Trade sagas in the NBA are no less exciting than the league’s action-packed games. These trades involve large amounts of money, player exchanges and shifting draft picks. Though like most things, not all trades work out well. Some of them have been quite tepid, even shambolic at times. The list of worst-ever trades in basketball’s most popular league is a long one.
It features some real big names like Kobe Bryant, Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The current possible trade everyone is talking about involves Portland Trailblazers star Damian Lillard. While his possible destination is still unknown, the time is ripe to focus on NBA trades and how they don’t always tick the boxes.
Here are some of the contenders for the worst-ever NBA trades:
5. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to Los Angeles Lakers
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s move to Los Angeles Lakers from Milwaukee Bucks in 1975 will go down as one of the most horrendous moves in the history of the NBA. Despite leading Bucks to their first-ever NBA championship in 1971, the franchise agreed to trade him to the Lakers. The Bucks sent Abdul-Jabbar to the Lakers for Dave Meyers, Elmore Smith and Junior Bridgeman. While Abdul-Jabbar went on to change the Lakers’ fortunes, the three incoming players hardly did anything impressive for the Bucks.
4. Rudy Gobert to Minnesota Timberwolves
Three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, Rudy Gobert was traded to Minnesota Timberwolves by the Utah Jazz. The Jazz, in exchange, received four first-round picks, a first-round pick from this year’s draft in Walker Kessler, along with Patrick Beverley and Malik Beasley. Timberwolves made a huge investment in roping in Gobert but sadly the trade could not live up to its expectations. The Timberwolves ended up in the play-in tournament after finishing eighth. They crawled out of the play-in but lost to the Memphis Grizzlies.
3. Carmelo Anthony to New York Knicks
Carmelo Anthony had initially asked the Denver Nuggets for a trade in 2010 with an eye on the New York Knicks. The move did not take place then. Entering the 2010-11 season, Anthony had one more year left on his Nuggets contract but refused the Nuggets’ $65 million extension. He was free to join any team had he spent the remainder of his contract at Nuggets. Anthony was sent to the Knicks in February 2011. The deal proved to be quite costly for Knicks as they had to cut ties with Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Timofey Mozgov, a 2014 first-round pick, a 2016 first-round pick swap and two second-round picks to accommodate Anthony. The Knicks had to suffer this blow for 27 matches and instead they could have quite easily signed him a couple of months later.
2. Bill Russell to Boston Celtics
Bill Russell and the Boston Celtics are often synonymous in the NBA, but did you know that the 11-time NBA champion started at the St. Louis Hawks? The Hawks decided to trade a player who could have redefined their franchise. The team continues to wait for an NBA title for 65 years now. Russell, of course, formed a great partnership with legendary Boston coach Red Auerbach and changed the game.
1.Wilt Chamberlain sent to Los Angeles Lakers
Wilt Chamberlain had already established himself as one of the greatest players in the NBA having played for Philadelphia 76ers and guiding is home team to a championship. Still, the Sixers thought it sensible to trade Chamberlain to the Los Angeles Lakers. Chamberlain went on to guide the Lakers to the NBA championship in 1972. He was also named NBA Finals MVP that season.
