Understanding Current 2023 NBA Trade Restrictions

Scott Allen
Scott Allen, ContributorJanuary 01, 2023
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CANNOT BE TRADED UNTIL JANUARY 15

Players who signed free agent contracts with Bird or Early Bird rights who re-signed with their prior team + that team was over the cap + player received a salary raise greater than 20% are not eligible to be traded until January 15, 2023. 

Nicolas Claxton (BKN)

Nicolas Claxton signed a 2 year $17.25 million contract on July 7, 2022.

Cody Martin (CHA)

Cody Martin signed a 4 year $31.36 million contract on July 6, 2022.

Kevon Looney (GSW)

Kevon Looney signed a 3 year $22.5 million contract on July 10, 2022.

Jae’Sean Tate (HOU)

Jae’Sean Tate signed a 3 year $20.63 million contract on July 6, 2022.

Nicolas Batum (LAC)

Nicolas Batum signed a 2 year $22.55 million contract on July 6, 2022.

Tyus Jones (MEM)

Tyus Jones signed a 2 year $29 million contract on July 6, 2022.

Victor Oladipo (MIA)

Victor Oladipo signed a 2 year $18.2 million contract on July 6, 2022.

Caleb Martin (MIA)

Caleb Martin signed a 2 year $20.4 million contract on July 6, 2022.

Dewayne Dedmon (MIA)

Dewayne Dedmon signed a 2 year $9.02 million contract on July 6, 2022.

Bobby Portis (MIL)

Bobby Portis signed a 4 year $48.58 million contract on July 6, 2022.

Mitchell Robinson (NYK)

Mitchell Robinson signed a 4 year $60 million contract on July 12, 2022.

Luguentz Dort (OKC)

Luguentz Dort signed a 5 year $82.5 million contract on July 6, 2022.

Mohamed Bamba (ORL)

Mohamed Bamba signed a 2 year $20.6 million contract on July 7, 2022.

Deandre Ayton (PHX)

Deandre Ayton signed a 4 year $132.93 million contract on July 18, 2022.

Anfernee Simons (POR)

Anfernee Simons signed a 4 year $100 million contract on July 6, 2022.

Chris Boucher (TOR)

Chris Boucher signed a 3 year $35.25 million contract on July 7, 2022.

CANNOT BE TRADED DURING REGULAR SEASON

Players that signed a free agent contract after November 9, 2022 or a veteran extension contract after August 9, 2022 are legally and contractually unable to be traded at any point during the regular season. Free agent signings come with a 3-month trade restriction from the day of signing. Certain veteran extension signings, that are above the extend-and-trade rules, come with a 6-month trade restriction. Players that signed one of these contracts after those specific dates listed above would have their trade restriction lifted beyond the NBA Trade Deadline on February 9th. 

Therefore, these players…

  • Cannot be traded during the regular season at all, 
  • Team/player cannot negotiate a trade,
  • Player cannot request a trade,
  • Team cannot force a trade,
  • They cannot be traded for any reason, 
  • Period

For example, LeBron James purposefully signed his veteran contract extension on August 18 knowing he would be unable to be traded at any point during the 2022-23 NBA regular season. LeBron cannot request a trade. LeBron and the Lakers cannot negotiate a trade. The Lakers cannot go behind his back and trade him without his consent. 

LeBron James (LAL)

LeBron James signed a 2 year, $97.13 million veteran contract extension on August 18, 2022. 

What is his trade restriction date?

February 18, 2022. 

This comes AFTER the February 9th NBA Trade Deadline. He cannot be traded during the 2022-23 regular season.

When can James actually/legally be traded? 

If you want to talk about hypotheticals of trading LeBron James, he can technically be traded (a) immediately after the last 2022-23 NBA regular season game if the Lakers are eliminated from Play-In or Playoff, or (b) immediately after the Lakers are eliminated from the Play-In or Playoffs. The Lakers’ last regular season game is April 9, 2023; therefore the earliest LeBron could be traded is April 10, 2023.

For salary matching purposes, LeBron’s 2022-23 salary of $44.47 million would be used instead of the 2023-24 salary. However, the Lakers are only allowed to have a trade partner (or partners) with teams that are in a similar situation of already being eliminated from the NBA playoffs.

Kemba Walker (DAL)

Kemba Walker signed a 1 year, $2.2 million minimum salary free agent contract on November 29, 2022. 

What is his trade restriction date?

March 1, 2023. 

This comes AFTER the February 9th NBA Trade Deadline. He cannot be traded during the 2022-23 regular season.

Maxi Kleber (DAL)

Maxi Kleber signed a 3 year, $33 million veteran contract extension on September 8, 2022. 

What is his trade restriction date?

March 8, 2023. 

This comes AFTER the February 9th NBA Trade Deadline. He cannot be traded during the 2022-23 regular season.

When can Kleber actually/legally be traded? 

He cannot be traded until (a) immediately after the last 2022-23 NBA regular season game if the Mavericks are eliminated from Play-In or Playoff, or (b) immediately after the Mavericks are eliminated from the Play-In or Playoffs.

Stanley Johnson (SAS)

Stanley Johnson signed a 1 year, $1.67 million minimum salary free agent contract on December 13, 2022. 

What is his trade restriction date?

March 13, 2023. 

This comes AFTER the February 9th NBA Trade Deadline. He cannot be traded during the 2022-23 regular season.

C.J. McCollum (NOP)

C.J. McCollum signed a 2 year, $64 million veteran contract extension on September 26, 2022. 

What is his trade restriction date?

March 26, 2023. 

This comes AFTER the February 9th NBA Trade Deadline. He cannot be traded during the 2022-23 regular season.

When can McCollum actually/legally be traded? 

He cannot be traded until (a) immediately after the last 2022-23 NBA regular season game if the Pelicans are eliminated from Play-In or Playoff, or (b) immediately after the Pelicans are eliminated from the Play-In or Playoffs.

Dean Wade (CLE)

C.J. McCollum signed a 3 year, $18.5 million veteran contract extension on September 27, 2022. 

What is his trade restriction date?

March 27, 2023. 

This comes AFTER the February 9th NBA Trade Deadline. He cannot be traded during the 2022-23 regular season.

When can Wade actually/legally be traded? 

He cannot be traded until (a) immediately after the last 2022-23 NBA regular season game if the Cavaliers are eliminated from Play-In or Playoff, or (b) immediately after the Cavaliers are eliminated from the Play-In or Playoffs.

Larry Nance Jr. (NOP)

C.J. McCollum signed a 3 year, $18.5 million veteran contract extension on October 3, 2022. 

What is his trade restriction date?

April 4, 2023. 

This comes AFTER the February 9th NBA Trade Deadline. He cannot be traded during the 2022-23 regular season.

When can Nance actually/legally be traded? 

He cannot be traded until (a) immediately after the last 2022-23 NBA regular season game if the Pelicans are eliminated from Play-In or Playoff, or (b) immediately after the Pelicans are eliminated from the Play-In or Playoffs.

Andrew Wiggins (GSW)

Andrew Wiggins signed a 4 year, $109 million veteran contract extension on October 15, 2022. 

What is his trade restriction date?

April 15, 2023. 

This comes AFTER the February 9th NBA Trade Deadline. He cannot be traded during the 2022-23 regular season.

When can Wiggins actually/legally be traded? 

He cannot be traded until (a) immediately after the last 2022-23 NBA regular season game if the Warriors are eliminated from Play-In or Playoff, or (b) immediately after the Warriors are eliminated from the Play-In or Playoffs.

CANNOT BE TRADED UNTIL JULY 2023

The following players signed super-max contract extensions during the 2022 offseason. By signing this type of contract these players are unable to be traded for 1 year from the date they signed the extension.

Devin Booker (PHX)

Devin Booker signed an estimated 4 year, $224.22 million super-max contract extension on July 6, 2022. 

When could Booker legally be traded?

July 6, 2023. 

Booker signed a super-max contract with Phoenix which comes with a 1-year trade restriction.

Karl-Anthony Towns (MIN)

Karl-Anthony Towns signed an estimated 4 year, $224.22 million super-max contract extension on July 7, 2022. 

When could Towns legally be traded?

July 7, 2023. 

Towns signed a super-max contract with Minnesota which comes with a 1-year trade restriction.

Nikola Jokic (DEN)

Devin Booker signed an estimated 5 year, $272 million super-max contract extension on July 8, 2022. 

When could Jokic legally be traded?

July 8, 2023. 

Jokic signed a super-max contract with Denver which comes with a 1-year trade restriction.

CAN BE TRADED, BUT HIGHLY UNLIKELY

The following players signed rookie scale extensions during the 2022 NBA offseason. 

When could these players legally be traded?

Anytime, however…

Players that sign rookie scale extensions come with a “Poison Pill” limitation that is placed on their contracts until July 1, 2023. This limitation makes it highly unlikely that any of these players would be traded because the mathematical formula for salary matching purposes treats these player’s salaries differently than a standard player without this limitation. 

De'Andre Hunter (ATL)

De’Andre Hunter signed a 4 year, $90 million contract on October 17, 2022.

Darius Garland (CLE)

Darius Garland signed a 5 year, $194.3 million contract on July 8, 2022.

Jordan Poole (GSW)

Jordan Poole signed a 5 year, $128 million contract on October 15, 2022.

Kevin Porter Jr. (HOU)

Jordan Poole signed a 4 year, $63.44 million contract on October 17, 2022.

Ja Morant (MEM)

Ja Morant signed a 5 year, $194.3 million contract on July 6, 2022.

Brandon Clarke (MEM)

Brandon Clarke signed a 4 year, $50 million contract on October 16, 2022.

Tyler Herro (MIA)

Tyler Herro signed a 4 year, $120 million contract on October 2,  2022.

Zion Williamson (NOP)

Zion Williamson signed a 5 year, $194.3 million contract on July 6, 2022.

R.J. Barrett (NYK)

Ja Morant signed a 4 year, $107 million contract on September 1, 2022.

Nassir Little (POR)

Ja Morant signed a 4 year, $28 million contract on October 17, 2022.


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