The Untradeables
Anything is possible in the National Basketball Association. On any given night a team can pull out an upset victory, David Stern can fine you for something you didn’t even say or a superstar can be traded for pennies on the dollar. For the most part we don’t know what General Managers and team executives are thinking. The general NBA fan has the common sense to know when a front office decision is a bad move. For instance everyone knew when Isiah Thomas signed Jerome James to his ridiculous contract that it was unwarranted. It is knee jerk reactions like that which create the special group of NBA players called the Untradeables.
The Untradeables is a fluid group, whose cast constantly changes from year to year. The monster, unmovable contract from a year ago is the hot commodity this year. I call this phenomenon the Eric Dampier Clause. For those of you who don’t know, Eric Dampier’s current contract has a minutes clause in it. If Dampier does not average 30 minutes per game during the season, his contract becomes non guaranteed for the 2010-2011 season. This makes Eric Dampier both a highly sought after commodity and an untradeable. If he averages more than 30mpg, then no team will trade for him and sacrifice their positioning for the Nuclear Summer of 2010. If he averages less than 30 mpg, he becomes one of the biggest expiring contracts in the league (behind Tracy McGrady and Jermaine O’Neal I believe) and the most valuable bargaining chip in the NBA. So who are the Untradeables?
Former All Stars who signed coming off injury
Gilbert Arenas, recovering from microfracture surgery, signed a 6 year 111 million dollar deal with the Wizards in the summer of 2008. Gilbert’s production has fallen far short of his contract’s value and people wonder if he will ever be the Gilbert of old. Even if Arenas returns to his old form, is he really the type of player who is worth 111 million dollars? Elton Brand, recovering from a ruptured achilles, screwed the Clippers by signing with the 76ers for a 5 year deal worth $79.795 million dollars. (I’m going to go out on a limb and say the Clippers dodged a bullet with that one) When Brand signed many said it made the Sixers instant Eastern Conference contenders. The Sixers are currently 8-22 and Brand still doesn’t look like the Elton Brand that was the face of the Clipper franchise.
Isiah’s Boys
These are the players that Isiah Thomas signed to contracts during his tenure as the Knicks General Manager. This catergory use to include the likes of Larry Hughes and Jerome James but now their massive expiring deals are very tradeable. Now the category has been trimmed (I use that term with caution) down to Eddy Curry and Jared Jeffries. I won’t go into why these players haven’t lived up to their contracts, I’ll just tell you what they are owed. Eddy Curry has two years and 21 million left on his contract, while Jeffries has just over 13 million and 2 years left. Next year these players will be hot commodities but unfortunately for Donnie Walsh and Knicks fans, the nuclear summer is this year.
You Can’t Teach Height
Most of the people in this group have the same scouting report: has great athleticism, runs the floor like a guard, excellent shot blockers, needs to work on offensive game, questionable basketball IQ. The two players that come to mind in this group are Slamming Sammy Dalembert (2 year, $23 million left) and Dan Gadzuric (2 years, $13 million left). One player who his dangerously close to this group is Emeka Okafor. Okafor was resigned to a 6 year, $72 million deal in the summer of 2008. He was subsequently traded to the Hornets and rumored to be available for an expiring contract. Not everyone who could potentially fall into this category has great athleticism, some are just tall. Here’s to you Eddy Curry.
Paid like a Franchise Player but not a Franchise Player.
The best example of this group is yet another 76er Andre Iguodala. Iggy is the best player on the 76ers but he is far from what you would call a franchise caliber player. He is the perfect complement to a franchise player, but he was signed to a 6 year $80 million dollar contract. (I know I have picked on the 76ers, but when you have $160 million wrapped up in two players and are 8-22 something is seriously wrong) Other players teetering this line are Hedo Turkoglu (5 years, $53 million) and Michael Redd ( 2 years, $35 million left). One player who will most likely join this group after the summer of 2010: Rudy Gay.
Untradeable in the Eyes of the Beholder
A list I compile can never be complete since the group of untradeable players varies from franchise to franchise and fan to fan. Whether its a player who is more valuable to you and/or your franchise than the average NBA team or a player with a contract just seems unmovable, who do you think is untradeable?
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December 30th, 2009 at 11:12 am
Heckler says:
rashard lewis has a bogus contract. it makes him the most untradeable player in the league.
and btw, i dont think isiah thomas gave larry hughes a contract. i believe it was danny ferry when larry hughes signed with cleveland as a free agent. speaking of danny ferry, he gave anderson verajo a $50million deal. seems untradeable to me at this point too.
December 30th, 2009 at 11:15 am
Seany T says:
I don’t think you can compare Okafor to Dalembert/Gadzuric. Yes he’s still gotta prove he’s worth that money, but he’s a career double double isn’t he….?
December 30th, 2009 at 11:17 am
Heckler says:
btw….how can you say emeka okafor is close to being an untradeable when he was just traded?
and in addition to rudy gay, al jefferson will get the same type of contract and end up on one of these lists too.
andrew bogut
kenyon martin
December 30th, 2009 at 11:19 am
In-N-Out Lucas says:
I just feel bad for Washington almost. Gilbert is such a ballhog sometimes
December 30th, 2009 at 11:22 am
Jayo says:
1. Andrea Bargnani
2. Charlie Villanueva
3. Corey Magette
4. Baron Davis
5. Monta Ellis
December 30th, 2009 at 11:26 am
MBE18 says:
Don’t be shocked if Donnie Walsh is able to move Curry or Jeffries. Probably can’t, but nothing would surprise me.
December 30th, 2009 at 11:49 am
pleasepleaseplease says:
Jeffries actually fills a role and his dedicated defensive play was one of the main reasons for the Knicks’ great run in December. I really think there’s a trade out there for him. He is a valuable player when used correctly. (still nowhere near the value of his contract, but next year he’s an expiring so really it’s not THAT bad)
As for Eddy Curry? No chance whatsoever. All Walsh can hope for is that Eddy for some strange reason won’t pick up his player option for 2011 and let his contract expire next summer. Of course that’s a snowball’s chance in hell because even Eddy Curry knows that he will never see payment like this ever again. Hell, I would even question if there is a GM out there who would give the guy the vets minimum right now.
Thanks again Isiah.
December 30th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
calvin brodus says:
kmart for sure.
December 30th, 2009 at 12:36 pm
Chris says:
AK47 and his albatross contract of 2 years/$34 mil is just about as untradeable as you get!
December 30th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
The other Aj says:
speaking of the wizards…don’t forget to add Jamison to this list
December 30th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
The other Aj says:
One more note on the wiz…they team has two untradeables and watch them end up getting rid of their best player aka caron butler
December 30th, 2009 at 1:20 pm
fiyaman says:
wow didnt even realize philly had 160Mil in 2players… that waaayyyyyyyy overpaying.. n neither is guaranteed allstar
December 30th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
johnsacrimoni says:
Baron Davis should have gotten prominent mention on this list. I don’t care if he hit a game-winnning shot the other night, Baron only tries when he feels like it. And he has 4 years left at 13 mil per.
December 30th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
K Dizzle says:
I gotta agree with what Heckler said.
Where is Anderson Varejao on this list? Yeah, the squad is winning now so that’s probably why he gets a pass but puttin up barely 8 and 8 with that 50 mil deal is comedy. Why is Hedo on the list? Portland would take him right now…
December 30th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
Paul Wall says:
Yo Calvin- Where abouts in CO are you?
December 30th, 2009 at 3:57 pm
BC says:
You can trade anyone, as long as there are 2 bad contracts involved.
For Example: No one would want to trade a player with a reasonable contract for Kirilenko, but what about trading him for Michael Redd’s equally bad deal?
Utah could use Redd’s shooting, and Milwaukee could use an athletic SF/PF.
December 30th, 2009 at 3:59 pm
Chris says:
BC, stop making sense.
December 30th, 2009 at 4:07 pm
Octopus Jonny says:
Disagree with Heckler on Bogut. Dude’s having a career year with 16/10/2blk and looking more aggressive than in the past while utilizing his faceup game more and more.
Sticking with the Bucks though…Gadzuric and Redd are 2 of the most untradeable contracts in the league. Hammond should have pulled the trigger on a Redd trade last year when he had the chance, now he’s stuck with Alan Houston V.2. No defense, can’t dunk without blowing out his knee, $18m next year.
Gadz never was worth the money Larry Harris gave him.
Packaging either of those with some of their expirings (Hakim Warrick; $3m, Luke Ridnour; $7m, Joe Alexander; $2.5m) might entice some team to bite, but it’s looking more grim with each 3 ball Redd clangs front rim.
December 30th, 2009 at 4:08 pm
Octopus Jonny says:
@16, I’d take that in a heartbeat.
December 30th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
LakeShow84 says:
Lol what about Tmac??
Highest paid dude this year and is a big ??..
Ima stick with my team and throw Lamar Odom and Sasha Vujacic in the untradable list.. i hope we can find a sucker for Sasha..
Ok i take back Odom but dude is close with the way hes been playing so far..
December 30th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
LakeShow84 says:
“I know I have picked on the 76ers, but when you have $160 million wrapped up in two players and are 8-22 something is seriously wrong”
Got that right lol now thos #’s dont lie..
December 30th, 2009 at 4:25 pm
LakeShow84 says:
Lol whoever said Monta Ellis is biting a little premature..
You couldve said it last year RIGHT AFTER the moped incident but the kid has been playing SOLID this year.. Minus him trying to have an opinion hes been doing everything you can ask out there..
Oh yeah he also leads the league in pts in the paint..
December 30th, 2009 at 4:25 pm
LakeShow84 says:
Make it 4 in a row!
BLAU lol
December 30th, 2009 at 5:49 pm
Guitar Hero says:
Jeffries is tradable. He’s been guarding every position from PG to C this year.
Nice role player, and while he has awful offensive skills, his defense is very good indeed.
December 30th, 2009 at 9:16 pm
Nautic says:
T-Mac, Richard Jefferson, Michael Redd, Eddy Curry, Nate Robinson all need a change of scenery becuase they are ieffective in their current systems. Jefferson was supposed to make Spurs offense better but they are mediocre now. If T-Mac is healthy a T-Mac for Richard Jefferson + Pieces trade could work. It’s a win-win for both teams. It gives flexibility for summer 2010 for Spurs so they could get Ginobili and another free agent who is a better fit for their system. It gives the rockets a good player who plays well within a system and Jefferson could start over Battier or as their starting SG and have Ariza start at SF. Eddy Curry could also fit with the Spurs if he plays as his old self in his Chicago days. An Eddy Curry + pieces for T-Mac scenario could work depending on how Eddy’s condition and play is as well. Michael Redd needs to be moved because the Bucks are no longer his team and he doesn’t get much 4th quarter action anymore. Wizards need to move some players as well like Butler who haven’t played as well either. Eitherway, Summer 2010 will help fix some current Ego issues and roster issues for some teams while creating new ones if GM’s are stupid.
December 30th, 2009 at 9:24 pm
Nautic says:
This is a list of underacheivers: These players need to be traded because they are ineffective, inconsistent, or don’t get enough playing time with their current teams compared with past teams and other systems.
Jason Richardson
Eddy Curry
Anthony Randolph
Darko
Caron Butler
Richard Jefferson
T-Mac
Michael Redd
Nate Robinson
Boris Diaw
Emeka Okafor
Andrei Kirilenko
Hedo Turkoglu
Jermaine O Neal
Rashard Lewis
Mario Chalmers
December 31st, 2009 at 5:37 am
Atom says:
T-Mac
Ak-47
Boom Dizzle
Bad Porn (a sucker is born every minute though so u never know)