6 biggest trades in NBA history ft. Luka Doncic to Lakers

The LA Lakers, Dallas Mavericks and Utah Jazz reportedly agreed to a three-team NBA trade involving Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis. Doncic is heading to Los Angeles, while AD is now a Maverick. The Jazz are getting Jalen Hood-Schifino and a couple of second-round picks.

ESPN's Shams Charania shocked the basketaball world with the announcement of the deal on X, formerly known as Twitter. Many thought that it was a prank or Charania was hacked, but several insiders and reporters confirmed the trade happened early Sunday morning.

With all that said, let's look at the six biggest trades in NBA history brought to you by Sportskeeda in no particular order.

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6 biggest trades in NBA history

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Luka Doncic to the LA Lakers (2025)

Luka Doncic to the LA Lakers (2025). (Photo: IMAGN)

The results of the Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis trade are still unknown given that it just happened. It will take years to find out if it was the best trade to make for the LA Lakers or Dallas Mavericks, but Doncic's involvement makes it one of the biggest in NBA history.

Doncic is one of the best players in the world today, and those kinds of players are usually untouchable. But the Mavs pulled the trigger and found the Lakers as the right partner. It's probably a once-in-a-generation deal that will make or break either franchise.

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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to the LA Lakers (1975)

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to the LA Lakers (1975). (Photo: IMAGN)

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was 24 years old when he led the Milwaukee Bucks to their first-ever NBA championship. A few years later, a fed-up Kareem requested a trade and was sent to the LA Lakers in 1975.

Abdul-Jabbar was arguably the best player in basketball when the trade happened, making it one of the biggest in history. It was also the foundation of the Showtime Lakers dynasty that won five titles in the 1980s.

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Shaquille O'Neal to the Miami Heat (2004)

Shaquille O'Neal to the Miami Heat (2004). (Photo: IMAGN)

Shaquille O'Neal is the greatest force in NBA history since Wilt Chamberlain. He was the most dominant player with the LA Lakers, winning three straight titles from 2000 to 2002. However, he wanted out of Hollywood in 2004 and was dealt to the Miami Heat.

Shaq instantly made the Heat a championship team, leading them to the first-ever title in 2006 with a young Dwyane Wade. "Superman" might not be in his prime anymore back then, but anytime a talent like him gets traded, it was a big deal.

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Charles Barkley to the Phoenix Suns (1992)

Charles Barkley to the Phoenix Suns (1992). (Photo: IMAGN)

There's no denying that Michael Jordan was the best player in the NBA in the 1990s. Charles Barkley was a close second in the early part of the decade, but was languishing in Philadelphia. He demanded a trade and was acquired by the Phoenix Suns in 1992.

Barkley turned the Suns into a championship contender immediately, leading them to the 1993 NBA Finals. He was in his prime in Phoenix, which might be equivalent to someone like Kevin Durant moving to a new team at the height of his career.

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Wilt Chamberlain to the Philadelphia 76ers (1965)

Wilt Chamberlain to the Philadelphia 76ers (1965). (Photo: GETTY)

Wilt Chamberlain was traded twice in his career, and the first one was arguably one of the biggest in NBA history. Chamberlain was the best player in the league in 1965, averaging 41.5 points and 25.1 rebounds in his previous six seasons.

Still, the Warriors traded him to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Connie Dierking, Paul Neumann, Lee Shaffer and cash. It was a lopsided deal that is hard to comprehend by today's standards. It's like trading a prime Shaquille O'Neal for a bunch of role players.

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Oscar Robertson to the Milwaukee Bucks (1970)

Oscar Robertson to the Milwaukee Bucks (1970). (Photo: IMAGN)

Unlike the majority of the trades on this list, Oscar Robertson was past his prime when the Milwaukee Bucks acquired him from the Cincinnati Royals. Robertson was still putting up great numbers, helping the Bucks win their first-ever championship along with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who was still known as Lew Alcindor back then.

Robertson's trade is comparable to Shaq's trade to the Heat in terms of their ages, as well as the Barkley to the Suns and Kareem to the Lakers trade because he wanted out of a bad situation.