How The Meaning Of “Trade Value” Has Shifted In The NBA
As the trade deadline inches closer and closer to its due date, NBA teams are starting to call one another trying to get deals done in pursuit of their best interests. The contending teams at the top of each conference are looking for quality role players to add to their roster, the mediocre teams might be looking to either add or trade players depending on their motives, and the rebuilding teams are looking to trade quality players for more picks. In today’s NBA, the picks are crucial in the trade game.
Back in the 2019 playoffs, Portland Trail Blazers superstar guard Damian Lillard called series from just inside half court all up in Paul George’s grill to not only send the Oklahoma City Thunder out of the playoffs, but into rebuild mode. After trading Russell Westbrook and Paul George in the 2019 offseason, then trading Chris Paul, Dennis Schroder and Steven Adams in the 2020 offseason, the Thunder were able to accumulate over 20 draft picks through the 2020s decade. This would be the start of the new wave of rebuilding.
After multiple reports of deteriorated chemistry between its two all-stars and multiple failed playoff runs, the Utah Jazz decided to go into what was supposed to be rebuild mode. During the 2022 offseason, they traded away Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert for a total of eight players and ten picks. As of right now, it seems as if the Jazz-Cavs trade turned out to be a good deal for both sides, whereas the Jazz-Timberwolves trade is completely one sided in favor of the Jazz.
Although it seems like the value of trading quality players for a high amount of picks seems to be recently introduced, a situation like this happened before nearly a decade ago and it plays a big factor in today’s game. Back in 2013, the Boston Celtics traded future Hall of Famers Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and two other role players to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for five role players and three first-round picks, plus the rights to swap first-round picks in 2017.
That trade turned out terrible for the Nets and they ended up being one of the worst teams in the league during the middle of the 2010s. Because the Celtics owned all of their picks during their rough stretch, they were able to draft third overall in back-to-back drafts in 2016 and 2017, turning those picks into all-NBA players Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. Fast forward to 2023 and that same superstar duo leads the charge for the best team in the league.
There have been multiple reports throughout the last month about certain players gaining high interest from many contending teams as the trade deadline creeps up. As of today, the most recent example of this has been OG Anunoby of the Toronto Raptors. The Raptors have made it clear that they want “a Donovan Mitchell-like haul” for OG as his skillset can be a game changer to many teams who are essentially one piece away from having that perfect roster, teams like the Grizzlies, Nets and Celtics.
As proven in recent memory, teams will do anything to get the player they want if it gives them a better chance to make a potentially deep playoff run. If a team who is mediocre or is at the bottom of their conference has a player with high trade value, those teams can abuse the power that they have with that player and turn that into a situation where they win the trade, no matter how the outcome turns out on the other side.
Just remember, all dynasties that have decade-long runs are all home grown through drafting and developing, as the history of the game backs up that statement. Therefore, getting a haul of draft picks is the new goal for all rebuilding teams with players that hold high trade value.
