This treatment is equivalent to LeBron James! Why does Lillard, who is still recovering from injury, get trade veto power?

Lillard returns to the Trail Blazers on a three-year, $42 million deal, with the most notable clause being that he will have trade veto power. This means that Lillard and LeBron are currently the only two players in the league with this clause (Bill lost his trade veto power after being bought out). What is trade veto power? Why is Lillard able to have trade veto power?

Trade veto power, in simple terms, is the right that allows a player to prevent their team from trading them away, making it a "rare species" in NBA contract terms. Historically, this clause has been used very rarely in the NBA, which clearly has its rational reasons. Allowing players to control their own destiny and eliminating the possibility of being traded can put teams in a difficult position. Therefore, for a long time, teams have approached trade veto power with caution—counting Lillard, only 11 players in NBA history have truly had this clause in their contracts.

Besides Lillard, the other ten players include LeBron James, Bill, Anthony, Wade, Kobe, Nowitzki, Duncan, David Robinson, Garnett, and Stockton.Most of these players are legendary figures for their respective teams: they have long tenures and want to retire with the teams where they spent most of their careers.

In recent years, as the average salary for NBA players has skyrocketed, teams have had to offer maximum contracts to retain their star players, even if some players may not deserve them. This has led to a new "loyalty dilemma": since maximum contracts are becoming more common and players can get them on any team, what can teams offer to encourage their star players to stay? The answer is trade veto power—it provides players with a unique contract clause that other teams cannot offer. Although the issues brought by trade veto power still exist, for teams that view certain players as core pieces for many years to come, considering the use of this clause may be a wise move.

Some fans have already asked: Why don’t Doncic, Durant, Antetokounmpo, or other stars have trade veto power? What qualifications are needed to obtain trade veto power?

According to the NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement, players must meet the following hard criteria to include trade veto power in their contracts—

1. NBA experience of at least 8 years: must have played at least 8 seasons in the NBA (excluding overseas leagues).

2. At least 4 years with the current team: must have played for the current signing team for at least 4 seasons (can be consecutive or non-consecutive).

3. Signing a "veteran contract": usually applicable to new contracts signed with the team (such as extensions), and the contract type must meet the league's definition of "veterans" (generally referring to players with longer careers).

Including the 2024-25 season, Doncic has only played 7 seasons in the NBA, thus not meeting the first condition. Durant does not qualify for trade veto power because he has not played for any team for 4 years since leaving the Thunder (whether with the Warriors, Nets, or Suns). As for Antetokounmpo, he certainly meets the criteria, but trade veto power is not granted automatically; it must be negotiated. If Antetokounmpo himself does not require it, the Bucks do not need to grant him this power.

As for Lillard, he has been in the NBA for 13 seasons, with 11 years spent with the Trail Blazers, fully meeting the criteria, and the Trail Blazers were willing to grant this veteran trade veto power in their negotiations. Compared to 2023, when he could not decide his own fate, Lillard now has gained the initiative for himself.

Some experts have suggested that the use of trade veto power should be promoted and have recommended adjustments to the NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement to make trade veto power a central aspect of player contract negotiations. Do you think the threshold for trade veto power should be lowered? Should more players be granted this privilege? Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments.