Every NBA team’s biggest need ahead of 2026 NBA trade deadline

The NBA trade deadline is so entertaining because there is something out there for everybody. Whether a team is in a position to buy or sell, nearly every team gets in on the trade action every year. Big-name superstars will be dealt, as will role players and draft picks.

One of the top players on the trading block was already moved, as the Atlanta Hawks traded Trae Young to the Washington Wizards. That move, which netted an underwhelming return for Atlanta, was the unofficial kickoff to trade season, and now the action should pick up leading up to the NBA trade deadline date on Feb. 5.

With every team being in a different and unique position ahead of deadline day, just what are each team’s needs this year and going forward?

Boston Celtics

Needs: Long-term center option

The Boston Celtics team that won a championship just a couple of years ago had very few flaws. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown formed a premier star duo at the wing positions, and the rest of the league has been trying to emulate them ever since. There was plenty of defense on the roster, especially at the guard positions with Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, and Payton Pritchard. The team also had center depth in the form of Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis.

This year, the Celtics are a lot thinner than normal, and that is largely by choice. Tatum is out for the year, so the Celtics decided to move on from some of their more expensive players in an effort to avoid being a second apron team. Holiday and Porzingis were traded. Horford also left the team in free agency.

The latter two departures have left the team very thin at center. The Celtics are winning more games than expected, but this is still a gap year of sorts, and the team likely will prioritize pieces that can help out next year over rentals. Neemias Queta and Luka Garza are fine in the meantime, but the Celtics should be looking to find a long-term option at the center position who is better than both of those bigs. Big names like Jaren Jackson Jr. and Ivica Zubac have been bandied about, but those seem unlikely right now.

Brooklyn Nets

Needs: 3-point shooting that fits the core

The Brooklyn Nets drafted five first-round rookies. Clearly, there is a youth movement in Brooklyn. A full-blown rebuild made sense for the Nets, but their draft decisions were still questioned because all of their selections had question marks surrounding their ability to knock down 3-point shots.

Now, the Nets do have one of the best and most efficient deep shooters in the NBA in Michael Porter Jr., but he is viewed as a trade candidate. Porter is youngish at 27 years, but he isn’t 100% on the same timeline as the rookies, either. The Nets need more threats from beyond the arc, but if they are to pursue a player, he should be in his first couple of years in the league.

Egor Demin, Nolan Traore, Ben Saraf, and Danny Wolf, four of the five rookies, are great playmakers, but they need more players to kick the ball out to.

New York Knicks

Needs: More bench scoring

Tom Thibodeau was never much of a fan of using a long rotation. Mike Brown doesn’t overextend his starters as much, so the New York Knicks need more depth, especially when it comes to players who can score off the bench. The team actually did add to this need in the offseason.

Jordan Clarkson, a former Sixth Man of the Year winner and one of the best spark-plug bench scorers in recent memory, was added to provide this role. His numbers are way down, though, so the Knicks could use one more bucket getter off the bench.

Philadelphia 76ers

Needs: Rotation-caliber forward

On paper, the Philadelphia 76ers have a lot of talent on the roster. Of course, on paper hypotheticals don’t mean much in Philadelphia because Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey never suit up together. If the three stars can get and stay healthy together, Philadelphia could make a surprise run.

Even in that case, though, they could still use some frontcourt help. Paul George has been forced into primarily playing the power forward position. Jabari Walker, Trendon Watford, and Dominick Barlow have filled out the rest of the minutes there. Kelly Oubre Jr. has impressed at small forward, but he has had his fair share of injury woes, too. A steady forward who can play a big role when Philadelphia has injury problems, or scale down when the 76ers are healthy, is a player that the team should be seeking.

Toronto Raptors

Needs: Top-end rotation player who can hit 3-pointers

The Toronto Raptors have tons of length and defense. The team can’t make 3-point shots, though. Toronto ranks 30th with a 33.9% mark from deep, and this really hurts the team’s spacing and takes away from what they do well offensively. Even if it means sacrificing in the defensive department, the Raptors need to add more marksmen ahead of the trade deadline. The team has tried to add shooters in the draft in recent years, but Ja’Kobe Walter and Gradey Dick haven’t become as reliable as the team had hoped.

Chicago Bulls

Needs: Defensive paint presence

The Chicago Bulls center rotation consists of Nikola Vucevic, Zach Collins, and Jalen Smith. Vucevic could very well end up as a trade candidate, considering the other members of Chicago’s former big three, Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan, were already traded. Collins missed the start of the year with a broken wrist and is now dealing with a toe injury.

He has struggled with injuries throughout his career, and neither Vucevic nor Collins are known as rim protectors. That leaves Smith as the only shot-blocking option, outside of forward Matas Buzelis. Chicago has one of the worst defenses in the NBA, mainly because teams score at will inside against them.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Needs: Backup ball-handler

The Cleveland Cavaliers are the only second apron team in the NBA. There isn’t a realistic move to get below the second apron, and adding talent as a second apron team is hard, so the Cavaliers will likely stay put at the trade deadline. If the Cavs are able to trade for a player on the cheap, they should target a backup ball-handler.

The team acquired Lonzo Ball in the offseason as the replacement for Ty Jerome, but the former No. 2 overall pick has struggled, and it is clear he isn’t the same player he was before the injuries. Ball’s lack of efficiency is really hurting the team, and the Cavaliers need an upgrade. Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland are undersized, so finding another guard with size, like Ball, would be ideal. It also doesn’t help that Garland has been battling injuries all season.

Detroit Pistons

Needs: 3-point shooting forwards

The Detroit Pistons are the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. They’ve turned their team around from tying the all-time losing streak record to being NBA Finals contenders in just two years because of how they’ve built through the draft and how they’ve reinforced their roster with veterans.

If anything is missing, it is still a dose of shooting. Malik Beasley did wonders for turning the team around last year because of his 3-point marksmanship, but a gambling accusation has him currently out of the league. Duncan Robinson has been a solid replacement for Beasley, but the team still needs a little bit more. Detroit has a disproportionate amount of slashers compared to shooting threats.

The Pistons reportedly aren’t looking to make a big splash, but names like Jaren Jackson, Lauri Markkanen and Michael Porter Jr. have been brought up as upgrades on Tobias Harris.

Indiana Pacers

Needs: A true Myles Turner replacement

The Indiana Pacers were a game away from winning the NBA Finals last season. This year has been a disaster, and Indiana sits in last place place in the Eastern Conference standings. Their regression stems from a number of reasons, but of course, the absences of Tyrese Haliburton and Myles Turner play the biggest part.

Haliburton is out with a torn Achilles, but he will return next season. Turner, though, is forever gone, as he joined the Milwaukee Bucks in free agency. Indiana’s attempt to find replacments has proven unfruitful. Jay Huff was the team’s big offseason addition. Huff is a former G League Defensive Player of the Year winner and G League blocks leader. He has an intriguing offensive skill set, too, as he has shown flashes as a 3-point shooter and highlight dunker.

With a bigger role, Huff was expected to take the next step, but he has been just okay with the Pacers. Huff is blocking shots, but he really lacks on offense. Despite being 7-foot-1, Huff is making just 46.9% of his shots. He has been a disaster from deep, too. Isaiah Jackson and Tony Bradley are the other centers who have received minutes, so the Pacers should still be looking for Turner’s replacement.

Daniel Gafford is a popular Pacers trade target and is likely to be moved. While Gafford isn’t a splashy name, he’ be an upgrade and a good fit with Haliburton thanks to his rim-running capabilities.

Milwaukee Bucks

Needs: Future draft capital

The Milwaukee Bucks have exhausted all of their resources to build a team around Giannis Antetokounmpo that could win another championship. It hasn’t worked, and now it seems inevitable that arguably the best player in franchise history will be traded. If The Greek Freak is moved, the Bucks would have no need to bring in help.

Instead, they should look to the future. As of now, the future is bleak because the team is drained of young talent and future draft capital. Milwaukee should be looking for such in both an Antetokounmpo trade or any a deal involving a different player, such as Kyle Kuzma, Bobby Portis, or Myles Turner.

If the Bucks hold strong with Antetokounmpo and look to add talent, which will be tough with such a depleted trove of assets, then rebounding is Milwaukee’s biggest need. Turner is a good player, but he is a poor rebounder, which has led to the team ranking last in offensive rebounds and 29th in total rebounds.

Atlanta Hawks

Needs: Guards of the future

The Atlanta Hawks already made a huge trade when they sent Trae Young packing for an underwhelming trade return. They might not be done wheeling and dealing, though. In fact, they’ve already been linked to Anthony Davis quite a bit. Adding doesn’t make a lot of sense after the Young trade, though, especially with AD out for a while.

The Hawks should look to continue selling in order to add a younger Young replacement. Everybody outside of Jalen Johnson, Zaccharie Risacher, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker should be on the block. The top veteran the Hawks should be looking to trade is one they just added. Atlanta should flip CJ McCollum for more future capital or young players.

Charlotte Hornets

Needs: Center

Last year, the Charlotte Hornets tried to trade Mark Williams, just for him to fail his physical and return to the team. There was no coming back from that, so the Hornets traded the center in a deal to land Liam McNeeley. The decision to get rid of Williams was always surprising because Charlotte’s weakest area was the center position, even before they got rid of Williams.

Ryan Kalkbrenner has actually been solid as a rookie, but the Hornets need more. Mason Plumlee is no longer deserving of rotation minutes, and Moussa Diabate provides nothing special.

Miami Heat

Needs: Rebounding

The Miami Heat’s Bam Adebayo is strong and one of the league’s best centers, but he is shorter than most players at his position. The Heat could use more rebounding, especially on the defensive glass. Opposing teams are having way too much success with second-chance points against the Heat.

Orlando Magic

Needs: 3-point specialist

The Orlando Magic’s biggest need has been 3-point shooting for years now. They’ve long had plenty of size, defense, and slashing ability, but the roster hasn’t had shooters to balance the offense out. The lack of deep threats has even made life harder on players like Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero, who most thrive attacking the rim and scoring inside.

It isn’t like Orlando hasn’t addressed this need. In the offseason, they traded an arm and a leg for Desmond Bane, a known shooter who seemed like a perfect fit. Tyus Jones was also signed in free agency. The backup point guard has been most known for his assist-to-turnover ratio throughout his career, but he had become a reliable catch-and-shoot option in recent years.

Despite these moves, the Magic still rank 27th in 3-point makes and 28th in 3-point percentage. Bane is shooting a career-worst mark from 3-point range, by far, while Jones has been a huge bust and could be on the way out.

Jase Richardson and Noah Penda are the only rotation player above 40% from deep on the roster, but they both play close to 10 minutes per game. Deep shooting was even viewed as one of Penda’s biggest weaknesses when he was drafted. The Magic need a sniper who can launch a bunch of shots from deep off the catch-and-shoot every game. If this means sacrificing defense or interior scoring, so be it.

Washington Wizards

Needs: Frontcourt help

The Washington Wizards were already unbalanced in terms of having much more backcourt help than frontcourt help, even before they traded for Trae Young. Now that the four-time All-Star point guard is a part of their long-term plans, the Wizards really need to look to balance the roster.

Kyshawn George, Tre Johnson, Bub Carrington, Bilal Coulibaly, Cam Whitmore,Malaki Branham, AJ Johnson, Will Riley, and Justin Champagnie are all young players who can play the guard spots, but Alex Sarr is the only big man of note who is a part of Washington’s future.

Denver Nuggets

Needs: Low-minutes pure center

At full strength, the Denver Nuggets don’t have any clear weaknesses. With offseason additions of Jonas Valanciunas, Tim Hardaway Jr., Bruce Brown, and Cam Johnson, the team fixed the depth issues that plagued them for years. Denver has been depleted by injuries recently, which has tested said depth, but the team will be fine when Nikola Jokic is back in the fold, which is reportedly going to happen sooner than originally anticipated.

Denver’s injury problems have allowed role players to step up. Peyton Watson was recently named the Western Conference Player of the Week, and Jalen Pickett looks like a solid backup point guard. Backup PG was the one area it looked like in which Denver could improve coming into the year, but that is no longer a weakness. Even Zeke Nnaji has played admirably in recent games, and getting off his contract looked like a necessity not long ago.

If Denver can target anything ahead of the trade deadline, it is a backup center on the cheap. In addition to Jokic being out with an injury, Valanciunas is currently sidelined. Denver doesn’t have much size without the two, and someone who can take on minutes in the short term would be beneficial.

Minnesota Timberwolves

Needs: Pass-first point guard

Point guard has been a glaring need for the Minnesota Timberwolves all season long. Mike Conley is clearly well past his prime, and Rob Dillingham has yet to develop into a rotation-caliber player. Donte DiVincenzo has played some minutes at the position, but he is best off at shooting guard. Bones Hyland is also worth mentioning as his increased effort and awareness have led to a bigger role. Hyland is more of a shot creator than a playmaker, though.

With a superstar scorer on the roster in Anthony Edwards, as well as a play-finishing center in Rudy Gobert, the Timberwolves need a lead guard who can orchestrate the offense. While Coby White has been mentioned as a trade target, Bulls teammate Tre Jones could make even more sense.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Needs: Power forward with size

The Oklahoma City Thunder are second in points per game and first in points against. While they have looked more human in recent weeks compared to the start of the season, when they went 24-1 to begin the year, it is clear that the Thunder should still be favored to defend their championship.

They have the reigning MVP and more depth than any team in the NBA, so they don’t really need to add ahead of the NBA trade deadline. However, they also have more assets and draft capital to trade than any other team, so they certainly could make a splashy move if they wanted to. If there is an area to target, it would be power forward help, but even that might be overzealous. This need is compounded by Jalen Williams recent injury, though.

Portland Trail Blazers

Needs: Low-minutes guard

The Portland Trail Blazers still have a logjam at center. Deni Avdija is turning into a star forward, and the future of the backcourt is bright, too. Scoot Henderson was a recent top-three pick, and Damian Lillard and Jrue Holiday were added in the offseason. That trio of guards has missed a lot of time this season, though, which means that Portland actually has had a glaring need at point guard all season long.

With Holiday recently returning to action, Henderson nearing a return, and Lillard a part of the plans for next season, the Trail Blazers don’t necessarily need another point guard who would demand a lot of minutes. They could use an insurance policy at the position, though. Someone who doesn’t need to play high minutes every game, but can scale up to play a role when need be.

Utah Jazz

Needs: Perimeter defense

Walker Kessler’s future with the Utah Jazz is unclear. The big man and his team didn’t come to terms on a contract extension in the offseason, meaning he is headed to restricted free agency at the end of the season. He is also out for the year with a torn labrum. 

Without him, the Jazz have next to no rim protection, so an interior defensive presence is a huge need if Kessler is destined to play for a new team next year. If the Jazz intend to bring Kessler back, perimeter defense becomes the bigger need, as Kessler is one of the best shot blockers in the NBA. Ace Bailey, Keyonte George, and Lauri Markkanen form an impressive offensive core, but the Jazz rank dead last in opponents’ points per game for more reasons than just Kessler’s absence. The Jazz can’t stop anybody outside, which has been evidenced by their last-ranked 3-point defense.

Golden State Warriors

Needs: Rim protection

The Golden State Warriors became a dynasty because of their small-ball philosophy. That strategy can still work in stretches, but the Warriors really need interior help. The defensive interior, in particular, could use a boost. Al Horford is a shell of his former self, and Trayce Jackson-Davis and Quentin Post are offensively-minded players.

The Warriors are trying to contend in the twilight years of Draymond Green and Stephen Curry’s careers. Green can guard inside, but he shouldn’t have to spend as much time at the 5-spot as he has been this year. The Warriors need a rim-protecting center.

Los Angeles Clippers

Needs: Sixth-man spark plug

The Los Angeles Clippers got off to a slow start, but they’ve started to get back on track as of recent. The team has won 12 of their last 14 games. Perhaps it isn’t too late to buy ahead of the trade deadline. If the Clippers are to push for the playoffs, they will need more scoring off the bench.

Bradley Beal is hurt, and Bogdan Bogdanovic, Brook Lopez, and Nic Batum have regressed. James Harden and Kawhi Leonard are still scoring at high levels, but the team might be relying too heavily on them, considering Harden’s age and Leonard’s injury history. In fact, Leonard’s current knee issues are starting to spark a bit more concern.

Los Angeles Lakers

Needs: Perimeter defense

The Los Angeles Lakers have plenty of on-ball offense in Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves. None of those stars are known for their defense, though. The Lakers need genuinely elite point-of-attack defenders, which is why they’ve been linked to Herb Jones.

The Lakers could also use more center help, but an addition down low seems unlikely after the offseason addition of Deandre Ayton.

Phoenix Suns

Needs: Shed a small contract

The Phoenix Suns are narrowly above the luxury tax. They have small contracts of players in small roles that they could trade in order to get under the line, including Nick Richards or Nigel Hayes-Davis. The Suns have reinforcements coming in the form of Jalen Green, who has been limited to two games this year.

The Suns have been competing in the Western Conference, though, so perhaps they will decide to buy at the trade deadline. Their rebounding and block numbers are uninspiring, but they are unlikely to trade for a big with Richards, Mark Williams, and Khaman Maluach already on the roster. Perhaps a dirty work power forward who fits Phoenix’s gritty style of play could make sense.

Sacramento Kings

Needs: Building blocks for the future

The Sacramento Kings need to embrace a full-blown rebuild. Domantas Sabonis should hold significant trade value. Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan might return less in a trade, but the Kings could still get something back for them. The Kings need to trade all of these veterans and prepare for a new era, with Keon Ellis and Malik Monk also possibly on their way out. Draft capital and young players, even if they are reclamation projects, would make sense for the Kings to bring on board.

Dallas Mavericks

Needs: 3-point shooting forwards

The Dallas Mavericks seem to be preparing for a rebuild. Anthony Davis is likely to be traded, just a year after being the centerpiece in the Luka Doncic deal. Other veteran frontcourt players could be on the move, too, with Daniel Gafford at the center of that conversation. As the roster stands, there just isn’t enough spacing and 3-point shooting.

The Davis trade overcrowded the roster with bigs, and Cooper Flagg’s jump shot still needs development. Whether the Mavericks keep their roster intact or if they retool for life with Flagg leading the way, the team needs more shooting from beyond the arc.

Houston Rockets

Needs: Point guard on a short-term contract

Point guard has been a major need for the Houston Rockets ever since Fred VanVleet tore his ACL ahead of the season. Amen Thompson has started at the lead guard spot, but it’s not his natural fit and he can’t shoot. Reed Sheppard has also taken a step forward in Year 2, but the Rockets can’t take any chances in this year of contention with Kevin Durant on the roster.

VanVleet will be back next year, and some reports even suggest he could return this year at some point. Therefore, the Rockets don’t need a long-term point guard, especially because Sheppard is still developing. A true point on an expiring contract would make sense to add, though, with the Bulls’ Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu fitting that bill. And while Tre Jones isn’t expiring, he’s on a cheap deal and just had quite the audition against Houston with 34 points.

Memphis Grizzlies

Needs: Versatile combo guard

Ja Morant is in the news for all the wrong reasons yet again. The Memphis Grizzlies guard, who has been suspended on multiple occasions, was recently in an argument with teammate Vince Williams in which it became even clearer that Morant is destined for a trade.

Whether Morant is traded or not, the Grizzlies need more guard help and creation ability. Ty Jerome has missed all of this season, and Desmond Bane was traded in the offseason. The Grizzlies do a good job of finding role players late in the draft, but they are quickly losing their top creation threats and scoring options. That will be even more so the case if Morant is traded just months after Bane was moved.

New Orleans Pelicans

Needs: Defensive help all over the roster

The New Orleans Pelicans are in last place in the Western Conference, but they actually have a young and exciting offensive core. The team’s defense is a mess, though. It will only get worse if Herb Jones is traded this year, though the current signals suggest that won’t happen. The team needs to start preparing for a future without Zion Williamson, and adding defensive talent will be at the forefront.

The Pelicans need defensive help both inside and outside. Getting a rim-protecting power forward who can play alongside Derik Queen makes sense. The team also needs guards who can cover for Jeremiah Fears and Jordan Poole, if the latter sticks around.

San Antonio Spurs

Needs: Bench 3-point shooting

The San Antonio Spurs made a splash at last year’s trade deadline when they acquired De’Aaron Fox. While another blockbuster involving Giannis Antetokounmpo made some sense, it is becoming clearer that the Spurs won’t make a move like that this year. Instead, San Antonio will look for role players.

Specifically, the Spurs need low-usage 3-point shooters for their bench. Devin Vassell, Harrison Barnes, and Julian Champagnie are San Antonio’s best long-ball shooters, but they are all in the starting lineup.

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