Chris Paul was initially headed to the Lakers before David Stern vetoed that deal. Lakers fans are angry about it to this day. At the time, CP3 was the best point guard in the league, a perennial All-Star candidate, and finished in the top 5 in MVP voting two times.
After the NBA vetoed the trade (because at the time they owned the Hornets), they arranged for another deal to send CP3 to Los Angeles. New Orleans received Chris Kaman, Eric Gordon, Al-Farouq Aminu, and a 2012 first-round pick from the Minnesota Timberwolves. Fun fact: The Hornets got the No.1 pick in the draft with their own pick, and selected Anthony Davis. That Minnesota pick turned into the No.10 selection of Austin Rivers. CP3 was also 25 years old when he was traded the first time.
LeBron James’ move to Miami is mostly known for his made-for-television announcement, broadcast on ESPN and dubbed “The Decision.” In this trade, the Cavaliers received two first-round picks and two second-round picks from Miami for James. It united James, stars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami and created sky-high expectations.
Carmelo Anthony’s trade was the biggest haul in recent years. There was a bidding war, one that netted Denver four quality rotation players, three picks, and a swap. The Melo trade is also a reminder of how teams should not give their entire roster for a star. Before being traded to the Knicks, Melo made three All-Star teams, and the highest he finished in MVP voting was sixth. He was considered one of the biggest scorers in the league, but because the Knicks gave away too much, the loss of players and assets hindered their ability to surround Melo with talent to win at a high level.
In his earlier days, there were rumors that Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant could no longer play together. So, the Lakers made a choice, and of course, they kept the younger player. Shaq was 31 years old when the Lakers traded him to the Heat. Yes, he did help them win three straight NBA championships, won an MVP, and made several All-Star teams. But he was old, and the Lakers got some pieces for him.
Charlotte drafted Bryant for the Lakers, intending to deal the 17-year-old high school player to Los Angeles for veteran center Vlade Divac, who initially balked at leaving. Acquiring Bryant seemed a risk for Los Angeles because preps-to-pros players were viewed with skepticism. Divac eventually agreed to the trade, and Bryant went on to win five NBA titles and an MVP with Los Angeles, pairing with Shaquille O’Neal to form a turn-of-the-century powerhouse.
Kareem remains the biggest trade. Before he was traded, he won a championship in Milwaukee, three MVP awards, and was considered the best player in the league. The only reason we can debate whether Luka is the biggest trade is because Kareem wanted out of Milwaukee. He was 27 years old when he requested a trade. He went on to win five more championship titles with the Lakers.
Salary demands were a major factor in Robertson’s split with the Royals. But as the Cincinnati Enquirer’s Jim Schottelkotte wrote, that was only part of the story. Robertson, the first player in league history to average double-figures in scoring, rebounding and assists in a season, and Royals coach Bob Cousy apparently did not get along.
Mavericks got only one, repeating, one first-round pick for Luka and there is no way to justify a trade like this. In case the Mavericks wanted to trade Luka, there is no denying they could have gotten a bigger haul for him. Put him on the trade block, and teams like Houston, San Antonio, and OKC could have given the Mavericks enough assets to rebuild completely. Plus, imagine Victor Wembanyama and Luka together.
