Oct 18, 2025

Trade Machine Frenzy: Booker, Herro, Maxey

As camps near, the writer fires up a trade machine and draws up ten realistic blockbuster swaps that could still reshape rosters — from Tyler Herro possibly landing in Portland to Devin Booker being linked to Detroit or Philadelphia, Keegan Murray to OKC, and Lauri Markkanen to the Sixers. These scenarios matter because injuries, expiring deals and competing timelines could turn mock trades into real ones; as Pistons owner Tom Gores put it, "Our urgency is not going to stop." Merlin sees front offices squinting at short windows and long rebuilds alike. Contenders may chase scoring wings or buy-ins, while asset-rich teams stockpile firsts and young pieces. The common thread: teams will trade around cap math and health, so an early-season surprise or injury could make several of these hypotheticals very real.

🧙‍♂️ Merlin’s Prediction
Odds of at least one blockbuster from this list happening before the trade deadline: 65%.
Trade Machine Frenzy: Booker, Herro, Maxey