A trade incentive is a contractual provision that compensates an NBA player a bonus when he is traded. This is a tool that teams can use to set apart their offers to free agents from those offered by other teams – or to encourage a player to agree to an extension before hitting free agency.
Sometimes the incentive is worth a fixed amount, but more commonly it is calculated as a percentage of the remaining value of the contract. Therefore, a player with a 10% trade incentive is entitled to a bonus worth 10% of the amount of money remaining on his contract (excluding an option year).
Regardless of whether a trade incentive is set at a fixed amount or a percentage, the bonus cannot exceed 15% of the remaining value of the contract. Most trade incentives are set at 15%, the maximum percentage allowed.
A trade bonus must be paid by the team that trades the player, not the team acquiring him. The current Collective Bargaining Agreement also allows a player to waive part or all of his trade bonus as part of a contract, if he chooses to do so.
For a more in-depth understanding of how trade incentives operate, consult the Hoops Rumors Glossary entry on the subject.
Below is a list of NBA players who have active trade incentives for the 2024/25 season, listed alphabetically, along with details of those trade bonuses:
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks (15%)
- OG Anunoby, Knicks (15%)
- Desmond Bane, Grizzlies (15%)
- Nicolas Batum, Clippers (15%)
- Jalen Brunson, Knicks (10%)
- Jimmy Butler, Heat (15%)
- Anthony Davis, Lakers (15%)
- Draymond Green, Warriors (15%)
- James Harden, Clippers (15%)
- Al Horford, Celtics (15% or $500K, whichever is lower)
- Brandon Ingram, Pelicans (15%)
- Kyrie Irving, Mavericks (15%)
- LeBron James, Lakers (15%)
- Derrick Jones, Clippers (5%)
- Kyle Kuzma, Wizards (15%)
- Zach LaVine, Bulls (15%)
- Naji Marshall, Mavericks (5%)
- Caleb Martin, Sixers (15%)
- Kevin Porter Jr., Clippers (15%)
- Bobby Portis, Bucks (15%)
- Julius Randle, Knicks (15%)
- Austin Reaves, Lakers (15%)
- Jayson Tatum, Celtics (15%)
- Klay Thompson, Mavericks (15%)
- Matisse Thybulle, Trail Blazers (15%)
- Derrick White, Celtics (15%)
The following players have trade bonuses in their contracts, but these bonuses would be voided if they were traded during the 2024/25 season, as they are already earning the maximum salary this season:
- LaMelo Ball, Hornets (15%)
- Devin Booker, Suns (10%)
- Jaylen Brown, Celtics (7% or $7MM, whichever is lower)
- Stephen Curry, Warriors (15%)
- Luka Doncic, Mavericks (15%)
- Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves (15%)
- Darius Garland, Cavaliers (15%)
- Paul George, Sixers (15%)
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder (15%)
- Tyrese Haliburton, Pacers (15%)
- Nikola Jokic, Nuggets (15%)
- Kawhi Leonard, Clippers (15%)
- Ja Morant, Grizzlies (15%)
- Fred VanVleet, Rockets (15%)
- Trae Young, Hawks (15%)
Image Source: Draymond Green @ Instagram
