A trade kicker is a contractual clause that pays an NBA player a bonus when he’s traded. They’re one of the tools teams have at their disposal to differentiate their free agent offers from the ones put on the table by competing clubs — or to incentivize a player to sign an extension before he reaches free agency.
Sometimes the kicker is worth a fixed amount, but usually it’s based on a percentage of the remaining value of the contract. So, a player who has a 10% trade kicker is eligible for a bonus worth 10% of the amount of money he has yet to collect on his deal.
Regardless of whether a trade kicker is set at a fixed amount or a percentage, the bonus can’t exceed 15% of the remaining value of the contract. Most trade kickers are worth 15%, the highest percentage allowed.
A trade bonus must be paid by the team that trades the player, rather than the team acquiring him. The current Collective Bargaining Agreement also allows a player to waive his trade kicker as part of a deal, if he so chooses.
If you want a more detailed explanation of how trade kickers work, check out the Hoops Rumors Glossary entry on the subject.
Here’s a list of the NBA players who have active trade kickers for 2023/24, listed alphabetically, along with the details of those trade bonuses:
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks (15%)
 - Harrison Barnes, Kings (10%)
 - Jalen Brunson, Knicks (10%)

 - Jimmy Butler, Heat (15%)
 - Anthony Davis, Lakers (15%)
 - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder (15%)
 - Draymond Green, Warriors (15%)
 - James Harden, Sixers (15%): Traded
- Note: Harden received only a fraction ($40,595) of his full trade bonus.
 
 - Tobias Harris, Sixers (5%)
 - Isaiah Hartenstein, Knicks (5%)
 - Gordon Hayward, Hornets (15%): Traded
 - Al Horford, Celtics (15% or $500K, whichever is lesser)
 - Brandon Ingram, Pelicans (15%)
 - Kyrie Irving, Mavericks (15%)
 - Kyle Kuzma, Wizards (15%)
 - Zach LaVine, Bulls (15%)
 - Kawhi Leonard, Clippers (15%)
 - Caleb Martin, Heat (15%)
 - Dejounte Murray, Hawks (15%)
 - Bobby Portis, Bucks (15%)
 - Julius Randle, Knicks (15%)
 - Austin Reaves, Lakers (15%)
 - Jalen Smith, Pacers (10%)
 - Jayson Tatum, Celtics (15%)
 - Klay Thompson, Warriors (15%)
 - Matisse Thybulle, Trail Blazers (15%)
 - Karl-Anthony Towns, Timberwolves (5%)
 - Jonas Valanciunas, Pelicans (15% or $1MM, whichever is lesser)
 
The following players have trade bonuses on their contracts, but those bonuses would be voided if they were to be traded during the 2023/24 league year, since they’re already earning this season’s maximum salary:
- Stephen Curry, Warriors (15%)
 - Luka Doncic, Mavericks (15%)

 - Darius Garland, Cavaliers (15%)
 - LeBron James, Lakers (15%)
 - Nikola Jokic, Nuggets (15%)
 - Ja Morant, Grizzlies (15%)
 - Fred VanVleet, Rockets (15%)
 - Trae Young, Hawks (15%)
 
The following players have signed contract extensions that will include trade kickers, but those extensions won’t go into effect until at least the 2024/25 season:
- LaMelo Ball, Hornets (15%)
 - Desmond Bane, Grizzlies (15%)
 - Devin Booker, Suns (10%)
 - Jaylen Brown, Celtics (7% or $7MM, whichever is lesser)
 - Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves (15%)
 - Tyrese Haliburton, Pacers (15%)
 
So Harden signs a contract that has a 15% trade kicker, then demands a trade? Talk about self dealing…