orleans’ Karlo Matkovic is a fit who might not cost the Heat much in a trade. Out of the rotation this season and on an expiring $2.2 million contract (he has a team option next season), Matkovic has 20 games of at least six rebounds this season and last. – Marks
Philadelphia 76ers
Biggest need: It will be interesting to see whether Philadelphia adds players at the deadline or tries to shed money to duck under the luxury tax. Assuming the Sixers add, they could acquire another power forward, as they’ve spent most of the season with two-way players, Dominick Barlow or Jabari Walker starting at that position, with backup center Adem Bona also filling in. Paul George and Kelly Oubre Jr. could move to the 4, but neither has true power forward size. – Bontemps
Player they could target: The Bulls’ Jalen Smith has quietly had a strong season, averaging 18.4 points and 12.7 rebounds per 36 minutes on solid efficiency. Capable of playing as a power forward and small-ball center, Smith would slot nicely into Philadelphia’s frontcourt, rounding out a rotation that, at times, feels too imbalanced toward the guard positions. – Kram
East wild card: Milwaukee Bucks
Biggest need: Talent. Attrition has robbed the Milwaukee Bucks of their talent around Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is still posting some of the best numbers of his career. Bobby Portis and Antetokounmpo remain the only players from their 2021 championship roster, and the team moved on from Damian Lillard to sign Myles Turner this offseason. But Turner’s impact has been modest; he’s averaging his fewest points (12.4) since the 2019-20 season. Ryan Rollins and Kevin Porter Jr. have combined to make up for Lillard’s production, but the Bucks still have too few offensive options aside from Antetokounmpo, and they struggle mightily without him on the floor.
Player they could target: ESPN reported last week that the Bucks have already begun inquiring about a few players: Sacramento’s Zach LaVine and Malik Monk, as well as Portland’s Jerami Grant. All three players could alleviate some of Antetokounmpo’s offensive burden. But Milwaukee has limited assets to pull off a move to improve the roster. The Bucks have one draft pick, in either 2031 or 2032, available to trade, a risky proposition considering Antetokounmpo’s uncertain future. But keep an eye on the Bucks, who have shown a willingness to go all in several times to keep Antetokounmpo happy. – Collier
Western Conference
Oklahoma City Thunder
Biggest need: Extra shooting is always welcome. The Thunder have made 36.7% of their 3s this season, the eighth best mark in the league. It’s not a glaring weakness, but they did slump from deep during the playoffs last season (33.8%), putting them at risk against the Nuggets and Pacers. In two of their three recent losses to the Spurs, the Thunder went 9-for-37 and 11-of-44 on 3s, failing to capitalize against Victor Wembanyama sagging into the paint. League sources don’t expect OKC to be very active at the deadline, considering the lack of rotation and future financial room to go along with a 30-6 record, but Thunder GM Sam Presti can be known to strike in the dark. – Anthony Slater
Player they could target: The Thunder’s trade parameters are strict. With their tax situation, adding a player under contract beyond this season is probably a nonstarter, and they can’t add much salary this season without pushing into the tax. With little-used Ousmane Dieng as a matching salary, that leaves a small pool of eligible candidates. One player who might make sense: Brooklyn Nets wing Haywood Highsmith, who should return before the deadline from offseason meniscus surgery. A career 37% 3-point shooter who can defend multiple positions, Highsmith would fit into Oklahoma City’s system. – Kevin Pelton
San Antonio Spurs
Biggest need: San Antonio won’t be looking to make a splash at the trade deadline like last season, when the club acquired point guard De’Aaron Fox. Instead, look for the Spurs to try to add impact players around the margins. The Spurs rank 17th in 3-point percentage at 35.5%, and over their last three games of 2025, which included losses to Cleveland and Utah, the team shot just 27.4% from range. Harrison Barnes, Devin Vassell and Julian Champagnie are San Antonio’s best long-range shooters, but the Spurs could use another off the bench. – Michael C. Wright
Player they could target: Scratch Giannis Antetokounmpo off the list because, to date, San Antonio hasn’t held any conversations with the Bucks regarding the veteran forward. The Spurs have assets to make major trades, but general manager Brian Wright and the rest of the front office are mindful of this young team’s growing chemistry and just how easily it can be disrupted. If anything, San Antonio will be looking to add depth. Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaylen Wells would fit as a young perimeter defender who adds solid shooting. – Pelton
Denver Nuggets
Biggest need: Center help. The Nuggets have a glaring need for a stopgap center, with Nikola Jokic (knee) and Jonas Valanciunas (calf) recovering from injuries that are expected to sideline them for weeks. Denver also has interest in adding length and athleticism to its wing corps. The latter is likely to be a long-term issue, with Peyton Watson potentially playing his way out of the Nuggets’ budget as he heads toward restricted free agency this summer. – Tim MacMahon
Player they could target: With the Nuggets perched barely below the first apron and just above the luxury tax, the buyout market is a more likely route for Denver. If the Nuggets can find a new home for forward Hunter Tyson, they’ll create a roster spot to fill midseason. If that happens quickly, Kings big man Drew Eubanks might help fill the void at center left by injuries to Jokic and Valanciunas. – Pelton
Los Angeles Lakers
Biggest need: As his team stumbled with four losses in five games to close out 2025, Lakers coach JJ Redick offered a blunt assessment. “Our roster, frankly, has a lot of guys that do a lot of one thing really well [and] finding that offense-defense balance has got to be there,” Redick said when asked about two-way guard Nick Smith Jr. earning consistent playing time. What L.A. needs are more two-way players who can help cover the defensive deficiencies of Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves while also enhancing the triumvirate’s effectiveness on offense by hitting open 3-pointers. The Lakers rank 26th in 3-point percentage (34.3%) and also 24th in defensive rating (allowing 117.4 points per 100 possessions). Both need to improve significantly to be considered true contenders. – Dave McMenamin
Player they could target: If I ran the Lakers, I would be calling the Sacramento Kings daily about guard Keon Ellis, who has been in and out of coach Doug Christie’s crowded backcourt rotation after averaging 24.4 minutes last season. Ellis is a career 41.6% 3-point shooter who excels at defending on the ball. Perhaps most importantly, he’s making the minimum in the last season of his rookie contract. Not only would Ellis easily fit into the Lakers’ cap sheet now – and give them the ability to address the frontcourt using other expiring contracts – his tiny cap hold would help maximize their flexibility this summer. – Pelton
Houston Rockets
Biggest need: Houston needed a point guard before the season began after starter Fred VanVleet tore his ACL over the summer. But the Rockets have been adamant about utilizing a by-committee approach to facilitating their offense. It’s hard to argue with the results, as Amen Thompson, Reed Sheppard, Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun have all taken turns running an offense that ranks third in the NBA. Yes, turnovers remain an issue – the Rockets rank 28th in turnover ratio – but Houston believes it will improve in that area as the season progresses. – Wright
Player they could target: Name any point guard, and they’ll likely be attached to the Rockets as a potential target. But it’s unlikely the team does much leading up to the trade deadline because it is hard-capped, sitting $1.25 million below the first apron. Celtics guard Payton Pritchard would make sense, given his familiarity with Rockets coach Ime Udoka, and Bucks guard Ryan Rollins appears to be a fit as a defender who can excel off the ball. The most likely scenario, however, is Houston standing pat at the deadline and continuing to increase the role of second-year guard Reed Sheppard, who is showing improvement as a defender while shooting 41.7% from deep. – Pelton
Minnesota Timberwolves
Biggest need: Anthony Edwards has been the Timberwolves’ de facto starting point guard this season, as age has finally prevented Mike Conley from filling that role regularly. Minnesota would like a better option and relieve Edwards of those responsibilities. The Timberwolves’ front office hoped that Rob Dillingham would be the solution when the team traded into the 2024 draft to get him, but Dillingham isn’t ready for this role now and might never be. – MacMahon
Player they could target: All the Timberwolves need is an organizing point guard with size and shooting ability who won’t add salary. Easy! Even Minnesota native Tyus Jones would probably be out of the Timberwolves’ price range at $7 million. One player who could make sense is Memphis guard Scotty Pippen Jr., who has three remaining seasons on a minimum-level contract. With Cam Spencer’s emergence and Ty Jerome also due back, the Grizzlies might see Pippen as expendable before he returns from toe surgery around the All-Star break. – Pelton
Golden State Warriors
Biggest need: Al Horford, the Warriors’ biggest offseason addition, has generated a tiny bit of rhythm after two months marked by injury and ineffectiveness. If the surge continues, they could feel less inclined to enter the center market, but league sources said they have sniffed around. As expected, they’ve had exploratory conversations with several teams about Jonathan Kuminga, but they’ve expressed an unwillingness to take on contracts that extend beyond this season if they view them as negative value deals, sources said. That’s been an impediment dating back to the summer, when they declined interest in Malik Monk from Sacramento in sign-and-trade talks for Kuminga. – Slater
Player they could target: Although Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. isn’t as big of a name as the stars normally linked to Golden State in the lead-up to the trade deadline, he might be a better fit. Porter’s $38 million salary could be added without sending out Draymond Green, though that would surely require including Moses Moody. Golden State has plenty of depth on the wing, but not enough clear starters like Porter. Adding another knockdown shooter – Porter has hit 40.8% of his 3s this season – with the size to play the Harrison Barnes/Kevin Durant role would invigorate Warriors lineups with Green at center and perhaps unlock an aspiring contender that has been more pretender thus far. – Pelton
Phoenix Suns
Biggest need: It’s difficult to judge Phoenix’s deadline needs with Jalen Green limited to two games this season because of a right hamstring issue. The Suns’ defense has been a strength so far, with the No. 9 rating in the league, but the team ranks 23rd in rebounding and 24th in blocks per game. A rim-protecting big man or wing could certainly help in that regard. Another spot to watch is guard depth. Collin Gillespie is having a career year, and Devin Booker, Grayson Allen and Jordan Goodwin all have some distribution abilities, so it’s not a glaring need, just an area on the roster worth fortifying. – McMenamin
Player they could target: Just over the luxury tax line, the Suns have a chance to get out entirely by moving backup center Nick Richards, who has fallen to third on the depth chart. If they make that move and create a roster spot, they could address the backup 4 position, which has been troublesome this season. Celtics forward Chris Boucher’s contract would be ideally priced at the minimum, and the Celtics would likely pay his remaining salary given their tax concerns. Boucher hasn’t been a fit in Boston but was a valuable reserve in Toronto for many years. – Pelton
West wild card: LA Clippers
Biggest need: Norman Powell’s departure, Bradley Beal’s season-ending hip surgery and Brook Lopez’s and Bogdan Bogdanovic’s early-season regressions have severely limited the scoring options around Kawhi Leonard, James Harden and Ivica Zubac. LA ranks in the bottom five in bench points per game. Clippers coach Tyronn Lue could use another scoring and playmaking threat, especially if the Clippers hope to ride their recent surge back toward contender status. – McMenamin
Player they could target: The thing about trades is they require the other team to get something, and with the Clippers’ draft picks in limbo amid the league’s slow-paced investigation of potential cap circumvention involving Leonard, LA doesn’t really have much to offer. The Clippers might be better off using cash to find new homes for the exiled Chris Paul and the ineffective Kobe Brown, allowing roster spots to convert the contracts of two-way contributors Jordan Miller and Kobe Sanders. – Pelton
By NBA insiders | ESPN, via ESPN