NBA intel - 5 players most likely to be traded before the deadline - ESPN

The NBA on Wednesday began its sprint to the Feb. 6 trade deadline, as virtually every player in the league became eligible to be moved.

One of those players — forward Josh Okogie — was traded from the Phoenix Suns to the Charlotte Hornets within hours of becoming eligible, marking the first deal of 2025 and the league's third significant trade of the regular season. The Suns, who have been perhaps the most active team in trade discussions since Jan. 1, acquired center Nick Richards from the Hornets in the deal that also saw four second-round picks change hands.

It's fair to ask if these types of deals — for borderline starters and role players — are going to define the run up to the deadline, or if there will truly be a star-quality player moved, such as the Miami Heat's Jimmy Butler, Chicago Bulls' Zach LaVine or Suns' Bradley Beal.

League coaches, agents and executives are wondering the same.

We have the five names they're watching closest with less than three weeks until the deadline, plus the ever-growing tail of the Suns' Kevin Durant trade from 2023, an upcoming turning point in the Philadelphia 76ers' season, and what to make of the news that Maverick Carter, LeBron James' longtime business manager, is advising a $5 billion effort to start new basketball league.

Jump to league intel:
Five to watch ahead of the deadline
Suns still paying after KD trade
The $5B plan to rival the NBA
Sixers stall; time for a strategy shift?

As we canvassed the league this week for the most likely players to be moved before the deadline, one name was unanimous: Brooklyn Nets forward Cameron Johnson, who is in the middle of a career season for the Nets — 19.6 points per game on 49.9% shooting overall and 42% from 3-point range.

The