What Makes Someone "Untouchable" in the NBA?
In NBA circles, "untouchable" status is reserved for the select few franchise players that teams refuse to trade no matter what. But what exactly qualifies someone as untouchable and why are these players so valued in the league? As a hardcore NBA junkie, let me break down everything that goes into deeming someone untouchable.
The Literal Definition
To call a player "untouchable" means that their general manager sees them as completely off-limits in trade discussions. According to Bleacher Report‘s Grant Hughes, "These are those untouchable players, the ones who make their general managers hang up when their names are spoken over the phone."
They perfectly fit their team‘s competitive timeline and boast skill sets that rivals covet yet cannot acquire. Front offices build around these special talents for the long haul rather than use them as trade chips.
Why Teams Protect Their Stars
But why all the fuss over keeping certain guys off the trading block? Well, untouchable players give their franchises direction. With a bonafide star leading the team for 5+ years, the front office can carefully construct a contending roster around them.
Surrounding top-10 superstars with the right supporting casts is how most champions are built now. For example, the Warriors core of Curry, Thompson and Green has been untouchable for a decade, leading to four titles. Franchises crave that kind of sustainable success.
The Contractual Control Factor
There are also contractual factors that necessitate untouchable status for younger studs. Rookie extensions like Luka Doncic‘s 5-year, $207 million Dallas deal provide cost and team control that franchises value greatly.
As Quora user Eric Glenn notes, "If a player absolutely doesn‘t want to be sold, then all his current team can do is wait his contract out."
| NBA Trade and Roster Terminology | Definition |
|---|---|
| Trading Block | Group of players a team is openly looking to trade |
| Untouchables | Players a team refuses to trade under any circumstances |
| Free Agent | Player not under an active contract who can sign anywhere |
| Opt In | Player accepting last year of current contract |
| Option Year | Annual salary in a contract‘s final season |
| Release Waivers | Process allowing teams to cut players |
With their investments into homegrown stars like Ja Morant and Zion Williamson now untouchable anchors, Memphis and New Orleans control their primes for max money and can pitch other free agents on joining a contender.
How 2K Players Use "Untouchable" Tags
As a dedicated NBA 2K gamer since the early 2000s with 280,000 YouTube subscribers, I know all about utilizing untouchable status for fantasy domination. In recent 2K titles like NBA 2K23, players can apply "untouchable" tags to their stars during trade talks to ensure the AI never deals them away.
It works both in single-player MyLeague/MyGM modes and online multiplayer leagues. If you‘ve carefully constructed a juggernaut around current mega-stars like Giannis or up-and-comers like Scottie Barnes, marking them as untouchable prevents the computer or rival GMs from ruining your dynasty.
I always tag the cornerstones of my squads as untouchable day one. It gives me full control over roster construction minus the headaches of constantly rejecting bogus Luka for role player trade offers. Then I can focus on tweaking my rotation, developing young talent and attracting free agents to round out my contender.
How It Compares to Other Roster Designations
Newer 2K games also contain "trading block" features where you publicly state certain players are on on the block. This replicates the real NBA‘s trading block reporters reference to gauge trade availability. It also triggers more trade proposals for those players.
Conversely, untouchables don‘t appear on your trading block precisely because you don‘t want rivals inquiring about them. It provides a hands-off, non-negotiable "back off my franchise player" statement that ends trade speculation.
There are also contract option decisions that can limit tradability. As in real NBA free agency, choosing whether to "opt in" or "opt out" affects how long a player stays on your team. Opting in locks them up for an extra year on their current salaries.
When Contract Situations Lead to Untradeable Players
In the actual NBA, contractual complexities can render certain guys untradeable too. Expired contracts mean free agents require direct signing, not trading. Others with option years or special clauses have quirks making swaps non-feasible.
Trades only transact players under active contracts, so players hitting 2023 free agency like Kyrie Irving and Khris Middleton cannot be traded currently. Their teams must wait for them to officially leave/re-sign next offseason first.
Additionally, NBA.com notes option clauses allow chosen players to enter/exit free agency sooner. So stars deciding to "opt in" or "opt out" dictates their transaction viability. Opting in keeps them under contract an extra year while opting out immediately makes them free agents.
The Bottom Line
At the end of the day, "untouchable" means a player‘s value to their franchise transcends normal trade bait status. Loyalty in modern sports may be fading, but ride-or-die team cornerstones still exist.
For organizations, locking up a top-10 superstar provides direction, continuity and contention. For gamers, embedding untouchable tags on your roster‘s foundation stonewalls meddling trade partners. So don‘t be surprised when rival fans beg you to #FreeLuka from your death grip!
