Who are the most valuable trade pieces on every team?

It is still too early to talk about trades for the 2026-27 NBA season. Even so, basketball fans who picture themselves in the general manager's chair cannot get enough of these topics.

Some teams are already weighing their roster moves seriously. The Golden State Warriors have to make a decision about Kristaps Porzingis. The Oklahoma City Thunder, meanwhile, need to look for reinforcements outside the roster because of the injuries they have suffered.

The piece will examine all 30 teams and identify the three most valuable assets each one could use in a trade. For this, it is assumed that the trade period ends tomorrow. For each team, the first question is whether it wants to acquire a big star or send away an important player along with draft rights. This evaluation becomes even harder for teams that could move into the buyer or seller role.

Excluding maximum and rookie-scale contracts, Nickeil Alexander-Walker may have the league's most valuable contract in terms of price and performance.

The Atlanta Hawks should absolutely not trade their top five players, who have developed into one of the league's best three-point shooters and contribute on both ends of the floor. However, a player performing at this level on a 15 million dollar annual salary could bring back a package similar in size to a Mikal Bridges trade. It is emphasized that if a team knocks on the door with three, four or even five first-round draft picks, Atlanta should listen to that offer.