5 NBA Trades That Haunt Franchises to This Day

These five NBA trades reshaped league history—but not for the better. From Kobe to Kareem, here's a breakdown of deals that franchises still regret.

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1. Bucks Give Up Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for Spare Parts

Year: 1975

Teams Involved: Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers

Trade Details: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar → Lakers | Junior Bridgeman, Dave Meyers, Brian Winters → Bucks

Kareem requested a trade, and the Bucks obliged, but they failed to capitalize on the value of an all-time great. The return? Three serviceable role players who never came close to matching Kareem’s impact. Meanwhile, Abdul-Jabbar became the face of Showtime in L.A., winning five championships with Magic Johnson and earning three MVPs with the Lakers alone. Milwaukee faded into mediocrity until Giannis led them to a title nearly half a century later. Trading away one of the game's greatest for next to nothing?

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2. SuperSonics Send Scottie Pippen to Chicago Before He Ever Plays a Game

Year: 1987

Teams Involved: Seattle SuperSonics, Chicago Bulls Trade Details: Scottie Pippen → Bulls | Olden Polynice, 2 draft picks → SuperSonics

Seattle selected Pippen fifth overall, only to ship him off immediately. What followed was one of the most dominant dynasties in sports history. Pippen and Jordan powered the Bulls to six titles, with Pippen evolving into one of the most elite two-way players ever. Seattle got Polynice, who never made an All-Star team and struggled to lift the Sonics past the early playoff rounds. A potential dynasty thrown away before it even started.

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3. Hawks Trade Away the Greatest Winner in NBA History

Year: 1956

Teams Involved: St. Louis Hawks, Boston Celtics Trade Details: Bill Russell → Celtics | Cliff Hagan, Ed Macauley → Hawks

The Hawks didn’t make a bad trade on paper as both players they received were Hall of Famers. But they unknowingly handed Boston the cornerstone of a dynasty. Russell won 11 titles in 13 years, including eight straight, and built the Celtics into a juggernaut. The Hawks? They grabbed one championship and were routinely beaten by Boston in the playoffs. Trading away the most decorated player ever is a mistake that defined the franchise.

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4. Hornets Give the Lakers a Legend for Vlade Divac

Year: 1996

Teams Involved: Charlotte Hornets, Los Angeles Lakers Trade Details: Kobe Bryant → Lakers | Vlade Divac → Hornets

Charlotte drafted a 17-year-old Kobe Bryant, then flipped him to the Lakers before he ever suited up. The result? Bryant turned into a five-time champion, 18-time All-Star, and Lakers legend. He and Shaq brought three straight titles to L.A., and Kobe later added two more with Pau Gasol. Divac? Solid, but gone from Charlotte in just two seasons. The Hornets have never recovered from missing out on what could've been a once-in-a-generation franchise cornerstone.

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5. Mavericks Gamble Luka for Anthony Davis, and Lose

Year: 2025

Teams Involved: Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers Trade Details: Luka Doncic → Lakers | Anthony Davis → Mavericks

This trade stunned the league. Dallas parted with Luka Doncic who is called a generational talent for an aging, injury-prone Anthony Davis. It didn’t take long for the gamble to backfire. Davis suffered an injury almost immediately, and fans were left questioning the Mavericks' decision-making. The move lacked long-term vision and marked a major setback for Dallas, who gave away their best player in decades for a short-term patch that unraveled fast.