5 NBA players who definitely aren't getting traded this summer

5 NBA players who definitely aren’t getting traded this summer

By Ian Levy | May 22, 2018

HOUSTON, TX - APRIL 25: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the Minnesota Timberwolves walks to the court before Game Five of the first round of the 2018 NBA Playoffs against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on April 25, 2018 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) /

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CLEVELAND, OH – MAY 21: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers stands for the National Anthem before Game Four of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics during the 2018 NBA Playoffs on May 21, 2018 at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /

3. LeBron James

LeBron has a player option this summer and has all the leverage over pretty much every single team. Obviously, the Cavaliers couldn’t trade him outright but if he exercised his player option and let the team know he was leaving, the two sides could theoretically work out a sign-and-trade with whatever third-party LeBron chooses.

However, that rests on the assumption that a) LeBron will leave b) let the Cavaliers know in advance that he’s leaving and where he’s headed and c) be okay with his new team sending out assets that could theoretically help him win a title, out of some sort of loyalty obligation to Cleveland.

LeBron is as savvy a player as there is in the NBA. If he decides to leave Cleveland again, he will do so with full knowledge of what the PR costs will be and what it will do to his reputation in Ohio. But there’s just no way he’s going to self-sabotage to ease that pain. If he leaves it’s because he thinks he can win a title somewhere else. He won’t take any chances with that.

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