Much like Bill Simmons used to do, as we count down the minutes to the trade deadline, I’d like to go through the top 30 players in the league in terms of trade value. The rules and methodology are outlined below (most by Mr. Simmons himself, with a couple of my own):
1. Salaries matter. Would you rather pay Isiah Thomas $26.6 million a year or Chris Paul $36.8 million?
2. Age matters. Would you rather have Love for the next three seasons or Pedraza for the next 8?
3. Contract length matters — a newish wrinkle in an era defined by shorter guarantees, swollen caps and forward-thinking GMs who hoard cap space like it’s Walter White’s crystal meth recipe.
4. Defense matters. It’s hard to value, especially for total one-way players like Gobert or Drummond, but I did my best in those cases. In cases between similar players defense was often the differentiator.
5. Pretend the league passed the following rule: For 24 hours, any player can be traded without cap ramifications, but with luxury-tax and next-day-cap ramifications. If Team A tells Team B, “We’ll trade you Player X for Player Y,” would Team B make the deal?
6. Concentrate on degrees. For instance, an Otto Porter-Derek Rose swap ain’t happening, but Portland would at least say, “Wow, Otto's available?” while Raby would say, “We can’t trade Otto for someone who’s five years older.” That counts in the big scheme of things.
7. This list runs in reverse order.
8. One SLOE-dditional rule, is that for the purposes of this article, RFAs are fair game, so forget that HASHTAG.
Honorable Mentions:
First we start with the handful of players that did NOT crack the top 20. All of these guys are very capable and productive players, and anyone would be happy to have them on their team, but they all have flaws or contracts that prevent them from moving higher up the list.
The Older Expirings
27. Nikola Vucevic – Thunder – 28yo – 1 year $15.6m remaining
25. Isaiah Thomas – Thunder – 30yo – 1 year $26.5m remaining
24. Kenneth Faried – Blazers – 29yo – 1 year $18m remaining
These guys are all between 28-30, expiring, and will be expensive come next UFA. There's nothing wrong with these guys, they all score and have at least one other skill. But you're going to be paying a lot for a declining asset, and they don't have other-worldly ratings that would prevent them from becoming negative assets at the back end of a 3 or 4 year contract.
I Thought He Was Better Than That?
26. Jabari Parker – Thunder – 23yo – 4 years $104m remaining
23. Jeremy Lamb – Blazers – 26yo – 3 years $45m remaining
Parker has the standard RFA max contract, and while he can score relatively efficiently he doesn't give you a whole lot outside of that. He has C's in all the rebounding and defense categories, he turns the ball over, and for that max contract I want more for my money. "Wow, look at that nice contract Jeremy Lamb is on," has been said for what seems like 10 seasons, but what you get for that nice contract is a pretty 'meh' player. He's the classic jack of all trades, master of none, and while he certainly belongs amongst the honorable mentions, his lack of even one special skill prevents him from moving on up.
Productive Veteran PGs on Reasonable 2-Year Deals
22. Ish Smith – Timberwolves – 30yo – 2 years $45m remaining
21. Brandon Jennings – Pelicans – 29yo – 2 years $42m remaining (player option)
To be honest, I was surprised to see Jennings on this list at all, but he has quietly been a more efficient, productive player on the 31-21 Pelicans. Ish is having his standard 15-10 ho-hum season for the dominant T-Wolves and isn't being asked to do a whole lot more than that. The fact that these guys are in the honorable mentions means the rest of this list is pretty impressive...
Western Conference Top 20 Trade Value Column
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Western Conference Top 20 Trade Value Column
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20. Rudy Gobert – Warriors – 26yo – 3 years $77m remaining
Rudy is awesome at being a defense stopping big man. He shoots a high percentage, rebounds a ton, is one of the top shot-blockers and post defenders in the league, and he's on the tail end of an RFA max contract. There isn't a TON of excess value in that contract, and since you're going to need a couple elite scorers around him to make a run, you'll have to be creative to use him on your team. He breaks the top 20 here because he's still young and dominant on defense, but we wouldn't trade him for any of the names to follow.
19. Buddy Hield – Nuggets – 21yo – 2 years $9m remaining (rookie deal)
Alright, I can already hear the nay-sayers calling me a self-fapper, but hear me out. Buddy is the youngest player on our list at 21 years old, has another TC before he gets paid, already averages about .5 points/min, plays good defense, but has never really gotten a shot at big minutes. If he had, we might be talking about him in the same vein as the next player on our list, and he still has room to improve...
18. Joseph Kight – Jazz – 22yo – 3 years $9.5m remaining (rookie deal)
Kight can score (.5 points/min), play a LITTLE defense, and has a couple more TCs until he hits RFA. He scores twice as much as Buddy in twice the minutes. The good about Kight is you know what you're getting, but he may have maxed out his potential, which prevents him from moving any further up the list.
Rudy is awesome at being a defense stopping big man. He shoots a high percentage, rebounds a ton, is one of the top shot-blockers and post defenders in the league, and he's on the tail end of an RFA max contract. There isn't a TON of excess value in that contract, and since you're going to need a couple elite scorers around him to make a run, you'll have to be creative to use him on your team. He breaks the top 20 here because he's still young and dominant on defense, but we wouldn't trade him for any of the names to follow.
19. Buddy Hield – Nuggets – 21yo – 2 years $9m remaining (rookie deal)
Alright, I can already hear the nay-sayers calling me a self-fapper, but hear me out. Buddy is the youngest player on our list at 21 years old, has another TC before he gets paid, already averages about .5 points/min, plays good defense, but has never really gotten a shot at big minutes. If he had, we might be talking about him in the same vein as the next player on our list, and he still has room to improve...
18. Joseph Kight – Jazz – 22yo – 3 years $9.5m remaining (rookie deal)
Kight can score (.5 points/min), play a LITTLE defense, and has a couple more TCs until he hits RFA. He scores twice as much as Buddy in twice the minutes. The good about Kight is you know what you're getting, but he may have maxed out his potential, which prevents him from moving any further up the list.
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Re: Western Conference Top 20 Trade Value Column
17. Blake Griffin – Pelicans – 29yo – 4 years $151m remaining (team option)
Only one player on this list is older with more money coming to him than Blake. I expected him to be much higher on the list as a scoring/rebounding powerhouse, but the massive contract, the potential for decline, and some tantalizing potential and talent on the rest of the list was too much to move Blake up any higher.
16. Gustave Lecroix – Lakers – 23yo – 1 year $8.5m remaining (pending RFA)
This is a guy I was wrong on. Big time. I liked Lecroix over Duren at the draft because of the size/speed/skill combo, but it really hasn't materialized into greatness. That being said, Gustave is only 23, is nowhere near his potential, and is already a productive two-way player. With 4 more TCs until he's post-27, and potential to improve on both sides of the court, he just edges out the Blake Griffin contract.
15. Chet Dooley – Nuggets – 25yo – 1 year $5m remaining (pending PFA)
Speaking of 'just edging out', I was back and forth on Dooley and Lecroix mostly because of the 2 year age gap. Where these guys fall will really come down to what happens in RFA, but for now I like Chet just a teensy bit more than Gustave. He does everything you want a good PG to do, pass, play suffocating defense, and score a little bit complete with some size. He has potential to grow in that category as well which is why he slates in just ahead here. However, for some more money, you'd rather have the next pointguard on this list...
14. Ricky Rubio – Mavs – 28yo – 4 years $151m remaining
He's probably the best pure PG in the league, but at 28 years old, with non-elite speed, any of the TCs during this large guaranteed contract could be the one to knock him down. The risk there prevents him from moving higher, so even though he's better now that the next player on our list, I wouldn't trade them straight up. YOU HEAR THAT GARY!?
Only one player on this list is older with more money coming to him than Blake. I expected him to be much higher on the list as a scoring/rebounding powerhouse, but the massive contract, the potential for decline, and some tantalizing potential and talent on the rest of the list was too much to move Blake up any higher.
16. Gustave Lecroix – Lakers – 23yo – 1 year $8.5m remaining (pending RFA)
This is a guy I was wrong on. Big time. I liked Lecroix over Duren at the draft because of the size/speed/skill combo, but it really hasn't materialized into greatness. That being said, Gustave is only 23, is nowhere near his potential, and is already a productive two-way player. With 4 more TCs until he's post-27, and potential to improve on both sides of the court, he just edges out the Blake Griffin contract.
15. Chet Dooley – Nuggets – 25yo – 1 year $5m remaining (pending PFA)
Speaking of 'just edging out', I was back and forth on Dooley and Lecroix mostly because of the 2 year age gap. Where these guys fall will really come down to what happens in RFA, but for now I like Chet just a teensy bit more than Gustave. He does everything you want a good PG to do, pass, play suffocating defense, and score a little bit complete with some size. He has potential to grow in that category as well which is why he slates in just ahead here. However, for some more money, you'd rather have the next pointguard on this list...
14. Ricky Rubio – Mavs – 28yo – 4 years $151m remaining
He's probably the best pure PG in the league, but at 28 years old, with non-elite speed, any of the TCs during this large guaranteed contract could be the one to knock him down. The risk there prevents him from moving higher, so even though he's better now that the next player on our list, I wouldn't trade them straight up. YOU HEAR THAT GARY!?
6 Rings. That's it. That's the tweet.
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Re: Western Conference Top 20 Trade Value Column
13. Robert Neeley – Jazz – 22yo – 3 years $16m remaining (rookie deal)
At his peak, I think he'll look a lot like Rubio, but with 85 inside, he has the potential to score a little more. It's that potential that leapfrogs him over the Spaniard. The second of three Jazz players on this list, Neeley is part of a great core of players that if they can be had for non-maxes in RFA seem to position the Jazz really well in a few seasons.
12. C.J. McCollum – Trailblazers – 27yo – 3 years $77m remaining
Not many guys score more than McCollum's 27ppg. And in a league where sometimes you just need to outscore your opponent, that's incredibly valuable. That said, it's really the only thing McCollum does well. He's average to below average at everything else. Every player above C.J. on this list has multiple skills and strengths and that prevents him from moving further up.
11. Giannis Antetokounmpo – Lakers – 24yo – 3 years $77m remaining (player option)
A couple of seasons ago, having the freak down here would have been unthinkable, but as it is, I'm actually kind of surprised he's this high. He has a few things working in his favor: 1. He's somehow still only 24 and has a little more room before he maxes out his potential. 2. He can play pretty much any position, this is very valuable for team building. If you're going to have a max player, a versatile one can make up for non-versatile others. 3. He can score efficiently, rebound well, and is a very above-average defender.
That all being said, he doesn't have any elite attributes outside his freakish athleticism, and he probably isnt going to get THAT much better. Once his athleticism starts to decline, he could hit the skids pretty quick. But with 6 years before he's 30, there's some time before that happens. He's a really really good player, but really really good doesn't get you in the top 10.
At his peak, I think he'll look a lot like Rubio, but with 85 inside, he has the potential to score a little more. It's that potential that leapfrogs him over the Spaniard. The second of three Jazz players on this list, Neeley is part of a great core of players that if they can be had for non-maxes in RFA seem to position the Jazz really well in a few seasons.
12. C.J. McCollum – Trailblazers – 27yo – 3 years $77m remaining
Not many guys score more than McCollum's 27ppg. And in a league where sometimes you just need to outscore your opponent, that's incredibly valuable. That said, it's really the only thing McCollum does well. He's average to below average at everything else. Every player above C.J. on this list has multiple skills and strengths and that prevents him from moving further up.
11. Giannis Antetokounmpo – Lakers – 24yo – 3 years $77m remaining (player option)
A couple of seasons ago, having the freak down here would have been unthinkable, but as it is, I'm actually kind of surprised he's this high. He has a few things working in his favor: 1. He's somehow still only 24 and has a little more room before he maxes out his potential. 2. He can play pretty much any position, this is very valuable for team building. If you're going to have a max player, a versatile one can make up for non-versatile others. 3. He can score efficiently, rebound well, and is a very above-average defender.
That all being said, he doesn't have any elite attributes outside his freakish athleticism, and he probably isnt going to get THAT much better. Once his athleticism starts to decline, he could hit the skids pretty quick. But with 6 years before he's 30, there's some time before that happens. He's a really really good player, but really really good doesn't get you in the top 10.
6 Rings. That's it. That's the tweet.
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Re: Western Conference Top 20 Trade Value Column
I'm running out of time, so I'm posting the rest of the rankings with some thoughts.
10. James Gebhart – Jazz – 22yo – 4 years $23m remaining (rookie)
9. Derek Rose – Trailblazers – 30yo – 3 years $109m remaining (player option)
8. Jrue Holliday – Nuggets – 28yo – 4 years $135m remaining
7. Dame Lilliard – Pelicans – 28yo – 2 years $52m remaining
6. Bradley Beal – Mavs – 25yo – 2 years $30m remaining
5. Otto Porter, Jr. – 25yo - T-Wolves – 3 years $77m remaining (player option)
4. Kevin Durant – Clips – 30yo – 3 years $123m remaining
3. Jeffrey Duren – Kings – 23yo – 1 year $7m (pending RFA)
2. Andrew Wiggins – T-Wolves – 23yo – 5 years $141m remaining
1. Kevin Love – Suns – 30yo – 4 years $159m remaining
Gebhart makes the top 10 thanks to a stellar rookie campaign and tons of potential. Also a great chance he fades back in the next installment. Holliday BARELY edges Rose, mostly because I'm nervous about Rose's big step back this year as KuCoach's previous article articulated well. I think the top 5 are pretty undisputed, but you could argue the order all day. Here's my rationale: Kevin Love is the only player in the West that right now makes a team a playoff team by himself. Even if he loses a step each year over his contract, he'll still be worth it even in the final year of his 4 year deal. Wiggins/Duren/Durant were really tough, but Wiggins is so good right now and still has room to go. I think he could be a Love-type dominant player in a couple of seasons. Duren is the same age, but well behind Wiggins in his development. Durant is exceptional but slipping, and you could make an argument for Porter above Durant, but I don't think so...yet. Beal is a lot higher than I thought he would be. He's playing REALLY well on an incredibly reasonable contract.
Hope y'all enjoyed!
10. James Gebhart – Jazz – 22yo – 4 years $23m remaining (rookie)
9. Derek Rose – Trailblazers – 30yo – 3 years $109m remaining (player option)
8. Jrue Holliday – Nuggets – 28yo – 4 years $135m remaining
7. Dame Lilliard – Pelicans – 28yo – 2 years $52m remaining
6. Bradley Beal – Mavs – 25yo – 2 years $30m remaining
5. Otto Porter, Jr. – 25yo - T-Wolves – 3 years $77m remaining (player option)
4. Kevin Durant – Clips – 30yo – 3 years $123m remaining
3. Jeffrey Duren – Kings – 23yo – 1 year $7m (pending RFA)
2. Andrew Wiggins – T-Wolves – 23yo – 5 years $141m remaining
1. Kevin Love – Suns – 30yo – 4 years $159m remaining
Gebhart makes the top 10 thanks to a stellar rookie campaign and tons of potential. Also a great chance he fades back in the next installment. Holliday BARELY edges Rose, mostly because I'm nervous about Rose's big step back this year as KuCoach's previous article articulated well. I think the top 5 are pretty undisputed, but you could argue the order all day. Here's my rationale: Kevin Love is the only player in the West that right now makes a team a playoff team by himself. Even if he loses a step each year over his contract, he'll still be worth it even in the final year of his 4 year deal. Wiggins/Duren/Durant were really tough, but Wiggins is so good right now and still has room to go. I think he could be a Love-type dominant player in a couple of seasons. Duren is the same age, but well behind Wiggins in his development. Durant is exceptional but slipping, and you could make an argument for Porter above Durant, but I don't think so...yet. Beal is a lot higher than I thought he would be. He's playing REALLY well on an incredibly reasonable contract.
Hope y'all enjoyed!
6 Rings. That's it. That's the tweet.
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Re: Western Conference Top 20 Trade Value Column
Nice article about the WESTERN CONFERENCE 
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I wanted to do everything but this took me 2.5 hours. I got halfway through the west and realized I wasn’t gonna make it.
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