Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis: Some of the craziest trades of the past 30 years

By: Anthony Evangelista

This past weekend sent shockwaves through the NBA, as Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic was shipped to the Los Angeles Lakers for a surprisingly small return that included big man Anthony Davis. This trade was instantly pinpointed as one of the most unhinged trades in recent memory, with Dallas essentially throwing away the backbone of their organization and receiving a sheepish package for one of the most dominant players in the NBA.

The Lakers-Mavericks swap begs the question; has there been a trade in the four major sports that compares to the insanity of Saturday night? Below are the top five trades over the past 30 years that reach that tier, including where Doncic’s sudden departure ranks among the craziest of the crazy.

Sidenote/Honorable Mentions

While this article focuses on trades from 1995 to the present, it’s impossible to talk about memorable swaps without bringing up perhaps the biggest trades in the history of sports, both occurring towards the end of the ‘80s. The Dallas Cowboys dealt Herschel Walker to the Minnesota Vikings in an 18-player marquee trade at the deadline, still standing as the largest trade in NFL history. On the NHL side, Wayne Gretzky’s departure from Canada in 1988 still leaves Edmonton fans scratching their heads almost four decades later, as the Oilers traded the undisputed best player in hockey to the Los Angeles Kings.

History can be looked back at with plenty of franchise-defining trades, including Babe Ruth to the Yankees, Bill Russell to the Celtics, and many more that changed the landscape of sports as a whole. More recently, some trades that didn’t make the cut for this list include Eli Manning’s draft-night debacle, Kevin Garnett to the Celtics and Mookie Betts to the Dodgers. These three could be argued in any spot on this list, but just missed the mark. Let’s get into the top five!

#5- Alex Rodriguez to the Yankees (2004)

A-Rod was an MVP for the Texas Rangers before the team decided they couldn’t afford his lucrative contract, making it a necessity to move him. Rodriguez was traded to the Yankees for Alfonso Soriano and a prospect, marking a massive move that set the tone for the two teams for years to come. The Yankees found immediate success with A-Rod at third base, becoming a powerhouse in the AL and eventually winning the World Series in 2009. The Rangers continued to struggle without their star, not garnering another playoff appearance until 2010. However, both teams have exactly one title under their belt since the trade, so it’s up to you to decide who truly came out on top. (Hint: it’s probably the Yankees)

#4- Shaquille O’Neal to the Heat (2004)

In a trade that seemed to work well for both sides, the Lakers ended the Kobe-Shaq era by sending the big man to Miami in exchange for Lamar Odom, Caron Butler, Brian Grant, and a future first-round pick. The Heat paired up O’Neal with young star Dwyane Wade, and while he only stayed four years, O’Neal’s talent helped secure the Heat their first championship in 2006. As for the Lakers, Kobe Bryant continued to dominate the NBA, and Los Angeles found their way back to the top soon after. Winning back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010, the trade proved to be extremely beneficial, setting up a future for both Miami and Los Angeles to win multiple championships.

#3- Deshaun Watson to the Browns (2022)

The Browns have had the worst luck at the quarterback position out of any NFL team, possibly ever. However, with Baker Mayfield at the helm, it seemed like Cleveland was trending upwards. That is, until a poor 2021 season hampered by Mayfield’s shoulder injury killed the front office’s opinion of the 2018 first pick in the draft. The Browns shipped three first-rounders and three mid-round picks to the Houston Texans for Deshaun Watson, who was in the midst of a lengthy legal battle surrounded by almost two dozen sexual assault claims. The Browns immediately gave Watson a contract guaranteeing $230 million to the quarterback, who was suspended for the first 11 games of the 2022 season due to his legal issues.

This trade was widely seen as the worst transaction ever made by an NFL team, as the Browns traded away their entire future for a controversial quarterback coming off a major injury. The Texans utilized the picks they received to build a young core, selecting stars Will Anderson Jr. and Tank Dell, as well as collecting three other starters and multiple impactful players. Browns fans, known as some of the most die-hard in all of sports, were left angry with the fact they had to root for a player that was involved in awful allegations. It became worse when Watson got back on the field, as his performance as a Brown has been nothing short of abysmal. In his three seasons in Cleveland, Watson has only played 19 games and suffered two major injuries, including one that is expected to keep him out for the 2025 season. To add insult to injury, Baker Mayfield is currently the starter in Tampa Bay, leading the Buccaneers to the playoffs in 2024 and looking like a potential franchise guy for years to come.

#2- Luka Doncic to the Lakers (2025)

No one truly knows how this one will play out. Who knows? Maybe the Mavericks, headed by the aging three-headed monster of Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson and Anthony Davis, win the next two championships. However, the consensus after just a few days is that Dallas got fleeced. Luka Doncic is one of the greatest players of this generation, a player that was supposed to lead Dallas for the next two decades and solidify himself as the greatest Maverick of all-time, surpassing the great Dirk Nowitzki. Instead, the most-coveted player in the NBA gets dealt for a 31-year-old big man, a role player, and a pick that will be used on someone currently learning the basics of algebra. Lopsided is an understatement. Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison did not make it known to 29 other teams that Doncic was available for trade. If he did, he would’ve received a surplus of offers- Dallas could’ve been set up for the next decade with picks and contributing players. Instead, 25-year-old Doncic heads to Los Angeles to team up with LeBron James, and arguably the greatest franchise in the NBA gets a heightened shot at their 18th title. No warning to Doncic beforehand, no rumors, no speculation. Nothing. Jeanie Buss, how do you do it?

#1- Ricky Williams to the Saints (1999)

Saints coach Mike Ditka was so enamored with running back Ricky Williams that he traded his entire draft, a 2000 first-rounder and third-rounder to get him. Not much of a surprise, but this didn’t work out. The Saints moved up from the 12th pick to No. 5, selecting Ditka’s hope for the next Walter Payton while giving the Washington Redskins the haul of a lifetime. The Saints went 3-13 and Ditka was promptly fired after the season, never coaching again. Williams wasn’t bad in his first few seasons, but the Saints picked another running back in the 2001 first round and traded Williams to the Dolphins, effectively ending their tenure with the man they gave up an arm and a leg to have.

The best part of the trade? Washington barely won. They traded up to the seventh pick to select Hall of Fame cornerback Champ Bailey, but Bailey didn’t break out until 2004, his first season with the Denver Broncos. Washington didn’t make the playoffs again until 2005, an astonishing feat when you hold two full draft classes in the same year, a draft that had 31 Pro Bowlers available. A lopsided trade that neither team won, which takes the cake as the wildest trade in sports history.