The Biggest Net-Busting Trades In NBA History
Luka Dončić's trade to the Los Angeles Lakers from the Dallas Mavericks for Lakers center Anthony Davis rocked the NBA world on February 4, 2025. In a trade that nobody saw coming, least of all Dončić, it got us thinking about some of the other big trades in NBA history. Let's go over some of the most historic ones.
Allen Iverson To The Denver Nuggets
Allen Iverson was a hot commodity in 2006, averaging 33 points per game, but his Philadelphia 76ers team was struggling; they were sitting around .500 for the season (on par with the last four seasons where they'd won 41 games). They hit the rebuild button, and beloved Allen Iverson went to the Denver Nuggets for Andre Miller, Joe Smith, and two first-round picks in the 2007 Draft.
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Kawhi Leonard To Toronto
In 2018, the San Antonio Spurs traded Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green to the Toronto Raptors for DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Poeltl, and the top 20 first-round pick in the 2019 draft. This was reportedly due to a rift between Leonard and the Spurs regarding injuries. Leonard only played nine games in 2017-18 for the Spurs before being traded to Toronto. It all worked out for Leonard (and Toronto), who won the NBA title for the first time in 2019.
Chensiyuan, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Chris Paul To The LA Clippers
In 2011, the New Orleans Pelicans traded Chris Paul to the LA Clippers for three players: Al-Farouq Aminu, Chris Kaman, and Eric Gordon. While the deal for Paul to the Clippers allowed the Pelicans to begin a rebuild in 2011, this trade only happened because then-commissioner David Stern vetoed a trade by the Pelicans that would send Paul to the Lakers. He did this for "basketball reasons".
Verse Photography, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Tracy McGrady To Houston
Tracy McGrady was already a star with the Orlando Magic, leading the NBA in scoring for two straight seasons, so why would they get rid of such a star? At the time, there was a certain hot commodity in Steve Francis, an all-star guard that the Magic wanted. The trade also included two other players from each team swapping jerseys. Unfortunately for the Magic, Francis didn't retain his star power for long, lasting just one season before being offloaded to free up salary cap space.
Keith Allison, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Dwight Howard To The LA Lakers
In 2012, Dwight Howard played for the Orlando Magic and lit the world on fire with trade talks. So, nobody was really surprised when he landed at the LA Lakers. Surprisingly, the Lakers had offloaded long-term center Andrew Bynum to Philadelphia, and Orlando received Nikola Vucevic, a future all-star center.
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Kevin Garnett To Boston
Kevin Garnett to Boston from the Minnesota Timberwolves is one trade that worked out very well for Kevin Garnett and the Boston Celtics. Minnesota received Ryan Gomes, Gerald Green, Theo Ratcliff, and draft picks, but Kevin Garnett was a star in the making. He would lead Boston to the NBA Championship in 2008.
Keith Allison, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Shaquille O'Neal To Miami
One half of the dynamic duo that Lakers fans felt would never be broken up. Shaquille O'Neal's trade from the Lakers to the Miami Heat in 2004 broke Laker hearts. Feeling that O'Neal's relationship with star Kobe Bryant (RIP) had run its course, the Lakers traded O'Neal to Miami for Lamar Odom, Caron Butler, and Brian Grant.
Keith Allison, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Russell Westbrook To Houston
The Oklahoma City Thunder traded Russell Westbrook to the Houston Rockets in 2019 for an injury-laden Chris Paul (and many draft picks), as Paul was owed more than $100 million by the Rockets. It was one of the Thunder's most astute trades, getting Chris Paul back to his brilliant best as he became healthy again, and they're utilizing a ton of draft picks very well today.
All-Pro Reels, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
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Kyrie Irving To Boston
Kyrie Irving may have been instrumental in leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to their only NBA title in 2016, but when he pushed to be the star of the show, the Cavaliers decided to trade him instead. They received Jae Crowder, Isaiah Thomas, Ante Zizic, and some important draft picks. Irving got his wish and became a star among stars at Boston, while the Cavaliers received Isaiah Thomas, who suffered a season-ending hip injury not long after the trade was made.
Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Kevin Love To Cleveland
A three-way trade saw Love move to Cleveland from Minnesota (joining with LeBron James), rounding off the team nicely, as Minnesota acquired Canadian center Andrew Wiggins, who had been selected in the 2014 draft by the Cavaliers. Love would spend the next nine years of his career in Cleveland before moving to the Miami Heat in 2023.
Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Carmelo Anthony To New York
'Melo was traded from the Denver Nuggets to the New York Knicks in 2011 for, among many players, a major draft pick that would give them their newest star: Jamal Murray. The Hall-of-Famer Carmelo Anthony would be the cornerstone of the Knicks team until 2017 when he joined the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Keith Allison, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Deron Williams To New Jersey
Having missed Carmelo Anthony, the New Jersey Nets (which would become Brooklyn Nets in 2012) turned their attention to the Utah Jazz's point guard, Deron Williams. Williams would join the New Jersey Nets for Derrick Favors, Devin Harris, and a 2013 first-round pick. Williams' tenure with the Nets would see them cross the river to become the Brooklyn Nets, but their relationship went south, and he was bought out in the last couple of years of his contract.
LolitaLens, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
James Harden To Brooklyn
Now firmly called the Brooklyn Nets, the team acquired James Harden from the Houston Rockets in 2021 for three players and eight draft picks. This gargantuan trade was supposed to bring the best of James Harden in his prime to the Nets. Unfortunately, they traded him to Philadelphia less than a year later.
Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Paul George To The LA Clippers
An aging and injury-ridden Paul George was traded to the LA Clippers in 2019, paving the way for the Clippers to receive free agent Kawhi Leonard (who'd not renewed his contract with Toronto, despite winning the NBA title there in 2019). What went the other way? Draft picks for the next five years, and a 20-year-old Canadian superstar in the making named Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
joshuak8, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Anthony Davis To The LA Lakers
Usually, players don't make public trade requests. However, Anthony Davis did, in 2019, publicly request a trade from the Pelicans to "a team that would allow him to win consistently and compete for the NBA title". Ouch. Davis got his wish, though—being traded to the LA Lakers in 2019 for Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, and Josh Hart, plus three draft picks, in a trade involving the Washington Wizards.
Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Luka Dončić To The LA Lakers
Of course, the most recent trade to shake up the NBA is Luka Dončić to the LA Lakers from the Dallas Mavericks. After playing in Spain for Real Madrid from 2015 to 2018, the Slovenian joined the Dallas Mavericks at 19, following an all-star performance in Spain. He went on to spend seven years with the Mavericks, earning five appearances as an all-star between 2020 and 2024 and Rookie of the Year in 2019.
Dončić's Extraordinary Record-Breaking Thus Far
Dončić broke Magic Johnson's record as the youngest player in NBA history to lead the league in triple-doubles at just 21. He also recorded 20 straight games with 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists, breaking Michael Jordan's record of 18, set in 1976. He also became the first player in NBA history to hold 13 individual records for points scored.
Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
What Was Your Favorite Blockbuster Trade In NBA History?
Do you have a favorite blockbuster trade in NBA history? Did your favorite team get a good or bad deal in any of the trades above? Let us know in the comments below.
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Keith Allison, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
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