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3 Perfect Offseason Moves for Hawks 🤝
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Greg SwartzApr 21, 2025
Following a wild NBA trade deadline we could see even more stars moved this summer with a lackluster free agent class.
A lot of things could happen but there are a number of transactions that simply need to take place.
The Orlando Magic need a point guard. The Phoenix Suns need to trade Kevin Durant. The Los Angeles Lakers need a center and the New Orleans Pelicans need to make some major changes.
For the following teams and players, a shakeup is required.
Nic Claxton Solves Lakers Center Problem
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Los Angeles Lakers Receive: C Nic Claxton
Brooklyn Nets Receive: SG Dalton Knecht, F Rui Hachimua, 2025 second-round pick
Why Los Angeles Does It:
It's no secret that the Lakers need an upgrade at their starting center position, a spot they'll likely fill via trade this offseason due to a lack of cap space.
Jaxson Hayes is set to become a free agent. Even if he re-signs, the 24-year-old is best suited to a backup role.
Claxton, 26, would be a big upgrade over Hayes. He's a potential defensive anchor who blocked 1.4 shots per game and held opponents to a solid 58.7 percent shooting at the rim this season to go along with 10.3 points and 7.8 rebounds per game.
Signed for the next three seasons on a contract that actually decreases by about $2 million per year, he'd be an affordable option for the Lakers in the middle.
Why Brooklyn Does It:
There should be no untouchable players on this Nets roster right now as they look to begin a complete rebuild.
In this deal they get Knecht, the sharpshooting 23-year-old who keeps the floor spread for whatever potential star the Nets draft with their 2025 first-round pick.
Hachimura is another talented shooter who can be flipped to a contender this summer for more draft capital and the Nets get the Lakers' second-round pick in the upcoming draft.
New Pelicans Front Office Parts with Zion Williamson
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Detroit Pistons Receive: PF Zion Williamson
New Orleans Pelicans Receive: G Jaden Ivey, F Tobias Harris, 2027 first-round pick (top-5 protected), 2027 second-round pick, 2027 second-round pick (via Milwaukee Bucks)
Why Detroit Does It:
The Pistons should be aggressive in improving the team this summer coming off 44 wins and a trip to the playoffs. Cade Cunningham looks like a No. 1 offensive option (26.1 points, 9.1 assists per game) although no other healthy Detroit starter averaged more than Harris' 13.7 points per game.
Cunningham needs a No. 2 option, someone he can feed the ball to on a regular basis and help cut down the amount of times he's double-teamed.
Williamson (24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists) has perhaps the highest potential of any trade target that may become available and at age 24 can still grow with a young core of Ausar Thompson, Jalen Duren and Ron Holland.
Why New Orleans Does It:
David Griffin, the now former executive vice president of the Pelicans, was the one who drafted Williamson in 2019. Following another lost season where Williamson was once again limited with injuries, now seems like the perfect time for New Orleans to clean house.
Ivey, 23, was averaging 17.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.0 assists this season before suffering a broken leg. He would immediately become the franchise's new starting shooting guard, playing alongside Dejounte Murray or CJ McCollum in the backcourt.
Harris is a solid pro who will be playing on an expiring $26.6 million contract and the Pelicans pick up a lightly-protected future first-round pick and pair of seconds.
Moving forward with a new front office and a core of Ivey, Trey Murphy III, Murray, McCollum, Herb Jones, Yves Missi, Jordan Hawkins and whoever New Orleans selects high in the 2025 draft is the fresh start this franchise desperately needs.
Kevin Durant Creates a New Big 3 with Miami Heat
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Miami Heat Receive: F Kevin Durant
Phoenix Suns Receive: F/C Kel'el Ware, F Duncan Robinson, G Terry Rozier, 2025 first-round pick (via Golden State Warriors), 2030 first-round pick (top-five protected via Miami Heat)
Why Miami Does It:
The Heat and Suns talked about a Durant trade at the deadline and president Pat Riley has wanted the 15-time All-Star for the past decade according to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne and Brian Windhorst.
With Jimmy Butler gone, Miami needs another star forward to complement its core of Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro, especially with an offense that ranked just 21st overall this season.
Durant should like the idea of moving back to the Eastern Conference and joining a team with two All-Stars in their mid-20s while playing for one of the best coaches in the league in Erik Spoelstra. Durant and Spoelstra won an Olympic Gold Medal together with team USA last summer.
Why Phoenix Does It:
A Durant trade is inevitable.
The Suns should be looking for packages that include win-now veterans, draft picks and promising young big men to pair with Devin Booker and keep the All-Star shooting guard happy in Phoenix.
Miami can check all of those boxes while offering some financial relief as well.
Ware is the big return here, as the 20-year-old rookie put up 10.8 points, 10.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks on 53.6 percent shooting in his 36 starts. The 7-footer would become the Suns' new franchise center.
Robinson and Rozier are rotation vets who can help Phoenix win in 2025-26 and also represent $46.4 million of expiring salary next summer. The Suns also collect a pair of first-round picks, including one that will fall between 18 and 20 overall in a talented 2025 class.
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Orlando Magic Receive: PG Damian Lillard
Milwaukee Bucks Receive: G Jalen Suggs, F/C Wendell Carter Jr., G Cole Anthony, 2025 first-round pick (via Denver Nuggets)
Why Orlando Does It:
The Magic need a point guard, plain and simple.
Suggs isn't a true floor general and neither is Anthony Black, who Orlando spent the No. 6 overall pick in 2023 on. This is a team that will be tied to Trae Young, LaMelo Ball and any other elite point guard who could become available this summer.
Lillard, however, would be the perfect fit for this young team in need of offensive creation, three-point shooting, playoff experience and leadership. The Magic's 27th-ranked offense is going to doom any potential playoff run this year and no team made fewer than Orlando's 11.2 three-pointers per game.
Lillard would help elevate players like Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner and spark what's been a horrific offense on an otherwise good team the past few years.
Why Milwaukee Does It:
The Bucks core of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Lillard, Brook Lopez and others isn't title-worthy and is only getting older. With Antetokounmpo still in his prime, Milwaukee needs to get younger, deeper and more athletic overall.
Suggs, 23, is one of the best on-ball defenders in the NBA and is signed for the next five years on a contract that drops about $3 million per season. He averaged 16.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.5 steals a game this year.
Carter, 26, gives the Bucks a new potential starter at center if Lopez leaves in free agency and Anthony, 24, provides a scoring spark off the bench. The Bucks also get back into the first-round pick in the 2025 draft with their own selection owed to the Brooklyn Nets.
Warriors Sign-and-trade Jonathan Kuminga to Trail Blazers
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Golden State Warriors Receive: G Anfernee Simons
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: F Jonathan Kuminga (via sign-and-trade), SG Moses Moody
Why Golden State Does It:
When a team's 22-year-old, third-leading scorer is registering a DNP-coach's decision in the biggest games of the season, it might be a sign that a change is coming.
Kuminga and the Warriors already failed to agree on a contract extension last fall. With the No. 7 overall pick of the 2021 draft now headed into restricted free agency, both parties should be working on a resolution where he gets paid somewhere else and Golden State receives some talent back in return.
Simons, 25, averaged 19.3 points, 4.8 assists and shot 36.3 percent from deep for Portland this past season and could start alongside Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green or become a super sixth man for a team in need of a little more dependable youth.
Why Portland Does It:
The Blazers don't have the cap space to sign Kuminga in free agency but should still want to add him to a young core that features Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, Deni Avdija and Donovan Clingan.
Simons was the team's leading scorer this season yet has just one year left on his contract before becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2026. Trading him now for two younger players who would both be on multi-year deals adds more stability to this roster.
Kuminga is a super-athletic combo forward who averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists in just 24.3 minutes a game this season. He should be thrilled to join a new team who could offer a consistent role.
Moody, 22, put up 11.0 points on 39.4 percent shooting from three in his 34 games as a starter and is beginning a team-friendly, three-year, $37.5 million deal.
