2024 NBA Draft: Realistic Draft Night Trades

The 2024 NBA Draft is right around the corner here are three realistic draft night trades.

Mar 11, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) celebrates after hitting a three point basket during the second half against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports / Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

The 2024 NBA Draft is in just mere hours with plenty of rumors, projections and more circulating. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of draft night is the possibility of massive trades that shake up the league.

On Tuesday, the Brooklyn Nets shipped Mikal Bridges to the New York Knicks signaling a rebuild. In a subsequent move, the Nets swapped picks with the Houston Rockets in hopes of the H-town hoopers landing Kevin Durant from the Phoenix Suns.

Clearly, the NBA Draft is going to be a hub of trade rumors and potentially be a night where things change. Here are three realistic trades that can shake up the NBA.

Houston Rockets get: Kevin Durant
Phoenix Suns get: Jalen Green, Jeff Green, No. 3 Overall Pick, 2027 Suns First, 2025 Suns Swap

The Rockets who have attempted to push chips in and get back to contention sooner rather than later. Houston inked Fred Van Fleet and Dillon Brooks last offseason and now would hypothetically net Kevin Durant to complement their young core of Alprene Sengun, Cam Whitmore, Tari Eason and Amen Thompson.

This trade would take the Suns waiving the white flag on their core, and likely Durant demanding to land in Houston, but after the whispers on Tuesday, things can happen fast. Ultimately, three picks and Jeff Green is nothing gut-wrenching to part with in return for one of the best players in the world. Durant. Houston would also kick the difficult decision to extend Jalen Green onto the Suns.

Houston Rockets Get: Brandon Ingram
New Orleans Pelicans Get: Jalen Green, Pick No. 3, and a top-ten protected 2025 first-round pick

The Rockets are desperate to make moves to get back to the playoffs, and with Brandon Ingram readily available and Jalen Green due for a contract extension, this swap could be worth it for a ready-made player that can dominate in the regular season and let Houston to the postseason.

Green, No. 3 and an additional pick is more value than New Orleans could previously dream of for Ingram as the two sides seem hurling for a divorce.

New York Knicks Get: 2025 First-Round Pick (Via Philadelphia), 2026 Second Round pick, 2030 Second Round Pick (Via OKC),
Oklahoma City Thunder Get: Pick No. 24 in the 2024 NBA Draft

Oklahoma City has a bevy of future picks but just one in the 2024 NBA Draft. Perhaps they target a prospect that sides to the latter stages of the first round like Johnny Furphy or Jonathan Mogbo and use the equivalent of couch cushion change to net a prospect they covet.

For the Knicks, after shipping five first-round picks to Brooklyn for Bridges, kicking this pick into the future gives New York more flexibility in trades in a better draft that holds more value than making a panic trade for this selection ahead of free agency.

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