Top 10 NBA trades that changed history

The NBA is a sport where trades play a big part in whether or not your team will win a championship. Some of these trades have completely changed the course of the history of the league. What if Kobe Bryant had stayed in Charlotte? Or what if Anthony Davis had never left New Orleans? Here is a breakdown of 15 of the most stunning trades in NBA history.

(Image credits to the Los Angeles Times)

10. Chris Webber to Sacramento for Mitch Richmond and Otis Thorpe

After having been traded for Hardaway as a deal in 1993, 24-year-old Chris Webber shocked the world by leaving to Sacramento in 1998 for two NBA veterans: Mitch Richmond and Otis Thorpe. Chris Webber was arguably the best player on the Wizards, and even though there was some positional overlap between him and Juwan Howard, the Wizards got the short end of the stick

9. Paul George to the Clippers

It wasn’t the headlines as much as the pay-off that makes this trade shocking. In 2019, Paul George moved from Oklahoma City to LA, being traded for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, five first-round picks and two pick swaps. Although OKC would have won this trade if it had only been SGA, the rest of the deal was a bit lopsided.

8. MVP Moses Malone to the Sixers

After winning his second MVP award, averaging 31.1 points at 27, Moses Malone was the Houston Rockets' star player. However, they did not match his salary demands, so Malone decided to sign a deal with the Sixers. The Rockets received a first pick and Calvin Jones in September 1982.

5. Chris Paul to the Clippers in 2011

On December 8 2011, the Lakers, Hornets and Rockets had a deal to send Chris Paul to the Lakers, while the Lakers sent out Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom. Not so fast! NBA commissioner David Stern vetoed the trade as custodian for the league-owned Hornets. Six days later, Chris Paul was sent to the Clippers instead.

4. Bulls add Dennis Rodman to their roster

Dennis the Menace, who was previously part of the bad boy Pistons, the Bulls’ biggest rivals, later joined their team. He was known for his lacklustre work ethic, especially after leaving Detroit. Joining forces with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen shocked the NBA. He went on to help the Bulls win more NBA Titles.

3. Anthony Davis to the Lakers

The year is 2019, New Orleans big man Anthony Davis has just heard he will be joining the LA Lakers alongside 3 time champion Lebron James. This new dynamic duo stormed the West on their way to a championship in the NBA bubble. The pairing worked like magic, with both athletes being dominant based on their size and athleticism. If Davis had not moved to LA, the 2020 championship might not have been purple and gold.

2. Kobe Bryant to the Lakers

The Charlotte Hornets had just drafted Bryant in 1996. After 2 weeks of playing with the Hornets (not in games, but in practice) the Black Mamba moved his talents to LA. Had this trade not happened the Lakers would probably have 5 championships less. Together with Shaq and later Pau Gasol, Kobe built the castle on the foundation of the Lakers' legacy that was previously built by names like Magic Johnson and Kareem. If he had never left Charlotte the NBA in the 2000’s would have been way different than we remember it.

1. The Luka and Anthony swap

There might be a bit of a theme for this top 3 because the first trade of our list, again sent a player to the Lakers in a trade that can change history. Just 1 season ago, without anyone being informed apart from the people orchestrating the trade, stars Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis were traded. What makes this trade so special is the fact that Luka had almost singlehandedly helped the Mavericks to the 2024 NBA finals. He was a franchise superstar, the face of a legacy that was being built. 

Another thing that makes this trade top of the pile is the fact that almost nobody, not even the players, knew what was going on behind the scenes. The trade came out of nowhere.

Right now, it seems as though the Lakers got the good end of the deal, seeing as Davis has been injury-prone over the last few seasons. We don’t know yet what this trade will mean for the future, but we do know that it meant a big shift in the Western Conference.

Just like that, with signed contracts and held-up jerseys, history was changed.

Article written by Norah d’Hont ©Norah d’Hont 2026