Why NBA Superstars are NOT being traded…
#nba
The NBA trade landscape has shifted dramatically from the era where teams would blindly surrender five first-round picks for a single superstar. Today, front offices and fanbases have become increasingly savvy, realizing that simply adding talent doesn’t guarantee wins and can even “subtract wins” if the player’s personality or playstyle ruins the team’s “vibe”. Modern fans are often more invested in watching their young core develop—such as Jaden Ivey in Detroit or Reed Sheppard in Houston—than they are in trading for an aging or polarizing star who might sit out games or demand a trade mid-contract.
This new era favors “calculated moves” over raw star power, as seen in the successful trades for Desmond Bane, Mikal Bridges, and Rudy Gobert. While these deals initially confused some observers due to the high price in draft picks, they were successful because the players were specific fits for their new rosters—whether it was Bridges playing with his Villanova teammates or Gobert anchoring the Timberwolves’ defense. These teams weren’t just hoarding talent; they were making sacrifices to fix specific roster problems.
In contrast, traditional superstars like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Trae Young now find themselves in a stagnant market. Despite their immense talent, the high asking price from teams like the Milwaukee Bucks—who are desperate to recoup assets after years of roster turnover—has created a deadlock where no one is willing to bite. Similarly, Trae Young’s polarizing style and recent injuries have lowered his stock, leaving teams afraid of committing to a Trae-centric offense for the next five years.
Even when teams do make big moves for veteran stars, the results can be short-sighted. The Golden State Warriors’ trade for Jimmy Butler on February 6, 2025, served as a desperate attempt to maximize Steph Curry’s window, but it left the team with an expensive extension for a player whose production may not match his pay as he enters his late 30s. Ultimately, the league is moving toward a “circle of life” approach, where success belongs to the teams that embrace their new, young players and move on from the aging superstars of the past.
44 Comments
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Corndogs back on the menu fellas!
0:48 Brooklyn Nets in a nutshell
Teams aren’t making those big trades bc 1. Giannis hasn’t asked out yet, and Trae hasn’t been shopped 2. A select few of teams Utah, Brooklyn, OKC hold about 30-40% of all future draft picks so there’s not many teams out there with a lot of picks who want to make an all in move
Damn good video
I think that people don't want to see their team trade for AD because he's constantly injured again. Another reason stars got traded was Nets wanted KG and Pierce because of a new owner, same as LA Clippers with Kawhi and George. The Suns same, new owner and traded for Durant and lol… Beal.
Being a suns fan, I am so hesitant about any trades after the KD debacle. I was worried it was gonna be like when we got Shaq, and it was. Possibly worse. At least this current roster is so fun to watch.
10:30 It was supposed to be Poole man, but Draymond ruined that like he did everything else
i was feining for a new EP from the show
I don’t understand NBA GMs. Role players Bane and Bridges go for 4 and 5 picks, while Luka and KD went for 1. It’s a role players league now I guess.
Bro your voice soothes me lol
First like then watch
just because you get a max deal, doesnt mean you are a max player…and some guys coast after getting it, stop doing the things that got them there cough ja *cough*, teams dont want to throw around max's that are not max's anymore, the cap says so
I love a good breast metaphor. Bravo, sir!
Watch how you say late 30s… punk.
giannis would be great with those briges picks
10:35 it was supposed to be jordan poole😪
10:41 Jordan Poole????😂
The Giannis segment makes NO sense. I'm sorry. He hasn't requested a trade…
Trading mid season for a injury prone Superstar (ja, Zion, Melo, trae) that will take away assets and change chemistry, is it worthy to do? Especially when this guys are struggling and probably the other team wants a Lot.
I don't know who needs to hear this but we don't need annoying repetitive sound effects every 5 seconds
Ngl the Gobert trade did work
0:26 no we are not. we arent. do not put those words into the air.
Dope content. Interesting research and visual aids….
Im glad I came across this.. my warriors nee a retool, i was happy with Jonathan kumingas ascension,then suddenly things got weird with him and Steve Kerr..
I just wish mike dunleavy makes the right moves as a GM without emotions and build us a team around curry for 2 more years .
I probably just have Stockholm syndrome as a sixers fan, but to his credit PG has been playing really well so far this season. 200m well? No but it's better than it looked last year. Until he inevitably gets injured again. At this point I would rather keep PG and get rid of Embiid, but this video perfectly explains why that won't happen. Embiid just does not fit with the sixers young (and Drummond) core, which is a problem with a lot of these blockbuster trades. If you told me in 2023 that I would rather have Andre Drummond as a starting center than Joel Embiid I would throw up. But here we are. Not to mention Drummond is draining 3's at a 40% clip this year.. somehow.
Deaaron fox worked, but nobody was going to side with the kings and people like san antonio. Plus he stayed long enough i think
Bucks were cooked as soon as infamous duo, Doc Crying a River and Darvin Hamds in Pocket took over
Can you please make a video on why the New York Knicks are gonna win the championship this year
Since the cba has made fans embrace their role players more, does it mean it was successfull???
Danny Green mentioned 🫡
6:00 i appreciate you saying this. Too many people give him a pass when it's like, no, he purposefully tanked his trade value, quit on the team, pouted and sucked the energy out of the locker room, and had his agent tell teams that wouldnt pay him "enough" that he wasnt interested, tanking his value further. Primadonna diva move by someone with an ego far bigger than his on-court impact. Him getting traded was a beautiful day for the Heat, 22 belongs to Wiggins. Lets go Heat, trust in riley trust in spo, much love from the 305
11:07 sorry buddy already married LOL
Team Chemistry Matters.
No one wants old fart players.
Time for overpaid & overrated NBA DIVA'S TO BE HUMBLED. THE Paul George, Ben Simmons , etc types made people/ teams think twice about trading for Diva NBA players.
I know it’s a lot of work & editing however we need more than 1 video a week Sir … one of the best hoop channels
I live in NY but I never believed in the Knicks tbh. Melo trauma. However if they win then several of their trades to build this core become genius
It’s also the second apron. Every single executive has basically said “going over the second apron will obliterate your team”. So given that the NBA basically has a hard cap actually trading for huge contracts becomes way more complicated.
This is a damn great video
Naz Reid mentioned
I’ll marry you as long as I don’t have to get implants to try to save the relationship 😅
I mean, over and over it gets proven that there are no original thoughts, but then I watch a whatslaps video and I think, "This is way better analysis than I hear anywhere else. Is this dude like the Rain Man of watching basketball?"
Great video!!!