The three-team trade between the Oklahoma City Thunder, New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers that went down this week was the second major trade of the season, and signaled the beginning of trade rumors in earnest. At this point in the year teams can recognize whether they're in the mix or not, and identify trades that can help them reach their goals.
Some teams are hamstrung by bad deals, however. Certain player contracts are simply too onerous to move and keep their franchises in limbo. Here are the Top 5 such contracts in the NBA today.
5. Brook Lopez, C Brooklyn Nets
The Nets are in salary cap hell. Lopez might well be the best offensive center in the NBA but his health risks, and big price tag mean he will be in Brooklyn until the end of next year. Lopez is often talked about as a major trade chip, and he was almost moved for Dwight Howard once upon a time, but his injury woes can't be ignored.
Lopez lasted just 17 games last year, and in the 2011-12 campaign he made it to Game 5. He has missed eight games this season already, and doesn't always start anymore. The height of his value is long gone, and now the Nets just have to ride it out and keep him upright as long as possible.
4. David Lee, PF Golden State Warriors
David Lee kind of seems like a dinosaur these days when the Warriors are running and gunning to the NBA's best record. He's playing just 18 minutes a night as Golden State chugged along while he recovered from injury, and his traditional style is not as snug a fit in the 3-point crazy NBA as it used to be.
He's not ideal as a backup center to Andrew Bogut either-he has the size to back up the Warrior's defensive MVP, but Lee struggles as a post defender and offers little rim protection. At $15 million a year for this season and next Lee isn't going anywhere.
3. Eric Gordon, SG New Orleans Pelicans
Gordon is owed $30 million over through next season, and he hasn't played since late November. Gordon's been incredibly injury-prone during his NBA career, and even when he's playing he hasn't helped New Orleans much. This season in 13 games Gordon is scoring 9.2 points per game and shooting just 31 percent from 3-point range, which is supposed to be his strong suit.
Gordon is one-dimensional as well, averaging 3.2 assists for his career, offering little help on the glass, and even showing a decline in his free throw shooting. This signing, coupled with an ill-fated deal for Tyreke Evans, are limiting the Pelicans' upside despite Anthony Davis emerging as a superstar.
2. Deron Williams, PG Brooklyn Nets
I did say the Brooklyn Nets are in salary cap hell and one of the main culprits is point guard Deron Williams, a 30-year-old fading star whose career has been hurt badly by injuries.
When the Nets traded for Williams he was viewed as a peer of Chris Paul, and thought to be a championship-caliber leading man. He was re-upped in 2012 with the hopes of returning to his Utah Jazz form, but he's failed to regain his explosiveness.
This year he's averaging 14.4 points and 6.5 assists, numbers in line with his 2013 output when he was replaced as the team's primary playmaker by Shaun Livingston. Williams is still owed some $62 million through 2016, so despite rumors of point guard hungry clubs eyeballing D-Will, his deal is untradeable.
1. Kobe Bryant, SG Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers star might be one of the biggest athletes in the entire world, but at 36 years old his value on the court has likely never been lower. Kobe's dropping 23.6 points a game, an undoubtedly impressive number at his age, but he has required 21 shots a night to get there.
Many Lakers units without Kobe have scored more efficiently than with him, and it can't be ignored that he'll make $23.5 million this season and $25 million next year.
On top of all that, Kobe's leadership style has come under fire. He has been very demonstrative with his teammates this year, and was blamed largely for creating an atmosphere Dwight Howard couldn't wait to get away from.
The 2014-15 version of Kobe may put butts in the seats, but he hasn't translated into victories.
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