Early NBA trade guide: championship windows, superstar decisions and apron hurdles
early-nba-trade-guide-2025-26
The NBA’s next trade window does not officially open until Dec. 15 for most recently signed players, but front offices are already positioning themselves for moves that could shape the 2025-26 season. Fourteen clubs stand out because of title aspirations, looming luxury-tax aprons or pivotal roster timelines.
Golden State Warriors: chasing one more ring for Curry
Golden State added forward Jonathan Kuminga on Sept. 30, creating a $22.5 million contract that becomes trade-eligible Jan. 15 and can be moved without his consent. Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green account for more than 75 percent of team salary, while the next three highest-paid players earn a combined $24 million. The Warriors are now just $2 million below the second apron and cannot take back additional money or combine contracts if a deal would place them above that line.
Boston Celtics: cutting costs while Tatum recovers
By moving Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porziņģis, Boston slipped under the second apron and shaved roughly $300 million in future payroll. Jayson Tatum is rehabbing a torn Achilles, yet president Brad Stevens insists the club is not rebuilding. Jaylen Brown and Derrick White remain under contract through at least 2028-29, and Anfernee Simons’ $27.7 million expiring deal could be a trade chip. Boston sits $12 million over the tax, faces a projected $39 million penalty and, as a first-apron team, cannot take back more money in trades.
Los Angeles Lakers: balancing LeBron’s present with Doncic’s future
LeBron James, entering his 23rd season, holds a no-trade clause and could reach free agency next summer alongside Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent, Maxi Kleber and Austin Reaves—contracts worth more than $50 million combined. Luka Doncic is signed through 2027-28 (with a 2028-29 option), giving the Lakers flexibility to open up to $50 million in cap room next summer and nearly double that in 2026-27. Los Angeles is willing to absorb salary that runs past 2026 and can move one first-round pick in 2031 or 2032 plus five potential swaps.
Milwaukee Bucks: Giannis watch continues
General manager Jon Horst traded for Kyle Kuzma at last year’s deadline, then overhauled the roster by signing 11 players, including Myles Turner and Bobby Portis, while waiving Damian Lillard. The maneuvers exhausted Milwaukee’s second-round stock and left just one future first (2031 or 2032) to trade, along with $20 million in dead money. Only Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kuzma, AJ Green and rookie Tyler Smith are currently trade-eligible. Antetokounmpo, sidelined at camp by COVID-19, reiterated that winning remains his only priority.
Houston Rockets: apron restrictions after VanVleet injury
Fred VanVleet’s season-ending setback on Sept. 22 leaves Houston $1.2 million under the first apron and unable to sign a replacement. Eight summer signees cannot be moved until mid-December, and two (Aaron Holiday and Jae’Sean Tate) hold veto rights. Trade options are limited to Kevin Durant, Alperen Şengün, Amen Thompson, rookie Reed Sheppard and Tari Eason, who has until Oct. 20 to reach an extension or hit restricted free agency in July.
New York Knicks: hard-capped for the second straight October
Signing Guerschon Yabusele with the tax mid-level exception locked New York into the second apron, forcing the club to consider moving 2024 draft picks Tyler Kolek or Pacôme Dadiet to maintain flexibility. Five players—Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart—combine for 70 percent of salary. Only one first-round pick, Washington’s 2026 selection (top-eight protected), is tradable. Center Mitchell Robinson is extension-eligible and can leave unrestricted next summer.
Denver Nuggets: Tenzer retools around Jokic
New executive vice president Ben Tenzer sent Michael Porter Jr. to Brooklyn for Cameron Johnson and bolstered the bench with Jonas Valančiūnas, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Bruce Brown. Denver owns just one movable draft asset—a 2032 second-rounder—but is not hard-capped, holds two trade exceptions ($6.9 million and $5.2 million) and carries 13 mid-range salaries between $2.2 million and $23 million. The team sits $402,000 above the tax with one open roster spot.
New Orleans Pelicans: Dumars takes evaluation year
Joe Dumars’ debut summer included trading a favorable 2026 first to Milwaukee and rights to Asa Newell for rookie Derik Queen. Dumars declined to set playoff expectations, citing Zion Williamson’s uneven availability—46 percent of regular-season games since 2019. Williamson has three years and $127 million left, non-guaranteed in the final two seasons.
Phoenix Suns: new flexibility under GM Brian Gregory
Phoenix cannot move a first-round pick but can finally aggregate contracts after shedding Kevin Durant and stretching Bradley Beal. With Devin Booker the lone player earning more than $34 million, the Suns could package salaries such as Grayson Allen and Nick Richards to match incoming deals.
Sacramento Kings: Perry assesses LaVine-DeRozan fit
General manager Scott Perry inherited Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Keegan Murray and Malik Monk, then signed Dennis Schröder and installed Doug Christie as head coach. Last season the Kings surrendered 121.7 points per 100 possessions when LaVine and DeRozan shared the floor. LaVine is owed $47.5 million and $48.9 million over the next two years; DeRozan’s $24.6 million and $25.7 million deal is partially guaranteed in year two. Monk, coming off a career-high workload but 32.9 percent three-point shooting, is signed through 2027-28.
Toronto Raptors: Webster prepares changes
With Masai Ujiri exiting, Bobby Webster now oversees a roster that has missed the playoffs three straight seasons and is projected $3 million over the tax. Webster signaled that the lineup will not look the same by season’s end, though ownership has not applied financial pressure. Brandon Ingram, acquired at last season’s deadline, has yet to debut for Toronto, and four other starters—Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, Scottie Barnes and Jakob Poeltl—each played fewer than 66 games last year.
Dallas Mavericks: perennial wild card
Since 2021, GM Nico Harrison has executed 16 trades, including last February’s blockbuster that sent Luka Doncic to the Lakers for Anthony Davis. Dallas holds nine movable contracts between $4 million and $17 million and can deal either the Lakers’ 2029 first or its own 2031/32 pick. Hard-capped at the second apron and only $1.3 million below it, the Mavericks cannot aggregate salaries or take back additional money. P.J. Washington recently signed an extension and is off-limits.
Philadelphia 76ers: monitoring stars’ health and tax line
Injuries to Joel Embiid and Paul George will influence Philadelphia’s approach. The Sixers are $7 million above the tax with $24 million in expiring deals: Quentin Grimes (trade-eligible Jan. 15 with veto rights), Kelly Oubre Jr. and Andre Drummond. Embiid, George and Tyrese Maxey will earn a combined $145 million this season, limiting roster-upgrade avenues.
Brooklyn Nets: last team with real cap space
Even after absorbing Michael Porter Jr., Terance Mann, Haywood Highsmith and Kobe Bufkin, Brooklyn retains more than $13 million in room plus an $8.8 million room mid-level exception. The Nets have met the 90 percent salary-floor requirement but could fall below it by waiving Jalen Wilson, Tyrese Martin and Drew Timme (combined $6.2 million non-guaranteed). If those cuts happen before Oct. 20, Brooklyn would need to trade for a player earning north of $4 million.
League-wide trade landscape
Twenty-five trades occurred during the 2024-25 regular season—20 of them in February. This year the Cleveland Cavaliers stand as the lone second-apron team, limiting their trade flexibility. Starting opening night, clubs above either apron cannot sign a player waived from a contract exceeding $14.1 million, and first-apron teams are barred from taking back more money in trades. Only two players, LeBron James and Damian Lillard, hold full no-trade clauses.
The market formally opens on Dec. 15, but for these 14 franchises, groundwork is already in motion.
Source: ESPN
