Trades have helped shape the fabric of the NBA since its beginning in 1946. Each franchise has its share of good and bad moves. With the art of the deal, some teams have better luck than others.
Here are the best NBA trades made by each team in league history.
Atlanta Hawks land Dominique Wilkins
The Utah Jazz traded their No. 3 overall pick in 1982, Dominique Wilkins, to the Hawks for John Drew and Freeman Williams. Wilkins went on to become one of the best scorers in NBA history.
The Hall of Famer ended up being a nine-time all-star for the Hawks, scoring 25 or more points per game for 10 seasons. The team didn't experience much success due to a poor supporting cast.
Boston Celtics turn aging core into Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum
Possibly the most famous trade in recent NBA history, the Celtics sent an aging core of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Jason Terry, and Kris Joseph to the Brooklyn Nets. In return, the Celtics received role players, unprotected first-round picks in 2014, 2016, and 2018, and the ability to swap first-rounders in 2017.
None of those players had significant impacts in Boston. However, the unprotected draft picks have led to franchise cornerstones Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum in a deal widely regarded as one of the most lopsided ever.
Brooklyn Nets score big on Kidd
In 2001, the Phoenix Suns traded Jason Kidd and Chris Dudley to the Nets for Stephon Marbury, Johnny Newman and Soumalia Samake.
In Kidd's seven seasons with the Nets, he would be named to five All-Star games, bringing the Nets to the NBA Finals in 2002 and 2003.
Charlotte Hornets get their first franchise face after expansion
The expansion Charlotte Bobcats traded the No. 4 and No. 33 picks to the Los Angeles Clippers in 2004. Charlotte drafted Rookie of the Year Emeka Okafor, a solid contributor to the expansion team.
Chicago Bulls hit jackpot with draft-day trade
The Seattle Supersonics drafted Scottie Pippen as No. 5 overall in 1987. They would then trade the future Hall of Famer for No. 8 overall pick Olden Polynice and future draft picks.
Seattle could never have known how it would end up as Olden Polynice was more highly regarded. Unfortunately, it was one of the worst moves a team has ever made. Pippen was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team in seven of the 11 seasons he played in Chicago and served as the second-best player on the roster alongside Michael Jordan while winning six championships.
Cleveland Cavaliers get franchise cornerstone Mark Price in steal
In the 1986 NBA draft, the Dallas Mavericks sent No. 25 overall pick Mark Price to the Cleveland Cavaliers for a second-round pick. Price would become an All-NBA caliber player in the early '90s for the Cavs and is the second most accurate free-throw shooter of all time.
Dallas Mavericks get the German
The Dončič trade could one day land on a list like this. However, in 1998, the Mavericks acquired No. 7 overall pick Dirk Nowitzki for big-man Robert Traylor.
Another piece of the trade, Pat Garrity, was then flipped to the Phoenix Suns for Steve Nash and a filler pick that turned into Steve Nash. Essentially, the Mavericks traded Robert Traylor and Pat Garrity for Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash, and Shawn Marion.
Nowitzki is the best player in Mavericks history, bringing the franchise its first-ever championship in 2011.
Denver Nuggets put some English on it
In 1980, the Nuggets traded aging star George McGinnis and Carl Nicks to the Indiana Pacers for forward Alex English. English developed into one of the best scorers of his era and led the NBA with 28.4 points per game in 1983.
He averaged at least 25 points per game for eight-straight seasons from 1981 to 1989. He was also highly efficient, as his field-goal percentage never dropped below 49.1 percent.
Detroit Pistons trade for championship team's heart and soul
The Pistons took a risk in 2000 by trading rising star Grant Hill to the Orlando Magic for Chucky Atkins and Ben Wallace. Injuries would derail Hill's career after he left Detroit (though he was already hit by the bug some). Wallace would develop into one of the best defensive centers ever, anchoring the Pistons' championship run in 2004.
Golden State Warriors do indeed believe
At the 2005 trade deadline, the Warriors shipped Speedy Claxton and Dale Ellis to New Orleans for a 25-year-old Baron Davis. Over the next three and a half years, Davis would be the best player for the Warriors, leading their improbable upset of the top-seeded Mavericks in the 2007 playoffs.
Houston Rockets find the missing piece for a champion
The Houston Rockets acquired Clyde Drexler from the Portland Trail Blazers for Otis Thorpe, Marcelo Nicola, and a first-round pick. Drexler was in Portland for a decade but became a household name while starring alongside Hakeem Olajuwon at the University of Houston. In Drexler's first season with Houston, he and Olajuwon teamed up to win the second of back-to-back NBA championships for the Rockets.
Indiana Pacers put together a finals team
In 1994, the Pacers acquired Mark Jackson for the first time, sending Malik Sealy, Pooh Richardson, and Eric Piatkowski to the Los Angeles Clippers. Then two years later, the team decided that it could do without Jackson and moved him, along with Ricky Pierce and a pick, to the Denver Nuggets for Jalen Rose, Reggie Williams, and a draft pick that became Erick Dampier.
The team called Denver back the next year to ask for Jackson back. The Nuggets sent Jackson back to Indiana, along with LaSalle Thompson, in exchange for Eddie Johnson, Vincent Askew, and a second-round pick. Meanwhile, in a separate deal, the Pacers flipped Dampier (and Duane Ferrell) to the Golden State Warriors for Chris Mullin.
So by exiling Mark Jackson for a few years and parting ways with a series of aging vets and a few picks, the Pacers were able to put Jackson, Rose, and Mullin next to Reggie Miller in their perimeter rotation. This led to the team's greatest runs in franchise history in the late 90s and early 2000s.
Los Angeles Clippers change the narrative with Chris Paul
The Clippers have been making bigger deals in trades in recent years than they had in the early years of the franchise. While it's too early to judge the results of the Clippers trading for James Harden, the 2011 trade that brought Chris Paul to LA led to the most successful six-year run in franchise history. Chris Paul and Blake Griffin combined to have one of the most exciting eras of Clippers basketball, “lob city”.
Bad luck, poor clutch performance, and a bunch of other factors contributed to Chris Paul never making it to an NBA Finals with the Clippers. He is most remembered for his failed attempts in the postseason, but Paul was a valued member of the franchise while he was there.
Los Angeles Lakers land Kobe Bryant
In one of the best trades in NBA history, the Lakers moved Vlade Divac to the Charlotte Hornets for the No. 13 overall pick in the 1996 draft, Kobe Bryant. Bryant won five titles with the Purple and Gold and would be one of the best players in NBA history,
Memphis Grizzlies win in the long run
At the time, trading a budding star in Pau Gasol seemed foolish. But in return, the Grizzlies received his younger brother, Marc, a few role players, and draft picks. Marc Gasol would win NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2013 and lead the “Grit and Grind” Grizzlies of the early 2010s.
Miami Heat win their first title with Shaq
Excluding the 2010 sign-and-trade deals for LeBron James and Chris Bosh, the Heat's acquisition of Shaquille O'Neal in 2006 gave the team another star alongside Dwyane Wade, who helped the franchise win its first-ever championship.
Milwaukee Bucks bring aboard the Big O
The original triple-double machine, Oscar Robertson, became a Buck after the team traded Charlie Paulk and Flynn Robinson to the Cincinnati Royals in 1970.
Robertson was no longer the triple-double threat that he was in Cincinnati, but he was still the best player in the NBA. He paired with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and dominated the league. The team went 66-16 in the regular season and 12-2 in the playoffs to win the NBA title.
If Milwaukee can win multiple titles in the next few years, then the Bucks trading for Damian Lillard might end up being the trade that surpasses the Robertson trade.
Minnesota Timberwolves are feeling the Love
The Timberwolves agreed to an eight-player deal that landed Kevin Love in Minnesota a year after losing franchise player Kevin Garnett. Love averaged 19.2 points per game, 12.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists.
He was an all-star for three of six seasons in Minnesota and a two-time All-NBA. He didn't have team success like the Timberwolves would have hoped, but he was a beloved member to fans during his time.
New Orleans Pelicans begin a new era
The Pelicans don't have a lot of high-impact trades in franchise history. The best they've done is the Anthony Davis trade to the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Pelicans lost a franchise player in Davis but gained Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, and a treasure chest of first-round picks. Ball and Hart are no longer with the team, and the Pelicans didn't experience much success with the pair.
New York Knicks trade leads to pair of titles
In 1968, the Knicks traded Walt Bellamy and Howard Komives to the Pistons for power forward Dave DeBusschere. The 6-foot-6 forward starred for the Knicks in their 1970 and 1973 championship runs.
DeBusschere joined Clyde Frazier and Willis Reed in New York to form one of the greatest teams in NBA history. The Knicks won the title in 1970 and 1973, and DeBusschere averaged a double-double both seasons.
Oklahoma City Thunder trade George for much brighter future
Even without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's emergence into the superstar that he is today, the Thunder receiving SGA, Danilo Gallinari, five first-round draft picks and two draft swaps remains one of the greatest hauls a team has received for any superstar player in any trade in NBA history. Gilgeous-Alexander's development into a First Team All-NBA Player, however, just puts this trade over the top as a gigantic win for the Thunder franchise. Credit must go to Paul George, of course, as he could have left the Thunder with nothing back in 2018.
Orlando Magic find the Robin to Shaq's Batman
In 1993, the Magic had the chance to team up Shaq with Chris Webber. Instead, Orlando traded the Michigan star to Golden State for third-overall pick Penny Hardaway and three future first-round picks.
Philadelphia 76ers hit big time with Dr. J
In desperate need of cash, the New York Nets traded Julius Erving in 1976 to the 76ers for $3 million. Dr. J would become one of the best players in the 76ers history.
With Erving in the lead, the 76ers built one of the best teams in NBA history and finally won a championship in 1983. Dr. J averaged 22 points per game, 6.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 11 seasons with the team.
He was named an all-star all 11 years. He was also the MVP four times. An NBA owner has spent $3 million on a lot worse.
Phoenix Suns become a contender with Charles Barkley
Upset with their star player, the 76ers traded Charles Barkley to the Suns in exchange for Jeff Hornacek, Tim Perry, and Andrew Lang.
Although he never won a championship, Barkley dominated in his four seasons with the Suns and won the MVP award in 1993. The Suns won 62 games in Barkley's first season but couldn't get past the looming Houston Rockets. They lost in seven games to the Rockets in back-to-back years.
Portland Trail Blazers beef up their frontcourt
During the 2006 draft, the Blazers sent No. 4 overall pick Tyrus Thomas and Viktor Khryapa to the Chicago Bulls for No. 2 pick LaMarcus Aldridge. Aldridge went on to become one of the better players in franchise history from 2006-2015.
Sacramento Kings land Chris Webber, become bona fide contender
Mitch Richmond was a bonafide star for the Kings. Nevertheless, Sacramento traded Richmond and Otis Thorpe to Washington for 25-year-old Chris Webber in 1998. That same offseason, the Kings signed Vlade Divac and Peja Stojakovic, who had played in Europe since the team drafted them in 1996.
Webber dominated the early 2000s and nearly led the franchise to their first NBA Finals appearance since 1951. They made the playoffs eight seasons in a row, but the closest they came was a Game 7 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2002 in the Western Conference Finals.
San Antonio Spurs round out dynasty with another title
The 1993 trade to land Dennis Rodman is an option, but Rodman only spent two seasons in San Antonio. Instead, the 2011 draft-day trade to acquire Kawhi Leonard will be the pick here, even if Leonard is no longer a Spur.
He was the Finals MVP when the team won the NBA championship in 2014. It was his first title with the team before eventually moving on to win another with the Toronto Raptors.
Toronto Raptors win title thanks to Kawhi Leonard
The 2018 trade that sent DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Poetl, and a first-round pick to San Antonio in exchange for Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green brought the Raptors their only NBA title. Green and Leonard only spent one season with the Raptors, but what a season it was.
Utah Jazz hit jackpot with Adrian Dantley
In 1979, the Jazz traded Spencer Haywood to the Lakers for Adrian Dantley. Dantley is one of the most lethal and overlooked scorers in NBA history. In his seven seasons in Utah, the 6-foot-5 forward topped 30 points per game four times.
Washington Wizards get franchise's only title with Elvin Hayes
In 1972, Washington (then the Bullets) traded small forward Jack Marin to Houston for undersized center Elvin Hayes. In six of his seven seasons in Washington, Hayes put up 20 and 10 on an almost nightly basis and was named an All-Star.
Elvin Hayes and Wes Unseld was one of the most dominating frontcourt duos in NBA history. They led the team to two NBA Finals appearances and their only championship in 1978. Hayes led the team in scoring, rebounding, and blocks during the run.
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