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The worst trades in NBA history

The NBA has been home to countless trades, some transformative and others, well, absolutely disastrous. Over the years, franchises have gambled on big moves, hoping to build dynasties, but a few have backfired spectacularly.

In the summer of 2019, the Los Angeles Clippers made waves by trading for Paul George to pair with Kawhi Leonard, giving up Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, and seven first-round picks. On paper, this deal turned the Clippers into immediate championship contenders. But in reality? Not so much.

While George showed flashes of brilliance, injuries plagued his tenure, and the Clippers repeatedly fell short of expectations, failing to even make the NBA Finals. Meanwhile, the Thunder struck gold. Shai blossomed into an MVP-caliber player, finishing second in MVP voting for the 2023-24 season. The picks from the trade also helped shape OKC's young core, including standout Jalen Williams.

With George leaving for the 76ers in 2024, the Clippers are left wondering what could've been, while the Thunder are thriving as a powerhouse. As you can see, a single transaction can shape the fortunes of a franchise for years, for better or worse. For fans of teams on the losing end of these deals, all that’s left is to wonder: "What if?" For bettors, things might sound even more confusing. Luckily, some sportsbooks offer instant withdrawals so when you do win a bet, you can get your winning faster and safer than you would on any other site (Source: https://instantwithdrawalbettingsites.com).

After securing back-to-back titles in the mid-90s, the Houston Rockets aimed for a three-peat by trading their young core - Robert Horry, Sam Cassell, Chucky Brown, and Mark Bryant - for an aging Charles Barkley. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but the results were underwhelming.

While Barkley delivered solid stats, the Rockets never regained their championship form. They reached the Western Conference Finals in his first season but fell short afterward, missing the playoffs in his final year. The Suns, meanwhile, didn’t achieve much with the young players but can take solace in Horry’s later success, as he won seven rings with other teams. This trade leaves Rockets fans lamenting what might have been had they kept their young talent intact.

One of the most lopsided trades in NBA history happened on draft night in 1998. The Milwaukee Bucks selected Dirk Nowitzki with the ninth pick, only to trade him to the Dallas Mavericks for Robert Traylor.

Dirk went on to have a Hall of Fame career, becoming a 14-time All-Star, an MVP, and an NBA champion in 2011. Traylor, unfortunately, never panned out, averaging just 4.8 points per game in his brief NBA career. Bucks fans can only imagine how their franchise might have looked had Dirk donned Milwaukee green.

In 2021, the Lakers traded Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and others to the Wizards for Russell Westbrook. The idea was to create a Big Three alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis. However, the fit was disastrous.

Westbrook struggled to adjust to a supporting role, and his inefficient shooting became a liability. Meanwhile, Kuzma blossomed into a legitimate scorer in Washington, and Caldwell-Pope played a crucial role in the Nuggets' first championship in 2023. Westbrook's short Lakers stint ended with him being traded to the Jazz in 2023, cementing this trade as a major misstep.

The Brooklyn Nets 2013 trade with the Boston Celtics remains a cautionary tale. Brooklyn acquired Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Jason Terry - all over 35 - for five players and four first-round picks. The move was meant to make the Nets contenders, but it only saddled them with aging stars who couldn’t deliver.

Boston, on the other hand, struck gold. The picks turned into Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, two of the NBA's best players, who led the Celtics to a championship in 2024. Brooklyn, meanwhile, is still recovering from this ill-fated gamble.

In 1968, the 76ers traded reigning MVP Wilt Chamberlain to the Lakers for Jerry Chambers, Archie Clark, and Darrall Imhoff. While Wilt continued to dominate and led the Lakers to a title in 1972, the Sixers struggled, failing to return to championship contention for nearly a decade. Trading a generational talent for a mediocre haul remains one of the most baffling moves in NBA history.

Another of the most infamous trades is the Cleveland Cavaliers trading Kevin Johnson, a future All-Star, to the Phoenix Suns in 1988. In return, the Cavs received veteran Larry Nance, who was solid but couldn't match Johnson's future impact. Johnson became a cornerstone for the Suns, leading them to multiple playoff runs and earning All-NBA honors, while Cleveland missed out on building around a rising superstar point guard.