New Blockbuster Three-Team Trade Idea Sends Michael Porter Jr to Spurs, De'Aaron Fox to Nets

Although it's always difficult to predict exactly how the offseason will affect the upcoming NBA season, it seems clear that the Eastern Conference is going to be up for grabs. The Indiana Pacers won the conference last year in one of the most surprising championship runs in recent memory, but they are going to be without Tyrese Haliburton for the year. The Boston Celtics have always been a force in the Eastern Conference, but Jayson Tatum went down with an Achilles injury in the second round and will miss the upcoming season. The Bucks made a big move to add Myles Turner, but they had to cut Damian Lillard to do it. In short, the only three teams that seem to be locks for postseason returns are the New York Knicks, Orlando Magic and the Cleveland Cavaliers. That leaves an opportunity for several teams to take advantage.

The Atlanta Hawks are certainly doing their best to seize that opportunity. After trading for Celtics big man Kristaps Porzingis and drafting Georgia power forward Asa Newell, Atlanta reached a pair of huge free agent signings. The Hawks signed a marquee free agent in Wolves guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker to a four-year, $62 million deal in a sign and trade that sent a 2027 2nd-round pick (via CLE) to the Wolves. Then, the Hawks signed free agent guard Luke Kennard to a one-year, $11 million deal. They also got an unprotected first-round pick from the New Orleans Pelicans in a draft-night trade. Given the massive injuries in the Eastern Conference next season, it seems that the Atlanta Hawks are going for it and making moves to put themselves in position to contend. One area they could still use some depth is at small forward or another ball-handler.

Even though the Western Conference is stacked, there are multiple teams that could challenge for a play-in or playoff spot that missed out on the postseason race in the 2024-25 season. One of the most likely candidates to make that jump is the San Antonio Spurs. Young center Victor Wembanyama appears fully recovered from the deep vein thrombosis that sidelined him last season and they signed Luke Kornet from the Celtics to run double-big lineups with Wemby. They also have the reigning Rookie of the Year in Stephon Castle and made a big trade for De'Aaron Fox at last year's trade deadline. However, there's reason to wonder whether they'd consider trading Fox. They drafted Dylan Harper with the second overall pick and now have a very crowded backcourt. Their spacing is still rough and they could use more shooters to complement Wemby.

One player that might interest San Antonio is Michael Porter Jr. The former Nuggets starter got swapped out for Cam Johnson this offseason, but it's clear that Brooklyn doesn't really have much of a need for him. They have tons of young wings they are trying to develop and Porter's contract cuts into their future cap space. It might make more sense for them to move Porter out for a player that can put up similar production without the long-term salary cap cost. Accordingly, Fox might make some sense for them.

So how about a trade where each of these teams tries to fill a need?

It should be noted that this is just a speculative and fun exercise to see what kind of moves can be made, not what I think the Hawks or any other teams should do or will do. That is all.

Hawks Receive: Julian Champagnie

Spurs Receive: Michael Porter Jr, Vit Krejci, 2026 2nd round pick (via BOS/IND/MIA, from ATL)

Nets Receive: De'Aaron Fox, 2028 2nd round pick (via NOP, from SAS), 2029 2nd-round pick (via LAC, from SAS), 2031 2nd-round pick (via SAC, from SAS)

Why the Hawks would do this deal: While he doesn't have an elite skill, Champagnie is a pretty solid wing who does a little bit of everything. He shot 37% from deep on 5.1 attempts, suited up for all 82 games as a reliable reserve and played solid defense for the Spurs. At 6'8, he has the necessary size to match up with ball-handlers and big wings alike. Krejci's defense is a question mark, but Champagnie brings more reliability on that end despite Krejci being a better shooter.

Why the Hawks would not do this deal: Champagnie doesn't really have any other ancillary skills other than being a decent 3&D wing. Furthermore, they are losing one more cheap season of having Krejci under contract in favor of Champagnie's deal.

Why the Spurs would do this deal: Michael Porter Jr can be a playoff contributor on the right team and it's fair to think that he could find that form with San Antonio. The Spurs already have a formidable defense with the duo of Wemby and Kornet - Porter would be a supersize SF/PF that has a proven track record as a floor spacer. He averaged 18.2 points on 50.4/39.5/76.8% shooting splits while taking 6.4 threes per game. Due to being almost seven feet tall, he's also a solid rebounder, pulling down seven rebounds a game last season. He'd allow the Spurs to start both Harper and Castle in conjunction with a massive lineup of MPJ, Wemby and Kornet. The Spurs can also bring Devin Vassell off the bench as a sixth man, which might maximize his role. His contract also expires in 2026-27, so there isn't much of a long-term risk for the Spurs' cap sheet.

Why the Spurs would not do this deal: MPJ has a checkered injury history and doesn't offer much as a defender despite his size. Therefore, they'd be heavily reliant on both Wemby and Kornet to cover up for his limitations on that end. Furthermore, MPJ did benefit from playing off Jamal Murry and Nikola Jokic, which is a stellar offensive environment. He won't have that in San Antonio and his shooting might slip as a result.

Why the Nets would do this deal: Even though the Nets did select three ball-handlers in the 2025 NBA draft, Fox is an entirely different level of guard. He's an All-Star level player who was averaging 25 points and 5 assists while shooting 49% from the midrange (90th percentile among all guards). Fox is someone who can lead the offense in the clutch and would allow for Brooklyn's young group of prospects to grow without hindering their long-term development. His deal expires at the end of the season and he can enter free agency without the expectation of a long-term commitment from the Nets. Furthermore, it also preserves their status as a cap space team next summer and allows them to take on bad contracts for picks as they continue on their rebuild.

Why the Nets would not do this deal: The Nets still have an incentive to be bad next season and it is worth considering whether Fox would make them too good in a weak Eastern Conference. His fit with the roster is also somewhat questionable because of all the ball-handlers they have. Even if he doesn't put a long-term cap on the prospects' ceiling, he'll take a significant amount of touches away from Ben Saraf, Egor Demin and Nolan Traore.

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