NBA players who can veto trades during 2026-27 season

NBA trade season eventually gets complicated. For a handful of players, it’s even more complicated than usual.

As Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors notes, Damian Lillard is the only player who has a formal no-trade clause in his contract for the 2026-27 season.

That doesn’t mean he’s the only player who can block a deal.

NBA rules provide automatic trade-veto rights in certain situations, including some players who re-sign with their previous team on one-year contracts or two-year deals containing an option. Players whose offer sheets are matched also receive veto rights for a full calendar year.

So with that in mind, here’s the current list.

Formal no-trade clause

• Damian Lillard, Trail Blazers

Matched offer sheets

• Moussa Cisse, Mavericks
• Spencer Jones, Nuggets

Players with automatic veto rights after re-signing

• Bradley Beal, Clippers
• Thomas Bryant, Cavaliers
• Simone Fontecchio, Heat
• Javonte Green, Pistons
• Al Horford, Warriors
• Jonathan Isaac, Magic
• De’Anthony Melton, Warriors
• Gary Payton II, Warriors
• Kenrich Williams, Thunder

That makes 12 players who currently have the ability to say no to a trade.

There’s an important distinction here. Lillard actually negotiated a no-trade clause. The others received trade protection because of the circumstances surrounding their contracts.

And yes, that means Thomas Bryant would have to approve any deal involving him if the Cavaliers decide to move him.

Meanwhile, several players who otherwise qualified for automatic protection agreed to waive it when signing their contracts. That group includes Draymond Green, Jordan Clarkson, Tyus Jones, Harrison Barnes and Jock Landale, among others.

One other wrinkle: If one of the protected players approves a trade, his veto power follows him to his new team for the remainder of the league year.

So when the trade machine starts firing up again, keep these names handy. Sometimes matching the salaries is only part of the problem.