Every year, NBA fans look forward to the league’s trade deadline with the hopes that something big will happen, and it already has. Just five days before the deadline, top three player in the world Luka Dončić was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers by the Dallas Mavericks, in return for Anthony Davis and a first round pick. Less than a full day later, all-star level point guard De’Aaron Fox was sent to the San Antonio Spurs as part of a three-team deal involving Zach LaVine and a collection of first-rounders.

The date marks the last chance for franchises to make a move during the season, and oftentimes comes with star-studded deals. However, there is a key difference between the average trade deadline compared to the one this season: the deals typically happen at the very last minute. Instead, we’ve seen two blockbuster trades occur days before the deadline, implying that there may somehow be even more in store. With this in mind, what else can we expect?

Starting off with the elephant in the room: Jimmy Butler. He has made it clear that he does not want to play for the Miami Heat anymore, and will do practically anything to be traded. At the time of writing, he has been suspended for two additional games after coming off of a seven-game suspension, primarily for ‘conduct detrimental to the team’.

The Heat have stated that they are actively looking for offers for Butler, making him a powerful trade piece for the upcoming deadline. However, he’s old and only getting older. Teams that trade for Jimmy Butler will be looking to win as soon as possible using the few years Butler has left in the league, such as the Phoenix Suns. In fact, Butler hinted at a deal with the Suns being in the works through his decision to wear Phoenix Suns shoes during a game against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Now how would this deal actually come to fruition? The Suns are a team of relatively old players and are cursed with a plethora of issues involving cap space. It seems counterintuitive to add another old star into the mix, but there are a few players they could throw in to make this work.

Salary-cap-wise, this trade would require a third team with tons of money available like the Memphis Grizzlies or the Brooklyn Nets. While both teams aren’t preferred destinations for Butler, they could be great in facilitating a trade with the Suns. 

For example, The Miami Heat could trade Jimmy Butler to Phoenix, who could trade Bradley Beal to the Grizzlies. Memphis would complete the puzzle by trading some younger players such as GG Jackson or Jaylen Wells to ensure that this trade is possible. If the Suns give up a few assets and first-round picks to Miami, we may end up seeing Butler in Phoenix soon.

How does this trade check out for all of the teams? Well, the Suns get their star in Butler, while the Grizzlies add a microwave scorer to complement their roster. Bradley Beal would slot in well, giving the squad some much-needed firepower. Meanwhile, Miami would be receiving assets and short-term cap hits, setting them up for the future.

Along with the prospect of a Jimmy Butler trade, we have the possibility of LeBron James’ contract being moved at his age of 40. This may sound crazy, but by acquiring Dončić, the Lakers may be trying to completely reset their timeline. Trading LeBron for some young pieces would certainly help them prepare for both the near and far future. But what team might “The King” get dealt to?

LeBron James could be traded to the Golden State Warriors for Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, Quinten Post and two first round picks. This package of young players and picks would be perfect for the Lakers, as James is set to retire soon, whereas both Kuminga and Moody are experiencing breakout seasons in their own right.

This type of trade also makes sense for the Warriors, who are looking to win as soon as possible in order to capitalize on the remaining years of all-star level Steph Curry. By assembling the NBA equivalent of Iron Man and Captain America, the Warriors open their championship window for at least one more year.

Regardless of who gets traded, this deadline has already been one of the most significant in NBA history. Even if we forget about De’Aaron Fox and Zach LaVine, seeing a supernatural talent like Luka Dončić traded to the Lakers for an aging superstar was not on my bingo card for this season, and it indicates one thing. If Dončić can get traded, anyone can, meaning we may see a lot of players in another team’s jersey very soon.