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Top Nine NBA Trades of the Last Decade and a Half
By Liam Willerup
Chris Paul to the Clippers
Trade Details:
Clippers receive - G Chris Paul and two 2015 second round draft picks (nobody notable)
Hornets receive - G Eric Gordon, F Al-Farouq Aminu, C Chris Kaman, Minnesota's unprotected first-round pick in 2012 (became Austin Rivers)
Liam Grade for Clippers: A
Liam Grade for Hornets: C+
Evaluation - The Clippers were able to land an All-NBA point guard in exchange for a group of players and picks that didn’t amount to much (Gordon got hurt in his first year and Kaman played one season). This trade would’ve been an A+ if CP3 was able to lead the Clippers team to more during his tenure. For the New Orleans Hornets, a C+ is fine for only receiving role players in exchange for a star wanting out.
Kawhi Leonard to the Raptors
Trade Details:
Raptors receive - Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green
Spurs receive - DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Poetl (traded in 2023 for 2024 first), top 20 protected 2019 first-round pick (became Keldon Johnson)
Liam Grade for Raptors: A
Liam Grade for Spurs: B
Evaluation: The Raptors were able to flip an All-Star talent and a young center plus a pick to acquire a great 3&D wing and an MVP-caliber Kawhi Leonard who brought the 6 to a championship. While DeMar DeRozan ended up walking in free agency, the late round pick from Toronto became Keldon Johnson who has played well beyond his draft selection. Toronto would’ve received an A+, but Kawhi walked and they’ve been in limbo ever since.
Luka Doncic to the Mavericks
Trade Details:
Mavericks receive - Luka Doncic
Hawks receive - Trae Young and 2019 1st-rounder (became Cam Reddish)
Liam Grade for Mavericks: A+
Liam Grade for Hawks: B-
Evaluation: After the Hawks made their magical run to the ECF in 2021, this trade seemed rather even. However, the Hawks have been unable to regain their form and their team is entering a weird stage. The 2019 first rounder was rendered useless when they failed to develop Reddish and traded him for little value. For the Mavericks, Luka is a generational talent who now too has a CF appearance. Given the Mavericks traded up without giving up to much and received a potential Top 10 player OAT, I consider it an A+.
Russell Westbrook to the Rockets
Trade Details:
Houston receives - Russell Westbrook
Oklahoma City receives - Chris Paul, a 2021 first-round pick (ended up being Sengun, but was traded), a 2024 first-round pick (top-four protected), a 2026 first-round pick (top-four protected) and two pick swaps
Liam Grade for Houston: D+
Liam Grade for Oklahoma City: B+
Evaluation: It’s truly crazy how this trade ended up working completely different to what it was intended to be. CP3 was being treated as a negative asset in this trade but ended up leading the Thunder to the playoffs. Westbrook was a complete flop in Houston, and wasn’t flipped for much at all giving it a D+. OKC probably regrets not holding onto the Sengun pick, as he’s one of the best young centers. OKC has yet to make their future selections but this is far from the best OKC trade in recent memory.
Anthony Davis to the Lakers
Trade Details:
Lakers receive - Anthony Davis
**New Orleans receives - Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, the No. 4 pick in the 2019 draft (traded, became Jaxson Hayes and Nickeil Alexander-Walker), a 2022 first-round pick (Dyson Daniels), a pick swap in the 2023 draft (chance to be in lottery) and the Lakers' 2024 first-round pick with the right to defer it to 2025.
Washington receives - Isaac Bonga, Jemerrio Jones, Moritz Wagner and the Lakers' 2022 second-round pick
** = Hart and NAW were major pieces in McCollum trade
Liam Grade for New Orleans: A+
Liam Grade for Lakers: B+
Evaluation: One of the marquee trades of the last decade, Davis was in the midst of a career prime playing like one of the best bigs in NBA history. Therefore, LA had to give up A LOT in order to acquire the star. For New Orleans, they got major assets that are a huge reason they are the playoff contenders they are today. While Ball went to Chicago for rather nothing, NOLA essentially walked away with BI, McCollum and two more first round picks. Given the insane value and still potential to be better, this has to be an A+. For the Lakers, they got what they wanted and that being a championship out of this trade. However, Davis has spent plenty of time injured and the Lakers future is now in question because of the move like this. If LA would’ve been playoff contenders every season since the trade, it would be an A+, but therefore it’s a B+.
Paul George to the Clippers
Trade Details:
LA Clippers receive - Paul George
Oklahoma City receives - Danilo Gallinari; Shai Gilgeous-Alexander; Miami's 2021 (Tre Mann) and 2023 (bottom 15 pick projected) first-round picks; the Clippers' 2022 (Jalen Williams), 2024 and 2026 first-round picks; pick swaps in 2023 and 2025
Liam Grade for Clippers: C
Liam Grade for Oklahoma City: A+
Evaluation: You can argue that right now regardless of how good he’s been over the years, Shai is the best player from this deal over PG13. Regardless of how good George is and has been, this trade has not led to the success it was set out to do. While George being acquiring was the reason Kawhi came to the Clippers, the fact this team hasn’t had a successful playoff run and they gave up a lot means the Clippers get a C. For OKC, they landed Shai, Tre Mann, Jalen Williams, and still have more picks from this deal. IMO, this is the best Sam Presti he’s done.
James Harden to the Nets
Trade Details:
Brooklyn receives - James Harden
Houston receives - Rodions Kurucs; Dante Exum; Brooklyn's 2022 (Tari Eason), 2024 and 2026 first-round picks; pick swaps with Brooklyn in 2021, 2023, 2025 and 2027; and Milwaukee's 2022 (traded, became Marjon Beauchamp) first-round pick
Indiana receives - Caris LeVert (traded to Cleveland in 2022 for a now 2023 1st) and second-round picks in 2023 and 2024
Cleveland receives - Jarrett Allen and Taurean Prince
Liam Grade for Brooklyn: D
Liam Grade for Houston: A
Liam Grade for Indiana: B
Liam Grade for Cleveland: A+
Evaluation: It’s pretty crazy that there were this many solid players moving around in a trade. For Brooklyn, they got the worst grade since the Harden experiment failed and they traded an All-Star and several first round picks. For Houston, they got an A because they traded a star who wanted out for several years of draft capital. It’s not an A+ because they didn’t land a true young asset in this deal. Indiana barely traded anything in this deal and were able to land Levert and some seconds. Cleveland get’s the highest grade for like Indiana by playing a small role but landing an All-Star big and cornerstone of their roster.
Rudy Gobert to the Timberwolves
Trade Details:
Minnesota receives - Rudy Gobert
Utah receives - Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Jarred Vanderbilt (flipped to Lakers for Lakers 2027 first), Leandro Bolmaro, the draft rights to Walker Kessler (No. 22 pick), the Timberwolves’ unprotected 2023 (projected mid round), 2025, and 2027 first-round picks, the Wolves 2029 first-round pick (top-five protected), and the right to swap first-rounders with Minnesota in 2026
Liam Grade for Minnesota: F
Liam Grade for Utah: A
Evaluation: I’m 100% convinced this will go down as one of the most one sided trades in NBA history. I believe after next season the Wolves will be trying to get anything they can for Gobert. Never understood putting two big men alongside each other, as basketball has shifted away from that philosophy. Gobert was not the right move for Minnesota to make and Utah got a steal for an aging big. Utah only gets an A so far because they need to land a All-Star potential star or several role players from the draft selections before I can rule it an A.
Kevin Durant to the Suns
Trade Details:
Phoenix receives - Kevin Durant and T.J. Warren
Brooklyn receives - Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, Juan Pablo Vaulet, 2023 first-round pick (from Phoenix), 2025 first-round pick (from Phoenix), 2027 first-round pick (from Phoenix), 2028 first-round pick swap (from Phoenix), 2028 second-round pick (from Milwaukee), 2029 first-round pick (from Phoenix), 2029 second-round pick (from Milwaukee)
Liam Grade for Phoenix: A
Liam Grade for Brooklyn: B+
Evaluation: Phoenix needed to rebound this season after Devin Booker has spent several games injured and CP3 has been off. Phoenix was able to trade two great role players and draft capital in exchange for one of the greatest players OAT. A lot of this trade is still TBD because we haven’t seen the outcome of this for either side. Bridges and Johnson will either be great role players for Brooklyn or be flipped in the future for a star. The only reason Brooklyn doesn’t get a higher grade is I view Bridges and Johnson as floor raisers not ceiling raisers. Phoenix gets an A because they swung for the fences and acquired a player who could lead them to another finals appearance.
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