The 5 most valuable transfer assets for the upcoming NBA market

With free agency practically exhausted at this point in the NBA summer, teams still looking to adjust their rosters for the upcoming training camps, starting in two months, must fully turn to the trade market.

In that context, Zach Buckley (Bleacher Report) has put together a ranking of the five most valuable trade assets of the moment. Here's a rundown:

1. Jared McCain, Philadelphia 76ers

The 21-year-old shooting guard was having a spectacular rookie season before getting injured after just 23 games played. He was averaging 15.3 points and shooting a notable 38.3% from three-point range. Despite missing nearly 60 games, he finished seventh in the Rookie of the Year voting, a clear indication of his impact.

It would almost be sacrilegious to discuss trading him in Philadelphia, but Buckley raises doubts about his long-term fit alongside Tyrese Maxey, given he is another scoring guard with defensive limitations. Additionally, the Sixers have just added the #3 overall pick in the draft, VJ Edgecombe, who is coming to compete for his spot.

McCain's potential for the future is undeniable, but if Philly wants to take advantage of an open Eastern Conference (with Boston and Indiana out of the picture due to Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton's Achilles injuries, respectively), a McCain trade could bring back a package of players that could allow them to compete immediately.

2. Two unprotected first-round picks from the Suns (2027 and 2029), held by the Houston Rockets

The Suns have already parted ways with Kevin Durant and waived Bradley Beal. Although Devin Booker remains a star, it's hard to imagine any other destination for Phoenix than the bottom of the standings in the coming years.

Houston holds their first-rounders for 2027 and 2029, both without protection. Buckley describes them as "absurdly valuable.” They are key pieces for the Rockets to pull the trigger on a trade that could position them as true title contenders.

3. Kel'el Ware, Miami Heat

The 2.13m athletic young center has been untouchable this summer. Miami refused to include him even in negotiations for Kevin Durant. But, according to Buckley, that doesn't mean an offer couldn't come in strong enough to force the team to reconsider.

“There is almost certainly a proposal generous enough for the Heat to consider letting Ware go, although it would have to be substantial,” he writes.

4. Ron Holland II, Detroit Pistons

Selected fifth overall in the last draft, Holland played all 81 games of the season with the Pistons, averaging over 15 minutes per night. This month, he shined in the Summer League, where he was one of the top players in the tournament.

A Detroit executive even said, “Have you seen anyone better than Ron?... As a rookie, he got better every day. Now he's going to explode.”

Despite that enthusiasm, Buckley wonders if the Pistons would be willing to move him to get Cade Cunningham a true star partner.

5. 2028 first-round pick (from the Clippers), held by the 76ers

Back to Philadelphia, still figuring out how to build a present team. This pick originally belonged to the Clippers and could be extremely valuable in three years.

By 2028, Kawhi Leonard will be 37, James Harden 38, Bradley Beal 35, and their recent additions—Brook Lopez and Chris Paul—will likely be retired (at 40 and 43 years old, respectively). At best, the Clippers will be in a clear rebuilding phase, turning that selection into a potential draft gem.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Los 5 activos de traspaso más valiosos para el próximo mercado NBA