05 Worst NBA Trades in the Past Three Season

Every NBA club has made choices that they later came to deeply regret, ranging from transactions that didn’t exactly go as planned to ones that have significantly affected a franchise.

Even the most successful teams, such as the Boston Celtics and the Golden State Warriors, have been known to make some major errors in the most recent years. This has been the case during the previous three seasons.

05 Worst NBA Trades in the Past Three Season

These are the five transactions that clubs would most want to take back since the beginning of the 2019-20 season. They are ranked from least unfortunate to most regrettable based on the short-term and long-term effects of each transaction.

The Lakers Are Willing To Do Everything To Get Russell Westbrook

In a five-team deal, the Los Angeles Lakers get Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Montrezl Harrell. The No. 22 selection in the 2021 draft (which they use to choose Isaiah Jackson) from the Washington Wizards in exchange for Russell Westbrook and 2023, 2024, and 2028 second-round picks.

It’s hard to resist the temptation to trade away valuable assets from a championship team in order to acquire a ball-dominant, non-shooting, past-his-prime point guard with the worst deal in the NBA.

Westbrook’s trade to the Lakers is not just the most regretful of the previous three years, but it may be the worst since the 2013 Brooklyn Nets fiasco. The Lakers have yet to get over the fact that Westbrook is making $47.1 million in 2022–23, second only to Stephen Curry’s contract in the NBA.

Without receiving anything of any worth in return, the Lakers will likely have to give up one of their two tradeable first-round selections in order to get rid of him.

After a 33-49 season, a club with LeBron James and Anthony Davis should be regarded as a legitimate championship contender only if its supporting group is historically terrible.

There is still hope for Westbrook’s NBA career if he improves his playmaking and defense, but at age 33, it’s hard to picture him making any major improvements to his playing style, particularly given the lack of evidence for this in his most recent season.

Celtics Release Desmond Bane To Avoid Luxury Tax

Memphis Grizzlies trade 2023 and 2025 second-round selections to Boston Celtics and cash to Portland Trail Blazers. The Celtics have three first-round selections in the 2020 NBA draft to add to a youthful core that had reached the Eastern Conference Finals three of the prior four years.

Boston would have hit the luxury tax after picking Aaron Nesmith and Payton Pritchard. As part of a three-team transaction, the Celtics traded Bane to the Grizzlies for two second-round picks and salary relief.

Bane has averaged 18.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.2 steal in his second year with Memphis. Bane’s 3FG% was second in the NBA, while his FT% was sixth. Boston kept the wrong rookies. Bane may have helped the Celtics defeat the Warriors in 2022, while Nesmith was dealt to the Pacers for Malcolm Brogdon.

Bane told the Boston Globe, “I hear it all the time.” “People tag me on Twitter. Nesmith, who had a shooting profile, beat me in the first round. They prioritized his shooting above mine in the draft. The Celtics will still be a top team in the East next season, but they might have won a championship had they kept Bane.

Bulls Overpay For Vucevic

Nikola Vucevic and Al-Farouq Aminu were traded to the Chicago Bulls for Wendell Carter Jr., Otto Porter Jr., a 2021 first-round selection (Franz Wagner), and a 2023 first-round pick (top-4-protected).

The Bulls were desperate to reach the playoffs and wanted to surround Zach LaVine with win-now quality before his free agency in 16 months.

The veteran big added a much-needed offensive sidekick to play with LaVine (24.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.0 steals, and shooting 40.6 percent from three).

Chicago’s Pricing Was High

Orlando’s No. 7 pick in 2018 has prospered (14.2 points, 10.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 0.7 blocks, 51.7 percent shooting in 84 games). In 2022-23 and 2025-26, he’ll make $14,2 million.

Vucevic’s $22 million contract expires next summer, endangering his future with the Bulls. Chicago also moved up two 2021 first-round picks. Franz Wagner had a strong first year with All-Star potential.

The Bulls owe the Magic a top-four protected 2023 first-round selection. Chicago isn’t a title contender, so Orlando’s pick may slide.

Worst NBA Trades in the Past Three Season Post Image

Vucevic is a superb offensive center for the 23rd-ranked Bulls but a subpar rim protector and overall defender. Vucevic ranked 30th among 37 centers who defended 250 rim shots in 2021-22. Carter allowed 57.4% shooting for Orlando.

The bulls have an offensive-minded center; Magic needs a rim protector. Chicago’s deal was dubious and has become worse.

Cam Reddish, Solomon Hill, and a 2025 second-round pick are dealt to the Knicks for a top-18 protected 2022 first-round pick and Kevin Knox.

In his third season with Atlanta, Reddish averaged 11.9 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.0 steals, and 37.9% from three. The No. 10 overall pick in 2019 couldn’t start for the Hawks.

In New York, the then-22-year-old could play more alongside RJ Barrett.

Tom Thibodeau decreased Reddish’s minutes to 14.3 per game. His statistics dipped to 6.1 points, 1.4 rebounds, 0.8 steals, and 25.8% three-point shooting. Fournier began over Reddish despite harming the Knicks by 3.8 pp100 (30th percentile, per Cleaning the Glass).

The Knicks might have traded for a Jazz shooting guard with their extra first-rounder.

Atlanta traded two first-round picks for Dejounte Murray, including Reddish’s. San Antonio possesses top-16 protected selections in 2023, 2024, and 2025, or two second-round picks in 2026 and 2027.

Fournier may be traded (or benched) for Reddish to preserve face. Mistake to trade a first-round pick for a part-time player facing free agency next summer.

Warriors Trade Kelly Oubre Jr. for $82.4m

Kelly Oubre Jr. was traded to the Warriors for a 2021 first-round (top-20 protected) and second-round selection (via Denver Nuggets).

The Warriors traded for Oubre after an injury-plagued 2019-20 season to replace Klay Thompson’s performance.

Golden State hoped to return to the Finals for the sixth time in seven years with Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins, and Oubre.

Oubre struggled with his shooting and never fit with a ball-movement and defense-focused team. Oubre averaged 11.7 points on 35.9% shooting and 22.1% from three in Golden State’s first 19 games.

Oubre cost the club two draft selections and $66 million in luxury tax. Oubre’s $14.4 million salary will cost the Warriors an extra $68 million in luxury tax payments, citing ESPN’s Bobby Marks.

Golden State dropped some tiny salaries at the trade deadline, but still had the league’s biggest luxury tax cost. Oubre’s minus-12.1 swing rating hurt the team’s 39-33 record.

The Warriors kept their 2021 first-round pick and sent OKC a 2021 second-rounder through the Minnesota Timberwolves. Trading for Oubre, who didn’t aid the squad, was expensive.

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