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NBA trades are often a great way to upgrade a roster. But unfortunately, not all trades lead to a happy ending and teams end up regretting the transaction. In the wake of the shocking blockbuster trade of Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis between the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers, many Mavs fans appear to regretting the trade already.
However, since it's too early to evaluate how much either team might regret that deal, here's a look at 10 most regretful trades in NBA history thus far.
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1. Lakers give up their depth for triple-double machine Russell Westbrook
After a disappointing title defense by the Purple and Gold in 2021, the Lakers wanted to land a third star to play alongside LeBron James and an injury-riddled Anthony Davis. The third star that the Lakers targeted turned out to be former NBA MVP Russell Westbrook. The Lakers participated in a five-team trade to land Westbrook in Los Angeles.
In the process, they gave up crucial role players Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and former NBA Sixth Man of the Year Montrezl Harrell. Westbrook would turn out to be a terrible fit for the Lakers, as many critics anticipated. To make matters worse, the Lakers didn't even make the playoffs with Westbrook.
2. Hornets trade away Kobe Bryant for Vlade Divac on draft night
On draft night, the Charlotte Hornets made a grave mistake. After drafting Kobe Bryant in the 1996 NBA Draft, the Hornets used his rights to acquire All-Star big man Vlade Divac from the Lakers. Divac threatened retirement after the NBA trade.
To make matters worse, the Hornets gave up a franchise player, who would go on to be one of the best in basketball history with the Purple and Gold. Had they not traded away Bryant, the Hornets would probably be more relevant in the NBA and might have even remained in Charlotte.
3. Hawks send Bill Russell to Celtics on draft night
The St. Louis Hawks and Celtics arranged an agreement that saw the former send Bill Russell to the latter. The Hawks had just drafted Russell with the second-overall pick in the 1956 NBA Draft.
Although the Hawks still won a championship after that move, Russell went on to win 11 NBA championships in Boston. While it was a win-win situation, 11 to one NBA titles is a huge disparity.
4. Knicks gut their roster for Carmelo Anthony
All the Knicks had to do was wait for Carmelo Anthony's contract to expire to sign him up in free agency. But with Melo and New York getting impatient, the Knicks pulled the trigger on trading for Melo.
The Knicks traded their young pieces, role players, and a crucial first-round draft pick led by Danilo Gallinari to make room for Melo. Melo would make MSG exciting but with no playoff runs to show for it. As the icing on the cake, the first-round draft pick the Knicks traded to Denver turned out to be NBA champion Jamal Murray.
5. Nets trade draft picks in exchange for Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett
The Brooklyn Nets wanted to be relevant in the league fast. Unfortunately, they paid the price. They traded several first-round draft picks in order to land Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett.
While the duo were successful in Boston, they were also nearing 40 years old. To make matters more painful for Brooklyn, those picks turned out to be Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. Those two are one of the best duos in the NBA, even helping the Celtics win a championship last year.
6. Clippers sacrifice their future for Paul George
In order to land Kawhi Leonard in Los Angeles, the Clippers also needed to lure Paul George from Oklahoma City. The Clippers basically sacrificed their future by sending out a handful of first-round draft picks and still a rising prospect, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
George missed a ton of time due to injuries and never won a championship in Los Angeles before leaving for the Philadelphia 76ers. On the other hand, SGA turned out to be the face of the Thunder franchise, who are threatening to take over the NBA.
7. Bucks send Dirk Nowitzki to Dallas for Robert Traylor
Although it was a prearranged agreement, the Milwaukee Bucks should've tried to have Dirk Nowitzki as their draft target in the first place back at the 1998 NBA Draft. Instead, the Bucks drafted Nowitzki and used him as a trading asset for Robert Traylor. The German prospect became the face of the Mavericks for several decades, even helping them win an NBA championship.
8. Pistons give up their 2004 Finals MVP for aging Allen Iverson
The Detroit Pistons were pretty much eager to return to championship ways. And when Allen Iverson grew unhappy in Denver, the Pistons pulled the trigger on an NBA trade in 2008.
Unfortunately, the Pistons had to part ways with their 2004 NBA Finals MVP Chauncey Billups. The move didn't exactly help as Iverson turned out to be a terrible fit in Detroit while Billups contributed to a competitive Nuggets team.
9. Lakers sacrifice their draft picks for an aging Steve Nash
Around the time the Miami Heat constructed their Big Three, the Lakers were also trying to maximize Kobe Bryant's closing window by giving him all the stars they could get. Not only did they manage to acquire Dwight Howard, but they also traded for Steve Nash in 2012.
However, to get Nash, the Lakers surrendered a pair of first-round draft picks and the same number of second-round draft picks. Despite coming off an All-Star season with Phoenix, Nash was way past his prime, ushering in a dark chapter for the Lakers franchise.
10. Clippers unload Baron Davis, 1st-round pick (Kyrie Irving) for role players
The Clippers were willing to make an NBA trade with Baron Davis in order to liberate themselves from his contract in 2011. In the end, the Clippers traded Davis and a first-round draft pick for Jamario Moon and Mo Williams.
While the deal was originally acceptable on the surface, the first-round draft pick turned out to be Kyrie Irving. Irving is one of the premiere guards in the NBA today, helping the Cleveland Cavaliers win a championship in 2016.
