NBA Trade Watch: Seven Players Who Could Move Before the 2027 Deadline
Michael Porter Jr., Kyrie Irving and five more names could shape the 2027 NBA trade market, with contracts and team timelines driving the decisions.
Three months remain before the 2027 NBA trade deadline, but several teams already face clear choices about the players and contracts that fit their plans. Brooklyn and the LA Clippers have reasons to turn veteran production into future assets; Dallas must weigh Kyrie Irving’s current value against Cooper Flagg’s rise; and Washington faces a high-stakes decision on Anthony Davis. These seven names look especially likely to dominate trade discussions.
Michael Porter Jr., Brooklyn Nets
Brooklyn’s draft position gives the Nets an unusual incentive to keep building toward the bottom of the standings. The team owes its 2027 first-round pick to Houston, so finishing among the league’s three worst teams could help preserve the value of the first-round pick it controls in 2028. That outlook makes moving established talent a plausible part of the plan.
Porter brings a particular kind of appeal to contenders: elite shooting from a forward, with the capacity to score in volume. He’s averaging 20 points, and his contract is due to expire at the end of this season after paying him $40.8 million. If Brooklyn doesn’t plan to extend him, a trade before he reaches free agency would give the Nets a chance to bring back assets. For a team without a near-term push to win, keeping a productive veteran may matter less than converting his scoring into future value.
Kyrie Irving, Dallas Mavericks
Irving is playing the kind of offense that recalls his best work before tearing his ACL, and his influence has helped Flagg take a step forward. Keeping the two together is an appealing idea. Yet the same form that makes Irving valuable to Dallas may also make this a good moment to consider a deal.
At 34, Irving is 14 years older than Flagg, and the age gap points to very different timelines. Dallas also has a thin store of future draft assets, leaving the franchise with limited ways to replenish its long-term resources. Irving’s injury history adds uncertainty to the question of how long he can sustain this level. Trading him could bring Dallas the picks and prospects it needs to build around Flagg, though it would mean giving up a proven creator who is helping the rookie now. The decision turns on whether the Mavericks value that immediate connection more than the chance to strengthen their future.
Kristaps Porzingis, Golden State Warriors
Porzingis’ contract could make him a useful financial piece in a trade, even if Golden State has yet to get on-court production from him. He signed a two-year, $40 million deal in the offseason. The Warriors limited their exposure by guaranteeing just $3 million of his potential $20 million salary for next season, leaving the rest unguaranteed.
That structure could appeal to a team looking to create about $17 million in salary room for 2027–28. Golden State may be able to move Porzingis as part of a deal with a modest asset coming back, rather than relying on his play to create value. He informed the team at the last minute that he would not attend training camp. ESPN’s Anthony Slater has reported deep pessimism inside the organization about Porzingis putting on a Warriors uniform again. Whether he plays for Golden State or another club remains uncertain; for now, his contract looks like the main reason a trade could happen.
Norman Powell, Chicago Bulls
Powell is 33 and remains a reliable scorer, on track to average more than 20 points per game for a third straight season. That production hasn’t turned into meaningful wins for rebuilding Chicago, but it could be valuable to a contender searching for offense.
His two-year, $44 million contract was structured with an eye toward flexibility: the second year is a team option. That makes Powell a relatively straightforward target for a playoff team seeking a scoring boost without taking on a long commitment. His age may limit his defensive impact, but a team with the personnel to cover that weakness could use him as a sixth man who changes the pace of its second unit. The fit is easy to picture, and among the players on this list, Powell looks like one of the clearest candidates to be dealt.
Anthony Davis, Washington Wizards
Davis’ contract situation puts pressure on both sides. He did not receive the extension he wanted in the offseason, and in summer 2027 he can either become an unrestricted free agent or exercise a $63 million player option. Washington risks losing him without a return if he declines the option and leaves, while Davis may prefer a franchise more willing to offer him a maximum deal.
His salary would make any trade difficult, but the Wizards may not be able to wait for a cleaner resolution. One suggested possibility is Golden State, with Jimmy Butler’s expiring contract and a draft pick forming the basis of a package. That remains a speculative fit, not a completed deal, and Davis’ health history adds another layer of risk for any suitor. Washington needs to judge the return it can secure against the possibility of his contract decision narrowing its options.
Derrick Jones Jr., LA Clippers
Jones is the sort of affordable veteran a rebuilding team can turn into a useful piece of a larger trade. He has made more than 35 percent of his three-pointers in each of the past three seasons and, at 29, can still defend difficult perimeter assignments. His expiring $10.5 million salary adds flexibility for teams looking to reshape a roster.
Jones has also played important roles in deep playoff runs with Dallas and Miami, giving contenders a reason to value his experience alongside his defense and athleticism. He may not command a first-round pick on his own. The Clippers could, however, combine his salary with contracts held by players such as Max Strus, Brook Lopez or Kris Dunn to build a larger package. With the team’s draft assets depleted, converting veterans into picks should be a priority, even if that means taking on a heavier contract elsewhere in the deal.
Tyler Herro, Milwaukee Bucks
Herro appears to be Milwaukee’s most attractive trade chip as the Bucks look to rebuild draft assets and plan for the period after Giannis Antetokounmpo. He is heading toward the end of a $33 million contract this season and, in his sixth straight year on course to score more than 20 points per game, is doing so with the best efficiency of his career. That combination makes him a natural target for teams looking for a scoring upgrade.
Milwaukee has other contracts it could put into play, including those of Kyle Kuzma, Caris LeVert and Myles Turner. Ryan Rollins, who earns $4 million, could also offer salary flexibility in a larger transaction. Still, Herro stands out as the player most likely to attract serious attention. The Bucks’ challenge is to decide whether his scoring fits their next phase or whether his trade value can help replenish what the team has spent.
What to watch
These cases are driven by different pressures: expiring deals in Brooklyn and Chicago, a young centerpiece in Dallas, a complicated contract in Washington and the need for future assets in Los Angeles and Milwaukee. Golden State’s situation with Porzingis is more directly tied to salary mechanics. As the deadline approaches, the key question for each team is whether a player’s value is greater on the court today or in the assets a trade could bring back.
By Eurohoops Team / [email protected]. Adapted from an article published by Bleacher Report on November 4, 2026.
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