7 NBA Trade Rumors: LaMelo Ball Drawing Strong Interest as Celtics-Brown Talks Heat Up

With the 2026 NBA Draft now complete and free agency negotiations set to open June 30, trade rumors continue swirling across the league in the days following the blockbuster Giannis Antetokounmpo trade. Here are seven of the biggest storylines shaping the NBA right now.

1. Multiple Teams Are Strongly Pursuing LaMelo Ball

In one of the most significant developing storylines, ESPN's Shams Charania reported live from the NBA Draft show that the Charlotte Hornets are engaged in LaMelo Ball trade talks as multiple teams strongly pursue the star guard. "Multiple teams are strongly pursuing LaMelo Ball right now. The Hornets are engaged, I'm told, and Ball had a strong finish to the season. It mirrored the Hornets rise over the course of the last calendar year. Both sides have been in a good place. Ball does want to be in Charlotte, I'm told, but this is an organization fielding some aggressive offers so the price is met. He could very well be on the move," Charania said.

NBA insider Marc Stein added further detail on which teams have shown specific interest. "The Timberwolves and Raptors have emerged as two of the teams with trade interest in Charlotte's LaMelo Ball," Stein and Jake Fischer reported.

2. Charania: Celtics "Actively Engaged" in Jaylen Brown Trade Talks

Beyond the Antetokounmpo fallout, Boston's own All-Star wing has become the subject of fresh trade speculation. Charania reported that the Celtics are "actively engaged" in Jaylen Brown trade talks. Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens has reportedly held meetings with Brown directly, with the All-Star's future with the franchise remaining uncertain following the team's failed pursuit of Antetokounmpo.

3. A Possible Bidding War for Brown

With Boston now apparently engaged in active discussions, ESPN's Brian Windhorst has suggested a "bidding war" could be possible for Brown as multiple teams explore the market for the Celtics wing, given his proven two-way ability and championship pedigree.

4. Lakers "Very Open" to Trading the 25th Pick

In Los Angeles, the Lakers continued exploring multiple paths during the draft itself. According to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, the Lakers were "said to be very open" to trading the 25th pick, meaning a move up, a move down, or a trade involving a veteran player could be in store for the Lakers on draft night. The Lakers have also been linked to Oklahoma City's Lu Dort, with NBA insider Jake Fischer reporting there have been talks between the Lakers and the Thunder regarding Dort's "availability," given his defensive ability and fit within Los Angeles's timeline alongside Luka Dončić.

5. The Thunder's Roster Math After Their Title

Oklahoma City's championship roster faces significant financial pressure heading into the new season. If the team makes no cuts and adds two first-rounders to its payroll, it'll face a $286 million tax bill and a record overall expenditure of $554 million for 2026-27. Those financial concerns are also why the Thunder's "most likely pathway...would be to trade [Lu Dort] for a second-round pick or two," according to The Athletic's John Hollinger.

6. The Spurs' Crowded Extension Calendar

In San Antonio, a deep and talented roster has created its own set of complicated decisions ahead of the June 30 extension deadline. Victor Wembanyama is not the only player to monitor this summer. The Spurs have six players who are eligible for extensions, including Champagnie, Johnson, and Vassell. The Spurs have two options regarding Champagnie's next deal: exercise the $3 million team option then extend for four additional seasons, with the first year able to start at $21.2 million.

7. Charlotte and Brooklyn Eye a Potential Claxton-White Swap

Beyond the Ball speculation, the Hornets and Nets have also generated chatter around a separate potential trade involving two other players. Per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Nic Claxton is among the centers on Charlotte's trade radar, and "the Nets have expressed interest" in Coby White dating back to his time with the Chicago Bulls. The logic on both sides makes sense: White was a key performer down the stretch for the Hornets and would be a luxury third guard behind LaMelo Ball and Kon Knueppel, while Claxton would improve Charlotte's starting and closing lineups at an actual position of need.

A Pattern of Significant Draft-Night Trade Activity

Beyond these specific rumors, the draft itself produced substantial trade activity that continued reshaping rosters across the league. The 2026 NBA Draft has sparked significant trade activity, including Giannis Antetokounmpo's move to Miami. Given the scale of draft-night pick-swapping alone — touching the Knicks, Lakers, Suns, Mavericks, Cavaliers, Kings, Grizzlies, Thunder, and Pistons, among others — front offices appear likely to keep using the remaining offseason window to continue reshaping their rosters in the aftermath of the league-altering Antetokounmpo trade.

The Backdrop: Boston's Missed Opportunity on Giannis

Much of the current trade environment traces back to Boston's failed pursuit of Antetokounmpo, who ultimately landed in Miami in exchange for a package including Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaimie Jacquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, three first-round picks, a pick swap, and a second-round selection. With that deal now finalized, the Celtics appear to have pivoted quickly toward exploring what they can get for Brown instead, given the team's continued desire to remain competitive in a reshaped Eastern Conference.

With free agency negotiations set to formally open June 30, the coming days are expected to bring further clarity on several of these storylines, particularly the LaMelo Ball situation in Charlotte and the increasingly active conversations surrounding Brown's future in Boston. Given the volume of trade chatter already generated in the immediate aftermath of the draft, league executives and fans alike should expect continued movement across multiple fronts — from Charlotte's crowded trade radar to the Lakers' search for complementary pieces around Dončić — as teams work to finalize their rosters ahead of the opening of free agency.