NBA Prediction: Who Will Be Traded Next? 3 Star Players That Could Be Dealt In 2019-2020 Season

The first two weeks of the 2019 NBA offseason featured unprecedented player movement with an inordinate percentage of the league’s biggest names changing teams. Through free agency and trades, eight players—including five of the 10 starters—that participated in February’s All-Star Game will wear new uniforms next season.

That list doesn’t even include the likes of Chris Paul and Jimmy Butler, both of whom changed teams this summer. DeMarcus Cousins and Al Horford went elsewhere as free agents just 17 months removed from being named 2018 All-Stars.

It seems inevitable that even more stars will be on the move within the next year, even if the choices aren’t obvious at the moment. Nobody thought Paul George and Russell Westbrook were going to be traded a few weeks ago.

What star will be traded next? Here’s a prediction of three players from last season’s All-Star team that could be dealt before the conclusion of the 2019-2020 NBA season:

1) Kyle Lowry, Toronto Raptors

All of Toronto’s veterans have to be considered trade candidates now that Kawhi Leonard has moved on to the Los Angeles Clippers. The Raptors are incredibly unlikely to be a real championship threat after losing their best player. That means players like Lowry, Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka could all become available in the final year of their respective contracts.

If the Raptors don’t get off to a fast start to the season, it would make sense for Toronto to shop Lowry. He could be very valuable for a contender in need of a point guard, especially after proving so many doubters wrong in the Raptors’ 2019 playoff run. The Raptors should be able to get at least one first-round draft pick in exchange for the five-time All-Star.

2) Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards

Teams around the league have checked on Beal’s availability, and all the recent reports indicate that Washington has no interest in dealing the shooting guard. Let’s see how long that lasts when the Wizards are struggling to remain competitive in a poor Eastern Conference next season.

The clock is already ticking on Beal, who can become a free agent in two seasons. If he doesn’t agree to sign the three-year, $111 million extension Washington can offer him later this summer, the Wizards might be smart to see what they could receive in return for their best player. The Los Angeles Lakers and L.A. Clippers just traded away a historic amount of draft picks in order to acquire a superstar. It won’t be all that surprising if the Wizards get blown away with an offer for the top player that could conceivably be traded during the season.

3) LaMarcus Aldridge, San Antonio Spurs

Aldridge makes the list because of his contract and San Antonio’s position in the West. The Spurs are not a legitimate title contender, and they might even have trouble making the playoffs in such a loaded conference. Alridge only has two years left on his deal, and the final year of his contract is only partially guaranteed, according to ESPN.

San Antonio is unlikely to contend for the duration of Aldridge’s contract. The big man should have plenty of value, given the fact that 38 NBA players are set to earn a higher salary next season. Aldridge asked to be traded from San Antonio just two summers ago before signing a new extension, so a mid-season deal could actually end up making sense for both the team and the player.