- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,170,502
- Reaction score
- 59
The closer we get to the 2025-26 NBA trade deadline, the more trade scuttle that is starting to be bandied about pertaining to some of the league’s biggest names - and whether or not they are going to be moved over the coming weeks.
Rather than discussing that, however, today we’re going to take a different approach and break down how those players being discussed most in trade rumors are hurting their trade value lately, whether it be through their play or other issues not directly related to their on-court performance.
Below, we discuss the eight NBA players most hurting their trade value ahead of the 2025-26 NBA trade deadline.
Former No. 1 pick Anthony Davis’ inclusion on this list is due to the fact that he appears even more injury-prone than usual this season, missing time with various ailments.
Following that injury, it was reported that Davis could potentially miss months with a ligament issue in his hand, putting the Mavericks in a nearly impossible situation as it pertains to Davis' trade prospects.
Making that particularly brutal for both Davis and the Dallas Mavericks is the fact that every team around the NBA already knew that Davis was up for grabs, so in a time when the 10-time All-Star could be upping his trade value and helping maximize what the Mavericks’ returns might be, he’s doing the opposite by facing another months-long absence.
Teams will undoubtedly be even more hesitant to go after Davis this month, especially since his top priority, according to reports, is to receive a max extension from his next team:
Yesterday, Kelly Ikoreported on Davis' dwindling value as a trade asset, and that was before Davis' latest injury report:
When Davis had been out there this season, he had flashed some of his All-Star-level play, putting up over 20 points and 11 rebounds per game, to go with just under two nightly blocks. But Davis’ worse-than-usual injury troubles - and another reported potential long-term absence - certainly aren’t helping his trade market.
For the latest Anthony Davis trade rumors, click here.
Faced with injury troubles this season, LaMelo Ball has likewise hurt his trade value in 2025-26, even if his individual numbers - 20 points, five rebounds and eight assists per game on 37-plus percent shooting from three - remain nice.
Ball has missed time here and there this season, to the point that on some back-to-backs, the Charlotte Hornets have decided to bring him off the bench for him to be able to close out games:
On top of that, Ball is also still faced with the same questions about his impact on winning, as the Hornets remain a bad team this season, sitting at 13-25, good for 12th in the East. Just this campaign, an anonymous executive labeled Ball as the most unserious player in the league:
Fair or not, the Hornets haven’t sniffed a playoff appearance in the Ball era, one that might not last much longer, especially after Charlotte found a true potential building block in young sharpshooter Kon Knueppel.
For the latest LaMelo Ball trade rumors, click here.
After tearing through the regular season last year, albeit before a disappointingly early playoff exit, the Cleveland Cavaliers have disappointed even harder this season, sitting at 21-18 through 39 games, firmly in the play-in picture.
The player who appears to be getting scapegoated the hardest for Cleveland’s struggles this season is former All-Star Darius Garland, who, after returning on Nov. 5 following offseason toe surgery, missed more time in the following weeks due to the same issue.
Since coming back full-time, Garland hasn’t looked like his usual self, either, shooting just 43.4 percent from the floor and 34.5 percent from three in 2025-26. Even more concerning is the fact that Garland has made the Cavs nearly 11 points per 100 possessions worse during his time on the floor this campaign.
Naturally, that has only hurt Garland’s trade value as we approach the deadline. That’s not to say we think he’s getting traded - if anything, our own Michael Scotto reported recently that those around the NBA believe it’s likelier Garland would be traded in the offseason, if he’s moved at all:
But if Cleveland were planning to move him, it’d be coming at a bad time, as Garland’s trade value certainly hasn’t improved since his full-time return in 2025-26.
For the latest Darius Garland trade rumors, click here.
Hampered by injuries and issues with his head coach, Tuomas Iisalo, star lead guard Ja Morant hasn’t looked like his usual self in 2025-26, leading to some speculation about his future in Memphis.
Morant is putting up just 19.0 points per game this year , the second-lowest mark of his career, while shooting 40.1 percent from the floor and 20.8 percent from three. The Grizzlies, meanwhile, are just 16-21, in 10th place in the Western Conference.
Morant's decline in plays comes at a bad time, too, as Memphis is now reportedly open to hearing trade offers for Morant for the first time:
Dealing with a calf injury at the moment, Morant’s trade value has plummeted over recent years due to a multitude of on- and off-court issues, and considering his borderline career-low output this season, his trade value might have hit a nadir. If Memphis does want to trade him, it might have to wait until he comes back from injuries and flashes some of his former greatness.
Even then, Morant being owed a fully guaranteed $44.9 million in 2027-28 might scare teams off anyway, even if he does come back this month and look like his usual high-flying self.
For the latest Ja Morant trade rumors, click here.
After years of toiling away in mediocrity, the bottom has fully fallen off in Sacramento, as the Kings are 8-29 this season and look fully primed for an entire teardown.
A player with some interest on the trade market is veteran scorer Zach LaVine, who’s putting up 20 points and three rebounds per contest while shooting 38.6 percent from three. But LaVine hasn’t done much to help his trade value of late, as he’s missed time due to an ankle injury.
Plus, the same old questions continue to surround LaVine, as his impact on winning has always been dubious at best, at least statistically, so it’s tough to see Sacramento getting much of a haul in exchange for the former UCLA standout.
Even so, teams like the Milwaukee Bucks are reported to have an interest in LaVine...
...so he might be a good value add for another team this deadline, considering a rival team probably wouldn't have to pay top-dollar to acquire him in a trade, given his trade value is at right now.
For the latest Zach LaVine rumors, click here.
According to reports, the Golden State Warriors are against trading four-time champion Draymond Green, so his trade value one way or the other doesn’t entirely matter…
…but if Golden State did want to move its defensive stalwart, he’s done nothing to help his trade value this season.
Ejected multiple times already in 2025-26, Green’s usual shenanigans haven’t slowed down at all this season, making it difficult to see another team wanting to trade for him, unless his salary is needed as filler. If Green can barely keep it composed with head coach Steve Kerr, who’s coached him for over 10 years…
…rival teams would have to wonder how he’d behave with a head coach whom he might respect even less.
Couple that with Green’s diminishing output due to his advanced age and the mileage on his body, and you have a player who isn’t helping his trade value at all this season.
For the latest Draymond Green trade rumors, click here.
Former superstar prospect Zion Williamson has already missed two separate stints of action thus far this season, further fueling concern that he’s always going to be a player plagued by injuries.
To his credit, Williamson does look rather svelte this campaign compared to years past, and does appear to have his normal, ridiculous athleticism:
But the fact that his body continues to fail him won’t do much to improve his trade value.
Also muddying the waters on his trade outlook is the fact that he hasn’t made much of an impact on the Pelicans’ win-loss column, as New Orleans has lost nine games in a row, with Williamson boasting a minus-91 plus-minus over that stretch, even despite averaging nearly 24 points in that stretch.
For the latest Zion Williamson trade rumors,click here.
Yet another disappointing former No. 1 pick on this list, French forward Zaccharie Risacher has endured a tough season, one that has seen him regress from his rookie campaign, which wasn’t all that impressive to begin with.
Risacher is averaging just 11.2 points over his last nine games, a stretch in which the Atlanta Hawks have gone 3-6 with Risacher putting up a minus-34 plus/minus.
Disappointing second year or not, our own Scotto reported recently that the Hawks - smartly - remain hesitant to include Risacher in trade talks, even for Davis:
It’s definitely way too soon for the Hawks to give up on Risacher, who has promise as a two-way swingman with slashing and spot-up shooting prowess, but there’s no question he hasn’t helped his trade value much of late.
For the latest Zaccharie Risacher trade rumors, click here.
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Ja Morant and seven other players hurting their trade value ahead of 2025-26 deadline
Continue reading...
Rather than discussing that, however, today we’re going to take a different approach and break down how those players being discussed most in trade rumors are hurting their trade value lately, whether it be through their play or other issues not directly related to their on-court performance.
Below, we discuss the eight NBA players most hurting their trade value ahead of the 2025-26 NBA trade deadline.
You must be registered for see images
Anthony Davis (Dallas)
Former No. 1 pick Anthony Davis’ inclusion on this list is due to the fact that he appears even more injury-prone than usual this season, missing time with various ailments.
Following that injury, it was reported that Davis could potentially miss months with a ligament issue in his hand, putting the Mavericks in a nearly impossible situation as it pertains to Davis' trade prospects.
Making that particularly brutal for both Davis and the Dallas Mavericks is the fact that every team around the NBA already knew that Davis was up for grabs, so in a time when the 10-time All-Star could be upping his trade value and helping maximize what the Mavericks’ returns might be, he’s doing the opposite by facing another months-long absence.
Teams will undoubtedly be even more hesitant to go after Davis this month, especially since his top priority, according to reports, is to receive a max extension from his next team:
Yesterday, Kelly Ikoreported on Davis' dwindling value as a trade asset, and that was before Davis' latest injury report:
When Davis had been out there this season, he had flashed some of his All-Star-level play, putting up over 20 points and 11 rebounds per game, to go with just under two nightly blocks. But Davis’ worse-than-usual injury troubles - and another reported potential long-term absence - certainly aren’t helping his trade market.
For the latest Anthony Davis trade rumors, click here.
LaMelo Ball (Charlotte)
Faced with injury troubles this season, LaMelo Ball has likewise hurt his trade value in 2025-26, even if his individual numbers - 20 points, five rebounds and eight assists per game on 37-plus percent shooting from three - remain nice.
Ball has missed time here and there this season, to the point that on some back-to-backs, the Charlotte Hornets have decided to bring him off the bench for him to be able to close out games:
On top of that, Ball is also still faced with the same questions about his impact on winning, as the Hornets remain a bad team this season, sitting at 13-25, good for 12th in the East. Just this campaign, an anonymous executive labeled Ball as the most unserious player in the league:
Fair or not, the Hornets haven’t sniffed a playoff appearance in the Ball era, one that might not last much longer, especially after Charlotte found a true potential building block in young sharpshooter Kon Knueppel.
For the latest LaMelo Ball trade rumors, click here.
You must be registered for see images attach
Darius Garland (Cleveland)
After tearing through the regular season last year, albeit before a disappointingly early playoff exit, the Cleveland Cavaliers have disappointed even harder this season, sitting at 21-18 through 39 games, firmly in the play-in picture.
The player who appears to be getting scapegoated the hardest for Cleveland’s struggles this season is former All-Star Darius Garland, who, after returning on Nov. 5 following offseason toe surgery, missed more time in the following weeks due to the same issue.
Since coming back full-time, Garland hasn’t looked like his usual self, either, shooting just 43.4 percent from the floor and 34.5 percent from three in 2025-26. Even more concerning is the fact that Garland has made the Cavs nearly 11 points per 100 possessions worse during his time on the floor this campaign.
Naturally, that has only hurt Garland’s trade value as we approach the deadline. That’s not to say we think he’s getting traded - if anything, our own Michael Scotto reported recently that those around the NBA believe it’s likelier Garland would be traded in the offseason, if he’s moved at all:
But if Cleveland were planning to move him, it’d be coming at a bad time, as Garland’s trade value certainly hasn’t improved since his full-time return in 2025-26.
For the latest Darius Garland trade rumors, click here.
Ja Morant (Memphis)
Hampered by injuries and issues with his head coach, Tuomas Iisalo, star lead guard Ja Morant hasn’t looked like his usual self in 2025-26, leading to some speculation about his future in Memphis.
Morant is putting up just 19.0 points per game this year , the second-lowest mark of his career, while shooting 40.1 percent from the floor and 20.8 percent from three. The Grizzlies, meanwhile, are just 16-21, in 10th place in the Western Conference.
Morant's decline in plays comes at a bad time, too, as Memphis is now reportedly open to hearing trade offers for Morant for the first time:
Dealing with a calf injury at the moment, Morant’s trade value has plummeted over recent years due to a multitude of on- and off-court issues, and considering his borderline career-low output this season, his trade value might have hit a nadir. If Memphis does want to trade him, it might have to wait until he comes back from injuries and flashes some of his former greatness.
Even then, Morant being owed a fully guaranteed $44.9 million in 2027-28 might scare teams off anyway, even if he does come back this month and look like his usual high-flying self.
For the latest Ja Morant trade rumors, click here.
You must be registered for see images attach
Zach LaVine (Sacramento)
After years of toiling away in mediocrity, the bottom has fully fallen off in Sacramento, as the Kings are 8-29 this season and look fully primed for an entire teardown.
A player with some interest on the trade market is veteran scorer Zach LaVine, who’s putting up 20 points and three rebounds per contest while shooting 38.6 percent from three. But LaVine hasn’t done much to help his trade value of late, as he’s missed time due to an ankle injury.
Plus, the same old questions continue to surround LaVine, as his impact on winning has always been dubious at best, at least statistically, so it’s tough to see Sacramento getting much of a haul in exchange for the former UCLA standout.
Even so, teams like the Milwaukee Bucks are reported to have an interest in LaVine...
...so he might be a good value add for another team this deadline, considering a rival team probably wouldn't have to pay top-dollar to acquire him in a trade, given his trade value is at right now.
For the latest Zach LaVine rumors, click here.
Draymond Green (Golden State)
According to reports, the Golden State Warriors are against trading four-time champion Draymond Green, so his trade value one way or the other doesn’t entirely matter…
…but if Golden State did want to move its defensive stalwart, he’s done nothing to help his trade value this season.
Ejected multiple times already in 2025-26, Green’s usual shenanigans haven’t slowed down at all this season, making it difficult to see another team wanting to trade for him, unless his salary is needed as filler. If Green can barely keep it composed with head coach Steve Kerr, who’s coached him for over 10 years…
…rival teams would have to wonder how he’d behave with a head coach whom he might respect even less.
Couple that with Green’s diminishing output due to his advanced age and the mileage on his body, and you have a player who isn’t helping his trade value at all this season.
For the latest Draymond Green trade rumors, click here.
You must be registered for see images attach
Zion Williamson (New Orleans)
Former superstar prospect Zion Williamson has already missed two separate stints of action thus far this season, further fueling concern that he’s always going to be a player plagued by injuries.
To his credit, Williamson does look rather svelte this campaign compared to years past, and does appear to have his normal, ridiculous athleticism:
But the fact that his body continues to fail him won’t do much to improve his trade value.
Also muddying the waters on his trade outlook is the fact that he hasn’t made much of an impact on the Pelicans’ win-loss column, as New Orleans has lost nine games in a row, with Williamson boasting a minus-91 plus-minus over that stretch, even despite averaging nearly 24 points in that stretch.
For the latest Zion Williamson trade rumors,click here.
Zaccharie Risacher (Atlanta)
Yet another disappointing former No. 1 pick on this list, French forward Zaccharie Risacher has endured a tough season, one that has seen him regress from his rookie campaign, which wasn’t all that impressive to begin with.
Risacher is averaging just 11.2 points over his last nine games, a stretch in which the Atlanta Hawks have gone 3-6 with Risacher putting up a minus-34 plus/minus.
Disappointing second year or not, our own Scotto reported recently that the Hawks - smartly - remain hesitant to include Risacher in trade talks, even for Davis:
It’s definitely way too soon for the Hawks to give up on Risacher, who has promise as a two-way swingman with slashing and spot-up shooting prowess, but there’s no question he hasn’t helped his trade value much of late.
For the latest Zaccharie Risacher trade rumors, click here.
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Ja Morant and seven other players hurting their trade value ahead of 2025-26 deadline
Continue reading...
