Too Early for Many NBA Players to be Traded

NBA franchises typically like to see how their team performs over the first 20 games of the season before making personnel changes.

The trade market starts to move in late December, although deals are sporadic through January and typically heating up as the February 19 trade deadline nears.

Players who were signed over the summer cannot be dealt until December 15, unless they received at least a 20 percent raise (and their team was over the cap upon signing), which creates a trade restriction until January 15.  Additionally, players signed after September 15 cannot be dealt until 90 days from their contract date — and those claimed off waivers must wait until 30 days into the season to be traded.

Recently traded players cannot be re-dealt in a package (via aggregation of salary) with other players on their new roster for 60 days, if their team is over the cap.

Some players have no-trade clauses in their contracts, either explicitly or implicitly.  Veterans like Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant and Brooklyn Nets forward/center Kevin Garnett have the former.  Players re-signed by their teams on one-year deals (even if there’s a second on a team or player option) can also block trades, like Miami HEAT guard Dwyane Wade and Detroit Pistons forward Greg Monroe.

Veterans whose contracts were recently extended cannot be traded for six months, like Cleveland Cavaliers center Anderson Varejao.  Those claimed off amnesty waivers, specifically Los Angeles Lakers forward Carlos Boozer, cannot be traded until July 2015.

It’s a lot to keep track of…

The following is the list of players with trade restrictions:

December 15, 2014 restrictions

Atlanta Hawks — Kent Bazemore, Elton Brand, Shelvin Mack, Mike Scott, Thabo Sefolosha

Brooklyn Nets — Alan Anderson, Jerome Jordan

Charlotte Hornets — Jannero Pargo, Brian Roberts, Lance Stephenson, Marvin Williams

Chicago Bulls — Aaron Brooks, Pau Gasol, Kirk Hinrich

Cleveland Cavaliers — LeBron James, James Jones, Alex Kirk, Shawn Marion, Mike Miller

Dallas Mavericks — Al-Farouq Aminu, Devin Harris, Richard Jefferson, Jameer Nelson, Dirk Nowitzki, Chandler Parsons

Detroit Pistons — D.J. Augustin, Caron Butler, Cartier Martin, Jodie Meeks, Greg Monroe

Golden State Warriors — Leandro Barbosa, Justin Holiday, Shaun Livingston, Brandon Rush

Houston Rockets — Trevor Ariza, Tarik Black, Troy Daniels, Joey Dorsey

Indiana Pacers — Lavoy Allen, C.J. Miles, Damjam Rudez, Rodney Stuckey, Shayne Whittington

Los Angeles Clippers — Glen Davis, Jordan Farmar, Spencer Hawes, Hedo Turkoglu, Ekpe Udoh

Los Angeles Lakers — Ed Davis, Xavier Henry, Wesley Johnson, Ryan Kelly, Nick Young

Memphis Grizzlies — Vince Carter, Beno Udrih

Miami HEAT — Chris Bosh, Shannon Brown, Mario Chalmers, Luol Deng, Danny Granger, Udonis Haslem, Josh McRoberts, Dwyane Wade, Shawne Williams

Milwaukee Bucks — Jerryd Bayless

Minnesota Timberwolves — Robbie Hummel, Mo Williams

New Orleans Pelicans — Jimmer Fredette, Darius Miller, John Salmons, Patric Young

New York Knicks — Cole Aldrich, Carmelo Anthony, Jason Smith, Travis Wear

Oklahoma City Thunder — Grant Jerrett, Anthony Morrow, Sebastian Telfair

Orlando Magic — Channing Frye, Ben Gordon, Luke Ridnour

Phoenix Suns — Isaiah Thomas, Anthony Tolliver, P.J. Tucker

Portland Trail Blazers — Steve Blake, Chris Kaman

Sacramento Kings — Darren Collison, Eric Moreland

San Antonio Spurs — Matt Bonner

Toronto Raptors — James Johnson, Greg Stiemsma

Utah Jazz — Trevor Booker, Gordon Hayward, Toure’ Murry

Washington Wizards — DeJuan Blair, Drew Gooden, Kris Humphries, Paul Pierce, Garrett Temple

January 15, 2015 restrictions

Boston Celtics — Avery Bradley

Los Angeles Lakers — Jordan Hill

Miami HEAT — Chris Andersen

San Antonio Spurs — Boris Diaw, Patty Mills

Toronto Raptors — Kyle Lowry, Patrick Patterson, Greivis Vasquez

Washington Wizards — Marcin Gortat, Kevin Seraphin

Various restrictions

Boston Celtics — Evan Turner (12/28/14)

Charlotte Hornets — Jason Maxiell (12/26/14)

Chicago Bulls — Nazr Mohammed (12/22/14), E’Twaun Moore (12/18/14)

Cleveland Cavaliers — Lou Amundson (12/26/14), Will Cherry (2/1/15), Anderson Varejao (extension, 5/1/15)

Dallas Mavericks — J.J. Barea (1/29/15), Charlie Villanueva (12/23/14)

Denver Nuggets — Alonzo Gee (12/30/14)

Houston Rockets — Francisco Garcia (12/29/14)

Indiana Pacers — A.J. Price (2/6/14)

Los Angeles Clippers — Jared Cunningham (12/17/14)

Los Angeles Lakers — Carlos Boozer (7/1/15), Wayne Ellington (12/22/14), Ronnie Price (12/24/14)

Miami HEAT — Andre Dawkins (12/23/14)

Milwaukee Bucks — Kendall Marshall (waiver claim, 11/27/14)

Oklahoma City Thunder –Ish Smith (2/7/14), Lance Thomas (12/29/14)

Orlando Magic — Willie Green (waiver claim, 11/27/14)

Philadelphia 76ers — Chris Johnson (waiver claim, 11/27/14), Jakarr Sampson (12/7/14), Drew Gordon (2/10/14)

Phoenix Suns — Eric Bledsoe (12/24/14), Zoran Dragic (12/27/14)

Sacramento Kings — Omri Casspi (12/18/14), Ryan Hollins (12/18/14), Ramon Sessions (12/22/14)

San Antonio Spurs — Aron Baynes (12/26/14), Tony Parker (extension, 2/1/15)

Utah Jazz — Joe Ingles (12/24/14)

Washington Wizards — Rasual Butler (12/26/14)

Aggregation restrictions

Boston Celtics — Dwight Powell (11/25/14)

Houston Rockets — Jason Terry (11/17/14)

No-Trade clauses

Brooklyn Nets — Kevin Garnett

Dallas Mavericks — Dirk Nowitzki

Los Angeles Lakers — Kobe Bryant

Miami Heat — Dwyane Wade

New York Knicks — Carmelo Anthony

San Antonio Spurs — Tim Duncan

No-trade clauses (one-year Bird rule)

Atlanta Hawks — Elton Brand

Brooklyn Nets — Alan Anderson

Charlotte Hornets — Jannero Pargo

Houston Rockets – Francisco Garcia

Chicago Bulls — Nazr Mohammed

Detroit Pistons — Greg Monroe

Indiana Pacers — Lavoy Allen

Los Angeles Clippers — Glen Davis, Hedo Turkoglu

Los Angeles Lakers — Xavier Henry, Jordan Hill, Wesley Johnson

Minnesota Timberwolves — Robbie Hummel

New York Knicks — Cole Aldrich

San Antonio Spurs — Aron Baynes, Matt Bonner

Utah Jazz — Gordon Haywood (matched offer sheet)

Washington Wizards — Drew Gooden, Kevin Seraphin, Garrett Temple