The Don\u010di\u0107 trade is definitely the most shocking in NBA history<\/a>. But is it the worst? Let\u2019s take a look:<\/p>\n Abdul-Jabbar played six seasons in Milwaukee from 1969 to \u201875. \/ Focus on Sport\/Getty Images<\/p>\n Lakers receive: <\/strong>Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Walt Wesley The Bucks didn\u2019t have much of a choice but to trade Abdul-Jabbar in 1975.\u00a0<\/p>\n During a rough 1974\u201375 season in which Milwaukee went 38\u201344 and missed the playoffs, Abdul-Jabbar requested a trade. He wanted a fresh start in a new city.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t have any family or friends in Milwaukee,\u201d he said at the time, via the Los Angeles Times<\/a>. \u201cMilwaukee is not the kind of city I\u2019m about. I\u2019m not knocking it or the people. It\u2019s just that socially and culturally I don\u2019t fit in Milwaukee.\u201d<\/p>\n Milwaukee traded Abdul-Jabbar to the Lakers for four players. Two of those four ended up getting their jerseys retired by the Bucks\u2014Bridgeman (No. 2) and Winters (No. 32), but the organization never reached the heights it did with Abdul-Jabbar, winning the 1971 NBA championship. Meanwhile, Abdul-Jabbar won three MVP awards and five NBA titles in Los Angeles and finished his career as the NBA\u2019s all-time leading scorer, <\/p>\n The Hornets traded Bryant to the Lakers on draft night in 1996. \/ Steve Freeman\/NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n Lakers receive: <\/strong>Kobe Bryant Charlotte selected Bryant, a 17-year-old high schooler out of Philadelphia, with the No. 13 pick of the 1996 draft. Later that night, they traded him to the Lakers in exchange for Vlade Divac, a solid 7′ 1″ Serbian center who was entering his eighth NBA season.\u00a0<\/p>\n Divac spent two years in Charlotte before leaving for the Kings in free agency in 1999. Bryant, of course, developed into one of the greatest players and scorers in basketball history.\u00a0<\/p>\n Much has been reported and speculated about this trade over the last 30 years. Leading up to the 1996 draft, Bryant refused to workout for some NBA teams, and he even threatened to play overseas in Italy if he landed somewhere he didn\u2019t want to play\u2014a list that reportedly included Charlotte.<\/p>\n But according to the late Bryant, the Hornets made clear to him that they did not plan to keep him.<\/p>\n On this day 18yrs ago the hornets told me right after they drafted me that they had no use for me and were going to trade me #thanku<\/a> #lakers<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) July 1, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n No matter what transpired between Bryant and the Hornets, it was a bad, bad trade.<\/p>\n Chamberlain played six seasons with the Warriors\u2014three in Philadelphia and three in San Francisco. \/ Malcolm Emmons-Imagn Images<\/p>\n 76ers receive: <\/strong>Wilt Chamberlain Chamberlain starred for the Warriors for three years in Philadelphia before the franchise moved to the Bay Area in 1962. But after two-and-a-half years in San Francisco, Chamberlain was traded back to Philadelphia\u2014this time to play for the 76ers.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Warriors, facing financial troubles, sent \u201cThe Big Dipper\u201d in exchange for three players and cash. Chamberlain went on to win three straight MVP awards from 1965 to \u201868 and led Meanwhile, Neumann was out of the NBA by the time he turned 30 years old, Dierking played just 30 games for the Warriors and Shaffer retired from basketball following the trade.<\/p>\n Woof.<\/p>\n Don\u010di\u0107 is averaging 35.2 points per game for the Lakers this season. \/ Jerome Miron-Imagn Images<\/p>\n Lakers receive: <\/strong>Luka Don\u010di\u0107, Maxi Kleber, Markieff Morris Late in the night on Feb. 1, 2025, Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison did the unthinkable.<\/p>\n In a move that many people involved did not believe was real at the time it was reported, the Mavericks traded Don\u010di\u0107 and two other players to the Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a first-round pick.\u00a0<\/p>\n Don\u010di\u0107, 25 years old at the time of the trade, was a five-time All-Star and the second-best player in Mavericks history behind Dirk Nowitzki. He led Dallas to the Western Conference finals in 2022 and the NBA Finals in \u201824, where the Mavericks lost in five games to the Celtics.<\/p>\n At the time, it was reported that the Mavericks moved on from Don\u010di\u0107 for a couple of reasons<\/a>: They were concerned about his conditioning issues and committing to another supermax contract extension, which he would\u2019ve been able to sign in the offseason. Instead of saving the franchise from a contract extension he feared would age poorly, Harrison lost the Mavericks\u2019 fan base. Even after getting lucky in the following draft lottery and taking Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 pick, Dallas fans chanted for Harrison\u2019s firing<\/a> until it finally happened 11 games into the 2025-26 season.<\/p>\n In the end, trading Don\u010di\u0107 was a move that cost Harrison his job. But at this point, it\u2019s not quite the worst trade in NBA history. That belongs to …<\/p>\n \u201cDr. J.\u201d was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993. \/ Malcolm Emmons-Imagn Images<\/p>\n Nets receive:<\/strong> $3 million When the New York Nets joined the NBA in 1976, Erving was already a star. He was a three-time MVP of the ABA and had led the Nets to two championships in the last three years.<\/p>\n Nets owner Roy Boe was struggling financially during the ABA\/NBA merger and was determined to restructure Erving\u2019s contract, which was valued at around $300,000 per year. He ended up trading Erving to the 76ers for $3 million to cover the Nets\u2019 expansion fee.<\/p>\n The Nets moved to New Jersey the following year and didn\u2019t finish above .500 for another six seasons. Erving spent the rest of his career in Philadelphia, winning the 1980\u201381 MVP award and leading the Sixers to their second NBA championship in franchise history in 1983.\u00a0<\/p>\n Perhaps an even worse decision during this saga was made by the Knicks. In addition to the expansion fee, the Knicks demanded the Nets pay them $4.8 million upon arriving to the NBA for infringing on their market in the New York area, so the Nets offered them Erving in exchange to waive the fee. The Knicks declined, and still haven\u2019t won a championship since 1973.<\/p>\n More NBA on Sports Illustrated<\/p>\n Start off your day with SI:CYMI. dark. FREE NEWSLETTER. SI BTN Newsletter<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/p>\n
Bucks receive: <\/strong>Elmore Smith, Brian Winters, Junior Bridgeman, Dave Meyers<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Hornets receive: <\/strong>Vlade Divac<\/p>\n\n
<\/p>\n
Warriors receive: <\/strong>Paul Neumann, Connie Dierking, Lee Shaffer, $150,000 cash<\/p>\n
Philadelphia to the 1967 title.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Mavericks receive: <\/strong>Anthony Davis, Max Christie, 2029 Lakers first-round pick
Jazz receive: <\/strong>Jalen Hood-Schifino, 2025 Clippers second-round pick, 2025 Mavericks second-round pick<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
76ers receive: <\/strong>Julius Erving<\/p>\n\n