The 2019-2020 NBA season was easily the strangest ones in recent memory, but nature is healing. Twitter is back to being dominated by trade rumors and transactions, including some that have already broken the internet (keep reading for more on that). In an offseason as busy as any other sports regular season, let’s take a look at some of the best (and worst) possible trades floating around right now, as well as rank the ones already done.

DONE DEALS:

Los Angeles Lakers acquire Dennis Schroder, send Danny Green and pick #28 to Oklahoma City Thunder

Though trades technically can’t be formalized until Wednesday’s Draft, Rob Pelinka and the 2020 Champion Lakers are already busy with trades. After winning the championship in dominant fashion, the Lakers are not in a place where they need another superstar talent. That being the case, I don’t think they could have made a better move with this trade. Though Danny Green had a storied legacy clutch threes in the postseason, it was clear during the 2020 Playoffs that that man is long gone. Danny Green most likely won’t be that bad for the Thunder, but the writing on the wall is already up. In a “win it or bust” market like L.A, if you’re not an integral part of a championship team, you could get traded at the drop of the hat.

What the Lakers got back, however, is a younger guard who fits perfectly into Lebron James and Anthony Davis’ big man game. This becomes increasingly important if Rajon Rondo and Avery Bradley leave the team in free agency. The 28 pick is really not much to give up for a proven talent in such a mediocre draft, and swapping Green’s contract for younger money is never a bad move. While not the biggest trade of the year, I think this one could have the biggest impact.

Phoenix Suns Aquire Chris Paul, send Ricky Rubio, Kelly Oubre, Ty Jerome, Jalen Lecque and 2022 first-round pick to Oklahoma City Thunder

The Thunder continue to blow things up, stockpiling more picks and expiring contracts. Remember the Paul George and Westbrook trades? It’s been clear since then that the Thunder are stockpiling assets for the time being. Despite this, Paul had one of the greatest playoff runs of his career before losing to the Houston Rockets. Paul crushed the choker narrative that had been circling his name since his time with the Clippers, and could prove to be the perfect running mate and mentor for Phoenix’s two headed beast that is Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton. The biggest question mark regarding this trade is the contract. Paul is still owed $80 million over the next two seasons, and injury concerns have plagued Paul the past few years.

This move is another huge win and haul for the Thunder. After this and the Schroder trade, OKC has 17 first-round picks between now and 2026. What they do with these picks is of course crucial, but in the NBA is no word holds more weight than “assets,” just ask Danny Ainge.

POTENTIAL TRADES

No news has shocked NBA Twitter more than that of James Harden and Russell Westbrook wanting out of the Houston Rockets. The Rockets have shot themselves in the foot a bit thanks to their past few trades, but could be entering rebuild mode by trading away the faces of their franchises. Let’s look at where they might be headed:

Westbrook is a dominant scorer with the ball in his hands. Playing along side James Harden, who is *checks notes* also a dominant scorer with the ball in his hands…probably wasn’t the most genius pairing. Westbrook knows this, and wants his next destination to be somewhere he can “be Westbrook” (according to an article published in the Houston Chronicle). As always, NBA players are incredibly vague in where they’d like to suit up next, and Westbrook is no different. Does he want to go to a contender? Or be the big fish in a small pond, which is what made his infamous triple double season in OKC so fun to watch? No one knows for sure.

After some early rumors circling the Clippers, the Charlotte Hornets have emerged as the most likely candidate to land Westbrook in a trade. The Hornets have a lot of money tied up in contracts that seemed bad when they were signed and even worse now. Westbrook is still tied up to a $131 million contract over the next three years, and for a team not really on the brink of contention, this would probably require moving around some pieces. Listen, if Westbrook isn’t having fun being on a contender, then that’s completely understandable. The media is more critical than ever before, how can you hate on a guy going down to Charlotte to have some fun, make some money and drop some buckets? If Westbrook goes to a small market team, he will be brought in with open arms by the fans. Going somewhere like L.A just seems to further the possibility of harsh criticism and an environment where Russ can’t cook.

Harden wants out, that’s clear, and he wants out big. According to multiple ESPN reports, the former MVP is eyeing Brooklyn as a possible destination to team up with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. I truly don’t see how this deal would work, but boy would it be insane to watch. That team would shatter of every offensive record book in history and also might give up the most points in NBA history. I’m not even mad either, it’s chaos, and there’s nothing that spells a return to normalcy for the NBA like chaos.