Prior to NBA free agency, the Brooklyn Nets had re-signed Kyrie Irving to a new contract. The Nets were looking to run it back, this time with Irving and Kevin Durant playing an entire season together. Plus, in theory Ben Simmons would have been on the court with them. Instead, Kevin Durant requested a trade from the team hours before NBA free agency began. That turned the basketball world on its head.

It got us thinking, what other NBA superstars have requested a trade during their careers.

Why stop at just listing them though, why not rank them. So, that's what I did. Here are the five greatest NBA players to ever request trade.

5 Greatest NBA Players to Request a Trade, Ranked

5. Chris Paul 

Current Phoenix Suns point guard Chris Paul is the only player on this list not to win an NBA Championship. That's part of the reason why he is fifth, but just making this list says plenty about him as a player.

Paul was drafted by the New Orleans Hornets in 2005 and played the first six years of his career there. Halfway during that stretch, he signed a four-year contract extension. Shortly after happened though, the team was suddenly without an owner. The NBA had to take command of the team with no direction. That left Paul to requesting a trade.

Interestingly, the Hornets and Lakers agreed on a trade but then-NBA Commissioner David Stern vetoed the deal because it was so lob-sided. The future Hall of Fame point guard would eventually be dealt to the Clippers where he spent the next six seasons.

Chris Paul is considered one of the best point guards of all-time, likely third behind Magic Johnson and Isiah Thomas.

4. Kevin Durant

Obviously, KD makes this list. He is easily one of the 20 greatest players to ever play the game of basketball. Durant is almost seven-feet tall with an even longer wing span. Since the day he entered the NBA out of Texas, he was a pure scorer. He has everything you could want on the offensive end of the floor.

Durant can catch and shoot, he can pull up and shoot, he get to the rack and finish at the rim. KD has above average handles, is smooth in transition, can rebound and pass. He literally has just about every skill set offensively you could ask for. He took the Oklahoma City Thunder to the NBA Finals early on in his career, losing to LeBron James and the Miami Heat.

Eventually he oped to leave the small market to join the Golden State Warriors. Durant would win two championships, and two NBA Finals MVP awards to put on his mantle. But, his reputation is waning and time is working against him historically.

3. Kawhi Leonard

I know I am going to take a lot of flack for this. But yes, I have Leonard as a better player than Kevin Durant and I will explain why.

Basketball fans love to talk about offense, like fans of any sport. But defense matters, particularly in the playoffs. On one hand, Durant has never been named to an All-Pro defensive first or second team. Then you have Leonard who is one of the best on-ball defenders the NBA has seen since Scottie Pippen. He might actually be the best since Pippen. If you aren't sure, just go re-watch the conference finals against the Milwaukee Bucks and pay attention to what he did to Giannis Antetokounmpo. He is a two-time Defensive Player of the Year winner for a reason.

It's not like Leonard is a slouch offensively either. He isn't flashy but he's extremely efficient, shoots well from the field and at the line. He'll do anything to win. He simply has that dog in him.

Both he and Durant have won two NBA titles. Durant joined the team with the best record in the history of the sport of basketball. Leonard won on two different teams and was easily the best player on both. When he won with San Antonio, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker and Tim Duncan were over 100 years old combined.

Kawhi Leonard does not get the recognition he deserves historically. Well, I am here to give it to him. If he captures a third ring, with a third team as the best player, only he and LeBron James will ever be able to say that.

2. Wilt Chamberlain

The man who once scored 100 points in a game makes his appearance as number two on the list. Wilt Chamberlain had already won his first NBA Championship with the Philadelphia 76ers but during the 1967 season, remarked that he wanted to play for the Lakers.

Initially, the 76ers owner refused to allow Los Angeles to talk to his superstar. But it was only a matter of time before the legend got his way. After the 1968 season, the Sixers dealt Wilt to the Lakers for Darrell Imhoff, Archie Clark, and Jerry Chambers, plus an undisclosed amount of cash.

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Chamberlain joined Jerry West and Elgin Baylor to create the first super team. Of course, the hated Boston Celtics were still dominating the league and ‘Wilt the Stilt' only won one more title in his career. Nevertheless, you cannot have this list without Chamberlain's name all over it.

1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Similarly to Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had already won a championship when he requested a trade. Kareem earned his first chip with the Milwaukee Bucks, but wanted out of the midwest. He talked about wanting to be closer to family and just didn't feel like he fit in there. So, he forced his way to Los Angeles.

The veteran big man joined an already ascending Lakers team. He would go on to win five more titles in Los Angeles, and helped create one of the greatest dynasties in the history of sports. He, Magic Johnson and company also helped save the NBA as we know it. The rivalry with Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parrish and the Boston Celtics brought the NBA back to the public consciousness.

It only took off from there as Michael Jordan then ushered in the next era of basketball.

Abdul-Jabbar still has the most points scored in NBA history with 38, 387, to go with six rings.