0 of 5

Seth Wenig/Associated Press

Let's begin with a disclaimer: Few teams are doing their best tanking impression this early into the NBA's regular season. Full-blown commitments to losing require more absences from a squad's best players and fewer minutes for veterans who don't fit the rebuilding timeline.

Some are just waiting to take the most drastic measures. Again: It's early. Others haven't yet realized or accepted their fate. It's early.

That leaves this latest trip into the trade-idea abyss to lean on expected, eventual tankers. Fortunately, they're not hard to spot.

Rosters entrenched in the most obvious youth movements or assembled without serious winning in mind are easy targets. So are flat-out bad teams that will, at some point, recognize they are flat-out bad.

Any squad with binding playoff aspirations despite a cruddy start is safe...for now. We're not here to blow up the Houston Rockets or Washington Wizards or to decimate fringe cases and could-be postseasoners like the Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat et al. Surprise rock-bottom enthusiasts will emerge in time. They always do. Trying to identify them so soon is a nincompoop's errand.

Teams without an incentive to begin tanking or hold a fire sale are off the table as well. The Sacramento Kings don't own their 2019 first-round pick (and are better than expected!). The Dallas Mavericks may want to lose their way toward keeping their own selection, which is owed to the Atlanta Hawks with top-five protection. But they're light on pricey long-term pacts, and they won't be open to increasing their payroll before free agency.

Contenders and playoff hopefuls will be on the other side of these deals. Mostly, though, this is about helping the worst teams cut costs, collect intriguing assets, capitalize on inevitable goners, open playing time for the kids and/or shore up proximity to top-three lottery odds.