20 Trades That Changed NBA History Forever

Everybody knows that the goal of every NBA team each season is to compete for and win an NBA championship. Most executives and front offices will do anything they possibly can to achieve this goal. Most of the time, these methods include making a big splash via free agency or trade. There have been many deals that, over the years, have delivered great success to a franchise, while other deals haven’t panned out and resulted in failure. Today, we will focus on the deals that were right on the money and, in the process, changed NBA history forever.

Some of these trade deals were conjured off during an offseason or happened at the deadline mid-season. Each one of these deals resulted in an NBA championship, whether it was immediately or down the road in some capacity. Some of these trades resulted in the formation of a dynasty, and some of them were one-hit wonders. Regardless, you can almost label these 20 trades as the most successful in NBA history.

These are the 20 trades that changed NBA history forever.

20. Clyde Drexler To The Houston Rockets

Prior to 1995, Clyde Drexler was already regarded as one of the best shooting guards in basketball. For a time, he was even considered to be neck and neck with Michael Jordan as the best in the league. He had led the Portland Trail Blazers to 2 NBA Finals appearances in 1990 and 1992, and even though they had fallen in both, Portland knew who their franchise cornerstone was. Midway through the 1995 season, Portland had known their team wasn’t going anywhere and wanted to reward their star with a chance at an NBA championship.

Along with Tracy Murray, Drexler was traded to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Otis Thorpe. The move reunited Drexler with his University of Houston teammate, Hakeem Olajuwon. The Rockets had stumbled in an effort to defend their 1994 championship, and the addition of Drexler was a major boost. Drexler averaged 21.4 PPG and 7.0 RPG to finish the season with the Rockets as they secured the 6th seed in the Western Conference. In the playoffs, Olajuwon could not be stopped, but Drexler played a large role in their success as well. He would average 20.5 PPG, 7.0 RPG, and 5.0 APG to help the Rockets secure their 2nd straight NBA championship.

19. Anthony Davis To The Los Angeles Lakers

At the moment, it seems like the Anthony Davis trade to the Lakers was a horrific mistake by the Lakers’ front office. That was not the case when the move was made. With New Orleans, Davis was a perennial MVP candidate as one of the best overall players in basketball. He was a consistent 20.0 PPG and 10.0 RPG threat mixed with incredibly stifling interior defense. In July 2019, Davis was sent to the Lakers in a 3-team deal that shook up the league.

In his first season with the Lakers, he and LeBron James formed the most dangerous duo in basketball. After a brief pause in the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the season restarted in Disney World in a bubble environment for the NBA playoffs. Davis was arguably the best player on the court during the postseason run, as he averaged 27.7 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 1.2 SPG, and 1.4 BPG. The Lakers would go on to win their 17th NBA championship, and the trade looked like the best move made by a team in recent memory. Since the championship run, however, the Lakers and Davis have been riddled with injuries preventing them from repeating their 2020 success.

18. Mark Aguirre To The Detroit Pistons

Mark Aguirre is one of the greatest players in Dallas Mavericks’ history. For 7 and a half seasons, Aguirre helped to put the Mavericks on the map while becoming a 2-time All-Star and averaging 24.6 PPG, 5.7 RPG, and 3.8 APG during his time there. He helped to lead the Mavs to their first 5 playoff appearances in NBA history and was one of the game’s best offensive players. On February 15, 1989, Aguirre was traded to the Pistons in exchange for Adrian Dantley and a 1991 1st-round draft pick.

Aguirre finally had the chance to truly compete for an NBA championship for the first time in his career. In 36 games for the Pistons during the 1989 season, Aguirre averaged 15.5 PPG and helped the team reach the playoffs. He then averaged 12.6 PPG in the playoffs to help them seal their first NBA championship. Aguirre was also a vital member of the 1990 Pistons team who went on to repeat as NBA champions.

17. Rasheed Wallace To The Detroit Pistons

There was no bigger menace in the NBA during the 2000s than Rasheed Wallace. He had broken into the league with the Washington Bullets and Portland Trail Blazers in the late 90s. He would soon gain a reputation with Portland as both a star basketball player and a guy with an irate temper who was guaranteed to get into it with officials on any given night. Wallace would go on to break the NBA record for most technical fouls in a season and also set the precedent for today’s rule that limits a player’s technicals until he is suspended for at least 1 game.

In 2004, Wallace would be traded from the Trail Blazers to the Hawks, then 10 days later would be traded again to the Pistons. Wallace quickly meshed with his new teammates in Detroit and provided an immense defensive spark next to Defensive Player of the Year candidate Ben Wallace. The Pistons would go on to shock the world by advancing to the NBA Finals in the same season as Wallace was traded there. They then upset the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals, who had won 3 of the last 4 NBA championships. The Wallace trade had put them over the top as a legitimate title threat and changed the course of NBA history.

16. Shaquille O’Neal To The Miami Heat

During the early 2000s, there was no better player in the NBA than Shaquille O’Neal. He had dominated the early part of the decade as the most unstoppable force in the paint and delivered 3 championships to the City Of Los Angeles with the Lakers. Opponents feared the big man as he could not be stopped in the paint and bulldozed his way to NBA greatness. After a while, things started to sour in L.A. between O’Neal and rising superstar Kobe Bryant.

As a result of the feud, Shaq was dealt to the Miami Heat in exchange for Lamar Odom, Brian Grant, Caron Butler, and draft picks. The move brought together Shaq and another young and exciting shooting guard, Dwyane Wade. This time, Shaq was the perfect complimentary piece to Wade as the duo led the Heat to the Finals in 2006. The pair would win the NBA title together after a 6-game series victory over the Dallas Mavericks.

15. Kawhi Leonard To The Toronto Raptors

During the 2010s, Kawhi Leonard was one of the best two-way players in the NBA. His defensive efforts led the Spurs to a 2014 NBA championship win over the LeBron James-led Miami Heat. Leonard would go on to win 2 Defensive Player of the Year awards in 2015 and 2016, and it looked like the Spurs had found the guy that was going to take the torch from Tim Duncan as the franchise player. However, after an injury during the 2016 playoffs took Leonard out, the relationship between the player and the organization went south and fast.

Leonard would be traded to the Toronto Raptors during the summer of 2018 in exchange for DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Poeltl, and 2 first-round draft picks. He would finish Top 10 in the MVP voting in 2019 for the Raptors as he had led them back to the NBA playoffs. Leonard would have one of the best postseason runs in NBA history as he averaged 30.5 PPG, 9.1 RPG, and 1.7 SPG. Kawhi would lead the Raptors to their first championship in franchise history and take home the Finals MVP award in the process.

14. Moses Malone To The Philadelphia 76ers

For 8 seasons, Moses Malone was a consistent MVP candidate and the winner with the Houston Rockets and Buffalo Braves. Malone was a dominant scorer and grabbed nearly every rebound that came his way. In 6 seasons with the Rockets, Malone averaged 24.0 PPG and 15.0 RPG from 1977 through 1982. He was named the MVP of the league in 1979 and 1982, which made Houston’s next move almost mind-boggling.

Right after winning the 1982 MVP award, the Rockets shipped Malone off to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Caldwell Jones and a first-round draft pick. The Rockets drifted back into obscurity while the new-look 76ers enjoyed immense success. Malone would win the MVP once again in his first season with the 76ers, averaging 24.5 PPG and 15.3 RPG, but it did not stop there. Malone and Julius Erving led the Sixers to the NBA Finals and swept the Lakers in dominant fashion in the form of a 4-game sweep. Moses Malone was named the Finals MVP after averaging 25.8 PPG and 18.0 RPG.

13. Dirk Nowitzki To The Dallas Mavericks

This trade did not directly result in an NBA championship, but it did lead to one of the greatest careers in NBA history. Dirk Nowitzki was a relatively unknown prospect out of Germany when he entered the NBA Draft in 1998. The Milwaukee Bucks had drafted Nowitzki but were in desperate need of a big man, having had only Tyrone Hill in the paint to protect the rim. They decided to trade Nowitzki to the Mavericks in exchange for the very large Robert “Tractor” Traylor. The trade would go down as one of the most lopsided in NBA history.

Traylor would last just 7 seasons in the NBA and 2 seasons with Milwaukee before entering retirement. Meanwhile, Nowitzki became one of the greatest NBA players ever as he was named an MVP and a perennial All-Star. In his prime, Nowitzki was a 25.0 PPG scorer consistently, which all came to a head in 2011. In 2011, Dirk would lead the Mavericks to their first NBA title in franchise history while cementing himself as the best player in franchise history. He ranks in the Top 10 for career points scored in NBA history and is widely regarded as one of the best power forwards to ever play the game.

12. Dave DeBusschere To The New York Knicks

Dave DeBusschere made his NBA debut during the 1962-63 season with the Detroit Pistons. DeBusschere would quickly establish himself as one of the best forwards in basketball with the Pistons, making 3 straight All-Star appearances from 1966 through 1968. DeBusschere would spend 6 and a half years with the team and averaged 16.1 PPG and 11.2 RPG, with amazing contributions on the defensive side of the ball as well.

During the 1968-69 season, the Pistons decided to trade DeBusschere to the Knicks in exchange for Walt Bellamy and Howard Komives. DeBusschere would be an ALl-Star in every full season he spent with the Knicks and averaged 16.0 PPG and 10.7 RPG during his 5-and-a-half seasons with the team. DeBusschere would also be a major factor in 2 NBA championships won by the Knicks in 1970 and 1973. He averaged at least 15.0 PPG and 10.0 RPG on each of those playoff runs, and subsequently, DeBusschere is considered one of the greatest players in Knicks history.

11. Wilt Chamberlain To The Philadelphia 76ers

Wilt Chamberlain’s statistical dominance over the NBA began with the Philadelphia Warriors in the 1959-60 season. Wilt spent 5 and a half seasons with the Warriors, averaging 41.5 PPG and 25.1 RPG over his time with them. This included an NBA record 50.4 PPG in 1962 and 6 straight scoring titles. Behind the scenes, his attitude and unwillingness to be a team player were well-documented, and the Warriors eventually had enough of it.

During the 1964-65 season, the Warriors traded Chamberlain to the Sixers in exchange for Connie Dierking, Paul Neumann, Lee Shaffer, and cash. Chamberlain continued to dominate the league, and in the 1966-67 season, the deal came to fruition. Chamberlain led the Sixers to an NBA championship, winning the MVP award and conquering his former team in the NBA Finals. In the Finals, he averaged 17.7 PPG and 28.5 RPG to deliver the title to Philadelphia. The Warriors would not win another championship until 1975.

10. Pau Gasol To The Los Angeles Lakers

For 6 and a half seasons, Pau Gasol helped the Memphis Grizzlies climb to relevance during the 200s. With Memphis, Gasol became an All-Star and was one of the better two-way bigs in the NBA. He became a 20.0 PPG scorer and 8.0 to 9.0 RPG player with the ability to set his teammates up with his amazing court vision. He brought a rim protection element to his game that proved to be a difference-maker on more than one occasion.

In 2008, the Grizzlies decided to trade their star to the Los Angele Lakers in exchange for Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton, Marc Gasol, Aaron McKie, and 2 first-round draft picks. For the Lakers, it paired their star Kobe Bryant with yet another great big to work off of as the team struggled to find playoff success after Shaq left. Gasol, Bryant, and the Lakers advanced to the 2008 Finals but fell to the Celtics in 6 games. Not to be denied, the duo of Gasol and Bryant would go on to win back-to-back championships in the 2009 and 2010 NBA Finals. The outstanding run helped Bryant achieve a new level of success with 5 NBA championships to his name.

9. Dennis Rodman To The Chicago Bulls

Prior to his late 90s run with the Chicago Bulls, Dennis Rodman was one of the best defensive players in the NBA, as well as one of the best rebounders. Rodman could quite literally take any player off of their game, whether they were a guard on the perimeter or a big man in the paint. He was a 2-time Defensive Player of the Year with the Pistons as well as a 2-time NBA champion. He made 2 All-Star appearances with the Pistons as well and led the NBA in rebounding for 4 years in a row leading up to his stint in Chicago. The one thing that was nearly unbearable about Rodman was his wild personality and lifestyle, which led to the move that changed everything.

In October 1995, Rodman would be traded from the San Antonio Spurs to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Will Perdue. Rodman would go on to lead the NBA in rebounding the following 3 seasons and become their best interior defender. The Chicago Bulls, with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, would go on to three-peat as NBA champions with victories over the SuperSonics and the Utah Jazz twice. Rodman’s presence played a pivotal role in the Bulls’ success, and they traded for him when he was virtually worthless as far as trade value goes.

8. Kevin Garnett And Ray Allen To The Boston Celtics

The following 2 trades involving the Boston Celtics changed the NBA forever as they ushered in the “Big 3” era. Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen were 2 of the very best players at their positions during the 2000s, as Garnett was an MVP award winner, and Allen was one of the very best shooters in basketball. The only thing missing from each of their careers was true competition for an NBA championship. Garnett struggled to find consistent teammates in Minnesota, while Allen struggled with the same in Seattle and Milwaukee.

Before the 2008 NBA season, the Celtics decided to make an enormous splash and go out and acquire both Allen and Garnett. The move proved to be the right one as Garnett would go on to win Defensive Player of the Year in 2008, and alongside Paul Pierce, the trio made the Celtics the best team in basketball. The Celtics would advance to the NBA Finals in the three stars’ first season together. They would capture the NBA championship over the Lakers in the Finals, and we all remember Garnett at midcourt screaming, “Anything is possible!!!!”

7. Julius Erving To The Philadelphia 76ers

After his days in college, Julius Erving decided to forego his chances at the NBA and decided to join the ABA instead. In the ABA, Erving became an MVP and champion with the New York Nets and was poised to be the next NBA superstar whenever it was that he would make the change. In 1976, the merger came to fruition, and the Nets were one of the teams chosen to join the NBA. However, Erving would never play for the Nets in the NBA, as his rights were sold and traded to the Philadelphia 76ers before his inaugural NBA season.

Erving went on to become a superstar with the 76ers, earning an All-Star appearance every season of his career. He would play 11 seasons with the Sixers and averaged 22.0 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 1.8 SPG, and 1.5 BPG. Erving led the team to the NBA Finals 3 total times in his career. He helped them reach the big state in both 1980 and 1982 before coming up just short. After the addition of Moses Malone in 1983, Erving finally captured his first title in their first season together. Meanwhile, the Nets are still vying for their first Larry O’Brien Trophy.

6. Scottie Pippen To The Chicago Bulls

The 1990s Chicago Bulls are easily known as one of the greatest dynasties in NBA basketball history. The duo of Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan are one of the first names to come up when fans speak about the best duos the basketball court has ever seen. Before Pippen arrived in Chicago, though, Michael Jordan was clearly a superstar that needed help going further than the first round in the playoffs due to a lack of talent around him. Bulls’ General Manager Jerry Krause saw something on draft night in 1987 that would change the trajectory of the franchise forever.

On draft night 1987, the Bulls and the Seattle SuperSonics agreed to a deal that would send Scottie Pippen to Chicago in exchange for Olden Polynice, who the Bulls had just drafted, and 2 draft picks. The rest is history. Pippen went on to become an ALl-Star, All-Defensive Team member and a 6-time NBA champion alongside Michael Jordan, helping the Bulls to completely dominate the 90s. Pippen is regarded as one of the great small forwards in NBA history, as well as one of its best defenders.

5. Wilt Chamberlain To The Los Angeles Lakers

Wilt Chamberlain had already become one of the greatest big men in NBA history before joining the Lakers in the 1968-69 season. He had broken scoring records with the Warriors and become an NBA champion with the Sixers. Although he was not the same offensive weapon, he was with those 2 franchises when he got to L.A., Chamberlain still provided an immense impact on the team after he arrived.

Out of the 5 seasons he played with the Lakers, Chamberlain still won 4 rebounding titles as the best on the glass in the NBA. He was still a 20.0 PPG scorer with the Lakers as well, which was the perfect recipe next to guys like Jerry West and Gail Goodrich. With the Lakers, Chamberlain helped them advance to the NBA Finals 4 times during his career there. They lost in the Finals in the 1969, 1970, and 1973 seasons but finally got over the hump in 1972. Chamberlain was awarded the Finals MVP award with averages of 19.4 PPG and 23.2 RPG.

4. Robert Parish And Kevin McHale To The Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics have a long history of pulling off heists in trades. No one has been better at this in NBA history than Red Auerbach. Not only did he pull off the deal that sits at No. 1 on this list, but he also holds the No. 4 spot. Back in 1980, Red Auerbach put a deal in motion that would send the No. 1 overall pick and the No. 13 overall pick to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for Robert Parish and the No. 3 overall pick. With the No. 1 pick, the Warriors selected Joe Barry Carroll. With the No. 3 pick, the Celtics selected a lanky kid out of Minnesota by the name of Kevin McHale.

Combining the already-drafted Larry Bird with Parish and McHale was a recipe for success from the start. Together, Parish and McHale would go on to be selected to 16 All-Star teams combined and form one of the greatest frontcourts ever assembled. Together with Bird, Parish and McHale helped the Celtics win 3 NBA championships during the 80s and eased in the era that came after John Havlicek. Bird is clearly seen as the best player from those teams, but the glue that held them together came from Robert Parish and Kevin McHale.

3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar To The Los Angeles Lakers

After dominating the college basketball scene at UCLA, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks as the 1st overall pick in the 1969 draft. Straight away, Kareem was one of the best players in basketball, running away with the Rookie of the Year award and leading the Bucks to the NBA playoffs. After the team acquired Oscar Robertson before the 1971 season, they went on to win the first NBA championship in Bucks history, with Kareem taking home Finals MVP honors. The Bucks would fail to capture another title over the next 4 seasons, leaving them with a tough decision to make about their star. 

In June 1975, Abdul-Jabbar was sent to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Junior Bridgeman, Dave Myers, Elmore Smith, and Brian Winters. The deal would later be considered the most lopsided trade in NBA history. Kareem went on to lead the Lakers, along with Magic Johnson, to 5 NBA championships during the 1980s. He would also retire as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer and would be considered the greatest basketball player of all time. That is until a man named Michael Jordan came along.

2. Kobe Bryant To The Los Angeles Lakers

Long before he was known as the greatest Laker in history, Kobe Bryant was just a kid out of high school drafted by the Charlotte Hornets 13th overall in the 1996 NBA draft. After being drafted by the Hornets, Hornets Coach Dave Cowens infamously told Bryant that the team did not need him in Charlotte. Quickly, Bryant developed a relationship with Jerry West, who was an executive and advisor with the Lakers. Two weeks after the draft, Bryant would be sent to the Lakers in exchange for Vlade Divac.

The rest is history. Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal formed one of the greatest duos ever as they went for 3 championships in a row from 2000 through 2022. Bryant would also take the Lakers to back-to-back championships once again in 2009 and 2010. When it was all said and done, Bryant was considered one of the greatest players to ever don the Lakers uniform or step foot on an NBA court. In total, Bryant was named an 18-time All-Star, 15-time All-NBA Team selection, 12-time All-Defensive Team selection, 1-time MVP, 2-time Finals MVP, and a 5-time NBA champion.

1. Bill Russell To The Boston Celtics

Remember when I spoke about Red Auerbach’s negotiating skills earlier? Well, there is no greater display of them than the trade he pulled off directly after the 1955-56 season. Auerbach stunningly sent All-Star players Ed Macauley and Cliff Hagan to the St.Louis Hawks in exchange for the 2nd overall pick. That was nothing compared to what came next. The owner of the Celtics at the time was in control of the overly popular Ice Capades. He promised the Ice Capades for a limited time to the Rochester Royals and its revenue in exchange for their word to not draft Bill Russell with the No. 1 overall pick.

The Celtics’ plan worked as Russell fell to them at No. 2. Russell would go on to play 13 NBA seasons with the Celtics and deliver 11 NBA championships to the City Of Boston. Russell’s presence solidified the greatest dynasty in the history of the game as legends like Bob Cousy, Bill Sharman, Tom Heinsohn, Sam Jones, and John Havlicek played alongside him. Russell is highly regarded as the greatest defender, rebounder, and overall winner in the history of the NBA. Red Auerbach and The Ice Capades are to thank for him landing in Boston and changing NBA history forever. 

If you are interested in more NBA news, follow us on Google News for the latest updates. 

Next

Every NBA Team’s Greatest Acquisition (Via Trade Or Free Agency)

25 NBA Legends And Superstars Career-Highs In Points: Wilt Chamberlain Holds The Record With 100 Points, Kobe Bryant Is No. 2 With 81 Points

The Only 3 Three-Peat NBA Teams In The Last 56 Years: Michael Jordan And Bulls Conquered The World, Shaquille O’Neal And Kobe Bryant Were Last To Win Three In A Row

10 NBA Stars Who Have Beaten The Most 50-Win Teams In Playoffs History

10 Youngest NBA Players To Win The MVP Award: Derrick Rose Was Only 22 Years Old When He Broke This Record