The 10 NBA Players with the Most Trade Value Right Now
Speculation is in the air.
So too is stuffing. And gravy. Maybe that's what we're smelling. But we're also detecting a hint of NBA trade speculation.
The league is months away from incessant trade chatter, but here at Bleacher Report, we—like crazed Thanksgiving evening shoppers minus the craziness—put stock in head starts. That brings us here, speculating and hypothesizing, reflecting and deliberating, trying to figure out who the NBA's most valuable trade pieces are to start 2014-15.
Rankings for this Off-Broadway exercise will rely heavily on a number of things. Performance and statistics will matter as usual. Contract statuses will also hold weight—meaning a Josh Smith-for-anyone-of-value scenario will not follow. Perhaps a player is entering free agency and prepared to leave or his team doesn't want to pay him. Whatever the case, it will matter.
Listed players must also be expendable to the point that they could wind up on the trade market. Anthony Davis isn't on here, folks. He's chillaxing atop Untouchable Mountain with LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Chris Paul and Kevin Durant, among many others.
There has to be a case for players to be here. That's the point. And in the end, using all our criteria, rankings are determined by keeping one question in mind: Which players can help broker significant trades as contractual or talent centerpieces?
Come hither, friends—with or without your gravy-drenched stuffing. The time for speculation is upon us.
10. Wilson Chandler, Denver Nuggets
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To be honest, this suggestion holds less weight now than it would have a year or two ago, when the Denver Nuggets actually should have cleared up their roster-wide logjam by consolidating some of their assets.
Still, Wilson Chandler has been the Nuggets' second- or third-best player early on. That admittedly isn't saying much, but he's producing just enough at 12.5 points and 5.7 rebounds per game while shooting north of 35 percent from deep to generate interest.
Chandler has also been a bright spot for the Nuggets' turnstile defense. The team is allowing more points with him on the floor, according to NBA.com (subscription required), but opposing small forwards are recording a below-average player efficiency rating of 14.6 against him, per 82games.com. He's someone the Nuggets—or another team—can pin to the opposition's best perimeter scorer.
At only $6.7 million this season and a non-guaranteed $7.1 million for 2015-16, he's a solid acquisition for teams looking to add depth without compromising flexibility. The wing-light Los Angeles Clippers are, in fact, probably salivating at the mere mention of his name.
"He's getting more and more comfortable, more and more confident," Nuggets coach Brian Shaw said of Chandler, via The Denver Post's Christopher Dempsey. "And he's doing a lot of different things—rebounding, pushing the ball himself, posting up, spotting up hitting jumpers, on the move and in catch-and-shoot situations. It's what we need from him."
Any number of other teams could certainly use that from Chandler. They might even be willing to relinquish coveted draft picks and/or young talent in order to get it too.
9. Enes Kanter, Utah Jazz
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Enes Kanter is going to get $1,000-ice-cream-sundaes-for-breakfast paid this summer. It just might not be the Utah Jazz doing the paying.
Committing long-term money to Gordon Hayward, Alec Burks and Derrick Favors has put the Jazz in a tricky situation. While they've shown improvement under first-year head coach Quin Snyder, investing tens of millions of dollars in Kanter, who will be a restricted free agent this summer, tethers their future to a core still handicapped against competing in the savage Western Conference.
"Kanter, 22, the third overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft, will assuredly benefit from another full year of development, especially under new coach Quin Snyder," Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski wrote. "Kanter’s size and skill will make him an intriguing player on the summer market, and several teams told Yahoo Sports they’ll be scouting him closely to gauge his full value and potential."
Knowing interest is there, the Jazz can use Kanter's recent play as a means to parlay him into burgeoning talent or draft picks. His production is up even though his minutes are down, and the Jazz are running the equivalent of a top-four offense with him on the floor, according to NBA.com.
It will be his 19.8 points and 9.6 rebounds per 36 minutes that draw the most attention. He's having a substantial impact in limited playing time, which increases his what-if factor. (What if he played more? What if he played on a better team?) That Snyder is slowly, surely having him develop his three-point range only enhances his value as a possible stretch 4.
Impending free agents are often considered flight risks and therefore dangerous trade acquisitions. But Kanter's next team could match any offers he receives in free agency, making him a gamble worth exploring—and for the Jazz an asset worth shopping.
8. Jordan Hill, Los Angeles Lakers
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This is a list the Los Angeles Lakers must've had in mind when they re-signed Jordan Hill over the summer.
Two years and $18 million sure seemed like a lot for a career role player, but Hill has been a statistical beast in 2014-15. Only six other players are currently hitting his benchmarks of 13 points and 10 rebounds on 48 percent shooting—Anthony Davis, Nikola Vucevic, Dwight Howard, DeMarcus Cousins, Greg Monroe and Pau Gasol—and he leads the lowly Lakers in win shares.
Though Hill can still be a sieve defensively, he's a glass-crashing workhorse. He boxes out, chases loose balls and tips rebounds to himself in traffic. More than half (51 percent) of his boards have come when an opponent is within 3.5 feet of him, and he ranks in the top 11 of offensive rebounding percentage.
Equally valuable, though, is his contract. Not only is he earning enough ($9 million) to help broker a significant deal, but next year's $9 million salary is tied to a team option. Interested parties can pull the trigger knowing they're under no obligation to bring him back.
Hill, in theory, can be a guy who nets the rebuilding Lakers another first-round draft pick and perhaps a young prospect while providing his next team with interior diligence for at least another year.
7. Gerald Green, Phoenix Suns
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Look up and down the Phoenix Suns' roster, and you'll reach a chilling conclusion: There's a Nuggets-type situation brewing here.
Phoenix boasts depth on depth on depth on the wing, and while that can be entertaining, it makes for complicated rotations and disjointed offenses. See: The Nuggets of this year.
Or the Suns of this year.
Bringing back P.J. Tucker and Eric Bledsoe and landing Isaiah Thomas have given them unparalleled perimeter firepower. But that firepower has come at the expense of rotational continuity, leaving the Suns with a top-eight offense that only recently began climbing out of the basement.
Gerald Green represents an embarrassment of riches for them—one such luxury they may not be able to keep. Goran Dragic is set to enter free agency this summer, and neither he nor Bledsoe can be considered expendable. Green is on a cap-friendly expiring contract and mans a talent-shallow shooting guard position.
When he's on the floor, the Suns have the equivalent of a top-four offense and top-six defense, per NBA.com. He's also averaging 14.2 points per game and remains a dangerous off-ball shooter who can catch fire at a moment's notice.
“That’s kind of what you have to do with Gerald, is kind of let him go,” Suns coach Jeff Hornacek said of Green's offensive decision-making, via Valley Of The Suns' Kevin Zimmerman. “It’s hard to argue that shot, time and score, up seven, we can run some clock and run it down. But Gerald with an open three is probably an 80 percent shooter."
Hyperbole aside—Green is shooting 45.5 percent on wide-open three-pointers this season—you get the point: Green is valuable to the Suns. He just may be even more valuable as part of logjam-loosening blockbuster deal at this point.
6. Al Horford, Atlanta Hawks
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Big men on reasonable contracts are rare.
Related: Big men like Al Horford are rare.
Horford hasn't been his old statistical self since returning from another pectoral injury this season. But he is healthy and playing within a passing-packed offense that marginalizes the role of individuals while accentuating the importance of team basketball. He may also be available for the right price.
Ahead of 2014-15, Grantland's Zach Lowe reported that the team covertly shopped Horford. Nothing ever materialized, but the Hawks aren't known for making players untouchable. They're also in the middle of a systematic overhaul that often favors five-out lineups he doesn't need to be part of.
And even though Horford's numbers are down, they're still impressive. He's pumping in 13.8 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists on 54.2 percent shooting. His offensive production is pretty darn good relative to his usage rate (20.8 percent), which is the lowest it's been since his injury-infested 2011-12 crusade.
"A healthy Horford is a top-20 player on a below-market contract that runs through 2015-16—long enough that some team could talk itself into gambling on him," Lowe wrote. "He could net a hefty return for the Hawks, who have been happily skipping down the 'pretty good with cap room' path under Danny Ferry."
Picks and prospects can help the Hawks usher in a new era without wholly wrecking their Eastern Conference standing. Horford is only their third-leading scorer at this point, and he's just barely ahead of Kyle Korver (13.5 points). If he's going to net them first-round prospects and picks while clearing their already near-spotless books even further, dealing him is something worth considering.
5. Greg Monroe, Detroit Pistons
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Financial risk-taking looks good on Greg Monroe.
The 24-year-old caused quite a stir over the offseason when he elected to sign his qualifying offer, play through this season and reach unrestricted free agency in 2015. But his dollars-driven decision is already paying off.
Through 11 appearances, Monroe joins Vucevic as the only other player averaging at least 15 points, 10 rebounds and two assists per game. He also ranks second on the Detroit Pistons in PER (19.6) and win shares (0.9), behind only Brandon Jennings, even though he lost two games to suspension.
Once he put pen to paper on that qualifying offer, Monroe became a premier trade target. He and Smith still cannot play together—Detroit is being outscored by 10.9 points per 100 possessions when both are on the floor—and as MLive.com's David Mayo writes, all indications are he will walk over the summer:
"As for the pre-Thanksgiving version of the perpetual who-stays, who-goes game, the Pistons still have the opportunity to pay Monroe more than any other team on the open market. Money talks. So does turning down a lot of it, which Monroe did this year for the right to be a 2015 unrestricted free agent. Someone will back up the armored truck for him and it probably won't be Detroit.
"
Moving Smith, who is owed $40.5 million through the end of 2016-17, might be the only thing that can salvage this marriage. Yet with Smith next to immovable, the Pistons have the option of capitalizing on Monroe's production now rather than potentially losing him for nothing later.
Matching his value point-for-point, rebound-for-rebound isn't possible given he's earning just under $5.5 million this season, but the double-double magic Monroe promises should be enough for them to demand prized picks and prospects.
4. Reggie Jackson, Oklahoma City Thunder
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Players still on rookie deals don't always hold ample trade value. Their curbed salaries make it difficult to negotiate significant returns—especially if said team is a contender incapable of flipping immediate contributors for developing talent and picks.
Reggie Jackson is an exception.
The Oklahoma City Thunder aren't going to contend for a title this year. Making the playoffs once Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook come back will be a challenge in itself. Rather than stand pat out of fear for tinkering with a title contender, then, they have a chance to make moves after failing to extend Jackson by the Halloween deadline.
Armed with Kendrick Perkins' expiring deal worth $9.4 million and the rights to all their future first-rounders, per RealGM, the Thunder have the makings of a blockbuster centerpiece in Jackson. He's one of only two players (Stephen Curry) averaging at least 20 points, five rebounds and seven assists per game, and he's gradually adjusting to life as a primary offensive option.
Concerns remain about his turbulent perimeter touch—he's shooting 25 percent outside 16 feet this season—but he's posting franchise point guard numbers despite having to create 89.7 percent of his shots for himself.
If the Thunder can find an organization tracking toward a rebuild that has moderately priced impact players to spare, Jackson is an asset who can help them wedge their title window back open in time for next season.
3. DeAndre Jordan, Los Angeles Clippers
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Desperate times call for far-reaching thoughts.
This season hasn't been kind to the Los Angeles Clippers. They've gone from a championship force to, as of now, the third-best team in the Pacific Division. If the playoffs started today, they wouldn't be in it. That's how bad it's been.
Both the offense and defense have rebounded recently, but their standing—top-five offense, top-20 defense—doesn't do their struggles justice. Their perimeter defense has been shaky, their rotations off dribble drives nonexistent and they're just 2-4 against Western Conference opponents with records above .500.
Dealing DeAndre Jordan, then, would seem extreme. He's their lone rim protector, a shot-blocking behemoth and opponents are shooting just 37.3 percent within six feet of the basket against him. But he is also the one serious trade piece the Clippers possess.
Doc Rivers has consigned them to contractual oblivion. Blake Griffin and Chris Paul are on max deals, while Spencer Hawes, J.J. Redick and Jamal Crawford are set to earn $18-plus million combined in 2015-16. Jordan, meanwhile, is approaching unrestricted free agency, where he'll undoubtedly be looking for a max-type deal ahead of the expected cap boom in 2016.
Should the Clippers make another long-term investment in him, they'll be hamstrung financially for just as long, incapable of significantly upgrading the roster. And if there's one thing we know about this roster now, it's that there is no title to be won without upgrades.
Combined with a longer, less savory deal, Jordan might be able to net the Clippers a rim protector, impact wingman and future financial flexibility. He is the NBA's ironman—he hasn't missed a game since 2010-11—and can single-handedly anchor an interior defense.
The Clippers themselves field a top-15 defense with him in the game, per NBA.com, which is pretty incredible considering how unbelievably bad they've been on that end.
Moving Jordan isn't a likely course of action—or even something the Clippers would entertain—but if they're looking to deepen the roster and create some wiggle room, he's the blockbuster-rated asset who can help them do it.
2. Paul Millsap, Atlanta Hawks
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Four things are certain in life: death, taxes, indigestion following fast-food benders and Paul Millsap trade chatter.
Rumor-mill inclusion is part of the job description for productive players on reasonable contracts, and Millsap is averaging 17.7 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.1 steals per game on 47.1 percent while in the last season of a two-year, $19 million deal. Phone calls will be made in his honor.
That doesn't mean the Hawks will talk shop, of course. Millsap leads them in points, rebounds and steals and will be a pivotal part of their maintaining top-five conference status moving forward. But he's barreling toward the last major payday of his career. If they're not interested in committing four years and tens of millions of dollars to his retention this summer, he shouldn't be untouchable.
Expiring contracts like Millsap's also hold additional value when the player in question is one suitors want to keep. Pushing 30, he can still be a key contributor on a contender for years to come.
That he's thriving within Mike Budenholzer's San Antonio Spurs-esque system as one of just two players (Marc Gasol) averaging at least 17 points, eight rebounds and three assists only makes him easier to deal—provided the return consists of valuable players and picks.
1. Rajon Rondo, Boston Celtics
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Rajon Rondo is doing Rajon Rondo things again—which is great for the Boston Celtics and equally great for the point guard's trade value.
A league executive told CSNNE.com's A. Sherrod Blakely the market for Jeff Green, a swingman who still has trouble working off the ball, could be stronger than it is for Rondo. With all due respect to that league executive, I must ask: What?!?!?
Rondo has been hot fire on the offensive end. He leads the league in assists per game with 10.7, and it's not even close. He's also on pace to join Jason Kidd, Oscar Robertson, Magic Johnson and Norm Van Lier as the fifth player in NBA history to average at least 10 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds for an entire season.
Perimeter-wise, Rondo's jumper still needs some work. But it's looked better than usual. He's banging in 37.5 percent of his long balls, a career high, despite shooting just 29.6 percent from mid-range.
More important is the impact he's having on everyone else. Boston's ragtag mix of talent has registered a top-12 offense, and Rondo has helped Kelly Olynyk, Jared Sullinger, Avery Bradley and, yes, Green emerge as ballot-worthy Most Improved Player candidates.
In the event Rondo keeps this up, he'll be in max-contract territory come July. If the Celtics aren't sold on the idea of throwing $100-plus million his way, Danny Ainge should work the phones ahead of the February trade deadline. There's bound to be a team or two (or 29) willingly bending to his will if it means acquiring the floor general who's swiftly re-establishing himself as a superstar.
*Stats courtesy of Basketball-Reference and NBA.com unless otherwise cited and are accurate as of games played on Nov. 23, 2014. Salary and contract information via ShamSports.
