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The NBA Draft will take place on Wednesday, June 25th in New York at the Barclays Center. There are bound to be notable trades between franchises, some of which could have lasting impacts.
In the past, we’ve seen deals that have either had major implications on success. Some of those impacts can be seen immediately while others take a few years to find out.
Kobe Bryant and Ray Allen in 2010 NBA Finals
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Sometimes, those trades can be beneficial to both sides. In other instances, there is a clear “winner” of the agreement.
Below are 11 of the biggest NBA Draft night trades in the league’s history. Will any of the 2025 deals earn a spot on this list moving forward? Time will tell!
Bill Russell (1956)
Bill Russell
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Bill Russell was traded to the Boston Celtics after being originally selected by the St. Louis Hawks. A star at San Francisco, he led the Dons to a pair of national titles.
That championship success continued as a pro as he racked up 11 NBA titles with the Celtics across 13 professional seasons. The Hawks got Ed Macauley and Cliff Hagan in the deal.
Scottie Pippen (1988)
Scottie Pippen of the Chicago Bulls
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Scottie Pippen was dealt to the Chicago Bulls after being picked by the Seattle SuperSonics. He would go onto win six NBA championships alongside Michael Jordan.
Pippen was traded for Olden Polynice and a Top 10 draft pick. Polynice would go onto play a little over three seasons with Seattle across a 15-year NBA career.
Chris Webber / Penny Hardaway (1993)
Penny Hardaway throws a pass
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This is an instance in which the trade seemed to work out for both sides. Each player was a Top 3 pick. Chris Webber and Penny Hardaway were swapped on draft night after being taken by Orlando and Golden State, respectively.
Webber went onto win Rookie of the Year with the Warriors, though he made a bigger name for himself a few years later with the Kings. Hardaway helped the Magic reach the NBA Finals alongside Shaquille O’Neal.
Kobe Bryant (1996)
Kobe Bryant for the Lakers in 2009
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This trade typically tops the list in terms of lopsided deals. Kobe Bryant was selected by the Hornets in the ’96 Draft. He was then traded to the Lakers for Vlade Divac.
Reports claim that Bryant’s agent and Jerry West worked manipulated the deal, though Bryant says the Hornets never wanted him in the first place. Either way, he’d go onto become a Hall of Famer and NBA champion in Los Angeles.
Vince Carter / Antawn Jamison (1998)
Vince Carter and Antawn Jamison at UNC
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This is another instance in which neither side necessarily “lost.” Most would say the Raptors were on the better end, however.
Vince Carter and Antawn Jamison were teammates at UNC. They were swapped by Toronto and Golden State on draft night. Carter went onto become a Hall of Famer while Jamison averaged 20.2 points per night across five seasons with the Warriors.
Dirk Nowitzki (1998)
2011 Dallas Mavericks NBA Finals
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The Dallas Mavericks traded a package headlined by Robert Traylor for the rights to Dirk Nowitzki in 1998. That move turned out to be a huge win for the Mavericks.
While Traylor helped lead the Bucks to the playoffs the next few seasons, Nowitzki would take the Mavs to a championship during a 15-year Hall of Fame career.
Rajon Rondo (2006)
Rajon Rondo of the Boston Celtics
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In 2006, the Celtics acquired the rights to Rajon Rondo from Phoenix in exchange for the No. 7 selection in the ’07 Draft. At the time, no one expected the late first-round pick to become an NBA great.
Rondo spent nine of his 16 professional seasons in Boston where he led the league in assists twice and steals once. He won a championship in Year 2 with the Celtics.
Ray Allen (2007)
Ray Allen shoots over a defender
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Ray Allen had been in the league for some time before being traded on NBA Draft night for first round pick Jeff Green. The deal sent the Hall of Famer from Seattle to Boston, where he’d go onto win a title.
Green spent three seasons with the SuperSonics/Thunder before landing with the Celtics in 2011. He later won an NBA championship with the Nuggets in 2023.
Kawhi Leonard (2011)
Kawhi Leonard
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Kawhi Leonard was initially picked by the Indiana Pacers in the 2011 NBA Draft but was traded to San Antonio where he’d spend his first seven seasons.
Leonard won Finals MVP in 2014 while helping the Spurs win an NBA championship. The Pacers received George Hill in the trade. He spent six seasons in Indiana where he averaged 12.1 points a night.
Jayson Tatum (2017)
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Jayson Tatum landed in Boston after the Celtics traded the No. 1 pick of the 2017 NBA Draft to Philadelphia. The 76ers selected Markelle Fultz, who played a total of 33 games with the franchise.
Tatum, meanwhile, was nabbed at the No. 3 spot. He went on to lead the Celtics to an NBA championship in 2024.
Luka Doncic / Trae Young (2018)
Luka Doncic guarded by Trae Young
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The Mavericks acquired the rights to Luka Doncic in a trade with the Hawks for Trae Young in 2018. It turned out to be a win-win for both sides.
Doncic won Rookie of the Year before leading Dallas to an NBA Finals appearance in 2024. Young has averaged 25.3 points per game in Atlanta, and led the Hawks to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021.