Overview of The 2026 NBA Trade Value List (Bill Simmons with Joe House — The Ringer)
Bill Simmons and Joe House record the annual Trade Value List live (Netflix/Spotify). The episode mixes breaking trade-deadline news (James Harden/Darius Garland chatter, Jaren Jackson Jr. trade, Conley/Ivey swap), a refresher on how they rank “trade value,” and a deep walk-through of their top-80 player list grouped by tiers. They explain the ranking rules, highlight surprising placements and omissions, and discuss the roster/contract implications for several teams (Cavs, Clippers, Memphis, Milwaukee, Minnesota, Spurs, Rockets, etc.).
Key headlines from the episode
- Harden ↔ Garland talk: Major reporting indicated a James Harden ↔ Darius Garland one-for-one trade was being discussed. As of their recording that deal felt likely — they discussed fit (Harden to Cavs, Garland to Clippers), durability (Harden durable, Garland injury concerns) and trade-kicker/Apron complications (Garland’s 15% trade kicker could complicate Cleveland’s payroll).
- Jaren Jackson Jr. trade (breaking during the show): Reported deal sends Jaren Jackson Jr. from Memphis to Utah. Memphis created a roughly $28.8M trade exception and reportedly amassed a large number of future firsts (cited as 13 over the next seven years). The move signals Memphis shifting into a heavier rebuild posture.
- Mike Conley / Jaden Ivey trade: Shams reported Jaden Ivey and Mike Conley Jr. to the Bulls, Dario Šarić and Kevin Huerter to the Pistons (with other protections/swaps). Minnesota shed Conley’s contract (about $10M) — more payroll flexibility.
- Giannis chatter: Bill argues some teams (including Cleveland) may try to land Giannis before the summer — payroll/apron mechanics mean some teams could try to make deals now, while others wait for summer clarity. He repeatedly flags concerns about Giannis’ calf durability.
How the Trade Value List works (rules & framework)
They reviewed the methodology — trade value is not pure talent; it’s “how tradable / how useful an asset is in trades” under contemporary NBA economics:
- Rule highlights:
- Salaries matter (especially with the “apron” rules).
- Age matters (younger = more valuable).
- Contract length/terms matter (bad long deals = lower trade value).
- Player happiness / willingness to be traded matters.
- Durability/availability matters.
- Real-world trade history and prior deals affect perceived market value.
- Think in “degrees” — how long would each side of a hypothetical phone call deliberate on a trade? Longer hang-ups = more trade power.
They expanded the list to a top-80 (largest list yet), grouped into alphabetic tiers (Group O up through Group A) with short characterizations for each tier (“Grab your stock now,” “valuable assets on great/horrific contracts,” “completely untouchable,” etc.).
Notable placements, trends and surprises
- Big-picture top 5 and top 10:
- Top 1: Victor Wembanyama
- #2: Nikola Jokic
- #3: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- #4: Anthony Edwards
- #5: Cooper Flagg
- Top 10 also includes Luka, Steph, Giannis, Tyrese Maxey, Cade Cunningham (Curry at #10, Giannis #9; Bill notes Giannis’ place is affected by trade uncertainty/durability).
- Cooper Flagg vaulted high (top-6) — Bill & House emphasize his rare rookie contract value + extraordinary on-court impact at age 19.
- Luka placed above many other stars (Luka #6) but Cooper Flagg was ranked ahead of him (#5); Bill and House debated how to weigh team-building around Luka vs. keeping an ultra-cheap superstar-on-rookie-deal like Flagg.
- Harden and Garland: both are on the list but far apart — Harden ended up in the mid-70s (#73) while Garland is higher (#65). Bill discussed how Cleveland/Clippers trade mechanics and trade-kicker complications interact with this.
- “Valuable assets on horrific contracts” (Group M): Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Davis, Joel Embiid were placed together — valuable players, but contracts (or durability) lower trade flexibility.
- Jaren Jackson Jr.: he was in top half pre-trade (he was listed in the 40–60 range), then was traded live on the pod — trade shifts the roster calculus for Memphis and Utah.
- Tough omissions: several young breakout names nearly made the top-80; Bill singled out the list’s difficult omissions and surprising snubs (e.g., some players people thought would rank higher due to upside/contract situations).
(They present many more mid-tier placements — the pod walks through groups O → A, with lots of examples: Anthony Black, Ace Bailey, Peyton Watson, Tari Eason, Dyson Daniels, Mikal Bridges, Brandon Ingram, Josh Giddey, Rudy Gobert, Alex Sarr, Keon Ellis, Reed Sheppard, Peyton Pritchard, LeBron, Zion, etc. — the episode is rich with granular ranking discussion.)
Team / roster implications & takeaways
- Cleveland:
- Could use trades to get under the second apron and pursue Giannis if they can shed salary (Lonzo, Max Strus expirings, Keon Ellis, etc.).
- Garland’s trade kicker and durability are central constraints in a Harden-for-Garland scenario.
- Clippers:
- If Garland were acquired they’d be younger and possibly deeper — Bill noted Harden/Clippers chemistry previously helped them for stretches, but Harden’s style is polarizing for fans.
- Memphis:
- The Jaren Jackson Jr. trade signals a rebuild: TPE (~$28.8M) and many future firsts (reported 13 picks) — Memphis prioritized cap flexibility and assets.
- Minnesota:
- Moving Conley cleared payroll and indicates roster shuffling — Minnesota remains an active Giannis suitor in Bill’s view (they’d likely assemble packages around players like D’Angelo Russell/others).
- Houston:
- Bill revisited Houston’s offseason choices (KD chase, asset use) and asked whether Houston would regret not pursuing Giannis earlier; he concluded it’s complicated and depends on injuries (e.g., Steven Adams) and foils.
- Spurs / young teams:
- Spurs’ timetable is shifting due to Wembanyama’s acceleration; Bill suggested San Antonio’s future decisions likely hinge on whether Wemby stays healthy and how they can construct a supporting cast quickly.
- Market mechanics:
- Apron, trade-kickers, and large guaranteed extensions are the dominant constraints — teams with rookie-contract assets are the most valuable trade chips in the current CBA era.
Notable quotes & host reactions (short excerpts / themes)
- "James Harden is durable; Garland is not" — weighing availability vs. talent for that proposed swap.
- Bill on watching Harden in person: “I cannot stand watching James Harden” — preference for different styles of basketball viewing.
- On Cooper Flagg: awe at his 19-year-old production and the value of an elite rookie contract (Bill: “I just can’t believe what we’re watching.”)
- On Victor Wembanyama: consensus as the top trade-value asset for combination of upside and uniqueness (but with durability/headlines caveat).
- On the trade-value exercise: "Think of it as two GMs on the phone — which side hangs up faster?" — helps conceptualize degrees of tradability.
What to watch (actionable items & timeline)
- Trade deadline: the immediate window (they referenced trades arriving Tuesday) — expect more deadline movement; watch the Thursday cutoff for final deals.
- Watch these teams closely:
- Cavaliers (Giannis interest / payroll moves)
- Clippers (Harden/possible Garland fit; playoff push)
- Memphis (post-JJJ rebuild assets / TPE usage)
- Utah (what Jaren Jackson Jr. will change for lineup)
- Bucks (Giannis decisions)
- Minnesota (salaries, Giannis pursuit)
- Rockets (are they sellers or buyers)
- Spurs (Wembanyama timeline & asset deployment)
- Injury/durability watch: Darius Garland (ankles/foot), Giannis’ calf issues, Joel Embiid availability, Victor Wembanyama long-term health.
- Market quirks to monitor: trade-kickers, apron thresholds, and newly created trade exceptions (TPEs) — these drive feasibility of big swaps.
Bottom line
- Bill & House used the pod to blend breaking trade news with a systematic top-80 trade-value ranking that emphasizes salary, age, contract terms, durability, and real-market precedents. Several live-breaking trades (Jaren Jackson Jr., Conley/Ivey-related moves) underscored how quickly the market moves and how much CBA mechanics matter. The biggest franchise-level takeaways: rookie-deal superstars (Cooper Flagg), generational prospects (Wembanyama), and top veterans with complicated contracts (Embiid, KAT, AD) will dominate team decision-making as the deadline and playoff races accelerate.
If you want a one-sentence snapshot: the episode is equal parts trade-deadline bulletin board and deep primer on how modern NBA contracts and the apron transform “trade value” — with Cooper Flagg, Wembanyama, Jokic, Shai, and Luka anchoring the top of the list, and several mid-tier stars downgraded by contract/durability realities.