Cooper Flagg has the chance to be a generational talent. That is a lot of pressure to put on a young guy, but he is that good. While the NBA is always trying to prevent tanking, there is no escaping the fact that some teams will look to get more lottery ball chances. We can expect the following teams to be trade deadline sellers and destinations for Flagg. The best way to improve your draft chances is to get rid of the good players that are not part of your future. As a result, these teams could be trade deadline sellers.
The Race for Cooper Flagg Began, Who Is In?
There will always be teams trying to get in the lottery. Sometimes, injuries get in the way, and contending teams end up in the lottery, like the Golden State Warriors in the 2019-20 season. With the trade season officially open, let’s take a look at the trade deadline sellers that will try to shed salary, get rid of players, and get lower in the standings for a chance to draft Flagg and other top young prospects. The 2025 draft class is considered one of the strongest and deepest in recent years, with plenty of other young players outside of Flagg who can make a difference.
Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets are in a situation that the Utah Jazz were in a few years ago when they hired Will Hardy as their coach. Jordi Fernandez has the Nets playing hard, consistent, and competing for wins. That has increased the trade value of some of their players.
The Nets were the first team to officially begin the Cooper Flagg race with their Dennis Schroder trade to the Golden State Warriors. But that is only the beginning. The Nets wanted to unload more players in that trade, but the Warriors wanted a simple trade. Cameron Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith are great role players on team-friendly contracts that can net a pick or two. They are 28 and 31 years old, respectively, way older than the Nets’ timeline but great for contending teams.
Right now, the Nets are on the outside looking in for the play-in spot. But we can expect them to unload more players and fall deeper into the lottery as the season goes on. The Nets started as the first team among the trade deadline sellers, and they should continue that way.
Utah Jazz
Teams around the league are monitoring the Utah Jazz and waiting to see which of their role players is available. The Jazz are in a good situation because they already have one star on their roster, Lauri Markkanen. He wants to be there long-term and can’t be traded this season. John Collins, Collin Sexton, and Jordan Clarkson are three names teams will be paying attention to.
We also have to mention Walker Kessler, a name that has been floating around for a year now. There are plenty of teams in need of a defensive presence at the rim, and Kessler fills that role perfectly. The good news for the Jazz is they already have a headstart. Currently the second-worst team in the West, the Jazz have a great chance for a top-three pick. Recently, the internet went wild when Will Hardy called a timeout that prevented a win against the Lakers.
New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans had high expectations for this season. This summer, they traded for Dejounte Murray, hoping that he would be the missing piece to get them over the hump. Yet, two months into the season, they are dead last in the Western Conference and have the second-worst record in the league.
Injuries have plagued their season, and now, the Pelicans have decided it is time to make a fresh start. The latest reports coming from New Orleans are that the team is willing to part ways with almost everyone on their team, including Zion Williamson. The Pelicans hope to start fresh with a new young prospect, plus this year’s rookie Yves Missi and young wing Trey Murphy III. Flagg and Murphy could be a great combo on the wing.
Chicago Bulls
The harsh reality for the Bulls is that nobody is willing to take Zach LaVine off of their back. Recently, Brian Windhorst reported that despite LaVine having the best shooting season of his career, no team has expressed a desire to trade for him.
The Bulls find themselves in a tough situation. For the past two seasons, they have been a play-in team, and their roster is stuck in mediocrity. They do have some young guys they can further develop, like Coby White, Patrick Williams, and Ayo Dosunmu, but they need a fresh start. A young prospect like Flagg would invigorate Chicago, a city known for its basketball fans.
The Bulls will have a hard time dropping down to a point where they can try and land the No. 1 pick, but they have had ping-pong ball luck before. When they got Derrick Rose, they were not even a top-five projected draft team. First, they have to find takers for LaVine, Nikola Vucevic, and Lonzo Ball.
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors could also be among trade deadline sellers after the injury to Scottie Barnes. They own the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference. Barnes avoided a serious injury, but the team could be cautious with him. While on paper, the Raptors are just four games away from the play-in, this might be the season they should give up and get more young talent.
The Raptors have a bright future ahead with Barnes, Gradey Dick, and RJ Barrett. They have several team-friendly contracts they can trade, like Chris Boucher, Kelly Olynyk, Jakob Poeltl, and Bruce Brown. Those four players can certainly net them a first-round pick or two, giving the Raptors more assets moving forward.
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers have been playing great lately, with Deni Avdija looking more comfortable within their system. Portland has an amazing young core, and adding Flagg to it would do wonders for them going forward. The Blazers have two players who are not part of their future: Deandre Ayton and Jerami Grant. Finding someone to take them off of their back would be huge. With an 8-18 record, the Blazers are 13th in the West and are clearly in the mix for a top pick.
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are off to an abysmal 3-21 start. For the second straight year, the Wizards are in full tank mode, hoping to land a top pick. Bilal Coulibaly, Alex Sarr, and Carlton ‘Bub’ Carrington are the cornerstones of their rebuild. However, Flagg would give them a legitimate future star. With the league’s worst record, the Wizards are in an ideal position to land Flagg or another top pick. Regardless, the Wizards could further sell at the trade deadline by moving off Jonas Valanciunas and-or Kyle Kuzma.
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