Who are the NBA’s Untouchables?
Brandon Roy in Dime #40As per usual with NBA Draft Day, trade rumors (both very real and completely fabricated) are spewing from every media outlet that covers the League. With all the players and picks involved, it’s easier at this time of year to pinpoint who’s not on the block: The Untouchables.
This morning’s Charlotte Observer said, “If the Bobcats have an untouchable right now, it’s Jason Richardson. They have virtually no interest in trading him.” Another report said that before the Pacers pulled off the Jermaine O’Neal trade, the team was willing to trade anyone on the roster except for Danny Granger.
Whether it’s LeBron in Cleveland, Al Jefferson in Minnesota or Brandon Roy in Portland, almost every team has at least one Untouchable. (Which is subject to change. Two years ago the Knicks wouldn’t have let Channing Frye go for anything, and I even wrote a feature on Frye in Dime #28 called, “The Untouchable.” Now he’s been traded once to Portland and is already popping up in trade rumors again this summer.) Who is the Untouchable — or Untouchables — for your team?
June 26th, 2008 at 11:08 am
ER says:
Easy, Chris Paul and David West.
June 26th, 2008 at 11:09 am
hadoken says:
brian scalabrine is untouchable because in 30 years he’s gonna be the starting PF on the 2008 World Champion Celtics
June 26th, 2008 at 11:09 am
ticktock6 says:
Hornets:
Chris Paul (no, really??). Tyson Chandler. David West. I would also be inclined to add Peja to that list. Any moves in the next 1-2 years, assuming nothing changes, would be based on adding pieces around those 4.
June 26th, 2008 at 11:12 am
Kobeef says:
The Untouchables (a.k.a Don’t even ask’s)
Kobe
Lebron
KG
The Truth
Duncan
Dwight
Those are about the only guys in the league who would not be traded for ANYONE. PP and KG are a step below some of those but with the championship I cannot imagine them leaving beantown.
June 26th, 2008 at 11:13 am
fallinup says:
Untouchable: Amy Winehouse, I wouldn’t touch that crack head with a 50 foot pole. Also Britney is getting quite untouchable, unless maybe I was REALLY REALLY drunk.
Also untouchable: Poop, and alligators.
June 26th, 2008 at 11:16 am
Be Equal says:
its easily DWill
June 26th, 2008 at 11:20 am
yallallreadyknow says:
there is only 1 untouchable in the entire nba.
he’s the only player of todays generation who will retire having played for only 1 team…
….TIM DUNCAN
every one else will be traded or sign elsewhere at some point and play for another team.
there are no other ‘untouchables’ in the league.
seriously.
June 26th, 2008 at 11:21 am
Jim says:
People are crazy thinking roleplayers are untouchable. Tyson Chandler and Peja are not untouchable, come on.
I don’t think anyone is untouchable. If LeBron says “That’s it”, then Cleveland is going to get everything they can in a sign and trade, sorry. Kupchak supposedly put out feelers for Kobe just one year ago, folks.
Kobeef’s list is about right, because you can’t see those guys moving, but even still, it can and does happen in the NBA.
June 26th, 2008 at 11:23 am
DaPro says:
Kobeef, PP and KG ain’t going nowhere. They have reached immortal status in Boston
Seeing blockbuster trades go down (Shaq, Marion, Jesus, KG, AI) anyone is damn near tradeable
June 26th, 2008 at 11:27 am
ticktock6 says:
Jim–
I think there’s a distinction between untouchable forever and untouchable in the foreseeable future. Forever? Chris Paul. This year, this trade season, right now? I think on the Hornets I would fairly confidently say those 3-4 guys.
June 26th, 2008 at 11:29 am
DurrtyInjun says:
@ Kobeef,
Add CP3 to that list. Guarantee they wouldn’t trade him for “ANYONE” either. But he’s the last one.
June 26th, 2008 at 11:34 am
hahns says:
i dont know if the knicks have ANY untouchables. maybe the reverse..that no one would want to touch any of their players.
June 26th, 2008 at 11:36 am
Luigi says:
hmmmm if my wiz. had any untouchables it would be Caron Butler. hes the only reason we made it 6 games against the cavs.
June 26th, 2008 at 11:36 am
Luigi says:
hmmmm if my wiz. had any untouchables it would be Caron Butler. hes the only reason we made it 6 games against the cavs.
June 26th, 2008 at 11:38 am
Brown says:
Nobody in the league is untouchable. Any player in any sport can be traded. Any GM with half a brain would entertain trade options for any player on their team if it would make the team better and give them a better shot at a championship.
June 26th, 2008 at 11:52 am
Daily boy says:
I have to agree with ER CP3 & West, Lebron James & Dwight Howard are 3 of the biggest names to me!
June 26th, 2008 at 11:53 am
hahns says:
id have to disagree w/ brown.
theres a few players in the league that you shouldnt trade no matter what, bc the value you get in return would be nothing close to what youre giving. this is to say unless youre trading an untouchable for an untouchable.
ie cp3 for dwil
dho for yao
kobe for lebron
trades that like.
June 26th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
Jay26th says:
I’m from Milwaukee. As far as I’m concerned, the league can touch the Bucks all they want. That team is full of good pieces that cohesively suck.
June 26th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
CHEE says:
RHODO!!!!
SEE WHAT HE DID IN ONLY HIS SECOND YR.
NO WAY CELTS WILL TRADE THIS GUY AWAY.
TOO MUCH UP SIDE.
June 26th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
Illmatic says:
@luigi
I would have to add Antawn to that too. Antawn carried the team the whole season while everybody else was banged up. Caron is the heart of the team though.
June 26th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
rangerjohn says:
this is interesting, 1st the question is who is “untouchable” FOR NOW i would assume. if that is the case,
Kobe
Lebron
KG
The Truth
Duncan
Dwight
Cp3
D-will
everyone else can be had. now if your talking “untouchable” for their career, then yallallreadyknow hit it on the head, DUNCAN is the only player who can and will always be on this list. anyone else can be had for a price and for some the price might fall fast with 1 bad season. i tell you this much, guys like chris paul have a bad season or 2, or maybe and injury or 2 and he will be GONE!
and for those hornets fans who say guys like d west and chandler are untouchable, pull your heads out of the clouds (or your ass which ever it might be in)
June 26th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
dh says:
is kwame brown “untouchable” if no one wants him?
June 26th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
rangerjohn says:
jim (#8)
i agree that if any player asked to be traded the team would trade him (ie labron or kobe or kg) but the point of this thread is more “if your team called my team asking about so and so would my team even consider the offer” type stuff.
if your team called the spurs and said we would like to trade chris paul for tim duncan the spurs would say HELL NO. (thats no not new orleans lmao)
June 26th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
ticktock6 says:
rangerjohn– Why is it having my head up my ass to state that my team feels it has one of the most solid “big fours” and I don’t see them moving them soon?
As far as franchise guys I said that was Chris Paul.
June 26th, 2008 at 12:20 pm
alex says:
that’s right, Duncan is the only really untouchable player in the nba. Even if they offer D.Howard (which any GM without half a conscience would take), I don’t see the Spurs owners agreeing to such a deal.
Anyone else is fair game as long as the right offer comes along
June 26th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
rangerjohn says:
your head would be up your ass (maybe you where the head in the clouds guy but you ASSume it is up your ass) if you honestly thing a tyson chandler or david west is untouchable. if the wiz offered the hornets butler today for west straight up, the hornets would absolutely jump on that deal, if portland said you know what we like tyson and we will give you oden (who has never played a nba game yet) the hornets would again jump all over it!
so again, take your head out of the clouds, or your ass which ever it might be.
June 26th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
Ross says:
Tim Duncan is probably the only untouchable in the league right now.
June 26th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
Yoooo says:
Quick question completely hypothetical:
If the Lakers and Celts orchestrated a Kobe & Fisher trade for Pierce & Allen, would the C’s still be champs?
June 26th, 2008 at 12:33 pm
ticktock6 says:
rangerjohn– See, I just think we’re working with different definitions here. Original quote from the article: “If the Bobcats have an untouchable right now, it’s Jason Richardson. They have virtually no interest in trading him.” Similarly, I think the Hornets have virtually no interest in doing anything but upgrading at the 2 this offseason. I thought the question was “pinpoint who is not on the block.” So that’s what I did.
Some people are talking “Who is your franchise player?” That’s a distinction. To state the hugely obvious, that’s Chris Paul. And only Chris Paul.
My head is neither in the clouds or my ass, although it’s really polite of you to suggest.
June 26th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
Jim says:
Rangerjohn-
If my team called your team the universe would explode into a million tiny sombreros.
More appropriately following the prompt, obviously for my team it’s Duncan. I can’t imagine a circumstance where they trade him, because no one is offering a package of Dwight Howard and Chris Paul or something like that.
As far as it not being a “trade me” situation, I think I would probably go with Kobeef’s list and add Paul, though maybe trim the Finals MVP. I just think it’s obvious that anyone is tradeable, even off of a good team. No one in the NBA can say they are better than Wilt.
June 26th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
alex says:
@Jim
I’m better than Wilt. But then again I’m not in the NBA.
June 26th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
bigdoggchad says:
Nash I don’t think the Suns get rid of him till his contract is up.
June 26th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
doc says:
Only untouchables to me are Lebron and Dwight.Anybody would give up they star for these young guns.Yes I could even see Pop giving Duncan up for one of these 2 just because of age factoring in.Bullshit if you tell me Boston wont get the truth out of there for Bron.Age means something and they are the youngest monsters in the game.
June 26th, 2008 at 12:54 pm
ticktock6 says:
Let’s not forget the original article we’re discussing mentions Jason Richardson, Danny Granger, and Channing Frye. I thought we were talking about players individual franchises have in their plans and will most likely turn down offers for, not only OH MY GOD FRANCHISE PLAYER types like LeBron and Kobe.
That’s how I was taking the question.
June 26th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
Uhm... says:
supposively Rodney Stuckey. I am assuming so is Amir Johnson
June 26th, 2008 at 12:58 pm
MBE18 says:
The Knicks and Mavericks should consider trading Zach Randolph,Jerome James and the sixth pick for Jason Kidd. Kidd can be the point guard the Knicks need and the Mavs get the first round pick they have been looking for.
June 26th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
92021SpurMD says:
Ok everyone, let’s not skew the definition of untouchable here. Untouchable means exactly that, for any period of time, at any time, for any price. Also, lets not forget that being untouchable comes with a hefty amount of loyalty. I’m sorry, but the ONLY team that has an untouchable player, the ONLY team that wouldn’t trade their player for ANYONE or ANYTHING, and the ONLY team that is prerequisitely loyal enough to have that player is San Antonio. They wouldn’t trade TD for the state of Texas and Boston’s 17 championships. They wouldn’t trade TD for a David Robinson clone, heck even a TD clone. Only one in the league fellas, and only 4 in history (Jordan, Bird, Magic, TD).
June 26th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
92021SpurMD says:
My comment is awaiting moderation? Can someone check on that?
Austin, your thoughts on my comment?
June 26th, 2008 at 1:15 pm
DurrtyInjun says:
His name may be DWill but to really be untouchable you have to be a player that can impose your will on EVERY game and on ANY team. Not many player’s that you can say that about.
June 26th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
Austin Burton says:
TickTock (#33) has it right. Of course the Pacers would trade Danny Granger for Kobe, but that’s not even realistic: Why would L.A. dangle Kobe for Granger? Being realistic about it and looking at trade scenarios that could actually happen (Orlando wouldn’t want to trade Dwight for Duncan) untouchables include guys like Kevin Durant, Greg Oden, Chris Paul, Stuckey, Dwight Howard, Yao, etc.
June 26th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
DurrtyInjun says:
And if you want to take the article’s premise literally, and see which of a team’s players the team has no interest in trading, than you have a lot of 2nd and 3rd tier players, after the true untouchables, that are virtually untouchable because you can’t get equal value back.
June 26th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
Michael says:
There are only three untouchables in the league: Kobe, Lebron & Tim Duncan.
June 26th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
eyeused2b says:
For my team, it’s obviously Chris Paul. I’d like to add David West and Tyson Chandler to that list, but their respective talents can be replaced and/or upgraded.
June 26th, 2008 at 1:39 pm
ticktock6 says:
eyeused2b– I would add David West, at the moment, only because of the season he just had. They drafted him and held onto him for years hoping for exactly this, and it’s hard to see them letting go of him. Who for? (who is realistic and being shopped currently, and isn’t older than West, is really the question)
June 26th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
Big V says:
David Lee and Jamal Crawford, but they’ll both probably be traded anyway. What was the question again?
June 26th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
Brown says:
Hypothetically speaking, what if Chris Paul found himself in Derek Fisher’s shoes with his child’s health at stake, and the only way to get her proper medical attention is to live in another city?
Is he still untouchable? N.O. wouldn’t WANT to trade him, but may be forced to. The same goes for every single player in the league.
Let’s remember that these are people first, not just basketball players, and they may have other priorities.
Also, what if that player gets disgruntled and wants out of town to play for a better team (i.e. Kobe, Vince, Lebron in a couple years, etc.)?
Maybe the better question would be “who is untouchable RIGHT NOW?”
For the Raptors, it’s Chris Bosh. For the Warriors, nobody.
June 26th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
NYCBalla says:
Utah: D-Will
NY: Eeeehhh…unfortunatley, nobody
PHI: Ditto
June 26th, 2008 at 2:44 pm
Luigi says:
umm an untouchable player is basically any player on a specific team that the GM WILL NOT give up. like Duncan on SA. n 8 yrs ago in 2000 he was about to leave the spurs for the Magic.
so it all depends on the GM who decides whos untouchable. i mean Ernie wont trade Caron but might release Antawn n Gil. but most likely resign.
GSW. has Monta Ellis. thats their untouchable but he might leave bc of FA.
MEM. has Rudy Gay
ATL. Joe Johnson n J-Smoove
BOS. Rondo. n the Big 3
CHA. J-Rich
CHI. Deng.
CLE. Flight 23
DET. Stuck n Amir n Rip but no ones safe there
IND. Granger
MIA. Flash
MIL. its either Yi or like Redd a bucks fan would kno
NJ. Devin H.
NYK. Nate n Balkman. but i reaally personaly do not kno
ORL. Superman 12
PHI. Andre I. n Thad Young
TOR. Bosh n Calderonnn
DAL. Dirk
DEN. Melo but he could be traded but unlikely
HOU. T-Mac n Yao
LAC. Caveman n Al T.
LAK. KB24 n Pau n significant bench players
MIN. Al Jefferson
NO. CP3. West. Tyson.
PHO. Amare .Nash
POR. Roy. Oden. Aldridge
SAC. Kevin Martin
SEA. Jeff Green n Kevin Durant
UTAH. D-Will + Booz + Memo
basically i think thats every untouchable in the league. but if u disagree i dont blame you. im only 14
June 26th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
Austin Burton says:
I don’t think Jeff Green is untouchable yet. His rookie year was disappointing in some ways. If he has a strong start to Year 2, we’ll see.
June 26th, 2008 at 3:37 pm
Jah says:
LeBron James
Brandon Roy
Tim Duncan
June 26th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
godfreyallstar says:
MATT BONNER
jk
spurs ya already kno
June 26th, 2008 at 4:26 pm
jnuh says:
The only people who can be considered for untouchable status are people who are still playing with their first & only team.
June 26th, 2008 at 4:40 pm
Luigi says:
okay forget yi as untouchable
June 26th, 2008 at 4:57 pm
Ross says:
lol @ Luigi.
To me, a player is really “untouchable” if their team wont trade them, and if that player doesn’t want to be traded. It also helps if the player has been on the same team his entire career. The only player that truly meets that criteria is Duncan.
And how could anyway say KG when he was just traded last season?
Kobe just asked to be traded last season, so that rules him out and LeBron might walk when his contract is up. If he was untouchable, he wouldn’t have asked for a shorter contract extension.
June 26th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
GEE...Forget ya mama, I'm talkin bout you and me toe to toe says:
Tracy and Yao
June 26th, 2008 at 5:12 pm
Austin Burton says:
Since we’re talking about the here and now, I’d say Garnett is untouchable. Under what (realistic) scenario could you see the Celtics trading him? Or a scenario where a team didn’t contact them and the C’s just thought, “We should explore trading Garnett.” It’s not gonna happen.
June 26th, 2008 at 6:07 pm
Lee says:
But what if the Griz wants to trade Kwame .. surely no one is safe !!!
Seriously though, Kobe has a no trade clause .. so probably him and … Devin George !!!
I guess there’s some REALLY bad contracts out there that no one wants .. Kevin Martin, Nene (Denver), Rashard Lewis .. Which reminds me, and I’ve asked a lot of people this and no one can give me an answer, The Magic had Lewis for $80 mil / 5 years as a straight f/a signing, so why do a sign and trade to get him for $120 mil / 6 years. It’s not like anyone would want to sign him for $40 mil after his 5th year ????
June 26th, 2008 at 9:36 pm
Mark says:
rangerjohn, I would comment on your comment, but I really can’t decipher anything beyond something about your head in an ass.
DX, CP, CFRM no doubt.
June 27th, 2008 at 4:24 am
kb24! says:
Kobe was touchable. When he got traded for Vlade!!!!!!!!!!!1 HAHAHAHAHA So anyone is touchable.
December 3rd, 2008 at 9:15 am
KnickFan says:
“Snacks” Jerome James anybody????