The addage in the NBA is that a team can't win a title without a superstar, making the best players in the league that much more important to their respective teams. With that in mind, here are the seven most untradeable players in the league today:
7) Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers
Griffin continues to be one of the most underrated and under appreciated players in the league, and in my opinion, is more indispensible to the Clippers than teammate Chris Paul. He averaged 23.2 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game while shooting over 50 percent from the field.
He serves as Los Angeles' secondary ball-handler and playmaker (as a 6'10", 251 lbs. big man), has range that extends all the way to the three-point line (40 percent from deep), is still the most dominant dunker in the league, and is the NBA's best post scorer with a wide array of moves. He lands on this list because of how many things he does well for the Clippers.
6) Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder
Westbrook (24.2 ppg, 9.7 apg, 7.1 rpg) is a triple-double machine that is unlike any other player we have ever seen. He's the most athletic player in NBA history (yes, I said it), and plays with unmatched ferocity and intensity. Critics point to the multitude of shots he takes as a point guard, but with unmatched speed and quickness, a good three-point shot, deadly pull-up jumper, and insane finishing ability, it's easy to see why Westbrook has become one of the best players in the NBA.
5) Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs
The reigning Defensive Player of the Year has drasticall improved offensively (20.2 ppg), but his defensive is every bit as good as it's always been. On top of averaging 1.9 steals per game, Leonard has the ability to completely shut down the opposing team's best player, and has continued to do so this year. Finally, he is now a true superstar and is challenging LeBron James as the best all-around player in the league.
4) LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
LeBron has put up a good stat line to this point, averaging 25.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game this year while carrying an injured Cavs team to the best record in the Eastern Conference. He's no longer the unquestioned best player in the world, but he's still in the conversation - and putting up eye-popping numbers every single night.
3) Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder
Durant has returned to his dominant ways this season, showing no ill effects from the various foot injuries that limited him to just 27 games last year. KD has missed seven games with an injury (one game for rest) and the Thunder are just 3-4 in the that time, but they're 26-8 with him on the floor. He's playing more efficiently than he ever has before (28.47 PER) while still putting up amazing numbers (26.5 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 4.4 apg) and shooting 51.7 percent from the field.
2) Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
1) Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans
Davis has struggled with injuries all year, but he has still put up 23.1 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game. Don't forget, he had a historic season in 2014-15 (his third in the league), posting 24.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks per game with a league-leading 31.0 PER and 8.43 wins probability added. Those last two numbers can only be compared to some of the greatest players of all time, and Davis is just scratching the surface of how good he can be - remember, he's only 22 years old.
Already a dominant shot blocker with an unlimited amount of athleticism and an array of post moves, head coach Alvin Genty has been working with Davis on expanding his range out to the three-point line.
Simply put: Anthony Davis can already do everything on the court at an elite level, and he's only getting better.
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