The 5 Biggest Trades in NBA History

On the eve of the NBA’s trade deadline we take a look back at the five biggest trades in league history. These deals had a major impact on the NBA landscape and changed the course of some franchises forever.

Introduction

The NBA has seen some big trades over the years, with some franchises dealing away star players in order to rebuild, while others make win-now moves to try and create a contending team. Here are the five biggest trades in NBA history based on the Number of players and/or picks involved in the deal.

The 5 Biggest Trades in NBA History

There have been some iconic moments in NBA history Players like Michael Jordan Kobe Bryant and Lebron James have become global superstars and are synonymous with the game of basketball But there have also been some truly massive trades that have had a big impact on the league. Here are the five biggest trades in NBA history

1. The first big trade in NBA history was between the Boston Celtics and the Golden State Warriors The Celtics traded away Future Hall of Famer Bob McAdoo and cash considerations to the Warriors in exchange for Butch Beard, draft picks and cash considerations. This trade helped set up the Warriors dynasty of the late 1970s and early 1980s.

2. The next big trade was between the Indiana Pacers and San Antonio Spurs. The Pacers traded away George Gervin Dave Corzine, Herb Williams, Reggie Theus, and cash considerations to the Spurs in exchange for Mark Olberding, Mike Mitchell, and a future first-Round Draft pick. This trade helped set up the Spurs dynasty of the late 1990s and early 2000s.

3. The third big trade was between the Detroit Pistons and Seattle SuperSonics The Pistons traded away Bill Laimbeer Vinnie Johnson, Kent Benson, John Long Cash Considerations to the SuperSonics in exchange for Shawn Kemp Ricky Pierce, Xavier McDaniel, Olden Polynice, Michael Cage,draft picks ,and cash considerations . Thistrade helped set up the Pistons’ “Bad Boys” dynasty of the late 1980s and early 1990s.

4. The fourth big trade was between Houston Rockets and Orlando Magic .The Rockets traded away Clyde Drexler , Tracy Murray ,Sam Cassell ,Robert Horry ,Mark Bryant ,Chucky Brown to Orlando Magic in exchange for Anfernee Hardaway ,Chris Webber ,and Penny Hardaway .This trade created one ofthe most lethal duos in NBA history with Hakeem Olajuwonand Clyde Drexler which lead them to back to back championships in 1994-1995 season .

5 .The fifthbiggest trade was between Minnesota Timberwolves And Denver Nuggets which is considered One ofthe most lopsided trades ever .The Timberwolves traded away future hall of famer Dikembe Mutombo along with two first round Draft Picks (1993 & 1994) for Rodney Rogersand two second round Draft Picks (1991 & 1992) .

The Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets Trade

On June 28, 2013, the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets completed a trade that will have a lasting impact on both franchises. The Celtics traded Paul Pierce Kevin Garnett, and Jason Terry to the Nets in exchange for Keith Bogans, Kris Humphries MarShon Brooks, Kris Joseph, Gerald Wallace, and Kris Humphries’ draft rights. The Nets also received first round draft picks in 2014, 2016 and 2018.

This trade was criticized by many at the time because it appeared that the Celtics were giving up too much for too little. However, with the benefit of hindsight, it is clear that this trade was a win for the Celtics. They acquired a number of valuable assets which they used to rebuild their team. The Nets, on the other hand, gave up too much for players who were past their prime and they are still feeling the effects of this trade today.

The Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder Trade

On October 27, 2012, the Houston Rockets and the Oklahoma City Thunder made one of the biggest trades in NBA history The Rockets traded guard Kevin Martin forward Jeremy Lamb, two first-round draft picks, and a second-round draft pick to the Thunder in exchange for forward James Harden guard Daequan Cook, and forward Lazar Hayward.

This trade had a huge impact on both teams. The Thunder became one of the best teams in the NBA, while the Rockets became one of the worst. The Thunder went on to make it to the NBA Finals in 2012, where they lost to the Miami Heat The Rockets didn’t make the playoffs that year.

However, the trade turned out to be beneficial for both teams in the long run. The Thunder got rid of some players that they didn’t need, while the Rockets got a perennial All-Star in James Harden

The Los Angeles Lakers and Orlando Magic Trade

On August 12th, 1988, the Los Angeles Lakers and Orlando Magic pulled off one of the biggest trades in NBA history The Lakers traded All-Star centerNorm Nixon, rookie center Mark McNhideto the Magic for forward-center Jeff Turner. The trade was widely criticized at the time as being unfair to the Lakers, who were considered to have given up too much for Turner.

The New York Knicks and Denver Nuggets Trade

On February 22, 2011, the New York Knicks and Denver Nuggets completed a Blockbuster Trade that sent Carmelo Anthony to the Knicks in exchange for Raymond Felton Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, Timofey Mozgov, a 2016 first round pick, and two second round picks The Nuggets also received cash considerations in the deal.

The Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Clippers Trade

On June 20, 1991, the Philadelphia 76ers made one of the biggest trades in NBA History acquiring Charles Barkley from the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Jeff Hornacek, Andrew Lang, and Tim Perry. The Sixers didn’t give up much to get Barkley, and the move paid off immediately as Barkley led the team to the NBA Finals in his first season with the team.

The Los Angeles Clippers made a similar trade in 1998 when they acquired Keith Van Horn and Tim Thomas from the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for Danny Manning. The Clippers gave up two young players and a Draft Pick to get van Horn and Thomas, but it turned out to be a great trade for them as van Horn was named an All-Star in his first season with the team.

The San Antonio Spurs and Indiana Pacers Trade

On June 25, 1987, the Indiana Pacers and the San Antonio Spurs completed one of the biggest trades in NBA history The Spurs traded their star center, George Gervin, to the Pacers for a package that included center Jeff Ruland and forward Mike Gale. The trade had a huge impact on both teams.

The Spurs went from being a title contender to a lottery team overnight. Gervin was a future Hall of Famer and one of the best players in the league. His departure left the Spurs with very little firepower on offense. The team struggled mightily without him and quickly fell out of contention.

The Pacers, on the other hand, immediately became a much better team with the addition of Gervin. He teamed up with forward ChuckPerson to form a formidable scoring duo. The Pacers also had a solid core of young players including Reggie Miller and Detlef Schrempf. With Gervin leading the way, the Pacers became one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference

The Toronto Raptors and Milwaukee Bucks Trade

On July 18th, 2018, the Toronto Raptors and Milwaukee Bucks pulled off one of the biggest trades in recent NBA history The Raptors traded all-star Demar Derozan Jakob Poeltl and a protected 2019 first round pick to the Spurs for Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green The Raptors also get Gregg Monroe in the deal as a salary filler. The Bucks trade former all-star guard Jason Terry and a protected 2020 first round pick to the Lakers for center Roy Hibbert and Power Forward Julius Randle

Conclusion

In conclusion, these are the five biggest trades in NBA history These trades had a huge impact on the teams involved, and their repercussions are still felt today.