KEY POINTS

  • Rookies and vets comprise list of trade untouchables
  • NBA trade deadline is set on Feb.6
  • Teams are still capable of pulling off shocking deals

Names of players who are on the verge of being shipped to another team continue to pile up as the NBA trade deadline approaches. But while most interest is drawn from which player is being swapped for another, there is likewise a growing curiosity amongst fans about who are the considered immovable players amidst the heat of all the trade talks.

Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report came up with a list of players who are least likely to be involved in any exchange deal from each of the 30 teams in the league.

He has put out a yardstick to determine how a player is considered an untouchable. According to him, a player must be either a franchise focal point (or being shaped to be one), an MVP contender, or a youngster with a high potential value.

Here is his list:

Atlanta Hawks: Trae Young

Boston Celtics: Kemba Walker

Brooklyn Nets: Kevin Durant

Charlotte Hornets: Devonte' Graham

Chicago Bulls: Wendell Carter Jr.

Cleveland Cavaliers: Darius Garland

Dallas Mavericks: Luka Doncic

Denver Nuggets: Nikola Jokic

Detroit Pistons: Sekou Doumbouya

Golden State Warriors: Stephen Curry

Houston Rockets: James Harden

Indiana Pacers: Victor Oladipo

Los Angeles Lakers: LeBron James

Los Angeles Clippers: Kawhi Leonard

Memphis Grizzlies: Ja Morant

Miami Heat: Jimmy Butler

Milwaukee Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo

Minnesota Timberwolves: Kart-Anthony Towns

New Orleans Pelicans: Zion Williamson

New York Knicks: RJ Barrett

Oklahoma City Thunder: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Orlando Magic: Jonathan Isaac

Philadephia 76ers: Joel Embiid

Phoenix Suns: Devin Booker

Portland Trail Blazers: Damian Lillard

Sacramento Kings: Marvin Bagley III

San Antonio Spurs: Dejounte Murray

Toronto Raptors: Pascal Siakam

Utah Jazz: Donovan Mitchell

Washington Wizards: Bradley Beal

The list is rather straight forward, to say the least, going as simple as putting the best player in each team on the rundown. But history has its own data that suggest the NBA can be unpredictable at times. There may be a statistical basis to support this list, but it remains a subjective matter that a shocker might still be pulled off before the actual deadline.

Luka Doncic
Luka Doncic is the leading candidate for Rookie of the Year. In this picture, Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks dribbles the ball against the Sacramento Kings at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, December 16, 2018. Ronald Martinez/Getty Images