Five NBA players most likely to be traded after Dec. 15

Dec. 15 marks the start of the unofficial trade season in the NBA. That's the date when most of the players who signed a contract in the offseason became eligible to be traded.

Other players have different trade date restrictions, depending on when they signed their new deals.

This year, however, as many as 79 players (full list here, h/t ESPN.com) became eligible to be traded on Dec. 15. With that in mind, here are five of those players who most likely will be moved.

Chris Paul | Los Angeles Clippers

The Clippers made the shocking decision to send Paul home, but he reportedly still wants to play. The Minnesota Timberwolves and Houston Rockets could use a veteran playmaker, even at his age (40), and Paul's friendship with LeBron James could also make him a feasible candidate for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Clint Capela | Houston Rockets

The Rockets have more than enough bodies in the frontcourt, but they don’t have a true point guard. Capela is a serviceable, defensive-minded veteran who can dominate the glass. He’s making just $6.7 million, and with the Rockets looking to add a ball-handler, he could be useful salary filler.

Bobby Portis | Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks might lose Giannis Antetokounmpo. Even if that's not the case, they're not trending in the right direction. As such, a potential Sixth Man of the Year candidate such as Portis might become an appealing target for teams looking for a scoring punch and rebounding for their second unit. 

Dennis Schroder | Sacramento Kings

Schroder signed a $14 million deal to be the Kings’ starting point guard, but Russell Westbrook has outplayed him recently. With Sacramento likely to blow up the roster and trade Domantas Sabonis, Schroder could be a strong candidate to provide a contending team with a scoring punch off the bench.

James Harden | Los Angeles Clippers

The Los Angeles Clippers don’t have much incentive to tank, as they don’t own their first-round pick. That being said, they could still shake things up. Harden’s $39.2 million salary will be difficult to move, but he has a long history of making things uncomfortable when the team isn’t winning. Multiple teams could talk themselves into making a move for one of the greatest scorers of all time.