The Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks engineered one of the most stunning trades early Sunday morning, swapping Luka Dončić for Anthony Davis and a 2029 first-round draft pick. Time will tell how impactful it will be for both franchises, as well as the broader NBA landscape.
Is it the biggest trade in NBA history? Where does it rank in all of sports? For now, it’s certainly one of the most surprising given that few people outside of the Lakers and Mavericks seemed to know Dončić was even available.
Here’s a look back at 10 other memorable trades in sports history — in chronological order, not impact. We’ll let you debate their ranking in importance.
Babe Ruth to the Yankees (1919)
The sale of Babe Ruth to the Yankees for $100,000 still ranks as the most infamous trade in sports history. He became one of the best players in the sport’s history, retiring with 714 home runs, and created a dynasty for the Yankees. The Red Sox were left with the Curse of the Bambino.
Wilt Chamberlain to the Philadelphia 76ers (1965)
This was the first of two league-changing trades involving Wilt. He was 28 and averaging more than 30 points for the San Francisco Warriors. In return, the Warriors picked up Lee Shaffer, Paul Neumann and Connie Dierking from Philadelphia. Not exactly the best haul. The Sixers went on to beat the Warriors in the 1967 NBA Finals.
This was also only the first blockbuster trade involving Wilt. He eventually asked for a trade from Philadelphia, and the Sixers sent him to the Lakers for Darrall Imhoff, Archie Clark and Jerry Chambers in 1968. It was the first time a current NBA MVP was traded the ensuing season. With the Lakers, Chamberlain went on to win his second NBA title in 1972.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to the Los Angeles Lakers (1975)
Then known as Lew Alcindor, Kareem was already one of the NBA’s best players and reportedly wanted out of Milwaukee when the Lakers landed him. This forever transformed the L.A. franchise. Kareem helped the Lakers win five championships and his NBA all-time scoring record stood for decades until another Laker, LeBron James, broke it.
Wayne Gretzky to the Los Angeles Kings (1988)
When a move is simply branded “The Trade,” and everyone knows who they’re talking about, it’s big. Gretzky was the sport’s best player and built a dynasty with the Edmonton Oilers. His move to Los Angeles sparked the NHL’s popularity in the United States.
Herschel Walker to the Minnesota Vikings (1989)
The largest trade in NFL history led to a dynasty for the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys sent him to the Vikings in a deal that grew to include the San Diego Chargers, 18 players and draft picks. The picks were key for the Cowboys, who were in the midst of a 1-15 season and used them to take players including Emmitt Smith, Darren Woodson and Russell Maryland.
With Walker, the Vikings were eliminated in the divisional round of the 1989 season’s playoffs and didn’t make the postseason the following two seasons. That’s why this is considered one of the most lopsided trades in history.
Ricky Williams to the New Orleans Saints (1999)
The New Orleans Saints traded every pick they owned in the 1999 NFL Draft, in addition to two of their first three picks in the 2000 NFL draft, to Washington for the right to move up from No. 12 to No. 5 and take University of Texas running back Ricky Williams. How did that work out for the Saints? Well, they fired Mike Ditka, their head coach, the following season. Williams later found success with the Miami Dolphins.
Marshall Faulk to the St. Louis Rams (1999)
This was one of the rare trades that worked out for both teams. Faulk totaled an NFL-leading 2,227 yards from scrimmage during the 1998 season and was seeking to renegotiate his contract. Armed with a young quarterback named Peyton Manning, the Colts instead traded their star running back for second- and fifth-round draft picks. Faulk helped form the “Greatest Show on Turf” in St. Louis, won one Super Bowl and went to another with the Rams. The Colts made the playoffs in 11 of the next 12 seasons and also won a Super Bowl.
Alex Rodriguez to the New York Yankees (2004)
The Texas Rangers signed Rodriguez to an industry-changing 10-year, $252 million contract in 2000. The contract eventually became too much of a financial burden for the franchise, despite Rodriguez’s stellar play on the field. With A-Rod coming off an AL MVP season in 2003, the Rangers sent him to the Yankees for Alfonso Soriano and prospect Joaquin Arias — while agreeing to pay some of Rodriguez’s remaining salary.
Shaquille O’Neal to the Miami Heat (2004)
There’s a common theme in this list, along with the NBA’s most recent blockbuster — the Los Angeles Lakers are at the center of many of sports’ most monumental deals. Shaq and Kobe Bryant weren’t exactly getting along, despite having recently won three championships together. The Lakers ended up sending O’Neal to the Heat for Lamar Odom, Caron Butler, Brian Grant and a future first-round pick that became Jordan Farmar.
The Heat won a championship with O’Neal two years later. The Lakers eventually recovered, as they always seem to do.
Mookie Betts to the Dodgers (2020)
Betts was entering his final season of team control with the Red Sox, and Boston was motivated to cut payroll. That led to them sending one of the game’s best players — along with pitcher David Price — to L.A. for outfielder Alex Verdugo, catcher Connor Wong and infield prospect Jeter Downs. Good for the Dodgers, who have won two World Series with Betts. Not so much for the Red Sox.
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