ESPN Reveals its All-Trade Candidate Team for 2024-25

We're now just over six weeks away from the NBA Trade Deadline on Feb. 6th (yes, time flies), and the speculation is starting to ramp up around the league. We've heard several big names on the rumor mill, and ESPN's Bobby Marks has decided to collate all of the buzz into All-Trade Candidate Teams. It looks like this:

First Team All-Trade Candidates

G Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat
G Zach LaVine, Chicago Bulls
F Brandon Ingram, New Orleans Pelicans
F Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans
C Jonas Valanciunas, Washington Wizards

The splashiest name here of course is Jimmy Butler. He's led the Heat to two NBA Finals appearances in the last five years, and adding him to a major contender this season could put them over the top.

LaVine has been on the trade block for a couple of years now, and while his market has been very quiet, the thought is that it might pick up now that he's closer to the end of that massive contract (only 2+ years left on the 5-year deal, if he exercises the final year). Plus the fact that he's having a nice season this year after recovering from last year's injury-decimated campaign. He's averaging over 21 points and shooting a career-high 42.8% from three-point land.

Next up, the Pelicans forward duo: Ingram wants a max extension but the Pels don't want to give it to him. A trade is a high possibility. As for Williamson, the next three seasons on his bloated contract ($39.4 million, $42.2 million and $44.9 million) are currently non-guaranteed. They could even release him after this season and have no further obligation. But if that's their intention, they'll first try to pull off a trade.

Valanciunas signed a three-year deal in Washington this past summer, but it was likely only with the intention of the rebuilding team using him as a nice trade piece in-season. That is almost certainly to happen, with the LA Lakers being the most likely taker.

Second Team All-Trade Candidates

D'Angelo Russell, LA Lakers
Collin Sexton, Utah Jazz
Jerami Grant, Portland Trail Blazers
Bobby Portis, Milwaukee Bucks
Mitchell Robinson, New York Knicks

Russell and Grant have been on trade lists for ages, it seems. While the Lakers will use D'Lo to get either a center or a perimeter defender, in fact, those two could even be traded for each other in the same deal. The Jazz are still rebuilding and are expected to be active in the trade market, making Sexton, along with Jordan Clarkson and John Collins prime candidates.