The NBA Finals have concluded — congrats to the Denver Nuggets — which means it’s time to turn our attention to the offseason!

The action never really stops around the association, as we have an extremely quick turnaround to the NBA Draft (June 22), which will be followed by free agency at the end of the month.

For some fans, summer is time to take a break from hoops and reset. For the rest of us, trade and rumor season will dominate our timelines starting… now.

This year’s free agency class is relatively weak, which means a lot of teams will look to retool via trades. There are bound to be at least a couple blockbusters, so in this article I’m going to break down three hypothetical deals that could shake up the league.

Miami Lands Lillard

Heat Receive:

• Damian Lillard
• Nassir Little

Trail Blazers Receive:

• Tyler Herro
• 18th overall pick
• 2026 1st round pick (MIA)
• Duncan Robinson
• Caleb Martin

As the days go by, Lillard’s chances of being dealt feel greater and greater. For his entire career, it felt like Dame was a Portland lifer. In fact, he’s expressed his desire for that to be the case countless times.

However, this offseason has been different.

Lillard is clearly tired of Portland’s consistent shortcomings, and has stated no desire to hang around for a rebuild. The star guard will be 33 by the time next season rolls around, so if he’s going to push for a championship, now is the time.

The Heat are fresh off an incredible postseason run which ultimately ended in a Finals loss to Denver. Despite their playoff success, one thing has become clear: if they’re going to win it all, they need more talent.

That’s where Lillard steps in. Not only is Dame on the record saying Miami is his top potential trade destination, but he fits the Heat’s timeline. Jimmy Butler is 33 years old, and looked it at times throughout this postseason run. Pat Riley has never been afraid to go all-in, and that opportunity has presented itself once again.

The upside for the Heat in this hypothetical deal is obvious. They’re landing one of the best players in the league with elite offensive abilities. From Portland’s perspective, the return I’ve floated likely won’t thrill Blazers fans.

However, it’s time for them to face a harsh reality.

Lillard is an aging star with significant injury concerns. He also has an extension set to kick in that will pay him over $63 MILLION when he’s 36. That contract will almost certainly age horribly, which has to be factored into any potential deal.

With this particular return, Portland is receiving a young fringe star in Herro to build around, two solid first-round picks, and a valuable — and cheap — asset in Caleb Martin. Duncan Robinson was also a necessary throw-in for salary matching purposes. One could argue that he’s a net negative asset due to his contract, but the sharpshooter certainly has some upside and could always be flipped by the Blazers.

If Lillard is actually dealt this offseason, this feels like a realistic return for Portland.

*As is the case for the rest of these blockbusters, this trade would not officially happen until the new league year starts, as Herro’s extension needs to kick in for salary matching purposes.*

DeRozan To The Big Apple

Knicks Receive:

• DeMar DeRozan

Bulls Receive:

• Julius Randle
• Quentin Grimes
• 2025 lottery protected 1st round pick (NY)

It feels like the Knicks are bound to do… something.

What that is, exactly, I’m not sure. However, New York is in the same boat as Miami, talent upgrades are necessary.

Realistically, RJ Barrett will be floated around quite a bit on the trade market this offseason. However, in a deal for DeRozan, I’m not sure Leon Rose will have to give the young wing up.

DeRozan is a clear talent upgrade over Julius Randle, despite what the stats may say. It’s fair to argue that Randle’s inflated usage rate and questionable shot selection has hurt his team more than it has helped them over the last few years. DeRozan, on the other hand, is an ultra-efficient scorer who doesn’t need the ball in his hands at all times to be effective. For those concerned about his potential fit as New York’s power forward, he played the role just fine for Chicago last year.

The 33-year-old is entering the final year of his contract, which means it likely won’t take a lot to pry him from the Bulls. In the potential return I’ve floated, Chicago receives Randle mostly for salary matching purposes, although he’s still more than serviceable. The Bulls also land a strong, young role player in Quentin Grimes and a protected future first-round pick.

I’m sure Bulls fans would like to receive Barrett in any deal for DeRozan, but considering the factors I laid out above, that doesn’t feel likely. As for the Knicks, I’m not sure this trade is enough to make them a true contender, but it’s certainly a step in the right direction.

Philly Goes All-In (Beal traded to Phoenix)

76ers Receive:

• Bradley Beal

Wizards Receive:

• Tobias Harris
• De’Anthony Melton
• 2024 1st round pick (PHI)
• 2029 1st round pick (PHI)

Speaking of going all-in, that’s what the Sixers need to do this offseason.

Daryl Morey’s hand has been somewhat forced, as Philly continues to underperform in the playoffs. Joel Embiid is 29 years old and has still not made the Eastern Conference Finals. That is simply unacceptable.

It feels like this is Philly’s last chance to make a push, otherwise the organization will be forced to make major changes next offseason.

Enter Bradley Beal.

This hypothetical deal is made under the assumption that James Harden walks to Houston this offseason, which creates some flexibility for Morey and the 76ers to work with.

Offloading Tobias Harris is a must. The wing is set to make just under $40 million next season in the final year of his deal. Harris averaged just 14.7 points per game in 2022, his lowest total since the 2015-16 campaign.

This deal makes sense for both sides. Philly is landing an obvious talent upgrade in Beal, who would immediately slide into a 2a/2b situation with Tyrese Maxey behind Embiid. Washington is able to offload Beal’s contract before it becomes borderline unmovable. The 29-year-old is set to make north of $50 million annually from 2024-2026, and he has a relatively concerning injury history. Harris is an expiring contract, which will open up a lot of flexibility in the following offseason. In this scenario, the Wizards also land a solid role player with some trade value in Melton, and two future first-round picks.

There is one interesting wrinkle for any Beal trade, as he has a legitimate no-trade clause. That gives him the right to veto any potential deal, which eliminates a lot of Washington’s leverage in negotiations. As a result, the Wizards likely won’t get a massive return for the star wing, so a package like the one I’ve listed above feels realistic.

*It’s worth noting that the 76ers can’t technically trade their 2024 first-round pick at the moment due to the Stepien Rule, but Philly could simply acquire a different 2024 first-round pick in a separate trade prior to the completion of this one to make the Beal deal possible.*

Stay tuned for another batch of hypothetical NBA blockbuster trades and free agency predictions! The offseason has officially arrived.