There’s something discomfiting about discussing NBA player value. Good roster-building strategy requires thinking in terms of an “asset” that consists of a player’s on-court contribution, his contract and salary cap effects, along with intangibles such as how hard he practices, how well he gets along with others, how much he cares about winning, etc. etc. Yet at the same time these are human beings, with thoughts, emotions, loves, losses, and everything else that comes along with our shared humanity.
I make this rather obvious point by way of apology. It is my intention to discuss the value of NBA assets.