When the Detroit Pistons landed Cade Cunningham with the first pick in the NBA Draft, they got a guy they can build around for the foreseeable future.
He’s a budding star on a rookie deal, which is one of the most valuable things in the NBA, similar to a star rookie QB in the NFL, as it allows the team to invest resources in the players around them while getting big production at a discount.
We’ve seen that just about anyone in the NBA can be traded, and no one is truly untouchable, but there are 11 guys who I’d say are pretty close.
They range from the MVP candidates who mean so much to their franchises and the cities they are in, the next group of potential MVP’s that are still on moderate (or incredibly low) contracts for their production and the next generation of stars who are still on their rookie deals.
Here are the NBA’s 11 untouchables, the guys whose teams wouldn’t trade them even for a king’s ransom. I had to leave a lot of great players off this list, as I just don’t see someone like Trae Young as “untouchable,” though fans of Atlanta may disagree.
Let’s start with the MVPs, guys who are on max or super max contracts but are earning every penny.
Cade Cunningham and the NBA’s untouchables
Stephen Curry: 34-years-old
Curry is the oldest player on this list and the guy making the most money, generally not a combination that leads to a player being untouchable. Even though he is older and set to make $59 million in 2025-26, there is no way the Warriors would trade him, as he is one of a handful of guys in the NBA who can pack an arena every night.
He’s not only one of the most popular players now, but one of the most popular of all time. The Warriors drafted him and even if it cost them double what they are paying now, Curry is going to retire a Warrior.
Joel Embiid: 28-years-old
This probably wasn’t true a few seasons ago, but Embiid has established himself as a legitimate MVP candidate and a guy who can carry a team to the playoffs. He’s not the draw that Curry is, but it’s hard to imagine the 76ers getting equal value for him in a trade unless they were getting one of the other guys on this list. Embiid is set to make $54 million in 2026-27, when he’ll be 33-years-old, so his combination of MVP-caliber play now coupled with the risk of that deal pretty much make him untradable. I’d say Embiid is on the shakiest ground of anyone in this tier.
Nikola Jokic: 27-years-old
Depending on which NBA fan you talk to, Jokic is either the most overrated or underrated player in the league. I lean towards the latter, as Jokic is another one of the players who can drag a terrible team to the playoffs, as he did this season. The only way I could see the Joker traded is if he got sick of not having a supporting cast in Denver and demanded out, but he doesn’t seem like the type to make such a demand. Jokic makes $32 million next season, a bargain for an MVP, but he’s about to get paid. Like, paid paid. Like, more money that many small countries, paid.
Giannis Antetokounmpo: 27-years-old
Giannis is the best player in the NBA in my opinion, a guy who is usually the best player on both ends, and hardly misses games.
His versatility makes him easy to build around, and he’s a really nice guy who fans love and who doesn’t seem to mind playing in a smaller market. To me, he’s the most untouchable player of this group, a guy who will be an MVP candidate for the foreseeable future.
Notable omissions: Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, LeBron James, Damian Lillard, Bradley Beal, James Harden, DeMar DeRozan, Paul George, Jimmy Butler, Kawhi Leonard, Anthony Davis