Not just James and Lillard! In the new season, 12 players have the right to veto trades: including Harden and VanVleet.

On July 30, 2025, in the 2025-26 season, the only players in the league with clear trade veto rights are James and Lillard, but this season, there are more than just the two of them who can veto trades.

First, let's discuss the clear trade veto rights held by James and Lillard. The qualification requirements are quite high; to be eligible for the negotiated trade veto clause, players must meet the following criteria: have at least 8 years of NBA experience; have played for their current team for at least 4 years (not necessarily the last 4 years); and have signed a free-agent contract rather than a re-signing contract.

A year ago, the players with trade veto clauses were James and Beal, but Beal waived this clause when he reached a buyout agreement with the Suns during this offseason.

Although James and Lillard are currently the only players with clear trade veto rights in their contracts, there are several other players in the 2025-26 season who possess "implicit trade veto rights," allowing them to veto trades next season. The specifics include —

Players who re-sign with their original team for a 1-year contract or a 2-year contract (including player/team option years) automatically receive trade veto protection unless they agree to waive this protection at the time of signing. This group does not include two-way contract players but does include players who accept standard (non-two-way) 1-year qualifying offers.

Players who sign an invite contract and whose original team matches that contract have the right to veto trades for a full calendar year.

Considering the above conditions, the following players must give their consent if their teams wish to trade them in the 2025-26 season —

Players with clear trade veto rights:

LeBron James (Lakers)

Damian Lillard (Trail Blazers)

Players whose contracts were matched by their original teams:

None

Players who re-signed for a 1-year contract (or a 2-year contract with options):

Nicolas Batum (Clippers)

Collin Gillespie (Suns)

James Harden (Clippers)

Aaron Holiday (Rockets)

Joe Ingles (Timberwolves)

Kyle Lowry (76ers)

Jericho Sims (Bucks)

Jae'Sean Tate (Rockets)

Fred VanVleet (Rockets)

Moritz Wagner (Magic)

Additional notes —

If the players who re-signed for a 1-year contract agree to be traded in the 2025-26 season, they will only have "non-Bird rights" at the end of the season, rather than "early Bird rights" or full "Bird rights."

Any player who agrees to be traded retains veto rights with their new team and must consent to any subsequent trades during the 2025-26 season.

However, some players have waived this right. The following players have re-signed for a 1-year contract (or a 2-year contract with options) but have agreed to waive their trade veto rights in the 2025-26 season —

Eric Gordon (76ers)

Jeff Green (Rockets)

Jaxson Hayes (Lakers)

Chris Livingston (Bucks)

Jordan McLaughlin (Spurs)

Kevin Porter Jr. (Bucks)

Torrey Craig (Bucks)

Garrett Temple (Raptors)

Gary Trent Jr. (Bucks)

The option to waive trade veto rights was newly added in the 2023 labor agreement.