Potential trade targets to watch for 28 NBA teams: Why two franchises don't have a candidate

The NBA trade deadline is less than a month away, and teams are evaluating their rosters and the market to see who can make a difference in a playoff berth or a new era. With players such as Ja Morant and Jonathan Kuminga circulating as potential trade targets, teams must decide which players are worth stashing and which could be a part of a package to facilitate a win-now or rebuild strategy before 3 p.m. ET on Feb. 5. Whether a team makes a move or stands pat, each has at least one player who could be used in a trade to strengthen its playoff push or take further steps in a rebuilding process. ESPN analysts Bobby Marks (Eastern Conference) and Kevin Pelton (Western Conference) detail the top player on all 30 NBA rosters who could be traded and how a potential deal could help that team. Teams are listed in alphabetical order. Jump to a team: ATL | BOS | BKN | CHA | CHI | CLE DAL | DEN | DET | GS | HOU | IND LAC | LAL | MEM | MIA | MIL | MIN NO | NY | OKC | ORL | PHI | PHX POR | SAC | SA | TOR | UTA | WAS Atlanta Hawks Player: Kristaps Porzingis Trae Young was originally on the watch list before he was sent to Washington for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert . The Young trade now allows Atlanta to move off Porzingis' expiring $30.7 million contract and gain flexibility to take back salary in future years -- for example, Anthony Davis . But with Davis out for an extended period of time with a left hand injury , holding on to Porzingis for the remainder of the season is the more viable option. Porzingis has missed 14 games due to illness but has been effective on the hardwood, providing Atlanta with much-needed size in the frontcourt. The Hawks do have Luke Kennard 's $11 million expiring contract and the $14 million salary of the recently acquired Kispert if they are looking for frontcourt help, but on a much smaller scale than Davis. Kispert's salary is not subject to aggregation. -- Marks Chris Boucher gets the and-1 to fall Boston Celtics Player: Chris Boucher Anfernee Simons should be the player to watch because of his $27.7 million expiring contract , but Simons has played a key role in Boston's surprise surge into the East's top tier. For the first time since the 2021-22 campaign, Simons is coming off the bench, averaging 13.5 points per game and 40.2% shooting from 3. Boucher signed a one-year, $2.3 million contract in the offseason, and there was belief he could provide frontcourt depth, especially after averaging 10 PPG last season with Toronto. Instead, he is playing just 11.4 minutes per game behind Luka Garza and Josh Minott on Boston's depth chart. While it is unlikely the Celtics get under the luxury tax this season (they are $12 million over),...

Preview: ~500 words