With the exciting offseason moves ending for the Philadelphia 76ers and others, many GMs are upset over the state of their roster. Today we look at the 50 players with the best trade value in the league.
The other day I was watching NBA TV and found out that former Philadelphia 76ers center and process great, Nerlens Noel, has yet to be signed. Nerlens is commanding a max deal, which would cause his contract to be a disaster for whatever team signed the former Kentucky product. Because of this, I thought of what fifty players would have the most trade value today. I decided to compose a list of these players.
Philadelphia 76ers
First the Rules
A. Salaries matter. The cheaper and longer the deal, the better.
B. Players options were expected to be declined since players opt out 99 percent of the time now.
C. Team options were accepted because team options for young players are accepted 99 percent of the time.
D. Age matters. Would you rather have Lonzo Ball for 15 years or Kyle Lowry for five?
Tough Cuts
Carmelo Anthony — Because the Knicks might have to release him to be free of Melo
DeAndre Jordan — No success outside Doc Rivers system
Marc Gasol — Gets hurt too much, bad contract, old
Mike Conley — Good player, bad contract
Avery Bradley — Due a max next offseason
Paul Millsap — Good player, historically awful contract
Blake Griffin — Max deal for a player whose game is reliant on athleticism and nearing 30? No thank you.
50. Willy Hernangomez
A cheap talented big on a great deal for the next three years that the Knicks will trade away or destroy his career.
49. Jayson Tatum
An old school Rudy Gay-type player who the Celtics nearly took at the number one spot before the 76ers sent them a great offer. Tatum can put up points, but he looks disinterested. Still, the fact that the Celtics turned down Fultz to take him proves his value.
48. Malcolm Brogdon
The “rookie of the year” who was the “best rookie” even though he struggled to win the starting job from Matthew Dellevadova. Brogdon is still on a very affordable contract and will continue to improve.
47. Brook Lopez
An old school big on an expiring deal. If the Lakers wanted to, they could flip him for a first at the deadline. He is an excellent fit with Lonzo Ball and his value should rise as the season progresses.
46. Thon Maker
The NBA’s most mysterious young player. Maker has enough potential and wingspan to be the star the Bucks put next to Giannis. However, Maker is still extremely young and won’t produce positively until maybe his third or fourth year. Still, the Bucks may call Maker untouchable in deals for players like Lopez and Hernangomez
45. Goran Dragic
One of my favorite players in the league. Dragic is on an affordable deal and has a game that ages well. He shoots well and is an excellent fit on this fun Miami team. It’s a real shame the Dragon has yet to make an all star team because he is one of the most underrated players in the league.
44. Josh Jackson
Jackson would have been the first pick in the draft if he could shoot well. He’s the most athletic prospect in the most recent draft class. On Phoenix, he could be a potential star. A Bledsoe, Booker and Jackson one-two-three punch is going to be exciting to watch on league pass.
More from Sixers News
- 3 Sixers players who could help Team USA Basketball
- 76ers 2k24 ratings: 3 most underrated players on Philadelphia roster
- 76ers head coach Nick Nurse bares lofty plans for Paul Reed this season
- Grade the Trade: 76ers swap Tobias Harris for superstar PG in mock deal
- Breaking Down Bombshell Report on Sixers Star James Harden
43. De’Aaron Fox
One of the rare prospects that I used to dislike and now like, Fox is a mixture of John Wall and a Pitbull. He should impress Kings fans with his ability to run the fast break and throw alley-oops to Willie Cauley-Stein. I wish they hadn’t signed George Hill because I would love to see a starting backcourt of Fox and Hield. Fox could be better than Hill and start over him towards the end of the year. Plus, he has a beef with Lonzo and goes out of his way to make his day miserable. Who doesn’t love this guy?
42. Ricky Rubio
Rubio is the most underrated player in the league. He can’t shoot well (yet), but he can do everything else at an all star level. In Utah, he should develop into an all star and turn Rodney Hood into a 20 points per game shooter. Rudy Gobert is going to love this guy.
41. Jae Crowder
On a three-year, $22 million dollar deal, Crowder is a steal for Boston. He is a good 3-and-D wing who can play the three and four. Crowder was rumored to be traded in the Hayward sign and trade, but the former Marquette product is staying in Beantown, likely to make Ben Simmons‘s life terrible for the four-plus games the 76ers play Boston.
40. Khris Middleton
Middleton is what the Basketball Jesus would describe as the perfect third banana. He can shoot well, knows his role and makes a reasonable amount of money. It’s a shame he’ll be overpaid in two years by some stupid team (likely Milwaukee).
39. Eric Bledsoe
Bledsoe is an excellent two-way player who can do it all. The only problem is he can’t stay on the court at all. He’s only had really one healthy season. It’s also a bad sign when the Suns can’t get anything for you at the deadline. Still, Bledsoe is an excellent player who is on an excellent contract.
More from The Sixer Sense
- 3 Sixers players who could help Team USA Basketball
- 76ers 2k24 ratings: 3 most underrated players on Philadelphia roster
- 76ers head coach Nick Nurse bares lofty plans for Paul Reed this season
- Grade the Trade: 76ers swap Tobias Harris for superstar PG in mock deal
- Sixers Podcast: Danny Green returns + James Harden bombshell
38. CJ McCollum
On a four-year, $106 million dollar deal, but McCollum is an essential piece to Portland’s success. It’s not his fault that Portland believed after beating the Clippers in the postseason two seasons ago that their core was good and could only get better. It’s not his fault that the Trail Blazers signed Evan Turner and Myers Leonard to deals that even Billy King would go “oh that’s a bad deal” to.
37. Brandon Ingram
Fun fact Ingram and I share the same birthday. I am exactly one year older than him. Last season, Ingram played in the beginning of the year how I would play if Ingram and I switched bodies Freaky Friday style. Ingram is still very young, but still how hard is it average more than 10 PPG on a terrible Lakers team. Still, Magic Johnson called him the only player untouchable in a Paul George trade, which shows how valuable the Lakers view Ingram.
36. Kyle Lowry
His contract is secretly awful, three years around $100 million. However, Lowry means a ton to the city of Toronto. He is the catalyst of the best stretch of Toronto basketball. He has led the Raptors to their only conference finals appearance, something that not even Vince Carter can say he accomplished in Toronto. For that reason, the Raptors will never trade him unless they get someone from 35-1 on this list. He means too much to the franchise and he’s one of the few stars that enjoy playing there.
35. Kevin Love
A real life Chris Rock from Everybody Hates Chris, Love cannot catch a break. From constantly being involved in trade rumors to being ignored by LeBron, Love is always the odd man out. Love is still an excellent rebounder, can shoot the three and is one of the best offensive players in the league. It took two years for Cleveland to figure out how to use him. Put Love on the Heat and he’d be a constant 25-12 machine next to Hassan Whiteside
34. Hassan Whiteside
The Miami center has proven to many that he wouldn’t have a slump after signing a max deal in the 2016 offseason. Whiteside led the league in rebounds and improved his numbers across the board. He anchors Miami’s defense and is a huge reason for their success. The only concerns are that Whiteside is 28 and isn’t a guy you can win a title with as your best player. Still, he’s a great center and should be an all star next season.
33. Bradley Beal
More from Sixers News
- 3 Sixers players who could help Team USA Basketball
- 76ers 2k24 ratings: 3 most underrated players on Philadelphia roster
- 76ers head coach Nick Nurse bares lofty plans for Paul Reed this season
- Grade the Trade: 76ers swap Tobias Harris for superstar PG in mock deal
- Breaking Down Bombshell Report on Sixers Star James Harden
Last season he was surprisingly healthy and helped lead the Wizards to a near conference finals appearance. He’s going to get hurt this season and he makes too much money, but I do enjoy watching the guy play. Deep down he’s my man, but still, he needs to stop getting hurt and complaining about John Wall. You know what Dion Waiters would do to replace Dragic with Wall, probably stop shooting. (Thinks about it). Nah Waiters wouldn’t.
32. Andrew Wiggins
Wiggins is the NBA’s equivalent of that kid who coasts by in high school, but gets a near perfect score on the SATS and makes teachers wonder what this kids potential really is. Wiggins has everything you want in the star. He’s athletic, can defend, can score, he can do it all. But after 3 years, Wiggins still hasn’t taken the league by storm. He barely gets assists. His shooting numbers are nothing impressive. And he’s about to become the third option on his team. Did you know Wiggins averaged 23 points per game last season? Me neither. Mainly this is because he puts up empty numbers. Minnesota will likely max him instead of trading him because Thibs can’t admit that he made a mistake with him, he’s too stubborn. So, enjoy wasting your prime as a third option in Minnesota and having us wonder what you could become on a team like Miami or even the Knicks.
31. Isaiah Thomas
He’s 5 foot 9, can’t play defense, is nearing 30 and due for a max next offseason. Why is Thomas 31 then you might be asking yourself? The reason is Thomas has captivated Boston. His scoring has made him reach Pierce like levels of love. He made Boston trade down and not take Markelle Fultz, even though Fultz has a higher ceiling. He is a key part of this positionless team and Boston would never trade him unless they knew they were getting a better player, he means so much to this city that no one outside of Boston could understand. (Besides me of course)
30. Kemba Walker
If you were asked to find the perfect street ball point guard, you would pick Kemba. He’s one of the most exciting players in the league. He can outscore any point guard and is Charlotte’s only blue chip player (sorry Dwight and Nic Batum). He’s on an affordable two-year deal as well.
The cons about Kemba are that if he’s your best player, you aren’t making it to the Conference finals. Kemba is the perfect 2nd banana, but a terrible number one player unless you want to win 40-45 games and lose in the first round every other year. Charlotte will never make it far with a score first point guard who plays C+ defense.
29. Rudy Gobert
The stifle tower is starting a four-year, $102 million dollar deal and it should look like a bargain towards the end. Gobert is a modern day Bill Russell on the defensive end, preventing any star from getting an easy bucket. He’s a DPOY candidate every year and I’d be surprised if he’s not in the top three next year. His offense is still not there, but Rubio should help him with that. He’s Utah’s star now that Hayward is gone and should anchor a very intriguing Jazz team this season.
More from The Sixer Sense
- 3 Sixers players who could help Team USA Basketball
- 76ers 2k24 ratings: 3 most underrated players on Philadelphia roster
- 76ers head coach Nick Nurse bares lofty plans for Paul Reed this season
- Grade the Trade: 76ers swap Tobias Harris for superstar PG in mock deal
- Sixers Podcast: Danny Green returns + James Harden bombshell
28. DeMar DeRozan
DeRozan is the best player of the Raptors. He’s a star in the regular season and has helped put the Raptors on the map. The cons are he disappears in the playoffs and shoots too many mid range jumpers. But DeRozan is still a key part to the Raptors getting back to the Conference finals and losing to LeBron again, so he’s an extremely valuable asset.
27. Myles Turner
What a modern center should be. He can shoot, block shots and run the floor extremely well. He’s the only shining light at the end of the Pacers mediocrity tunnel. Turner is the only good thing about the Pacers and has two years left before restricted free agency. I just feel bad for Turner now. I mean why go into work when your starting backcourt is Darren Collison and Victor Oladipo. That made me sad writing that. Get well soon, Myles.
26. Gordon Hayward
The American Furkan Korkmaz… kidding, relax. Hayward has become one of the most underrated stars in the league, which explains why he signed with Boston, a city that overrates every player that plays for the green and white. Hayward makes max money but can do it all on the court. The real question is can Hayward lead the Celtics to the finals? My answer is no, but he’s still an excellent player that any team would want.
25. Lonzo Ball
A modern day Jason Kidd with Kevin Martin‘s shot release and a dad equivalent to a real life Gary Oak, Ball is everything that you want in a classic point guard. He’s tall, has a Maravich like passing ability, can defend, and is a decent, not good shooter. Ball still hasn’t played a game, but I would say he still has an excellent trade value. The Lakers have him under team control for FOUR years with team options in years three and four. He’s a great player and will make the Lakers a competitive lottery team.
24. Markelle Fultz
The number one pick in the 2017 draft, the 76ers gave up two2 first for the Washington product. He’ll be ready to produce from day one and should make the 76ers a playoff contender. He’s a future all star. However, it should be a concern that the Celtics worked out Fultz for 2 days and were like Nah, Rudy Gay 2.0. is better. But then again, when was the last time the Celtics under Ainge drafted an all-star? Exactly.
Must Read: 5 reasons Fultz will be better than Ball
23. Devin Booker
A modern day Reggie Miller, Booker is already one of the best shooters in the league. As the only known corner stone for the Suns (I am not sold on Marquese Chriss, Dragan Bender, and Josh Jackson yet), Booker will be the crunch time scorer for this Suns team. Booker should only get better as he ages and will have a very long prime thanks to his skill set.
22. DeMarcus Cousins
DeMarcus Cousins is one of the best centers in the NBA. When his head is screwed on right, he is an unstoppable force that cannot be guarded. However, those instances are rare. Sometimes Boogie shoots dumb threes or doesn’t play defense. He also often gets technical fouls. Cousins has one year on his deal left and there is no indication he is staying with New Orleans. I mean besides Anthony Davis, who else do the Pelicans have? Jrue Holiday? Cousins is often moody and it’s difficult to believe that Cousins’s supporting casts are the reason he has yet to make the postseason since being drafted in 2010.
Cousins is the definition of a high-risk high reward asset, so for that reason, he can’t crack my top 20.
21. Nikola Jokic
Jokic is the best passing big since Chris Webber and has made the Nuggets believe that they are one piece away from the title. He makes less than $2 million a year for the next two years and makes the game fun. I love Jokic so much.
However, I believe that Jokic’s prime will be wasted on a terrible Denver team. Who else on Denver makes you believe this team can be a contender? Milsap is too old. Murray isn’t there yet. Mudiay can’t hit the far side of the barn. Poor Jokic. Enjoy all the skiing opportunities when the season ends in late April.
20. Damian Lillard
Lillard is the best point guard from an offensive standpoint. There’s really no one better than Lillard on the offense end, especially at the end of a close game. Remember the game winner against the Rockets in the playoffs?
Despite his offensive skills, Lillard is a below average defender, allowing average point guards to have field days against Portland. He’s another guy who really can’t be the best player on a contender.
However, Lillard is beloved in Portland and will never leave unless asked to. This makes his value higher than any point guard with a similar double the offense none of the defense playing style. Lillard has that extra gear that not many stars have, so he deserves to be top 20 in these rankings.
19. Ben Simmons
A once in a generation talent who has drawn comparisons from Grant Hill to LeBron James. Simmons is a point forward who can play any position from the one to the four with ease. Simmons ceiling is the best player in the world, which is entirely possible IF and only IF he stays healthy.
Simmons has yet to play a game or show that he can shoot well from outside, so for that reason, he can’t be higher than 19. I would not be surprised if he was in the top 10 by the end of the year though.
Related Story: Ben Simmons is a point guard, and then some
18. Chris Paul
The best point guard since 1990, Paul has adapted his game with age, turning from a blazing fast 20-10 machine to a pick my spots, creative virtuoso 18-9 player. Paul is everything you want in a point guard. He can run the floor, shoot well, pass well, defend, and lead a locker room. There’s a reason why he’s the president of the Player’s Association.
The cons of Paul, he has yet to lead his team to the conference finals, is over 30, and is on a one year deal. Paul also seems to hurt team chemistry with his militant approach to the game. I would not be surprised if the Clippers improve from Paul’s departure for this reason.
Despite the negatives, you still want CP3 on your team because it’s Chris Paul. He makes every player look like a near all star and can elevate your team’s play with ease. He’s a great locker room presence and could lead an offensive renaissance in Houston with Harden and Mike D’Antoni at his side. That will only happen if Paul stops being stubborn, which is equally likely and unlikely to happen.
Related Story: Sixers, Rockets modernizing through multiple playmakers
17. John Wall
Remember when John Wall couldn’t shoot? I remember that year fondly. Unfortunately for other teams, Wall has fixed that problem. He’s one of the fastest guards in the league and his presence alone keeps the Wizards in playoff contention every year. Wall has few weaknesses as a guard.
Poor Wall will have to waste his prime on a Washington team that thinks Otto Porter Jr.’s max deal should be matched, so it’s a shame for him. Maybe Wall will head to Miami when Dragic’s contract expires or Dallas or anywhere where the front office isn’t aggressively mediocre.
16. Paul George
He’s one of the best players in the league, but is on a one year deal and has started searching for a subletter for the summer in his OKC apartment. He got traded for Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis. The guy’s good, but his trade value is low for a star.
15. Jimmy Butler
Butler was traded for a post-ACL tear Zack Lavine, Kris Dunn, and Lauri Markannen. That may be a testament to how bad GarPax is but still isn’t that a bit concerning. The Celtics wouldn’t offer the third pick in 2016 for the guy. 2016!! Still, I love Butler, but I feel like Thibs is going to run him into the ground again. That makes me sad, let’s move on to 14.
14. Draymond Green
The defensive anchor for the Golden State Warriors. He may be the most important piece to this dynasty because, without his versatility, the Warriors would struggle heavily on defense. The scariest thing is there are still three more Warriors on this list to go. Thank god the 76ers are in the East.
More from The Sixer Sense
- 3 Sixers players who could help Team USA Basketball
- 76ers 2k24 ratings: 3 most underrated players on Philadelphia roster
- 76ers head coach Nick Nurse bares lofty plans for Paul Reed this season
- Grade the Trade: 76ers swap Tobias Harris for superstar PG in mock deal
- Sixers Podcast: Danny Green returns + James Harden bombshell
13. Kristaps Porzingis
Porzingis is basically Dirk Nowitzki if Dirk was 7-foot-3, Latvian, could block shots and hated James Dolan. I hate the Dirk to Porzingis comparison because Porzingis is a player we have never seen before. This is why he’s a unicorn because there will likely only be one of him. He has two years left on a great deal and seems to only get better.
The concerns with him are his injury history. Porzingis has failed to gain muscle in the two years he’s been in the NBA and as a result, he has been injured every season. If he does not improve his conditioning, he will become the next Blake Griffin. His value also is hurt by the fact that he wants out of the Big Apple and the Knicks are likely going to mess this up by likely getting a bunch of average players for Zinger in two years. Let’s pray the Knicks do this.
12. Kyrie Irving
Irving is basically what would have happened if Steve Francis played with a contender and had his head screwed on straight just a bit more. (I still think anyone who believes the Earth is flat is a bit off.) Irving is one of the best pure scoring guards and has been a perfect complement next to LeBron James. Without him, the Cavs would struggle significantly.
The cons of Irving are that he plays C- defense and has yet to prove that he can lead a playoff team without LeBron. The 2nd one will be unlikely to be solved in our time.
Phoenix offered Bledsoe and the 4th pick for Irving and the Cavs turned down the offer, showing the NBA world how much value Irving has for this team.
11. Klay Thompson
The perfect complement to Stephen Curry in the backcourt, Thompson fits perfectly with this team. He would fit perfectly with any team and the Warriors know this. They were offered Paul George for Thompson and they turned it down. Thompson is a great second banana and an insane third banana.
The only concern with Thompson is it appears he does not want to be the alpha dog on any team. He’s ok with getting 20-22 points per game on this Warriors team and that’s fine. But his lack of hunger will hurt him in the rankings.
10. Joel Embiid
The process, the drinker of Shirley Temples, destroyer of worlds, Joel Embiid has many nicknames. He’s a once in a generation talent who nearly took the 76ers to the playoffs last season. He brings positivity to such a negative league filled with super teams. Embiid may have one year left and have injury concerns, but there’s no other player I would rather have in a crunch time lineup. He’s that good. Hopefully, he stays healthy this year so I can move him to one.
9. Russell Westbrook
He is due for a super max, doesn’t make his teammates better, and has a game that will not age well. However, he’s the most exciting player to watch in basketball and has a fire that rivals Kobe and Jordan. Number nine is a good spot for him.
Related Story: Joel Embiid is a transcendent superstar
8. James Harden
Harden has a game that ages well, but his new contract extension is crazy. Plus Harden seems to not care defensively and has only been in excellent shape for one season. I’m a bit bearish on the former ASU product.
7. Kawhi Leonard
With a hobbled Tony Parker and a potentially retired Manu Ginobili, this is Leonard’s big year to show the NBA world that he is the best player in the league. Leonard at seven shows how deep this league is. I wish he was higher, but everyone else on this list I could see the Spurs trading Kawhi for and be like well got (insert name from 1-6) in the trade, so we had to.
6. Anthony Davis
A talented big who gets hurt every year and has only made the playoffs once. Davis needs to show that he can lead a team to the postseason despite having a worse bench than a third grade YMCA team during flu season for him to be above KAT.
5. Karl-Anthony Towns
The best player on a rookie contract, Towns has made strides that not many players have. He has a great roster and a great coach to help his defensive development. It’s only uphill for Towns and the Spooky Wolves.
4. Stephen Curry
He’s a two time MVP who is basically the greatest shooter of all time. You’ve seen enough Steph Curry highlights to know how good he is. The only bad thing is his $201 million contract. But here’s some Steph to help you remember what a dominant force he is.
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo
The Greek Freak is basically if you took ’07 LeBron, combined him with Scottie Pippen and made him 7 feet tall. He’s 22, under team control for four years and is only a 3-point shot from becoming a real life basketball cheatcode.
2. Kevin Durant
He makes less than $30 million a year despite being the second best player in the world. He’s one of the greatest scorers the league has ever seen. He can even play the five now. KD is one of the greatest ,but despite winning a title, he still comes in second.
Next: 5 reasons Markelle Fultz will be better than Lonzo Ball
1. LeBron James
Who else was I going to put, Matthew Dellevadova?