The NBA trade rumor mill never truly takes a vacation, although the month of September is typically a quieter period. With the 2026-27 season set to tip off on October 20, though, it won’t be long before NBA trade buzz takes a front-and-center position in the 24/7 sports cycle.
If the next year is anything like we saw over the course of this past summer, we are in for a whirlwind stretch of transactions.
Giannis is now in Miami. LeBron is now in Philly. Jaylen Brown is now in Philly. Kawhi Leonard is now in Toronto. LaMelo Ball is now in Minnesota.
In late June and early July, it seemed like there was a major move every other day.
This past winter, ahead of the 2026 NBA trade deadline we saw some monster deals as well.
James Harden was shipped from the Clippers to the Cavs. Anthony Davis was dealt from the Mavs to the Wizards. Trae Young was traded from the Hawks to the Wizards. And Kristaps Porzingis was traded from the Hawks to the Warriors.
Those swaps from the winter seem like eons ago, which highlights just how chaotic NBA player movement is these days.
Below, we will look at the five superstar players who are most likely to be traded during the season.
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Kyrie Irving
It’s hard to believe, but Kyrie Irving is already 34-years-old. By the time 19-year-old Cooper Flagg is entering his prime years, Irving might be close to retirement.
The issue in Dallas isn’t fit. It’s a timeline problem.
“The Mavericks, as we’ve been writing since mid-June, have consistently swatted away trade interest this offseason in 9-time All-Star guard Kyrie Irving,” NBA reporter Marc Stein, of The Stein Line, recently wrote. “Rival teams, however, continue to wonder aloud about how firmly Dallas will stick to that stance once the season begins and the next in-season trade deadline on February 11 gradually approaches. The primary factor fueling that curiosity, of course, is the fact that Irving is 34 and Mavericks star forward Cooper Flagg is 19. Not your average age gap between the team’s two best players.”
If Kyrie gets frustrated with the Mavericks’ slow build, expect the trade chatter to heat up (no pun intended).
“[Mavericks president] Masai [Ujiri] has a really good relationship with Kyrie Irving,” added NBA reporter Marc Spears. “I think it’s the kind of relationship where if Kyrie says, ‘Hey, Masai, like this isn’t for me, I think they could work together to get something done. I don’t think it would be something ugly. I think there would be interest in Kyrie if he’s as healthy as he looks.”
Where he could be headed: Miami Herald reporter Barry Jackson mentioned Irving as a fit for the Heat, which is looking for an elite guard to put next to Giannis and Bam Adebayo. This issue, though, is that the Heat pretty much exhausted all of its trade assets in acquiring Giannis.
Other teams that have recently been mentioned as a fit for Irving are the Hawks and Spurs.
Joel Embiid
Once the face of the 76ers franchise, you could make the case that the injury-prone Embiid is now the fourth wheel in Philly.
Perhaps he thrives in his new role alongside LeBron, Brown, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.
Or, perhaps he will feel like he is being phased out.
The new Sixers front office of Mike Gansey and Bob Myers are surely looking around the NBA for a way to get out of Embiid’s massive contract.
“I think it’s going to be tough to move him, but I think those conversations are absolutely happening,” said 97.5 The Fanatic co-host Sean Brace on Middays with Marks in July. “I feel like [Mike] Gansey and Bob Myers, I think they looked at this opportunity and said, ‘if we can get out of these contracts, we do it. If that happens and you don’t get much in return for Joel Embiid, so be it. I think they’re looking for fresh—it’s a new sheriff in town. I do think they’re actively moving Joel Embiid.”
Where he could be headed: The Pistons could be interested in Embiid if they are still at a contract stalemate with center Jalen Duren (more on him later). Other teams that could be intrigued by Embiid’s services are the Warriors, as Steve Kerr coached Embiid at the 2024 Summer Olympics, and the Mavericks, as Ujiri and Embiid have been chummy for years.
Kevin Durant
Has there ever been an elite player involved in more trade rumors than Durant?
The 37-year-old has played for five franchises in his career thus far. What’s one more?
Despite a frustrating first season with Houston in 2025-26, Durant shrugged off trade chatter at Rockets media day this week.
“I’m not thinking about anything like that,” Durant said. “I enjoy coming into work every day. It’s been fun going through the process with everybody. I’m taking it one day at a time.”
Where he could be headed: A logical fit for Durant at this stage of his career and at this stage of this particular franchise’s progression is the Orlando Magic. The Magic have lost in the first round of the playoffs in three straight years. They clearly need an elite veteran to push them over the top.
Other teams that have often been mentioned in Durant trade speculation are the Pistons and Wizards.
Jalen Duren
Duren and the Pistons have been involved in a months-long staring contest.
We should have a little bit more clarity on the situation soon, though.
The deadline for Duren, a restricted free agent, to accept a $9.6 million qualifying offer from the Pistons is October 1. The Pistons retain the ability to match an offer sheet from another team.
It is likely that Duren begrudgingly accepts the qualifying offer.
That may buy the Pistons some time to trade him during the season.
Where he could be headed: There is plenty of interest in Duren around the NBA. The Warriors, Kings, Bucks, Thunder, and Jazz have been mentioned as solid landing spots for the 6-foot-10 inch center.
Devin Booker
Booker’s career with the Suns peaked in 2021 when he helped lead the franchise to the NBA Finals. Phoenix has not captured that playoff magic since, however, falling in the first or second round—or missing the playoffs entirely, like they did in 2025.
Suns owner Mat Ishbia has said time and time again that the franchise is committed to Booker and that they want him to retire in a Phoenix uniform. Last year, Booker signed a two-year, $145 million maximum extension that will keep him in Phoenix through the 2029-30 season.
So, why is there trade buzz surrounding the Suns guard?
Simply because he’s a veteran player that hasn’t won a championship, and his team is stuck in NBA mediocrity. The Suns have a projected win total of 40.5 at Fanatics Sportsbook, so they are projected to be the definition of mid.
Where he could be headed: The Warriors popped up as a trade destination for Booker earlier this month.
The San Francisco Standard’s Tim Kawakami said that the Warriors would be “first in line” to trade for Booker if he became available.
“Booker loved playing for [Steve Kerr in the Olympics],” Kawakami said on the Warriors Plus/Minus podcast. “They [Golden State] love Devin Booker … Listen, he obviously loves Phoenix, he’s signed long term. They say they’re never trading him … But if that plays out in a poor way, they’ve traded every draft pick. How do they get draft picks back? How do they restart? I know the Warriors would be first in line saying, ‘we got three first round picks we can give you, and what else do you want?’”
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