NBA Trade Value Rankings
June 1st, 2022
The 10 NBA Players with the Highest Trade Value…
Hint: #10 is Zion Williamson
Player Info will be structured as such:
Trade value estimate
Contract
Age
Projection
Fit
Additional analysis and insight
HM: Kevin Durant
Durant is still one of the best. Boston is historically good, I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt in that series. He’s one year removed from outplaying Giannis and nearly single-handedly beating the Bucks in a playoff series.
Devin Booker
Booker’s stock fell the most of any player besides James Harden in the playoffs. He would’ve been seventh on this list a month ago. Great players don’t lose to that Mavericks team. Great players don’t lay an egg in a game 7. CP3 is cooked. They will still win 60 games next year. When it comes to playoff time, CP3 will be hurt and old and Booker clearly can’t carry them.
Jalen Green,
Jalen Green is overrated.
Shai
Shai could get traded this offseason. I suspect he would require a young stud and two or three firsts to acquire. With no young player in the package, he might require three firsts and a pick swap.
Lamelo, Haliburton, Garland, RJ, Spida, Steph Curry, Scottie Barnes, Dejounte Murray
10. Zion
Trade value estimate: Three firsts, 2 swaps, 1 elite young player or star
Contract: in year 4 of a 4 year, $44 million deal
Age: 20
Projection: Could still win an MVP, or he could be the biggest draft bust since Anthony Bennett, depends on how much he cares about his body
Fit: Can’t shoot, very poor defender (which is senseless), needs to be surrounded by four shooters and a shooting rim protector.
Additional Analysis and Insight
Zion hasn’t shown shit since he left Duke. He seems content. I don’t blame him, I would be too. He’s going to get his max no matter what. It’s just frustrating to see maybe the most athletic kid I had ever seen in college become the fat and lazy bystander that he is now. I hate saying that, but god damn. When will he turn it on? What is he waiting for? New Orleans is fucking golden!! They have everything he could need. Mccollum, Herb Jones, a spacing big in Valancunias, Ingram, Alverado. I don’t understand what he needs to lose 30 pounds and start babying motherfuckers out there. There’s some outcome where he ends up being one of the best 10 players ever. Even now. Then again, he may end up as one of the biggest draft busts ever. There’s a reason he went ahead of Ja in the draft.
He’s overweight, he stopped playing defense and he stopped caring. Every team in the NBA would still give him a max because he’s already a number one option on a Finals contender.
9. Evan Mobley
Trade value estimate: Three firsts, 1 swap, 1 elite young player or star
Contract: 4 years, $36 million- year 2
Age: 20
Projection: Many see Mobley as a perennial DPOY contender already, he looks like the stalwart for a championship contender
Fit: Can’t shoot yet, so he projects as a 5, needs to be with shooters, super-versatile defensively, guards 1–5
Additional analysis and insight
Bill Simmons compared Mobley to a young Kevin Garnett or Tim Duncan. I don’t like him that much but he’s the prototypical big for the next ten years. He can switch onto anyone, he can rim protect on anyone. He’s already one of the best rim protectors in the NBA. Add 20 pounds and 5 years of experience to that and he’s one of the best 20 players in the league.
8. Cade Cunningham
Trade value estimate: Four firsts, one swap, 1 elite young player or star
Contract: in year 2 of a four year, $45 million deal
Age: 20
Projection: tough to say, looking like a multi-time all-star
Fit: Great on any roster, don’t have to adjust anything
Additional analysis and insight
I am not an expert, but I watched Cade’s film at Oklahoma State and I felt aroused. I don’t know if it was sexual or primal, but Cade just turns me on. Since his high school days with Scottie Barnes, he has been mesmerizing to me. I love his game dearly. He’s so fluid and strong. Great hips and underrated burst. He’s gonna add 15 pounds of muscle and in three years he will be a physical specimen. He already might be qualified to be a #2 on a championship team. He’s one year into his rookie deal. He needs two jumps to enter superstar territory.
7. Anthony Edwards
Trade value estimate: Four firsts, two swaps, 1 elite young player or star
Contract: Year 3 of a 4 year, $44 million rookie deal, this is why he resides to high on this list, you can’t find his level of talent for this price anywhere else
Age: 20, this kid is a Junior in college
Projection: Edwards could be the best player in basketball in 5 years, or he could stall where he’s at now. Likely a hall-of-famer, Edwards isn’t at the same level as the guys above him. There’s a large drop-off from Tatum to him.
Fit: Edwards fits on any roster in the league. Within a few years, he should develop into an all-defense guy
Additional analysis and insight
Edwards would fuck your girlfriend and you would thank him. He’s a purebred alpha. Except he’s not a dick, not in the way that Jordan had to bash you and talk down to you, Edwards charms you. He’s got it. He’s probably the second best athlete in the league. (close to Ja, Jalen Green, Giannis) Minnesota needs to pair him with a great point guard. I really like Shai there. Minnesota would have to send Russell and all of their picks back, but I think that might be wise. They could even send KAT back if OKC wanted him. Pat Bev, Shai, Ant, Naz Reid, Jaden Mcdaniels. I feel like that lineup could go to the Finals. Lol, idk.
6. Jayson Tatum
Trade value estimate: Four firsts, three swaps, 1 elite young player or star
Contract: 5 years, $163 million, will be in year 2 in 22–23, this is a really good value for an All-NBA guy like him.
Age: 24
Projection: I think Tatum is overrated. He’s been surrounded by elite talent his whole career. Most guys can’t say that. In some different world, he’s not much different than Devin Booker or Zach Lavine. The difference is that he has had great coaching, great management and elite teammates from day 1. If the Celtics win the Finals, he immediately catapults to become one of the 50 best players of all-time. Title windows are short; who knows if he’ll have another shot.
Fit: Near-perfect. Slides in on any roster in the league. You can put anyone beside him. He can learn to play off the ball. Can defend absolutely anyone. Elite three level scorer, plus playmaker.
Additional analysis and insight
I don’t like putting Tatum this high. He’s not on the same level as these other guys. In Game 5 against Milwaukee, Tatum showed why he’s on this list. But, in other games against Miami, he disappears. Legends don’t disappear. Giannis never disappears.
He’s on a good contract, is still insanely young and is the best player on a legit title contender. Tatum is 24. I don’t feel like he will end up as an all-time great; he doesn’t have the charisma. But, he could end up in the tier below. Like in that Scottie Pippen, Dirk Nowitzki, Allen Iverson range. That would be an excellent outcome for a player of his caliber.
There’s no way that Tatum carries that Nuggets team or that Bucks team in place of Jokic or Giannis and carries them that far. Tatum is surrounded by the best talent in the league.
5. Ja Morant
Trade value estimate: Four firsts, two swaps, 1 elite young player
Contract: in year four of a four year, $39 million deal
Age: 22
Projection: Top 100 all-time player
Fit: Needs a rim protector, not a great shooter, still pretty damn good.
Additional Analysis and Insight
I would do anything to Ja Morant. I just, I don’t fucking know. I LOVE HIM. He just makes me want to be a basketball fan. He makes me want to be a kid again!!! Fuck dude. Doesn’t he just make you want to grab a basketball and practice buzzer beaters in your backyard? Ja makes me young again, and that’s what makes an iconic basketball player: Jordan, Lebron, Steph, Zion at Duke and Ja i. Those are the basketball players who are the most reality-altering.
I’ve never seen a human as athletic as him. Fucking never. It blows my mind watching this kid play. He plays his heart out. He’s so much smaller than everyone else and it doesn’t matter. I hope Memphis makes a move for one of Zion, Beal or Mitchell. Pretty soon they will have to pay all of their depth. Title windows are miniscule. Remember when everyone said that Lebron and AD had a few more titles in them? What about that Bucks dynasty? 29 other teams want that trophy desperately. In order to win it, you have to go ALL-IN. 2021: Bucks gave up all of their draft assets for Jrue Holiday. 2020: Lakers give up everything for Anthony Davis. 2019: Toronto gives up Derozan, a franchise icon for Kawhi. Memphis needs to go all in.
4. Nikola Jokic
Trade value estimate: Four firsts, three pick swaps, 1 elite young player or veteran star
Contract: five years, $147 million, in the fifth year
Age: 27
Projection: Top 30 all-time player, Jokic is only the 15th player ever to win multiple MVP’s. He won’t win another unless he takes home a championship
Fit: Jokic can’t switch on the perimeter like Embiid and Giannis can. He’s a good rim protector but is lacking in switches. This makes it difficult to keep him on the floor against elite offenses deep into the playoffs.
Additional analysis and insight
Underrated in every aspect. I had a tough time placing him fourth. Speaking of carrying bad teams, Jokic took a lottery team and carried them to a six seed by himself. The next best player on that team all season was Aaron Gordon. Aaron Gordon sucks. With Murray and Porter Jr. next season, I expect Jokic to make a run at the Finals (provided Porter Jr. can stay healthy). I hope they grab a defensively versatile big over the offseason to provide some switching. It’s almost like Jerami Grant would be a great fit… Crazy.
3. Joel Embiid
Trade value estimate: Four firsts, three swaps, 2 elite young players or veteran stars
Contract: Five years, $196 million, starts in 23–24
Age: 28, sneaky old
Projection: Top 50 all-time player, hinges on whether or not he wins a championship, he’s in the Charles Barkley, John Stockton range
Fit: Embiid is an excellent fit absolutely anywhere. You surround him with anything. He’s a good enough shooter to fit next to a big who can’t shoot.
Additional analysis and insight
Embiid is a tier below Giannis and Luka. The playoffs showed that pretty easily. Embiid was surrounded by better talent than both Luka and Giannis. It didn’t matter. Embiid will likely get his MVP someday, but he’s not transcendent. I don’t see him ever winning a title. He has quickly reached 28 years old. With his massive frame, injuries will likely derail him from ever winning a championship.
2. Giannis Antetokounmpo
Trade value estimate: 4 firsts, three first round swaps, 2 elite young players or veteran stars
Contract: second year into five year, $228 million deal
Age: 27
Projection: One of the 10 best players ever. On track to finish top 10 all-time in most metrics. If he wins another championship he’s on par with Hakeem Olajuwon, perhaps a little better.
Fit: Giannis comes in second because he’s a tough fit. He needs four shooters around him in any playoff series. He also requires an additional rim protector. Rim protectors who can shoot are increasingly expensive. (Myles Turner, Brook Lopez)
Additional analysis and insight
Giannis is the best player in the NBA. Defensively, I think he’s overrated. Without Brook Lopez, the Bucks defense fell to 16th in defensive rating during the regular season. The best defenders can carry a defense on their own. Giannis isn’t there. Losing to Boston in 7 was almost a best-case scenario for Giannis. Losing Middleton, their only true shot-creator cratered the chances of them beating an elite Celtics team. I expect that Boston will win the Finals. There may never be another team assembled that is as capable of defending Giannis as they did in the Eastern Semis. Grant Williams, Al Horford, Smart and Tatum are within the 20 best defenders you could ask to defend Giannis in the world. They beat Milwaukee without Robert Williams, who could be their best defender.
In terms of greatness Giannis still has the edge here. Just like Luka, any team he’s on has a chance to win the finals. The Bucks title window closes in two years. Brook Lopez is 34 years old.
1. Luka Doncic
Trade value estimate: 4 firsts, 3 pick swaps, 2 elite young players/stars
Contract: Five years, $207 Million
Age: 23
Projection: top 25 all-time player
Fit: Absolutely any team. In Europe he played off-ball, in the Phoenix series he showed that he can hold up defensively.
Additional analysis and insight
Only reason I have him higher than Giannis is because Luka fits anywhere. Giannis has to be surrounded by 4 good shooters. He has to. No team will win around him without 4 good shooters. You can have a rim protector who can’t shoot paired with Luka.
Luka Doncic could be the best player in the NBA. He might be better than Giannis. Offensively, he’s the best talent to enter the league since Steph Curry. Doncic extends possessions with limited athleticism through crafty drives and dishes. He’s one of the best passers in the world and perhaps the best shot creator in the world. Mikal Bridges, perhaps the best wing defender in the NBA, was rendered useless by Luka. There’s no one who scares teams more than Luka. He just carried a really poor roster to the Western Finals. That roster without Doncic is a lottery team. The greats, the real greats can carry bad teams deep into the playoffs. Luka isn’t Lebron, and he never will be, but he’s closer than even I think.
Luka is four years younger and a tad cheaper than Giannis.
