The Washington Wizards have been quite successful in the draft, but they've also found some luck when making trades throughout the years, going back to their time as the Bullets.
Some of these trades resulted in the arrival of some of the most significant players to ever don the Wizards/Bullets jersey. Here's a top-five list of the best trades in Wizards franchise history.
5. Antawn Jamison (2004)
Traded from the Dallas Mavericks for Devin Harris, Christian Laettner, and Jerry Stackhouse.
In 2004, the Wizards decided to call time on the Jerry Stackhouse experiment in Washington. The high-scoring guard had two fruitful seasons in the nation's capital, but he had outrun his welcome at that point.
Washington got Antawn Jamison as part of that blockbuster deal, which turned out to be quite a win for the Wizards. The 6-foot-8 forward made an instant impact upon his arrival, earning an All-Star nod in just his first season with the team (he had two in six seasons).
Jamison joined Gilbert Arenas and Caron Butler to form an exciting core in Washington that garnered a bit of success during the 2000s.
4. Moses Malone (1986)
Traded from the Philadelphia 76ers with Terry Catledge, a first-round pick, and a future first-round pick for Jeff Ruland and Cliff Robinson.
Moses Malone is easily one of the greatest NBA big men of all time, and the only downside to his time in Washington (then the Bullets) was that it lasted for only two seasons.
The Bullets had to part ways with an All-Star in Jeff Ruland as part of this deal, but in the end, it was worth it. Malone gave the Wizards two All-Star years, leading the team to playoff berths in both seasons. The Hall of Famer put up 22.2 points, 11.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.1 blocks per contest over those two years.
Malone played out his contract with the Bullets and then signed with the Atlanta Hawks as a free agent in 1988.
3. Greg Ballard (1977)
Traded from the Atlanta Hawks (as a future first-round pick) with Tom Henderson for Truck Robinson and a future first-round pick.
The Bullets traded for the draft rights to the No. 4 pick a few months before the draft. They picked up the 6-foot-7 swingman with that pick, and Ballard emerged as a key player for the team a couple of years later.
Ballard was a model of durability in his career, having only missed 13 regular-season games in eight seasons with the squad. His all-around play made him a valuable player throughout his time in Washington.
Ballard was also part of that memorable championship in 1978, and while he was just a rookie during that season, he still played his part in that historic season.
2. Chris Webber (1994)
Traded from the Golden State Warriors for Tom Gugliotta and three future first-round picks.
Chris Webber is likely most remembered for his stint with the Sacramento Kings. However, it is worth noting that it was in Washington that the 6-foot-9 big man cut his teeth, so to speak.
The Bullets got their hands on Webber in 1994, following his rookie year with the Golden State Warriors, and Washington actually had to part ways with Tom Gugliotta as part of the deal. Moreover, one of the three future first-rounders the Bullets included in the deal turned out to be Vince Carter in 1998. Simply put, Washington parted ways with quite a haul for Webber.
In 1997, Webber led the Bullets to their first postseason appearance in nearly a decade. In four seasons with the team, the former first overall pick averaged 20.9 points, 9.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.7 blocks.
1. Elvin Hayes (1972)
Traded from the Houston Rockets for Jack Marin.
The Elvin Hayes-for-Jack Marin blockbuster trade deal in 1972 was a star-for-star swap between the Bullets and Houston Rockets. Both players were arguably in the prime of their careers, but it wasn't long before Washington emerged as the clear winners of this deal.
Hayes played a total of nine season with the team, and he was named to the All-Star squad in all but one of them. Perhaps most notably, the 6-foot-9 big man was front and center as the Bullets won their one and only title in 1978. Playing alongside the legendary Wes Unseld, Hayes formed one of the best frontcourt duos of all time. Together, they led the team to three Finals appearances in five years.
One can make a case that Hayes is the greatest player in Bullets/Wizards franchise history (or perhaps just a notch below Unseld), which makes the Hayes transaction in 1972 the greatest trade deal this team has ever pulled off.
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