US media ranks top 10 trade assets: Sheppard and Amen both listed, Bucks' 2027 first-round pick tops the list

The 2026 NBA offseason shook the league's foundation, but everyone knows that just one more blockbuster trade could trigger a new wave of chain reactions. US media outlet Bleacher Report (BR) today lists the most likely assets to appear in the next earth-shattering trade.

Note that BR is not discussing the core franchise players in a trade, and does not consider young superstars who can fetch a huge return, such as Victor Wembanyama.Players who have already reached MVP level are also not in the discussion, so players like Nikola Jokić and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are directly excluded. This article focuses on: the draft picks and young players that any team must put on the negotiating table when trying to acquire a top superstar. The following are the top 10 trade assets revealed in reverse order——

10. Reed Sheppard | Rockets

If Reed Sheppard lives up to the expectations of his supporters next season, the idea of listing him as a trade asset might seem foolish. Many fans inside and outside Houston believe that the former No. 2 pick has not yet received a fair opportunity from head coach Ime Udoka; this sharpshooting guard only needs to take another step forward to become a star.

Many opposing teams looking to trade away their own superstars likely hold the same view.

Sheppard has a 39.4% three-point shooting percentage and constantly creates disruptions on defense, which is also the trait of a two-way player highly regarded in data model systems during his college days. The Kentucky product is only 22 years old and can produce 18.6 points, 4.6 assists, and 2 steals per 36 minutes, showing clear signs of potential to become a star.

If he develops playmaking ability and learns to handle defensive schemes tailored against him, Sheppard has the full potential to become a star. Even if he only maintains efficient shooting and continues to contribute steals, he is enough to be a quality starter.

9. Warriors' 2029 first-round pick

Except for the protection on the 2030 first-round pick in the 21-30 range, the Warriors hold all their future first-round picks.

Considering the age and contract situation of the current core roster, the 2029 pick is in a sweet spot: it is not too far away to be full of unknowns, yet not so close that the value is lowered due to the current competitiveness of the roster.

By then, Stephen Curry and others will likely have faded from the core stage, and this 2029 first-round pick will become the key asset that other teams demand when the Warriors want to trade for a top star.

Curry's current contract expires after the 2026-27 season, but he is very likely to sign an extension for two more years. Head coach Steve Kerr's contract runs through 2028, and Draymond Green's contract expires at the end of this season. Overall, what people value most is naturally this draft pick that is most secure in terms of timeline after Curry retires or moves to another team.

8. Cason Wallace | Thunder

Chet Holmgren would have had a chance to be on the list, but he has already signed a max rookie extension, making him more of a high-paid core player than a pure trade asset.

Wallace will soon reach his extension point. Currently, this 22-year-old defensive stopper has a salary of only $7.4 million this season, and his cap hold before the 2027 free agency is $22.3 million.

Teams that want to acquire Wallace as a return asset in a star trade should act quickly. The Thunder's offseason moves are mainly aimed at reducing luxury tax pressure, and the departures of Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins, Isaiah Joe, etc., have cleared the competition for wing rotation minutes.

Wallace will get plenty of playing time and is expected to have a breakout season, setting new personal highs. He averaged 8.6 points and 1.9 steals last season, and breaking these records next season is almost a certainty. He even has a chance to surpass his All-Defensive Second Team honor from 2025-26 and aim for First Team.

Any team that trades for him knows that they will need to offer him a lucrative extension in the future.

7. Nuggets' 2032 unprotected first-round pick

Nikola Jokić might sign the richest max extension in history next summer, officially fulfilling his commitment to stay with the Nuggets; of course, there is also the possibility of not extending.

Regardless of the outcome, the 2032 unprotected first-round pick that the Nuggets sent to the Nets in the 2025 trade for Michael Porter Jr. will be quite valuable.

By the time this pick is conveyed, whether Jokić has left the team or is still with the Nuggets on a high salary entering his decline phase (which he deserves), it will be hard for the Nuggets to avoid a decline in strength six years later. Although it is far from being realized and full of uncertainty, it is obvious that the Nuggets will likely no longer be a championship contender in the early part of the next decade, making this pick very attractive.

Jokić can keep the Nuggets competitive until his mid-30s, but this pick will be conveyed after the season when Jokić is 36 years old.

The only scenario that could diminish this pick's value: the Nuggets trade Jokić for a haul of draft assets to start a rebuild, and that rebuilding core becomes a new powerhouse by the 2031-32 season. This possibility is real, which is why this asset cannot be ranked higher.

6. Kings' 2031 first-round pick swap right

For a long time, betting that the Kings cannot produce consistent good results has often paid off.

Compared to the Nuggets' pick, this pick is conveyed a year earlier, and with the Kings' front office prone to mistakes, this asset becomes even more attractive. The worst-case scenario is that the Kings finish last in the 2030-31 season, increasing the pick's value; in contrast, if the team makes the playoffs, it would lower the pick's value, which is not something to worry about.

This pick currently belongs to the San Antonio Spurs. Given the Spurs' talent and upward momentum, holding this asset seems almost like a natural advantage.

Ironically, this asset might be exactly what the Spurs need to offload the big contract of former Kings star De'Aaron Fox; of course, the Spurs could also use it in various other trades. It seems the Spurs are not in urgent need of another superstar, but who can predict the team's roster landscape five years from now?

Kings-related draft assets are among the few in the league that are widely recognized as having long-term value retention.

5. Amen Thompson | Rockets

Amen Thompson has already been named to the All-Defensive First Team, giving him a high floor that makes him a stable starter on most teams. However, his offensive shortcomings and the uncertainty of his ultimate role make him more suitable as a trade asset than an untouchable core player at this point.

To put it bluntly, Thompson's shooting ability is poor. It's easy to exaggerate when talking about his jump shot, but the numbers don't lie: last season he shot only 21.8% on wide-open threes and 36.3% on mid-range shots from 8-16 feet, making him one of the worst shooters in the league.

Even so, Thompson averaged 18.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 5.3 assists last season, still contributing consistently for the Rockets.

But if he never develops an outside threat, everything will be greatly diminished. Playoff opponents will completely leave him open and target him to limit his effectiveness; if the Rockets insist on keeping him on the floor, their offensive system will suffer greatly.

This risk is currently borne by the Rockets, but it comes with Thompson's huge upside. If he develops his shooting, he will immediately enter the discussion for All-NBA teams. If other teams are more optimistic about Thompson's ceiling than the Rockets, it is entirely possible to use him as a core piece to trade for a seasoned veteran superstar.

4. Timberwolves' 2031 first-round pick

This pick is unprotected. For the next five years, the Timberwolves cannot control their own first-round pick, and this pick falls at the end of that period; the pick ultimately goes to the Kings (finally some good news for the Kings), and it will be conveyed after the season when Anthony Edwards is 29 years old.

Ant is high-volume from three, and compared to other players who rely on explosive athleticism, his decline is likely to be more gradual. But by the time the pick is conveyed, he will be in his 11th NBA season. Last season he played only 61 games, and knee concerns are starting to surface; his remarkable durability from the first five years of his career may be fading.

All of these assessments are based on the assumption that Edwards is still with the Timberwolves in 2031. The Timberwolves just made a big bet on LaMelo Ball, and while the trade's offensive potential is enticing, it also brings significant uncertainty and injury risk.

Five years from now, the situation in Minnesota could completely collapse.

3. Suns' 2029 first-round pick

The Phoenix Suns are very good at mortgaging future assets, so many of the future draft picks they have sent out are eligible to compete for the most valuable trade assets in the league.

It's no exaggeration to say that if you split up all the picks the Suns have sent out, just those picks alone could fill most of the top five spots on this list.

The Suns' 2027 first-round pick sent to the Rockets, the 2031 first-round pick sent to the Grizzlies, and the 2033 first-round pick sent to the Hornets are all quality assets.

This article selects the 2029 pick (ultimately going to the Rockets or Nets) because: Booker's extension locks up the team's salary cap, significantly limiting the Suns' flexibility for the next five years, and this pick falls right in the middle of that period.

Coupled with the talent gap from being unable to add fresh blood through the draft for several years (don't forget the Suns also owe pick swaps in 2028 and 2030), the Suns' record in the 2028-29 season could very well hit rock bottom.

2. Stephon Castle | Spurs

Wembanyama limited his rookie max extension to 25% of the cap, aiming to give the Spurs as much roster-building flexibility as possible. It is widely believed that this concession was made to facilitate the team's future retention of Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle.

Seeing Castle on this list might be confusing: he is not going to be traded right now, and judging by Wembanyama's choice, the Spurs are inclined to keep him for a long time.

But if the Spurs want to continue upgrading the roster to chase the championship that was just out of reach last season, the possibility of Castle being put on the trade block is undoubtedly higher than Harper.

Otherwise, Harper, who is only entering his second season and has the potential to be the team's primary offensive option, would have no doubt topped this list.

Castle's offensive polish is not as good as Harper's, and his shooting weakness is more pronounced. But he has great explosiveness, physical toughness, elite-level defense, and an endless competitive fire. He is the Spurs' second-best trade asset, and his own ability is enough to serve as a core piece to drive a blockbuster trade for a superstar.

1. Bucks' 2027 first-round pick

The New Orleans Pelicans theoretically should not casually sell off high-value draft assets, but as long as they offer this pick, the Pelicans can participate in almost any trade negotiation in the league.

The Bucks previously traded Giannis Antetokounmpo and received multiple useful rotation players in return, so the Bucks' record in the 2026-27 season is unlikely to be in the bottom three of the league, ensuring that this pick sent to the Pelicans retains good value.

Rule explanation: The Pelicans will receive the better of their own and the Bucks' 2027 first-round picks; the Hawks will receive the worse of the two picks, with top-1-4 protection.

Under the new lottery rules, the Pelicans' own 2027 first-round pick might have similar value to the Bucks' pick, but the Eastern Conference is more competitive, and the Pelicans' current roster has some talent, so the Bucks' pick has a higher floor and upside overall.