Blake Griffin

5 NBA Teams That Should Consider Trading Their Best Player

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 12:51 p.m. ET

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Nov 27, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Sacramento Kings center center DeMarcus Cousins (15) dribbles the ball as Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) defends during the first half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports

Whether it’s because of poor fit or upcoming free agency issues, here are five NBA teams that should consider trading their best player in the near future.

The NBA is a league of superstars, and the best way — and historically, the only way — to contend for championships is to draft a future star.

But not every team that gets lucky enough to draft or trade for a franchise star is fortunate enough to also win a championship. Sometimes star players are under-appreciated, don’t have enough talent around them during their primes, or simply need a change of scenery for the best of both parties.

In those situations, however, it’s not always easy to tell when it’s the right time to move on. Sometimes it becomes blatantly obvious, but usually, the warning signs are pretty clear.

As we approach the new year during the 2016-17 NBA season, there are a few teams who should consider trading their best player in the near future.

Not all of them are franchise stars, but whether it’s due to selling high, upcoming free agency issues, or just a poor fit, here are five NBA teams (plus one honorable mention) who may need to deal their best player sooner or later.

November 18, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Louis Williams (23) moves the ball against the San Antonio Spurs during the first half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Honorable Mention:  Los Angeles Lakers — Lou Williams

This doesn’t really count, but as much as the Los Angeles Lakers‘ future will be built around D’Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson, Julius Randle, Brandon Ingram and Larry Nance Jr., their best player early in 2016-17 has probably been Lou Williams.

With Lou Will cruising toward another Sixth Man of the Year Award behind his 18.8 points per game on .444/.368/.864 shooting splits, the Lakers would be foolish to not cash in on his all-time high trade value, especially since he’s 30 years old and not a part of the team’s long-term plans.

Lou Will has another season left on his contract after this one, so teams might even be willing to surrender a future first-round pick for a sixth man playing such stellar basketball right now.

The Lakers have a bevy of young guards to hold down the fort for the future, and though head coach Luke Walton has done well enough to find all of them minutes, the next logical step is pawning off Williams on a playoff contender and capitalizing on the value of a non-essential piece.

Lou Williams has been a ton of fun with the Lakers this season, but it’s getting close to the time for cashing out.

Dec 15, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Wilson Chandler (21) shoots the ball over Portland Trail Blazers forward Noah Vonleh (L) during the first half at Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

5. Denver Nuggets — Wilson Chandler

Wilson Chandler hardly qualifies as a “star” player like the other four players on this list, but just like Lou Williams, he’s currently the best player on his team and could net his squad a decent return if it chose to move him.

Everyone has been ranting and raving about the culture Michael Malone is building with the Denver Nuggets, especially when it comes to veterans wanting to stick around rather than be traded to more competitive teams.

But at what point do we look at this team’s 12-17 record rather than how close they are to a playoff berth (0.5 games out of the eighth spot in the West)?

Currently averaging a team-leading 16.8 points and 7.0 rebounds in 31.0 minutes per game, Ill Will has done most of his damage off the bench. He’s been a leading Sixth Man of the Year candidate, supplying scoring, rebounding and solid wing defense to remind the world how good he was before a hip injury sidelined him for all of last season.

Chandler is putting up career-highs in scoring and rebounding in his age-29 season, and his veteran experience and two-way play could be valuable off the bench for a playoff team. He’s only got $12 million on his contract for next season, plus a $12.8 million option for 2018-19, making him a bargain deal.

The Nuggets have plenty of wing depth, so even though there’s no need to trade Chandler, they might as well put out feelers with his value currently so high. At some point, guys like Chandler, Danilo Gallinari and/or Kenneth Faried will need to be firmly on the trade block, and with the way he’s playing right now, Ill Will is Denver’s most realistic trade option.

Dec 17, 2016; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Indiana Pacers forward Paul George (13) looks for an open man against the Detroit Pistons during the first quarter at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

4. Indiana Pacers — Paul George

The Indiana Pacers were a divisive team entering the 2016-17 campaign, but so far, a lackluster defense and an offense less potent than advertised have skewed expectations back toward the more negative preseason predictions.

The Pacers are 15-15, which is good enough for seventh in the Eastern Conference standings, but this team is unlikely to emerge as a top playoff team. That alone should not give Indiana cause for dealing PG-13, but there are a couple of other factors to consider too.

For starters, George only has one more season left on his contract after this one, before a $20.7 million player option in 2018-19 that he will surely opt out of, either to leave the franchise, or to re-up with the Pacers for more money. In either event, Thaddeus Young and Monta Ellis will be facing the same decision that summer, plus Al Jefferson will be on a non-guaranteed contract.

Throw in Jeff Teague‘s contract coming off the books this summer and it’s clear Larry Bird will have quite a few decisions to make over the next year or two, especially in regard to re-signing Teague. Is this core really good enough to make the most of PG-13’s prime now that he’s 26? Or would it be better to start shipping off assets and restructuring the franchise’s timeline around Myles Turner?

The Pacers have some time to figure things out, but early indications are this roster is not a contender as currently built. George has had to deal with the departures of George Hill, Roy Hibbert, David West and Lance Stephenson — the other four starters on the Pacers teams that went to back-to-back conference finals — and he’s also had to endure being played at the 4, the firing of Frank Vogel and now this current offense-heavy approach.

If this core fails to come together, how much more patience with George have with the franchise and Larry Bird? There’s no question he’s an elite two-way talent, averaging 21.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.8 steals per game on .448/.383/.918 shooting splits, so there’d be plenty of suitors and quite a few attractive offers to help Indiana rebuild.

The question is, how much longer with Bird throw these haphazard rosters together in a desperate attempt to contend before realizing it might be time to realign the team’s timeline around its most promising youngster? The Pacers don’t need to trade Paul George this season by any stretch of the imagination, but how things go in 2016-17 could force the issue in the future.

Nov 19, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe (2) reacts after a score against the Philadelphia 76ers during the second half at Wells Fargo Center. The Philadelphia 76ers won 120-105. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

3. Phoenix Suns — Eric Bledsoe

The Phoenix Suns‘ roster says they’re in rebuilding mode, but their allocation of minutes says otherwise. As the losses continue to pile up and common sense kicks in that this is a not a playoff team, general manager Ryan McDonough need to make the tough call to start trading veterans and send a message to head coach Earl Watson about where the franchise’s priorities lie.

There are plenty of useful veterans on this roster that could be used in a trade, but Phoenix’s most valuable asset is Eric Bledsoe. Trading away the best player on an 8-20 squad would make the Suns almost unbearable to watch, but it’s probably high time everyone accepted that Bledsoe is not this franchise’s long-term solution at the point guard spot.

Bledsoe is one of the league’s singularly gifted players, but his history of knee injuries is extensive, and even when he’s healthy, the focus and effort isn’t always there. On the nights where he’s feeling it and playing aggressive, he’s a top-10 point guard without question. Other nights, he’ll appear downright disengaged, and there are far too many defensive lapses for a player of his skill and athleticism.

Averaging 20.0 points, 5.3 assists and 5.3 rebounds per game, Bledsoe is having one of the best seasons of his career, but at age 27, he’s in serious danger of wasting away his entire prime on non-playoff teams that should be focused on rebuilding rather than straddling the line between keeping the vets happy and finding enough minutes for the youngsters.

It’s time to give Bledsoe the chance to show what he can do on a more competitive team, and there’s no question that trading him would net Phoenix its most attractive potential trade package, especially since his contract — $29.5 million through 2018-19 — is a bargain.

Trading Brandon Knight would obviously be preferable since he’s been a disaster off the bench, but with Knight sporting the league’s worst total point differential, that might not be a realistic scenario right now.

On a team with so much guard depth, including promising rookie point guard Tyler Ulis, the Suns would be brutal to watch, but they’d be fine in the long run, especially with another top-five pick coming their way in a talented 2017 NBA Draft class that includes several stud guards.

The Suns could swing Knight to the 1 and see if he could improve his trade value, keep getting Devin Booker touches at the 2, find playing time for Ulis off the bench, and not lose much in terms of distribution since they’re already the league’s worst assist team. For both parties, it’d be better for the Suns to find Eric Bledsoe a new home and fully dive into the rebuild.

Dec 14, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) reacts after hitting a three point shot against the Los Angeles Lakers during the first quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

2. Brooklyn Nets — Brook Lopez

I mean, duh. The Brooklyn Nets have nothing to play for in 2016-17 other than pride with their first round draft pick going to the Boston Celtics. As unfair as it’d be to the fans to rob them of their best player and one of the biggest reasons to keep tuning in, the Nets need first round picks however they can acquire them.

General manager Sean Marks has made solid, understated moves since taking over the franchise, including turning Thaddeus Young into a first-rounder in the 2016 NBA Draft. Even with his extensive injury history, a healthy Brook Lopez should be able to net the Nets a future first-rounder from someone.

Lopez being owed $22.6 million next season is a potential obstacle to any deal, not only because it’s not easy clearing out that much room in a trade, but also because that will be the final year of his contract.

Would a contender be willing to make such an expensive gamble for only a year and half of Lopez being guaranteed? Would a bottom-feeder try to trade for him, knowing full well he could leave for nothing in the summer of 2018?

Even if it’s a challenging task, that’s what it may take for Brooklyn to add a first round pick to its arsenal. This roster needs young talent to rebuild for the future, and at age 28, Lopez’s only purpose at the moment is to keep eyes on the screen — which, no offense to Lopez, is a task he can only be so effective at when the Nets are 7-20.

There’s got to be somebody interested in acquiring a center who’s currently averaging 20.3 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game, right?

Dec 18, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; Sacramento Kings forward DeMarcus Cousins (15) exchanges words with Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban (not pictured) during the second half at the American Airlines Center. The Mavericks defeat the Kings 99-79. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

1. Sacramento Kings — DeMarcus Cousins

This should be no surprise. The Sacramento Kings have been a dysfunctional franchise for a decade now, and DeMarcus Cousins cannot lead them to the promised land without help. After another failed attempt at surrounding him with enough talent to return to the playoffs, the Kings need to consider starting from scratch again.

Yes, it would be depressing for the Kings and for their fan base, which deserves far better than the constant incompetence of this front office. Yes, it would be a pity to trade away quite possibly the best center in the NBA. And yes, the Kings are currently only one game out of a playoff spot, despite being on pace for only 32 wins.

But it’s also true that Boogie’s trade value might actually be decreasing at this point, and even if they Kings somehow made the playoffs under .500, would a first round sweep at the hands of the Warriors or Spurs really be considered “progress”?

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With every season that goes by without Cousins leading his team to a winning record, and with every new incident that inspires doubt as to his leadership abilities, Boogie’s stock slides bit by bit. At what point does the rest of the league decide the king’s ransom it’d take to pry Cousins from Sacramento isn’t worth the potential headache? His teams have never won more than 33 games, after all.

There are still plenty of teams that would pony up for the services of a 26-year-old superstar who’s averaging 29.3 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.1 steals per game on .458/.375/.768 shooting splits, especially since we have no way of knowing what Boogie might accomplish playing for a competent franchise, with actual talent around him.

But with Cousins steadily creeping toward his 2018 free agency and the front office showing zero signs of being able to put a capable roster around him, it’s time to face the music. As bad as Sacramento’s draft history has been over the last half decade, their trade history and free agency track record has been even worse. It’s time to restock with future firsts and start over.

This unhappy marriage is ready for a divorce, and there will be plenty of suitors waiting for the potentially sloppy seconds. Put Cousins on the trade block, review the offers, take the best one, and let both parties move on with their lives.

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