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NBA general managers often work behind the scenes. However, they certainly carry a huge responsibility in forming a championship-worthy team, from its roster formation to its coaches.
Just recently at the trade deadline, we witnessed Los Angeles Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka pull off one of the biggest trades in league history with the Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis exchange. But where does Rob Pelinka's Luka Doncic trade rank among the best GM moves in NBA history so far?
Check out the gallery.
1. Jerry Krause forms Bulls dynasty around Michael Jordan
Although it wasn't Jerry Krause who drafted Michael Jordan for the Chicago Bulls, he was responsible for forming a formidable supporting cast. Krause was famous for swapping the rights to eighth overall pick Olden Polynice for Scottie Pippen, arguably the best second option in NBA history.
Other notable moves made by Krause as GM were drafting Horace Grant and trading for Bill Cartwright. He was also responsible for drafting European sensation Toni Kukoc later on, becoming an eventual NBA Sixth Man of the Year winner. However, the biggest move as a GM for Krause was the hiring of Phil Jackson. Without these moves, the Chicago Bulls wouldn't have earned two three-peats which led to Krause being enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame.
2. Jerry West trades All-Star Vlade Divac for a 17-year-old Kobe Bryant
Back at the 1996 NBA Draft, Lakers GM Jerry West saw something special in a 17-year-old Kobe Bryant. The Charlotte Hornets failed to see it but drafted him anyway to exchange him for All-Star big man Vlade Divac. Bryant turned out to be a diamond in the rough, transforming into a megastar by helping the Purple and Gold win five NBA titles. He also won an NBA MVP and two Finals MVP awards and eventually entered the Hall of Fame.
3. Jerry West lures Shaquille O'Neal to the Lakers
Aside from acquiring Bryant, West was also instrumental in luring Shaquille O'Neal to Los Angeles. Around that time, O'Neal was arguably the hottest player in the market after growing disgruntled with the Orlando Magic. Of course, that meant securing his running partner in Bryant while placing emphasis on winning rings. But more importantly, West was willing to offer him a seven-year deal worth $120 million. Securing the services of the Big Diesel delivered a three-peat to the franchise.
4. R.C. Bufford forms the Spurs' iconic core
R.C. Bufford was often overlooked during his time as the general manager of the San Antonio Spurs. However, he deserves more credit. He played a huge hand in the Spurs' drafting Tim Duncan. Furthermore, Bufford also gambled on taking a chance on international superstars Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker.
Around that time, there was strong hesitation around the league regarding these players, given that these players might fail to acclimate to the NBA style of play. Nonetheless, Bufford's eyes turned out to be reliable, given that this core won several NBA championships across different eras.
5. Pat Riley forms the Big Three in South Beach
There's no question that 2010 NBA Free Agency broke the sports headlines when LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh decided to form a super team by joining the Miami Heat. The move was only made possible by Pat Riley, who was serving as the GM of the Heat at that time. These acquisitions changed the championship landscape in the NBA, leading to back-to-back NBA championships and four straight Finals appearances.
6. Danny Ainge trades away aging championship duo for a younger pair
After delivering an NBA title to the Boston Celtics, it was already accepted around the league that both Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett would retire in Boston. However, in 2013, Danny Ainge pressed the rebuild button via a trade for a haul of role players and first-round draft picks that seemingly favored the Brooklyn Nets around that time.
Nonetheless, the Nets failed to win a championship. And fast-forward to today, the Celtics turned those draft picks into Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, both of whom were responsible in bringing the Celtics their 18th championship banner for the solo lead in number of titles for NBA franchises over the Lakers.
7. Tim Connelly drafts two international prospects that resulted into gold
The Denver Nuggets quietly pieced together a championship duo, a process that started in 2014 under Tim Connelly's watch. He first drafted Serbian prospect Nikola Jokic in the second round before stashing him in Europe. Later on, Connelly used their first-round draft pick acquired in the blockbuster Carmelo Anthony trade in 2011 to select Canadian guard Jamal Murray. Both Murray and Jokic led the Nuggets to their first NBA title in 2023. Moreover, The Joker emerged as a three-time NBA MVP.
8. Brad Stevens trades for pieces leading to Celtics' 18th title
Although it was Ainge who brought together a championship duo in Brown and Tatum, Brad Stevens finished the job when he took over as the general manager of the Boston Celtics. In 2023, Stevens made a move for Latvian sensation Kristaps Porzingis. In the same year, he also traded for former All-Star Jrue Holiday as part of a blockbuster deal headlined by Damian Lillard. Porzingis' presence in the frontcourt and Holiday's perimeter defense were instrumental in the Celtics' 18th title conquest.
9. Rob Pelinka swaps Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis
In one of the biggest trade deadline deals in league history, Rob Pelinka did the unthinkable by exchanging NBA champion center Anthony Davis for 25-year-old Dallas Mavericks face of the franchise Luka Doncic. The deal not only broke headlines but ultimately altered the playoff landscape in the Western Conference. The Purple and Gold moved on from an injury-riddled AD while securing their present and future by stealing away Doncic from Dallas.
10. Sam Presti acquires a haul of building blocks for All-Star Paul George
While a departing superstar usually leads to a long rebuild, that wasn't exactly the case for the Oklahoma City Thunder when Sam Presti was their general manager. With Paul George requesting a trade to the Los Angeles Clippers when Kawhi Leonard wanted to sign with Los Angeles, Presti knew he had to milk out as many assets as he could get out of his NBA All-Star.
In return for George, Presti acquired a huge haul of youngsters headlined by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a set of draft picks. Of course, Gilgeous-Alexander turned into an MVP-caliber player. Furthermore, one of those first-round picks also turned into Jalen Williams, one of the team's current key players and an All-Star.
