The Best Trade Chip Every Team Has to Dangle Before the 2015 NBA Draft
If you work at the NSA and have proper clearance to comb through the country's phone records, you may have noticed a spike in calls between numbers belonging to NBA front offices over the past week or so.
This is no mere coincidence. The annual draft lottery, held on May 19, established the order of this year's top 14 picks and, in turn, lent greater credence to their respective values. Those values will continue to shift in the weeks leading up to the June 25 draft, as executives and scouts alike poke, prod, question and judge the current crop of incoming prospects.
That won't stop those at the controls of the league's 30 teams from exploring trades with one another. The draft wouldn't be the NBA's most transaction-heavy time of the year without the countless hours that front offices spend poring over their options and talking shop with one another in the weeks and months leading up to it.
The 2015 edition will be no different. To get you primed and pumped for the madness to come, let's go team by team (in alphabetical order) to sort out the most valuable trade asset in each war chest. In every case, we'll exclude any chip that's highly unlikely to move—be it a bona fide superstar, an untouchable youngster or a surefire draft slot—from serious consideration.
Atlanta Hawks
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Despite the way their season came to an end, the Hawks appear poised to run back their brand of egalitarian basketball next season, hoping that health and luck smile more favorably upon them.
"There's no doubt, the way that we've built the team, with a lot of really good players, a lot of high-character guys, we feel like we can compete and play with anybody in the league," head coach Mike Budenholzer told Bleacher Report's Howard Beck. "This is the way we're built, we believe in it, we think we can win at a high level and we'll continue to do that."
That assumes DeMarre Carroll and Paul Millsap, both unrestricted free agents this offseason, will be back. If the Hawks intend to keep the band together, their best bet to improve before draft day will likely come courtesy of the No. 15 pick, which they acquired from the Brooklyn Nets in a swap from the Joe Johnson trade of 2012.
But there are some bolder options at Atlanta's disposal, particularly at point guard with Jeff Teague. The 26-year-old has played himself into a highly valuable asset, with extensive playoff experience and an All-Star pedigree to render the remainder of his contract (two years at $8 million annually) all the more agreeable. With a shortage of top-notch floor generals looming within this year's free-agent crop, Teague's stock may never be higher.
And with Dennis Schroder, a gifted 21-year-old who improved by leaps and bounds this season, on the depth chart, the Hawks may be able to move Teague in exchange for help elsewhere without losing too much at the point.
Boston Celtics
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Boston Celtics general manager Danny Ainge won't be short on trade chips this summer, but he won't have any particularly pretty ones, either.
Isaiah Thomas is a talent, albeit one whose diminutive build (5'9", 185 lbs) and ball-dominant skill set make him a more natural fit on the bench. And if Ainge truly intends to employ Thomas as a free-agent recruiter in the coming months, dealing him before or during the draft wouldn't make much sense.
On the other hand, offering up their own pick in the 2015 draft would make sense for the C's. But Boston's slot—No. 16 in what's expected to be a so-so draft—isn't likely to draw much interest on or before June 25 unless it's used to dump Gerald Wallace's salary or packaged with another attractive asset, be it a youngster on a rookie deal or the No. 28 pick from the Los Angeles Clippers.
As it happens, Avery Bradley might be Boston's best chip by default. The 24-year-old is already an All-Defensive performer, playing on a contract that tops out at $8.8 million in 2017-18—when the salary cap is expected to rest well over $100 million. If Ainge concocts a blockbuster trade that requires Bradley's inclusion, he can rest easy knowing that another poor-shooting perimeter defender (i.e. Marcus Smart) is waiting in the wings for head coach Brad Stevens.
Brooklyn Nets
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There may be no team in the NBA that's more asset-poor right now than the Nets, who won't have full control of their own first-round pick until 2019.
And the poor might soon grow even poorer. According to ESPN's Marc Stein, Brook Lopez and Thaddeus Young are both likely to opt out of their respective deals this summer and seek longer, more lucrative contracts—in Brooklyn or elsewhere.
Assuming nobody's going to bite on the $43 million left on Deron Williams' deal, the Nets' best bet to stay afloat via trade will rest with Joe Johnson, Jarrett Jack or Mason Plumlee.
Johnson will turn 34 at the end of June but can still contribute to a winning team, particularly in clutch situations. And with one year at roughly $24.9 million left on his contract, Iso Joe can serve as cap filler for another club ahead of the vaunted summer of 2016.
Jack, at 31, is no spring chick either. However, he is a versatile guard who can start or come off the bench at a reasonable cost ($6.3 million per year through 2016-17).
The 25-year-old Plumlee has the best combination of upside and cost control—he's two years shy of restricted free agency—of anyone on the Nets roster.
Per Stein, Plumlee's proverbial iron isn't all that hot right now, but the Duke product's early-season success and solid play on the international stage could bring bidders out of the woodwork: "Some rival executives think the Nets might go ahead and explore the Plumlee marketplace anyway, in hopes teams remember his dogged play for Team USA the past summer more than his struggles to get on the floor under first-year Nets coach Lionel Hollins."
All told, it's practically a toss-up between Johnson, Jack and Plumlee, but the tie—as always—goes to the youngest, tallest and cheapest option (i.e. Plumlee).
Charlotte Hornets
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For the second year in a row, the Hornets will own the ninth pick in the draft. Last year, Charlotte spent it on Noah Vonleh, whose subpar (and injury-riddled) rookie season may or may not have had something to do with the team shaking up its scouting staff.
This time around, the Hornets may be more inclined to part ways with the pick before they use it. According to ESPN's Chad Ford, Charlotte is one of several teams in this year's top 10 that are considering swapping their selection for more immediate help.
Assuming Al Jefferson and Gerald Henderson opt into the final year of their deals, the Hornets should have enough talent on hand—with Kemba Walker, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Cody Zeller among the young core—to be competitive in the Eastern Conference over the long haul without the addition of another lottery rookie.
Chicago Bulls
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In the Bulls' perfect world, head coach Tom Thibodeau would be their most attractive trade chip. But according to Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski, the coach who's inspired both Chicago's on-court renaissance and its most potent off-court drama may not draw much in return for his services:
"Chicago management has been waiting for a team to offer a draft pick to hire Thibodeau, but so far that hasn’t happened. The Bulls seem determined to hold on to Thibodeau until the league’s job vacancies fill, and a firing in Chicago would likely leave him out of coaching next season.
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Beyond Thibs, the Bulls aren't exactly loaded with swap fodder. They could own the Sacramento Kings' first-rounder in 2016, but only if it lands outside the top 10. Jimmy Butler might be a big catch in July if Chicago would rather sign-and-trade him than match whatever massive offer he draws in restricted free agency.
And, well, the Bulls' own pick in 2015 (No. 22) isn't exactly a juicy one.
If Chicago really wants to shake up its roster and get something good in return, it could look to offload Taj Gibson. The soon-to-be-30-year-old big man has long had the requisite talent to start in the NBA. And at $8.5 million next season and $8.95 million in 2016-17, he would be a cost-effective option for any team in need of a power forward.
The Bulls, on the other hand, could fill Gibson's void with more minutes for Nikola Mirotic and Doug McDermott.
Cleveland Cavaliers
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On a Cavaliers squad chock-full of All-Stars and recognizable names, Brendan Haywood takes the cake as the top trade chip.
Yes, the same Brendan Haywood who played in 22 games this past season, averaging 1.6 points and 1.3 rebounds.
His value has almost nothing to do with his production (or lack thereof) and everything to do with his contract. His salary for 2015-16 ($10.5 million) isn't guaranteed, thereby making him the ideal target for any team looking to save money and/or scoot further under the salary cap ahead of free agency.
Cleveland, meanwhile, can use Haywood's contract to make the money match up more cleanly in the event that general manager David Griffin dreams up another major trade to improve his team's roster.
Dallas Mavericks
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Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey may have been right when he called Chandler Parsons nigh on "untradeable" after Parsons signed with the Mavericks, but not necessarily for the reasons Morey might have anticipated.
At this point, the bigger problem for Parsons (and Dallas) is the fitness of his right knee. He went under the knife on May 1 but subsequently declined (somewhat suspiciously) to divulge whether the operation was of the microfracture sort, per the Dallas Morning News' Eddie Sefko.
Assuming Parsons and Dirk Nowitzki are both off-limits, the Mavs will have only backup point guard Devin Harris and this year's 21st pick to offer before the 2015 draft. Between those two, the selection wins out, if only because it could yield a comparable replacement to Harris on the cheap.
Denver Nuggets
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The Nuggets are replete with big-time trade assets, and none are bigger than Ty Lawson. The 27-year-old has performed at a borderline All-Star level over the past four seasons and comes equipped with a contract (about $12.8 million per year over the next two) that will look even better once the salary cap explodes.
As it happens, Lawson might be more than amenable to a change of locales, per Basketball Insiders' Steve Kyler:
"As good of a piece as Lawson is to build around, his lack of confidence in the direction of the organization has become somewhat problematic. Lawson represents the Nuggets’ best trade asset and it seems both parties are at least open to exploring Lawson’s trade value. For the Nuggets to truly turn the corner, a major trade may be inevitable and Lawson is likely the center piece of the deal.
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Early indications are that Dallas and Sacramento could come calling, with other teams likely to look at Lawson, along with Kenneth Faried and Wilson Chandler.
Detroit Pistons
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Unless Stan Van Gundy suddenly (and shockingly) decides to dangle Andre Drummond on the market, the Pistons' No. 8 pick will be the coach/team president's best bet to upgrade via trade.
Wouldn't you know it? Per ESPN's Chad Ford, Detroit is among those teams in the top 10 that may be inclined to sacrifice the promise of a young prospect for a more veteran player who can help right away.
And for good reason. The Pistons haven't tasted the playoffs since 2009 but (finally) moved closer to ending that drought this past season.
Golden State Warriors
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The Warriors don't seem like they'd be all that interested in swinging a trade before draft day. By that time, they may well be fresh off a championship parade through the Bay Area, with a young core fit for a bright future.
But should Golden State general manager Bob Myers feel compelled to wheel and deal, he'd probably start with Harrison Barnes. The North Carolina product has emerged as one of the league's most intriguing three-and-D players, with the requisite tools, talent and youth (he turns 23 on May 30) to develop into much more than that.
Barnes might also represent the inflection point of the Warriors' financial future. He'll be a restricted free agent in 2016, when he could command a hefty raise. That will come after Golden State grapples with Draymond Green's restricted free agency this summer and before the deals of Stephen Curry, Andrew Bogut and Andre Iguodala come due in 2017.
In the meantime, then, Golden State may feel compelled to use Barnes to clear up what could be a clogged cap sheet, even with a deluge of national TV money just over the horizon.
Houston Rockets
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Rockets GM Daryl Morey won't have quite the same flexibility to pursue a third star this summer that he did last. What he will have, though, is Terrence Jones.
The third-year forward out of Kentucky, who missed 49 games to injury during the regular season, has been invaluable to Houston in these playoffs, especially with Donatas Motiejunas sidelined throughout the postseason.
Motiejunas' return could render Jones something of a surplus on the Rockets roster next season, especially if the team re-signs Josh Smith. And as promising as Jones has proved to be in fits and spurts, the 23-year-old doesn't project as a proper third leg of a tripod alongside James Harden and Dwight Howard.
Indiana Pacers
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Indiana Pacers president Larry Bird has a difficult decision to make in the month to come. Does he spend the Pacers' No. 11 pick on a rookie who might help the team over the long haul? Or does he flip it elsewhere for a player who can more immediately assist Indiana's return to relevance in the Eastern Conference?
The potential for Roy Hibbert and David West to opt out of their contracts and leave Naptown via free agency only figure to complicate Bird's calculations. Should they both bolt, the Pacers would need to restock their frontcourt on the fly ahead of Paul George's more full-blown return from his leg injury.
Either way, that pick stands out as Indy's juiciest asset, lest the front office consider shopping George Hill between now and draft day.
Los Angeles Clippers
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According to the Los Angeles Times' Eric Pincus, the Clippers are looking to trade into this year's draft; their first- and second-round picks belong to Boston and Denver, respectively.
How L.A. works its way into the 2015 draft is anybody's guess. Realistically, if Chris Paul and Blake Griffin are untouchable—and if J.J. Redick is unlikely to move, on account of how integral he is to L.A.'s offense—the Clippers will have only a pair of 35-year-olds (Jamal Crawford and Matt Barnes) to draw attention on the market.
Between those two, Crawford is the better bet to bring back a valuable pick. The two-time Sixth Man of the Year is still capable of pouring in 15 to 20 points per game and will be guaranteed just $1.5 million of his $5.675 million salary if he's cut by June 30.
But Crawford may be too integral to the Clippers' paper-thin bench. Barnes, on the other hand, could be expendable, especially if Doc Rivers is counting on the reunion with Paul Pierce to which NBA.com's David Aldridge recently alluded.
Barnes, too, comes equipped with a cap-friendly contract. If he's waived by July 1, he'll be owed a mere $1 million of his $3.54 million salary.
But as a guy whose game is more about hustle and heart than skill, Barnes isn't likely to attract the same caliber of compensation that Crawford could.
Los Angeles Lakers
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Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak doesn't seem inclined to trade the No. 2 pick in the 2015 draft.
"It would have to be a heck of an opportunity for us to consider doing something like that," he told the Los Angeles Daily News' Mark Medina.
Not that Kupchak is closing the door on the possibility entirely.
"You have to weigh it against who you would get as the second pick," he explained to Medina. "We’re a little bit impatient. So if you came across something that made your team better quicker, that would probably be a veteran. That’s something you would consider."
The Lakers have good reason to consider swapping an opportunity to likely select either Jahlil Okafor or Karl-Anthony Towns for some immediate assistance. For one, they've never endured a two-year stretch of futility like the one they've just completed and probably aren't keen to let that stench linger much longer.
And there's the specter of Kobe Bryant's impending retirement and what that does to motivate the franchise to compete with him while it can.
Still, chances are the Lakers will choose long-term stability over a quick fix here. In that case, the No. 27 pick, acquired from the Rockets last summer, becomes L.A.'s best trade chip.
Unless, of course, Kupchak decides to dangle rookie guard Jordan Clarkson, who he recently compared to Russell Westbrook.
Memphis Grizzlies
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As far as players are concerned, Courtney Lee is about as close to a realistic trade chip as the Grizzlies have on their roster. Zach Randolph, Mike Conley and Tony Allen are integral to the club's identity, and the likes of Vince Carter, Jon Leuer, Jordan Adams and Jarnell Stokes aren't likely to evoke many hollers from the trade gallery.
Lee, though, doesn't seem a likely candidate to be shipped out by or on draft day. Aside from re-signing Marc Gasol, what Memphis needs most this summer is perimeter shooting, and Lee (40.2 percent from three during the regular season, 46.7 percent in the playoffs) was the only reliable option the team had to that effect.
If Lee is off-limits, the Grizzlies' first-round pick in 2015 (25th overall) becomes general manager Chris Wallace's best means of swinging a significant trade within the next month.
Miami Heat
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The Heat have high hopes for the No. 10 pick in the 2015 draft. According to the Miami Herald's Joseph Goodman, team president Pat Riley has his sights set on selecting a sharpshooter who can also defend at a high level:
"In a perfect world, Riley has made it clear he would like to draft a player similar to Golden State shooting guard Klay Thompson, who was the 11th pick of the 2011 draft. A player such as Thompson would complement the Heat’s current backcourt, which is heavy on attackers but could use some additional shooting touch from outside.
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Miami may well find its man at that spot, with Kentucky's Devin Booker and Croatia's Mario Hezonja among the potential fits.
And if Riley doesn't get what he wants with the 10th pick, he could always use it to move up or down the order on draft day. Such a maneuver would be more the norm than the exception for Riley, as the South Florida Sun-Sentinel's Ira Winderman detailed:
"As a matter of perspective, it has been five years since the Heat actually exited the draft with a player selected at a draft spot they held going in. That was when Dexter Pittman was taken at No. 32 in the second round in 2010 (interestingly, one spot before the Sacramento Kings selected Hassan Whiteside at No. 33, but we digress).
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Milwaukee Bucks
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By dealing Brandon Knight to Phoenix and acquiring Michael Carter-Williams from Philadelphia at the trade deadline, Milwaukee indicated it's not afraid to part ways with young players if the right offer comes around. That being said, it's tough to envision the Bucks bidding farewell to Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jabari Parker or Carter-Williams before the draft.
Other key players could be available in Milwaukee, though. According to Basketball Insiders' Steve Kyler, the Bucks made Ersan Ilyasova, John Henson and O.J. Mayo available at the deadline back in February. That doesn't mean those guys will be up for grabs again, but if they are, Henson—a slender 6'11 shot-blocker on his rookie contract—looks like the best bet to bring the Bucks back something of considerable value.
Certainly more than whatever Milwaukee's first-round pick (No. 17) might draw.
Minnesota Timberwolves
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All signs point to the Timberwolves keeping the No. 1 pick in this year's draft to add to their already impressive stockpile of young talent, led by Zach LaVine and Rookie of the Year Andrew Wiggins.
Head coach Flip Saunders told the Boston Globe's Gary Washburn:
"Because of the youth of our team and having two 19-year-olds from last year, we’re not going to mortgage our future to facilitate that development. Right now Wiggins is that development. LaVine is that development. [Shabazz] Muhammad and Gorgui Dieng, too, so I would never say never but I don’t see us trading [the No. 1 pick] because all these guys we’re going to have an opportunity to look at, three or four of these guys are going to be All-Star, All-Pro-type players. Those are guys you don’t want to give up on.
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Who, then, might Saunders be willing to "give up on"? Perhaps Nikola Pekovic, the team's oft-injured center, who's bound to find himself on the outs if the T-Wolves take either Karl-Anthony Towns or Jahlil Okafor. Maybe Saunders will find veteran swingman Kevin Martin a new home rather than keep him around to partake in Minnesota's youth movement.
Of the Wolves' older constituents, Pekovic seems both the more likely to move and the better bet to bring back something of value, in part because big men with post-up skills might be en vogue again.
New Orleans Pelicans
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Outside of Anthony Davis, you'd be hard-pressed to find much honest-to-goodness trade bait in New Orleans. Tyreke Evans, Eric Gordon and Jrue Holiday are all rife with injury concerns, and none of those three has performed consistently for the Pelicans when healthy.
Quincy Pondexter is no picture of fitness either; he missed most of the 2013-14 season with a fractured foot.
But Pondexter, 27, has been in solid shape since then. Moreover, he's only a year or two older than the rest of New Orleans' resident perimeter players. He also performed well as a three-and-D wing following a midseason trade to the Crescent City (43.3 percent from three for the Pelicans), and—this is crucial—he won't make more than $4 million in a single season over the life of his deal.
Evans, Gordon and Holiday, meanwhile, will all make upwards of $10 million next season.
Unless the Pelicans are willing to part ways with Ryan Anderson, Pondexter looks like New Orleans' best option to grab another asset prior to the draft.
New York Knicks
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Had the Knicks held onto a spot in the top three of the 2015 draft, there wouldn't likely be much question about them keeping their pick. But New York's poor lottery luck seems to have cast its pick, now at No. 4, into the thick of predraft trade talks.
"I think we're going to be open to a lot of things," said general manager Steve Mills, via ESPN.com's Ian Begley. "We know we can get a good player at this pick. We're also going to be open to talking to teams and looking at different options."
That doesn't mean the Knicks will trade the fourth pick. As the New York Post's Marc Berman wrote, "...a person debriefed on the front office’s thinking said trading down is not a top priority because the goal is to get the best player in a deal, not a second asset. If the Knicks ultimately judge [Emmanuel] Mudiay, [Justise] Winslow or Kentucky big man Willie Cauley-Stein as most impactful, they will stay put."
But that doesn't figure to stop New York from fielding calls on the selection. Nor will it deter teams like Denver and Indiana from kicking the tires on a potential trade to move up the order.
Oklahoma City Thunder
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If you were Thunder GM Sam Presti and had to swing a trade before the draft, which asset would you rather give up: Dion Waiters or the No. 14 pick in this year's draft?
The former is a talented but erratic scoring guard who could grow into a reliable sixth man. The latter could yield a solid backup wing, with Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman projecting Wisconsin's Sam Dekker as a possible choice.
Perhaps Presti could use both to improve OKC's draft spot, as Bleacher Report's Dave Leonardis suggested:
"Since establishing themselves as one of the NBA's elite in 2010, the Oklahoma City Thunder haven't spent much time worrying about lottery picks. That's why it is important that the team continues to aggressively build a championship roster by moving up for one of this year's best rookies.
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At this point, either Waiters or the 14th pick would probably bring back something similar in a trade. Together, though, these two chips could add an impact player to the Thunder's terrific core.
Orlando Magic
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According to ESPN's Chad Ford, the Magic are open to trading the No. 5 pick for a player (or players) who can push the team's rebuilding timetable forward. If that's the case, those hoping to engage Orlando GM Rob Hennigan in trade talks won't find a more attractive asset on his table.
Unless, of course, Hennigan is willing to entertain offers for Victor Oladipo, Elfrid Payton, Nikola Vucevic or Channing Frye. But they all seem to have sturdy futures in the Magic Kingdom…for now.
Philadelphia 76ers
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If there was any lesson to take away from this year's trade deadline, it's that Sixers GM Sam Hinkie won't hesitate to swap an up-and-coming cornerstone for future assets. He dealt away Michael Carter-Williams—then the reigning Rookie of the Year—and could do the same with Nerlens Noel and Joel Embiid if he sees it fit to do so.
"Sometimes those voids—voids of leadership, of who the best player is, or voids in play—don’t stay open very long," Hinkie said at the recent draft lottery, via Grantland's Zach Lowe. "Someone steps into it. [Noel and Embiid will] have the first two chances at that, but there are gonna be maybe six more guys right behind them that will be looking to get theirs, too."
As aggressive as Hinkie is in pursuing trades, even he seems unlikely to offload Noel, a promising defensive maestro, and Embiid, last year's No. 3 pick, before seeing what comes of the Sixers' top selection this time around. That would leave the likes of Tony Wroten, Furkan Aldemir, Jerami Grant and Robert Covington to duke it out as the best pieces of trade bait on Philly's roster—a pu pu platter of so-so prospects, if you will.
In truth, the Sixers' best assets aren't their current players but rather the future first-rounders they're owed from the Lakers, Heat and Thunder.
Phoenix Suns
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The Suns wouldn't trade Alex Len after sending him to New York City as their representative at the draft lottery…would they?
To be sure, Phoenix has other, more relevant reasons for not putting Len on the block. For one, he showed tremendous promise as a pick-and-roll finisher and paint-patroller once head coach Jeff Hornacek installed him as a starter in mid-December.
But if Len is not available, the Suns won't have many big-time chips that they're likely to cash in—at least, none more valuable than Phoenix's own pick at No. 13. Eric Bledsoe looks like the lone cornerstone on the Suns roster, and the Morris twins may not be all that attractive to potential suitors after their recent run-ins with the law.
Beyond those three and Len, Phoenix won't find another piece more helpful to its own trade pursuits than the 13th pick in this year's draft, lest GM Ryan McDonough feel compelled to offload the 2018 and 2021 first-rounders from Miami.
Portland Trail Blazers
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The uncertainty surrounding LaMarcus Aldridge's future in Portland leaves the Trail Blazers in a precarious position heading into the draft. They can't comfortably pursue any major moves until they know whether Aldridge is staying in Rip City or taking his talents elsewhere.
In the meantime, they'll probably hang onto Meyers Leonard and C.J. McCollum. Both promising youngsters appear bound for bigger roles in Portland next season, with Robin Lopez and Wesley Matthews ticketed for free agency.
If there's an incumbent player the Blazers could consider parting with, it's Nicolas Batum. The French forward's game declined in 2014-15 amidst injuries and problems in his personal life. But at 26, with his versatile skill set and expiring contract ($12.2 million in 2015-16), Batum could still be enticing to a number of teams seeking assistance on the wing.
Thus far, there's been no indication that Batum is on the block. Should Portland decline to shop him, Leonard or McCollum, the team's first-round pick (No. 23 overall) would become its best available asset, almost by default.
Sacramento Kings
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At this point, there's no indication that the Kings are at all interested in trading DeMarcus Cousins, Rudy Gay or any of their current core before the draft. Ask Sacramento about the No. 6 pick, though, and you might get a more positive response.
"I think we should be very open," Kings executive Vlade Divac said after the lottery, via the Sacramento Bee's Jason Jones. "Our goal is we want to improve next year. We want to be much, much better."
Aside from Cousins and Gay, no other asset—not Jason Thompson, Darren Collison or Ben McLemore and certainly not Nik Stauskas—is likely to bring back anything or anyone who could play a pivotal part in ending Sacramento's nine-year playoff drought.
San Antonio Spurs
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At present, the Spurs have all of five players currently signed to guaranteed contracts for next season: Tony Parker, Tiago Splitter, Boris Diaw, Patty Mills and rookie Kyle Anderson. All but one (Anderson) has been an integral cog in San Antonio's playoff rotation at some point in the past few years.
And with so much uncertainty still swirling around the futures of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green, the chances of the Spurs so much as considering trading Parker, Splitter, Diaw or Mills between now and draft day seem slim at best.
If San Antonio does decide to make a move within the next few weeks, it'll probably be either Anderson or the Spurs' 2015 first-round pick (No. 26) that comes out of GM R.C. Buford's war chest.
Toronto Raptors
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After suffering an embarrassing sweep at the hands of the Washington Wizards in the first round of the playoffs, the Raptors are ripe for sweeping changes this offseason.
"I met with [head coach Dwane] Casey and we kind of started the process of kind of talking about some of the things that we’ve done well and some of the things that we didn’t do well," general manager Masai Ujiri said during his end-of-season press conference, via the Toronto Star's Doug Smith. "I think that responsibility comes from me on the top as leader, it comes from coaching and it comes from the players. Everybody is going to be held accountable, everybody is going to be evaluated."
Presumably, that evaluation will include everyone on the roster, from All-Stars Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan all the way down the line. This doesn't necessarily mean the Raptors will look to trade Lowry or DeRozan at all, much less before the June draft.
But if Toronto is, indeed, open for business, those two would likely attract the most attention, with Lowry edging out his backcourt partner.
Utah Jazz
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Obvious, available trade bait is hard to come by among Utah's current core.
Gordon Hayward, Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert all look like mainstays in the Jazz's bright future. Alec Burks could be, pending his recovery from midseason shoulder surgery. Trey Burke and Dante Exum still haven't shown much either way.
Those players aside, no member of Utah's roster holds more value on the market than the team's No. 12 pick in this year's draft. If the Jazz are keen to move it, they shouldn't have any trouble finding takers.
"We've had some people chase it at the trade deadline and a couple of people have registered so far," Utah general manager Dennis Lindsey told the Salt Lake Tribune's Aaron Falk.
Washington Wizards
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If Paul Pierce were guaranteed to return to D.C. in 2015-16, the Wizards might have at least entertained the notion of trading promising wing Otto Porter. But, per NBA.com's David Aldridge, the Truth's future in Washington is far from certain.
"The Wizards could stand pat if Pierce decides to return to D.C. next season rather than opt out of his deal, but many around the league believe Pierce will do just that and finish his career back home in Los Angeles with the Clippers," Aldridge wrote.
Pierce's plans probably won't come to light until July, when he can return to free agency. As such, the 19th pick in the 2015 draft will be Washington's best and most available trade chip in the interim.
Josh Martin covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter.
