Could a bad team Playoffs Lead to Stars Asking Out?

[shrink]

I was listening to Smitty’s great podcast, “Front Office Show,” and his co-host Trevor Lane mentioned in passing that LeBron’s recent quote about “not much time left,” could mean that he could opt out (or ask for a trade), to try to get to a contender. I think it’s unlikely, and I hadn’t really even thought much about it before, but there are so many superstars in the Play In Tournament this year, that some big names are going to literally miss the playoffs.

I don’t think any stars are likely to ask for trades, but which ones might be a possibility if their team fails in the playoffs?

[Billl]

Sure. For the east - If the bucks or cavs flame out early, you could see changes happening there. In the playin, the hawks and bulls are both possibilities to trade all-stars.

For the west - if the twolves bust, they could be players. If the clips or suns flame out, do they break up that injury prone core?

I don't know about guys officially asking out in the media, but there is the potential for lots of big names to move this off season. I don't think lebron or curry are going to ask out to go chase a final ring if they miss the playoffs, but a lot of other guys may be in play.

[LarsV8]

I always look for good players on teams that are trending in the wrong direction, with no real hope of improvement.

Hawks guys seem like candidates.
Bridges seems like a candidate.
Possibly Embiid, but maybe if they strike out in off season plans.
Suns could be interesting.

I think Lebron and Steph will be legacy guys who wouldnt, just cause they won titles with their current teams.

[Wolveswin]

Towns of course is one of the answers.

[jayjaysee]

I’d love to see LBJ with OKC. Beyond perfect fit in the court and assuming Giddey goes out, you get the last two years of LBJ on a max without touching the tax…

But I think some of the older stars are unfortunately aging out. We saw the end of the Celtics come quickly, but watched Kobe finish in the lottery and watched Dallas/Dirk crawl for the last seed for years..

Don’t think there’s a right way or a pattern.

The younger teams fighting for play-in, NOP/Atl.. I think they are more likely to retool the case around their stars than trade their stars. Could definitely see Trae, Murray and/or Ingram traded. Just don’t expect it.

[giberish]

There's a lot of teams that seem like they're going to be way below their expectations, so this certainly seems likely. I'd also wonder how much the Clippers are willing to spend to keep PG/Harden if they have and early/ugly playoff loss.

[mg]

Trevor does a great job covering the Lakers on his yt channel but he doesn't have any inside info.

My hunch is Lebron was telling the truth when he said he has every intention of finishing his career with the Lakers. His "not much time left" quote was literally telling their FO to make any and all moves necessary this offseason to build a contending team in his final seasons. They will have multiple picks to trade at the draft. This might be the summer to trade AD. I think everything will be on the table for the Lakers.

[NYG]

I always look for good players on teams that are trending in the wrong direction, with no real hope of improvement.

Hawks guys seem like candidates.
Bridges seems like a candidate.
Possibly Embiid, but maybe if they strike out in off season plans.
Suns could be interesting.

I think Lebron and Steph will be legacy guys who wouldnt, just cause they won titles with their current teams.

This... I have Trae and KD as most likely

[Godaddycurse]

i think more teams could bail on their stars than their stars asking out

[NYG]

What if Cleveland goes out early? Would Mitchell ask for a trade?

[giberish]

What if Cleveland goes out early? Would Mitchell ask for a trade?

Probably not so much asking for a trade but making it clear to the FO that he might leave as a UFA in a year. And then making it unofficially clear which teams he'd be most likely to resign with if traded.

[jbk1234]

i think more teams could bail on their stars than their stars asking out

If the Celtics fall short, I could definitely see them *taking calls* on Brown.

[vincecarter4pres]

I always look for good players on teams that are trending in the wrong direction, with no real hope of improvement.

Hawks guys seem like candidates.
Bridges seems like a candidate.
Possibly Embiid, but maybe if they strike out in off season plans.
Suns could be interesting.

I think Lebron and Steph will be legacy guys who wouldnt, just cause they won titles with their current teams.

This... I have Trae and KD as most likely

You really think KD is about to ask out again, this soon?

Where will he request? OKC? Lakers? Knicks?

[NYG]

I always look for good players on teams that are trending in the wrong direction, with no real hope of improvement.

Hawks guys seem like candidates.
Bridges seems like a candidate.
Possibly Embiid, but maybe if they strike out in off season plans.
Suns could be interesting.

I think Lebron and Steph will be legacy guys who wouldnt, just cause they won titles with their current teams.

This... I have Trae and KD as most likely

You really think KD is about to ask out again, this soon?

Where will he request? OKC? Lakers? Knicks?

I could see him wanting to go back East

[drosestruts]

I think Philly is going to be colluding hard with any star player that finds themselves getting eliminated early from the playoffs:

Paul George
LeBron
Klay Thompson
Pascal Siakam
DeRozan
Jrue Holiday
OG Anunoby
Malik Monk
Miles Bridges - not in the playoffs

All these players are or could be free agents with an opportunity to join up with Embiid and Maxey in the Eastern Conference.

[vincecarter4pres]

This... I have Trae and KD as most likely

You really think KD is about to ask out again, this soon?

Where will he request? OKC? Lakers? Knicks?

I could see him wanting to go back East

Watch it be back to the Nets for half their picks back(‘25, ‘27), Whitehead, Sixers pick, future Nets pick, Simmons as salary filler; and then the rest of the picks and prospects and the 2 Cams, DFS are traded for Mitchell.

Mitchell
Bridges
MLE FA
KD
Clax

Schröder
Sharpe
Watford
Clowney
Wilson
Vet min FA’s

Pretty lethal, but suspect depth.

[hugepatsfan]

i think more teams could bail on their stars than their stars asking out

If the Celtics fall short, I could definitely see them *taking calls* on Brown.

This is a popular narrative but not sure I see it. BOS's shortcomings have been ball handling in crunch time situations. Brown is obviously a liability there, but their current lineup is:

PG Holiday
SG White
SF Brown
PF Tatum
C Porzingis

If they try to address ballhandling in crunch time situations, swapping Brown for another SF doesn't seem practical. That's just not a position that typically can address that need. You'd likely need to be trading him for a guard to do that. I don't see how they're going to address that need by trading brown without major changes elsewhere too.

[giberish]

I think Philly is going to be colluding hard with any star player that finds themselves getting eliminated early from the playoffs:

Paul George
LeBron
Klay Thompson
Pascal Siakam
DeRozan
Jrue Holiday
OG Anunoby
Malik Monk
Miles Bridges - not in the playoffs

All these players are or could be free agents with an opportunity to join up with Embiid and Maxey in the Eastern Conference.

If Philly themselves has an early/ugly playoff loss that not be as successful.

[zimpy27]

I could see LeBron leave.
If team underperforms and Bronny goes to another team then it seriously could happen.

[zimpy27]

Siakam, Randle, LeBron, Lauri, Mitchell, DeMar, LaVine, Harris, Herro, Dejounte

These are the big names I expect might move in the offseason.