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NBA Draft Day trades are quite common as teams are trying to upgrade their respective rosters. However, what isn't common is when a team regretfully trades away a blue-chip prospect who would eventually transform into an NBA MVP. While one can't fault a team for failing to foresee the future, the consequences are ultimately painful. To make matters worse, it usually turns out to be a one-sided deal. Here is a look at five future NBA MVPs who were traded on draft day.
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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
It's easy to forget that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was actually traded several times before becoming the 2025 NBA MVP that he is today. While he's known for being a part of the blockbuster Paul George trade between the Los Angeles Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder, SGA was also traded on draft night.
The Charlotte Hornets took the reigning NBA MVP with the 11th overall pick in the first round of the 2018 NBA Draft. But shortly after, the Hornets traded to the Clippers for the 12th overall pick and a pair of second-round draft picks. The 12th overall pick was used to select Miles Bridges. The Hornets' decision to trade SGA is just one of the most recent fumbles for a franchise that hasn't made a lot of great decisions.
Kobe Bryant
To make matters worse for the Hornets, SGA wasn't the only eventual NBA MVP that they gave up on draft night. Back at the 1996 NBA Draft, Charlotte used their 13th overall pick in the first round to select the late Kobe Bryant. But as part of an agreement with the Los Angeles Lakers, the Hornets traded Bryant away in exchange for All-Star big man Vlade Divac.
Bryant took over the NBA thanks to his out-of-this-world scoring and legendary clutch plays. Widely known as the Black Mamba, Bryant became a Lakers superstar by taking the NBA MVP honors in 2008 while helping the Purple and Gold capture five NBA championships with him crowned the Finals MVP twice.
Bill Russell
The late Bill Russell was so dominant with the Boston Celtics during his peak. In fact, it's he was the face of that particular Celtics dynasty from the late 50s to the mid-60s. However, it's easy to overlook the fact that Boston actually moved heaven and earth to acquire a generational talent like Russell.
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Former Celtics owner Walter Brown negotiated a deal with the Rochester Royals owner Les Harrison, dangling the Ice Capades show in order to convince the latter not to select Russell. In addition to this, Brown traded away Ed Macauley, Cliff Hagan, and the seventh overall pick of the 1956 NBA Draft to get the second overall pick. At the end of the day, all the troubles were worth it as Russell became a five-time NBA MVP winner while helping the franchise capture 11 NBA titles.
Dirk Nowitzki
Given that international players had yet to solidify their reputation in the NBA, it wasn't surprising that Dirk Nowitzki fell off the radar of several teams. However, little did they know that he was a future NBA MVP that would revolutionize the game. But among the teams that passed him up, it was the Milwaukee Bucks that were at the center of the fumble.
The Bucks used the ninth overall pick of the 1998 NBA Draft to select Nowitzki. Afterwards, they traded the German prospect to the Dallas Mavericks for Pat Garrity and sixth overall pick Robert “Tractor” Traylor. Nowitzki became the face of the Mavs franchise, leading them to a pair of Finals appearances and the 2007 NBA MVP Award. He finally led the franchise to an elusive NBA title in 2011, with him named the Finals MVP.
Steve Nash
Steve Nash is quite a unique case in comparison to the rest of the MVPs on this list. The Phoenix Suns actually drafted Nash in the 1996 NBA Draft, where he was the 15th overall pick. After two underwhelming seasons, the Suns traded him away during the 1998 NBA Draft, where the Mavs received Martin Müürsepp, Bubba Wells, Pat Garrity, and a first-round pick that became Shawn Marion.
Nash eventually became a premiere point guard in Dallas, forming a dynamic duo with Nowitzki. Luckily for the Suns, they were able to reunite with the Canadian guard after his six-year tenure with the Mavs. Nash's second tenure in Phoenix included back-to-back MVP Awards.
