NBA Players Most Likely Traded: Murphy, LaVine, & Porter Jr Are Names to Watch

NBA trade speculation never takes much of a break. Contenders are always looking for another piece, struggling teams start thinking about the future, players request to be moved, and someone inevitably decides their roster needs a shakeup.

Of course, being mentioned in trade rumors doesn’t mean a player is packing his bags. Finding a willing trade partner gets complicated when massive contracts, draft picks, and front offices with wildly different asking prices get involved.

The markets on Kalshi give us a look at which players traders expect to move before the deadline. Below, we break down the leading candidates, why their teams might trade them, and what could keep a deal from happening.

Murphy is the kind of player teams should want. A 26-year-old wing who averaged 21.5 points while shooting 37.9% from three last season would improve plenty of starting lineups. Add a contract running through 2028-29, and there’s more here than a rental for one playoff push.

Teams such as the Warriors have been rumored to pursue Murphy for a while now, as they look to add a missing piece to make a run. Meanwhile, the Pelicans could look to sell high to begin a full rebuild. Teammate Zion Williamson is also a potential trade target for contenders.

The Pelicans’ asking price is the catch. Reporting from Jake Fischer indicated New Orleans wanted a return that could help immediately, rather than a package built mostly around draft picks. Finding someone willing to give up good players for another good player makes things considerably trickier. 

Murphy is young enough to remain part of the solution in New Orleans. There should be interest, but the Pelicans don’t need to trade him just because other teams keep asking. Someone will have to make it worth their while.

LaVine’s name has spent enough time in trade rumors to earn a permanent seat. Now, his contract gives Sacramento a more obvious decision to make.

He picked up his $49 million player option for 2026-27, putting him on an expiring deal ahead of unrestricted free agency next summer. The Kings can trade him for something useful or let that money come off the books. Neither option requires keeping him long term.

LaVine still offers scoring and shooting, but matching that salary is expensive for a contender. Sacramento also doesn’t have to accept a bad deal simply to move him.

The expiring contract makes a trade easier to picture, since a buyer wouldn’t be committing to several more expensive seasons. Finding the right salary match and a worthwhile return is still easier said than done.

Porter is a little different from the usual veteran on a team looking toward the future. He is still just 28, and seemingly still improving his all-around game. Formerly only a scorer, becoming the main guy on a struggling team has forced Porter to expand his game.

He enters the season on a $40.8 million expiring deal, with extension talks still a storyline entering training camp. Porter has said he wants to demonstrate that his production can contribute to winning, which the Nets are a ways away from doing. Porter Jr. knows what it feels like to win, after helping bring the Nuggets a championship.

A contender could certainly use a 6-foot-10 shooter with championship experience. The question is whether its offer would be worth more to Brooklyn than keeping him.

This is a contract situation to watch as much as a trade situation. If the sides can’t agree on his future, moving him becomes easier to understand. But the Nets don’t have to treat a productive scorer as someone else’s missing piece.

Having two Kings on this list probably tells you something about Sacramento’s situation. Sabonis and LaVine are recognizable names, but the front office has been willing to discuss both while taking a more patient approach to rebuilding.

Sabonis needs to remind teams what they’d be getting. A knee injury limited him to just 19 games last season, when he averaged 15.8 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 4.1 assists. A healthy stretch would help rebuild his value considerably.

His rebounding and passing can change an offense, but a buyer needs the right pieces around him. He also has roughly $94 million remaining over two seasons, making this a bigger commitment than LaVine’s expiring deal.

Vanderbilt’s situation is more about roster construction than a franchise-changing blockbuster. The Lakers have reportedly explored two-for-one deals involving Vanderbilt and other players, with his preseason rotation spot uncertain.

His defense and rebounding could help another team, but his limited shooting makes the fit important. A contender needs to be comfortable with what happens offensively when he’s on the floor.

Vanderbilt has a much more affordable contract than the rest of this list, making approximately $12.4 million this season, with a player option for 2027-28. A sign-and-trade could also be a good option for both the player and teams involved.

A move is believable, especially as part of a larger deal. But a team going out and making a trade built just around Vanderbilt is less likely.