The dust has settled on the Luka Doncic to the Lakers trade. We all have had a couple of hours to process this, and even after that, it still shocks you. It is just unthinkable, unimaginable, even in your wildest fantasy trades, that a player of his age, talent, and value would get traded. Has it happened before? Let’s take a look at the biggest trades in NBA history and check whether Luka is on top.
Biggest Trades In NBA History: Is Luka on Top?
Kevin Durant might have summarized the Luka trade best. After the Phoenix Suns’ loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, he said, “This got to be the biggest trade I’ve ever seen.” He added, “Damn, we never thought Luka Doncic would get traded at this age, midseason, [The] NBA is a wild place man. If he can get traded, everybody is up.”
When we consider the biggest trades, we have to look at players’ age, value, talent, accomplishments to that point, and more. For example, you can say Bill Russell and Kobe Bryant were steal trades. But neither played a second in the NBA before they got traded to the Celtics and Lakers. Now let’s take a look at some of the biggest trades in NBA history from lowest to biggest.
Chris Paul to the Clippers (2011)
Ironically, Chris Paul was initially headed to the Lakers before David Stern vetoed that deal. Lakers fans are angry about it to this day. At the time, CP3 was the best point guard in the league, a perennial All-Star candidate, and finished in the top 5 in MVP voting two times.
After the NBA vetoed the trade (because at the time they owned the Hornets), they arranged for another deal to send CP3 to Los Angeles. New Orleans received Chris Kaman, Eric Gordon, Al-Farouq Aminu, and a 2012 first-round pick from the Minnesota Timberwolves. Fun fact: The Hornets got the No.1 pick in the draft with their own pick, and selected Anthony Davis. That Minnesota pick turned into the No.10 selection of Austin Rivers. CP3 was also 25 years old when he was traded the first time.
Tracy McGrady to Houston (2004)
At the time of the trade, Tracy McGrady was 24 years old. He was coming off two straight seasons in which he led the NBA in scoring. He also finished fourth in NBA voting two times before being traded. The Rockets wanted a co-star for Yao Ming, and they got one in McGrady. Injuries prevented the Rockets from finishing on top, but there is no denying that they got a big name in a trade. And it cost them Steve Francis and some role players.
Carmelo Anthony to New York (2011)
At the time, Carmelo Anthony’s trade was the biggest haul in recent years. There was a bidding war, one that netted Denver four quality rotation players, three picks, and a swap. The Melo trade is also a reminder of how teams should not give their entire roster for a star.
Before being traded to the Knicks, Melo made three All-Star teams, and the highest he finished in MVP voting was sixth. He was considered one of the biggest scorers in the league, but because the Knicks gave away too much, the loss of players and assets hindered their ability to surround Melo with talent to win at a high level.
Anthony Davis to the Lakers (2019)
Ironically, Anthony Davis has been part of two of the biggest trades in NBA history. In 2019, he was traded to the Lakers to help LeBron James win a championship for three first-round picks, a swap, and two young promising players in Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram. Now, the Lakers give LeBron another young co-star.
That trade still hasn’t paid full dividends to the Pelicans, because they decided to defer the 2024 first-round pick to 2025 hoping that the Lakers will implode. That decision doesn’t look as good right now, right? Like Luka now, AD was 25 years old at the time of the trade.
Charles Barkley to Phoenix (1992)
Like Luka, Charles Barkley was one of the top 5 players in the league in the 1990s. The difference is Chuck was 28 years old at the time. He finished top-five in MVP voting three times and made the All-Star team six times before being traded from Philadelphia to Phoenix.
Another difference, Charles wanted out of Philadelphia because the team was not competing. We still do not know if Luka indicated to the Mavs that he would leave in the summer of 2026 privately, but there was no indication of him being unhappy in Dallas.
Shaquille O’Neal to Miami (2004)
If this trade came in a shocking and surprising way as the Luka trade, it might have been biggest in NBA history. But there were rumblings that Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant could no longer play together. So, the Lakers made a choice, and of course, they kept the younger player.
Shaq was 31 years old when the Lakers traded him to the Heat. Yes, he did help them win three straight NBA championships, won an MVP, and made several All-Star teams. But he was old, and the Lakers got some pieces for him.
Wilt Chamberlain to the Philadelphia 76ers (1965)
The first Wilt Chamberlain trade is one of the biggest trades in NBA history. He was 28 years old at the time and averaged 34+ points in his first six seasons in the league. By today’s standards, it is hard to comprehend this trade. The lopsided deal included players like Lee Shaffer, Paul Neumann, and Connie Dierking. If you look at their stats, none of them averaged more than 12 points per game. Fun fact: in the 1967 Finals, his new team, the Philadelphia 76ers, defeated his old team, San Francisco Warriors.
Kareem to the Lakers (1975)
Only Luka might top the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar trade to the Lakers as one of the biggest trades in NBA history. We will have to wait and see how his career turns in the following years. Kareem remains the biggest trade. Before he was traded, he won a championship in Milwaukee, three MVP awards, and was considered the best player in the league. The only reason we can debate whether Luka is the biggest trade is because Kareem wanted out of Milwaukee. He was 27 years old when he requested a trade. He went on to win five more championship titles with the Lakers.
Luka Doncic to the Lakers (2025)
If the Mavericks wanted to trade Luka, there is no denying they could have gotten a bigger haul for him. Put him on the trade block, and teams like Houston, San Antonio, and OKC could have given the Mavericks enough assets to rebuild completely. Plus, imagine Victor Wembanyama and Luka together.
The Mavericks got only one, repeating, one first-round pick for Luka. There is no world in which you can justify the trade.
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