5 draft day trades that rocked the NBA
Few days loom larger on the basketball calendar than than the NBA Draft. It’s obviously a life-changing moment for the sixty or so men who are selected to the Association, but for the franchises themselves, it represents the opportunity to make or break their future fortunes. Selecting the right player can set a club up for success for a decade or more, while making the wrong move can prove devastating. And because NBA team’s often make trades during the draft itself, the possibility for either feast or famine is only exaggerated.
Some of the transactions and swaps on draft day go relatively unnoticed, or may not really make a big difference in the long-run. At the same time, however, some of the game’s best players were actually traded during the draft. Lucky or shrewd teams may be able to grab the prospect of their dreams or otherwise reel in an established talent by striking the right deal.
Let’s look at some of the biggest trades made during the NBA Draft in history.
Celtics land Bill Russell on draft day (1956)
AP Photo
The Boston Celtics are no strangers to make trades during the NBA Draft. In 2017, the club landed Jayson Tatum by striking a deal with the 76ers. Ten years prior, the Celts brought aboard Ray Allen in a deal that helped begin the Big Three era in the Hub. Back in 1980, Boston selected both Robert Parish and Kevin McHale thanks to a pick swap with the Warriors.
In 1956, however, the Celtics made perhaps the biggest trade in the history of the NBA Draft. Boston traded for Bill Russell during the ’56 draft, and never looked back.
The Rochester Royals already had a center, and selected Sihugo Green with the No. 1 overall pick. The St. Louis Hawks then took San Francisco’s Bill Russell, but immediately traded the future GOAT to Boston. The Hawks wanted Ed Macauley, a St. Louis native and six-time All-Star. Celtics maestro Red Auerbach agreed, eventually sending Cliff Hagen to the Hawks as well.
St. Louis went to the NBA Finals four times in the next five seasons, winning a title in 1958. For that reason, the trade certainly worked out well for the Hawks.
But it was clearly Boston who had won the day. Not only did Russell lead the Celtics to a record eleven NBA championships, but he and the C’s actually bested the Hawks in three different Finals in the ensuing years.
Landing Bill Russell in a draft day trade is perhaps one of the most lucrative transactions in NBA history. Russell isn’t the only future champion to change teams during the draft, however.
Hornets trade away Kobe Bryant (1996)
Photo by Andy Hayt/NBAE via Getty Images
Prior to the 1996 draft, the Los Angeles Lakers and Charlotte Hornets discussed a trade centered on LA big man Vlade Divac. The Lakers were intent on landing free agent Shaquille O’Neal during that summer’s free agency, and the Hornets had eyes for an established veteran.
When the No. 13 pick rolled around during the 1996 NBA Draft, the Hornets didn’t even know who they were selecting; the deal had already been finalized. LA called Charlotte only minutes before their pick was due with a name. Bryant had wowed then-general manager Jerry West during pre-draft workouts.
Divac actually threatened to retire rather than play for the Hornets, and for a few days it looked as if the deal may fall through. Divac eventually relented, and Kobe became a Laker. The rest is history.
Hawks and Mavs swap Doncic and Young (2018)
Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
One of the most intriguing draft day trades is still being fervently discussed among fans today. That’s because the dust on this move is still far from settled. In 2018, the Hawks selected Luka Doncic with the No. 3 pick in the NBA draft before trading the European stud to Dallas in exchange for the No. 5 pick and a future first-rounder. Atlanta selected Trae Young only moments later.
The future appears very bright for Doncic and Young. Both have since grown into budding superstars, earning the eighth and eleventh top-selling jersey respectively in 2022. Each has led their club to a conference finals appearance. And this season, both guards earned All-NBA honors.
Kawhi lands in San Antonio (2011)
AP Photo/Mel Evans
Following a 4-1 first-round loss to the Chicago Bulls, the Indiana Pacers were hungry for me. At the 2011 draft, they club traded away the No. 15 pick in exchange for George Hill. Two seasons later, the Pacers were playing in the Eastern conference finals. A pretty good trade for Indiana.
Their trade partner the San Antonio Spurs, meanwhile, did perfectly fine in the deal. Along with landing Erazem Lorbek and Davis Bertans, San Antonio landed the mysterious Kawhi Leonard. Scouts understood he had physical gifts, but it wasn’t clear what kind of player Leonard could or would become.
As it turned out, Leonard flourished with the Spurs. He was the perfect blend of athleticism and discipline for an aging San Antonio dynasty. In 2014, Kawhi was named 2014 NBA Finals MVP, joining Magic Johnson as one of the youngest ever recipients of the honor.
Bulls draft Scottie Pippen (1987)
AP Photo/Morry Gash, File
There’s no ’90s Bulls dynasty without Michael Jordan. Arguably there may be no Michael Jordan without Scottie Pippen. And were it not for a 1987 draft day trade, there would be no Scottie Pippen in Chicago.
Until Pippen blossomed into an established stars, Jordan and the Bulls couldn’t get past tougher clubs like the Celtics or Pistons. The sometimes maligned forward was a critical pillar for one of the NBA’s greatest teams.
In 1987, Chicago took both Scottie Pippen (and Horace Grant), but only after the Bulls swapped Olden Polynice, the No. 8 pick, and future draft capital to the Supersonics. In exchange, Chicago received the rights to Central Arkansas’ Scottie Pippen, who had been drafted No. 5 just moments earlier.
At the time, it wasn’t obvious Chicago had executed one of the biggest draft day trades in league history. Pippen only averaged 20.9 minutes per game his rookie season, and wouldn’t become a regular starter until the following year. Just a few seasons later, however, Pippen and the Bulls would light the NBA world on fire.
