Hoops Tonight: Best Trade Ideas for Every East Playoff Team + Giannis & Bucks | NBA Trade Deadline

The Herd with Colin Cowherd — January 24, 2026
Host: [Unnamed in transcript]
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts and The Volume

Episode Overview

This episode zeroes in on the rapidly approaching NBA trade deadline, focusing exclusively on the Eastern Conference’s playoff contenders. The host systematically explores the most pressing needs for top teams, offers actionable trade ideas, and delves into major storylines—most notably, the uncertain future of Giannis Antetokounmpo and the spiraling Milwaukee Bucks. Listeners can expect a practical breakdown of potential deals, honest assessments of team outlooks, and candid takes from a passionate basketball mind.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Detroit Pistons: Power Forward Solutions

• Primary Need: Scoring at the 4, defensive rebounding, and improved shooting.
• Three tiers of trade options:
  • Expensive: Lauri Markkanen (Jazz)
    • Would cost multiple first-round picks and core players.
    • Too restrictive on future flexibility due to his salary.
    • Host: “He’d make the Pistons amazing, but he’s just so expensive. I mean, he’s making $53 million in that 2028-2029 campaign.” (06:38)
  • Middle Ground / Favorite: Michael Porter Jr.
    • Trade: Tobias Harris, filler (e.g., Paul Reed), and a 1st-round pick.
    • MPJ offers elite shooting, secondary rim protection, plus flexibility due to his $40M non-guaranteed contract next season.
    • “MPJ's made 128 threes this year... shoots 40% overall, 44% when he's unguarded off the catch…” (03:44)
  • Cheap: Rui Hachimura (Lakers)
    • Example deal: Rui for Karis LeVert & Javonte Green.
    • Provides cheap shooting but lacks defense/rebounding.
    • “Rui’s shooting 42% this year in catch and shoot threes, 49% when he’s wide open… but he’s not a great rebounder/defender.” (05:52)

Summary: The host favors Michael Porter Jr. as the ideal balance of cost and fit.

2. Boston Celtics: Frontline Size without Financial Handcuffs

• Need: A rebounding, switchable big who fits financial constraints.
• Cap Complication: Tatum, Brown, and White on books for $167 million in 2028-29.
• Top Targets:
  • Nikola Vucevic (Bulls; expiring contract)
    • Could likely re-sign on a bargain deal; gives size, rebounding, post scoring, but limited defensively.
    • "He's what Al Horford was for them, without the defensive versatility… can get him cheap." (09:13)
  • Jalen Smith (Bulls)
    • Good rebounder, decent spot-up shooter (45% on spot-ups), manageable contract.
    • Deal idea: Anthony Simons & Chris Boucher for Smith, Isaac Okoro, & Dalen Terry.
    • “Jalen Smith would be really fun for the Celtics… a spacing big that can also really rebound.” (11:58)
  • Day’Ron Sharpe (Nets)
    • Non-shooter but brings physicality/rebounding as backup.

Summary: Vucevic is the favorite due to expiring status and fit, but Smith is intriguing for long-term, discounted size and shooting.

3. New York Knicks: Trade Inactivity Likely

• Main Point: Difficult to find plausible deals due to salary structure (large untouchables, then tiny contracts).
• Details:
  • Only one tradable first-round pick (protected, likely to convert to two seconds).
  • Core players (OG, Bridges, Brunson) are untouchable.
  • Josh Hart is “heart and soul,” not worth moving.
  • Smaller salaries don’t yield needle-movers without picks.
• Example Marginal Move: Maybe call Phoenix for Nick Richards as a backup big, but not a difference-maker.
• Quote: “I don’t see anything big and splashy for New York from this deadline.” (16:13)

4. Toronto Raptors: Sharpshooting Wing Needed

• Roster Structure: Difficult to trade large or small contracts, little middle ground.
• Need: Shooting—bottom 10 in 3P volume, bottom 5 in 3P percentage.
• Ideal Target: Cheap, shooting wings (e.g., Keon Ellis, Ayo Dosunmu).
  • “Keon is on the last year of his deal, making $2.3 million… just any minimum contract plus a pick.” (17:36)
• Summary: Minor tweaks for shooting, nothing major.

5. Cleveland Cavaliers: Marginal Upgrades Unless Making a Major Pivot

• Improvement Needed: Defensive glass (depth, not starters).
• Current Outlook: Jaylon Tyson’s emergence at the 3 solves core lineup— “…Tyson rebounds the hell out of the basketball… guards, shoots… just everything they need at that spot." (22:00)
• Idea: Upgrade backup center (e.g., Thomas Bryant + second-round pick for Day’Ron Sharpe).
• Big Picture: Major trades (Mobley for Giannis) would fundamentally alter team identity—host says he'd do it for Finals contention but sees merit in "slight tweaks" if trusting the core.

6. Miami Heat: Explosive Ball-handling Sought—Ja Morant?

• Reported Interest: Mutual with Ja Morant; Heat lack a high-end offense initiator.
• Issue: Would rather keep draft capital for a future Giannis trade.
• Grizzlies Don’t Want: Tyler Herro’s salary back.
• Complex Three-Team Trade Idea:
  • Heat get Ja Morant, Maxi Kleber expiring, Dalton Knecht, and possibly Lakers’ 2031 1st.
  • Grizzlies get Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent, draft compensation.
  • Lakers get Andrew Wiggins, Scotty Pippen Jr., Davion Mitchell.
  • “If you can convince Memphis to get rid of Ja for two second round picks, you can maintain that third first... for an eventual Giannis trade.” (27:13)
• Summary: Realistic Ja acquisition means creative cap maneuvering, but Heat eye bigger fish (like Giannis).

7. Orlando Magic: Klay Thompson as Shooting Solution

• Need: Reliable catch-and-shoot wing to complement athletic, size-heavy roster.
• Favorite Fit: Klay Thompson.
  • Deal: Jonathan Isaac + minimum salary for Thompson.
  • “Klay’s just been in a lot of big games… could work wonders just having everyone feel more comfortable and confident in big game settings.” (30:23)
• Summary: Minimal cost; could transform Orlando’s shooting and postseason poise.

8. Milwaukee Bucks: Giannis Trade Clarity

• Crisis: Thunder routed Bucks; Giannis calls out team for lack of effort—“…no one’s playing hard and everyone’s playing selfishly…” (33:28)
• Host’s Opinion: Time to trade Giannis—prolonging only worsens the situation and hurts young talent development.
• Quote: “Each passing year, even Giannis’s own trade value diminishes. You’re not competing for anything right now, and you’re actually stifling the development of your own young players.” (35:53)
• Trade If Keeping Giannis: Target distressed ball-handlers (e.g., Anfernee Simons, DeMar DeRozan, Kobe White, Tyler Herro).
  • Simons is favored, depending on trickle-down from Celtics’ moves.
  • Herro could be had for little (e.g., “Kyle Kuzma and Cole Anthony for Tyler Herro”).
• Summary: Bucks need to reset. If not via a Giannis trade, add playmaking guard cheaply (ideally Anfernee Simons).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Detroit:

  “MPJ’s made 128 threes this year. That’s the ninth most in the entire NBA. He shoots 40%... 44% unguarded... 72% at the rim... and he’s a very good help side defender.” (03:44)

• On Boston’s Constraints:

  “Boston in the 2028-29 season has Tatum, Brown and White on the books for $167 million. Just those three players.” (08:48)

• On Knicks Inactivity:

  “Josh Hart is kind of in that sweet spot where he’s making around $20 million, but he’s in many ways the heart and soul of the team. I mean… it’s just difficult to find… a player that comes back for Josh Hart that you can justify the improvement...” (14:48)

• On Giannis Situation:

  “…I just think this is a disaster. And I know it sucks for Bucks fans because this isn’t how you wanted it to end… But, like, the more you drag this out, the nastier it gets.” (36:24)

• On Miami Keeping Picks:

  “…if you can convince Memphis to get rid of Ja for two second round picks, then you can maintain that third first. But worst-case scenario, you could also reroute that [Lakers] first.” (27:15)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:29] — Episode start, preview of trade ideas & episode structure
• [03:10] — Detroit Pistons: Power forward trade options
• [09:00] — Boston Celtics: Frontline size and ideal targets
• [13:00] — New York Knicks: Why a big move is unlikely
• [16:30] — Toronto Raptors: Cheap shooting wings
• [21:17] — Cleveland Cavaliers: Marginal upgrades, backup center
• [26:00] — Miami Heat: Pursuing Ja Morant, trade complexities
• [30:00] — Orlando Magic: Klay Thompson as shooter
• [32:45] — Milwaukee Bucks: Giannis trade arguments, guard targets
• [35:53] — Host's summary on what Milwaukee should/should not do

Summary Takeaway

This episode deftly outlines the trade deadline chessboard for Eastern Conference teams—balancing immediate needs, financial realities, and the ever-present specter of superstar movement. The main throughline: while bold trades can re-shape a playoff run, for some teams (especially the Bucks with Giannis and the Pistons at power forward), the cost and timing will define legacies. For others, sometimes the best move is a marginal upgrade—or no move at all.