NBA Rankings: 50 All-Time Worst Trades and Free Agent Signings (With Videos)

How many NBA championships could Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal have won together if they stayed with the Los Angeles Lakers?

What if Kobe Bryant was never even a Laker, but a Charlotte Hornet?

How different would New York basketball have been if the Knicks didn’t make all of those bizarre deals, free-agent signings and contract extensions at the turn of the new millennium? Would they have actually been title contenders?

Did you even know “Dr. J” Julius Erving was first a New Jersey Net?

What if the Lakers never pillaged the rest of the NBA? Would they still have all of those championship rings?

Would you ever trade a Hall of Famer like Charles Barkley, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar or Wilt Chamberlain?

Just how many bums found ways to trick NBA teams into giving them a hell of a lot more money than they ever deserved?

The NBA is known for transactions, but it’s amazing just how many terrible and bizarre transactions went down in NBA history.

These are 50 of the worst NBA trades and free-agent signings of all-time.

50. Washington Bullets Signing Juwan Howard

Juwan Howard was always a solid player.

Unfortunately, he was never that franchise player people wanted him to be.

The Washington Bullets rewarded Howard’s hype and solid play with a hefty seven-year, $105 million contract in 1996.

The Bullets or Wizards, whichever name you want to call them, never saw a return in their huge investment. Howard could not keep Washington towards the top of the Eastern Conference and failed to bring them to the playoffs more than one time.

49. Miami Heat Signing Brian Grant

It’s always funny to see an undeserving player receive a hefty contract in the NBA. You’re always left scratching your head why a team would ever decide to give such a player so much money.

Well, this was just another example.

The Miami Heat thought it would be a fantastic move for their franchise to sign a blue-collar player like Grant to a seven-year, $86 million contract in 2000. He better be taking a lot of charges…

Grant deserves credit—he tried. He did give the Heat four decent seasons but nowhere near worthy of the contract he was given.

48. Dallas Mavericks Signing Raef LaFrentz

The Mavericks traded for Raef LaFrentz prior to the 2002 deadline.

OK, that’s fine. I mean, yeah, it’s bad that they traded for Raef LaFrentz in the first place. But hey, they took a chance to acquire a center, which is never easy.

Now if only you could be a fly on the wall during the discussions in which Mark Cuban and his staff thought it would be a great idea to sign LaFrentz to seven-year, $70 million contract.

Luckily for Dallas, they were actually able to find a trade partner in Boston to get rid of him!

47. Milwaukee Bucks Signing Bobby Simmons

Simmons was just one of those one-hit wonders we see just about every year.

Simmons emerged in his fifth year for the Clippers after four dreadful seasons with the Washington Wizards and Los Angeles Clippers.

After averaging 16.4 points for the Clippers in his last year with the team, Milwaukee management had tunnel vision for the forward.

They actually believed he was going to help the franchise progress.

They were wrong. Simmons took his four-year, $47 million in 2005 and scored 13.4 points per game for the Bucks in his first year before completely falling back to Earth, hard.

That’s Milwaukee for ya…

46. New York Knicks Signing Allan Houston

Allan Houston was a franchise player for the New York Knicks.

Houston was a likable, humble star.

Unfortunately, his six-year, $100 contract in 2001 set the Knicks back years as Houston constantly suffered from knee injuries.

The Knicks thought they were heading in the right direction but instead this was the beginning of the Knicks' almost decade-long dark period.

45. Washington Wizards Signing Gilbert Arenas

In 2008, the Washington Wizards signed guard Gilbert Arenas to one of the most bizarre and undeserved contracts in NBA history.

They gave Arenas a six-year, $111 million contract that they would quickly wish to forget.

Arenas would suffer from several injuries and would not play until March of the 2008-09 season.

In December 2009, he pulled a gun on teammate Javaris Crittenton. He later admitted to storing guns in his locker. In January 2010, he was suspended by the team for the rest of the season. In March 2010, Arenas was sentenced to two years probation and 30 days in a halfway house.

In 2010, he was traded away to the Orlando Magic.

Smart investment, Washington.

44. Seattle Supersonics Signing Vin Baker

Vin Baker was on the verge of becoming a great player.

He was very good for the Milwaukee Bucks and was then traded to the Seattle Supersonics.

This led to his downfall.

Seattle rewarded Baker with a seven-year, $86 million deal in 1999.

Everything would be fine except that Baker became out of control with his alcohol and went on a wild downward spiral that haunted his career.

You know what they say sometimes?

More money, more problems.

43. Mitch Richmond to Washington Wizards for Chris Webber

In 1998, the Wizards traded Chris Webber, one of the better players in the league, to the Sacramento Kings for aging shooting guard Mitch Richmond.

This was clearly a lopsided trade as Webber was still emerging as one of the league’s best while Richmond was on the decline.

The Kings went on to become a powerhouse in the Western Conference.

The Wizards continued to fade and even set their franchise back when they proceeded to sign Richmond to a four-year, $40 million deal. Richmond would miss time due to injury and the Wizards eventually bought out his contract.

42. Boston Celtics Signing Travis Knight

The definition of a poor player.

Knight never did anything for any of his teams yet for some reason, the Boston Celtics signed Knight to a seven-year, $22 million deal in 1997. Knight never averaged more than seven points or five rebounds.

Luckily for the Celtics, he was only there for one season.

Oddly enough, he won an NBA championship with the Lakers in 2000.

He got the money and the ring.

Can’t really ask for more.

41. Indiana Pacers Signing Austin Croshere

Despite being a career role player, the Indiana Pacers never saw it at the time. Coming off the bench, Croshere had one of those stretch runs where he performed above and beyond his talent level.

One team usually falls for this trick and that was his current team, the Indiana Pacers. He was signed to a seven-year, $51 million contract following the 2000 NBA Finals loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.

As you guessed it, Croshere failed miserably to live up to that contract.

40. Atlanta Hawks Signing Jon Koncak

This was such a terrible signing that Atlanta didn’t even care if they got his name right on the back of his jersey.

Atlanta signed Koncak to a six-year, $13 million contract following one solid playoff run. At the time, this was a hefty contract and one that set the Hawks back. Atlanta had to eat “Jon Contract’s” contract and couldn’t afford to sign other free agents in following years.

39. Seattle Supersonics Sign Jim McIlvaine

After losing to the Chicago Bulls in the NBA Finals, the Seattle Supersonics realized they were in desperate need of another big man.

They decided to pick second-year backup Jim McIlvaine, who would proceed to set the team back. For no reason whatsoever, the team decided to give a backup they had yet to see truly play a seven-year $33 million deal.

Honestly, Seattle deserved to have that signing blow up in their face.

38. Shaquille O’Neal to Miami Heat from Los Angeles Lakers

O’Neal is one of the most dominating forces in NBA history. He won the MVP award with the Lakers in 2000. He has won four NBA championships and three NBA Finals MVP awards.

Following their NBA Finals loss to the Detroit Pistons, the Kobe Bryant-Shaquille O’Neal feud was in full effect. They apparently could not resolve their differences and the Lakers were forced to make a decision between the two.

O’Neal was thus shipped off to Miami in 2004 for Caron Butler, Lamar Odom, Brian Grant and a future first-round draft pick.

O’Neal would go on to win an NBA championship in 2006.

The Lakers won two NBA championships the past two years without Shaq.

Still, there’s no telling how many more championships the Lakers would have won while avoiding that slight blip on the radar where they struggled mightily. 

37. Elton Brand to Los Angeles Clippers from Chicago Bulls for Tyson Chandler

Although this isn’t the worst trade, it’s still an interesting one. Tyson Chandler is not a bad player, but he never materialized the way Elton Brand did in Los Angeles.

Brand became one of the best power forwards in the game while Chandler was just another defensive center with very limited offensive skills.

Brand would make an All-Star team, take the Clippers to the playoffs and average over 20 points per game for four straight years.

Neither player is still with either team, but Brand lasted longer in Los Angeles.

36. Richard Jefferson to New Jersey Nets from Houston Rockets

In the 2001 NBA Draft, the New Jersey Nets drafted Eddie Griffin with the No. 7 overall pick and the Houston Rockets drafted Richard Jefferson with the No. 13 overall pick.

The Nets and Rockets then decided to swap their picks.

Poor decision, Houston.

Eddie Griffin turned out to be a bust while Richard Jefferson became the starting small forward for the Nets and one of the better players in the league.

The Rockets would struggle to find a small forward until they traded for Tracy McGrady.

35. Peja Stojakovic to Indiana Pacers from Sacramento Kings for Ron Artest

Following the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons brawl, Larry Bird felt obligated to trade Ron Artest away as he was the cause of their potential championship downfall.

Artest was far better for the Kings during this time and was able to slightly resurrect his career. He regained his form and remained one of the best defenders in the game.

Stojakovic lasted the rest of the 2005-06 season and was then shipped off to New Orleans.

Artest lasted two-and-a-half years with the Kings and improved each season.

34. Chris Bosh to Miami Heat from Toronto Raptors

In the 2010 offseason, Chris Bosh decided he no longer wanted to play for the bottom-dwelling Toronto Raptors. Without any other choice to make, the Raptors were forced to trade the best player their organization had ever seen to the Miami Heat.

In return, the Raptors received two low first-round draft picks.

What lovely value for one of the best players in the league.

33. LeBron James to Miami Heat from Cleveland Cavaliers

In the 2010 offseason, the Cleveland Cavaliers were forced to trade LeBron James to the Miami Heat. James decided to up and leave his hometown team for the sunny beaches of Miami. Although the Cavaliers’ hands were tied, they still traded away one of the greatest basketball players the game has ever seen.

Never a good feeling.

The Cavaliers merely received two first-round draft picks beginning no earlier than 2013 and as late as 2017, as well as two second-round draft picks.

32. Baron Davis to Golden State Warriors from New Orleans Hornets

With Baron Davis on board, the Golden State Warriors became one of the most exciting teams in the league.

Golden State’s college-like atmosphere created a superstar out of Baron Davis, who was one of the most gifted point guards of the millennium. Fans made fake beards that resembled Davis’ signature facial hair.

In 2005, the Warriors sent Speedy Claxton and Dale Davis to New Orleans for Davis in this lopsided deal.

The deal rejuvenated the Warriors, who as the No. 8 seed upset the No. 1 seed Dallas Mavericks in the playoffs of the 2006-07 season. A No. 8 seed had never defeated a No. 1 seed in a seven-game series in the NBA.

Arguably Davis’ No. 1 highlight during his tenure in Golden State was his demolishing dunk over Utah Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko in the playoffs.

31. Tracy McGrady to Houston Rockets from Orlando Magic

The Houston Rockets were going downhill before they stole Tracy McGrady from the Orlando Magic in 2004.

The Rockets sent Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley and Kelvin Cato to the Magic for the superstar swingman.

Paired with Yao Ming, McGrady would make the Rockets a playoff team.

Even better, he gave us one of the single greatest moments in basketball history.

Just watch the video.

30. Allen Iverson to Detroit Pistons from Denver Nuggets for Chauncey Billups

Allen Iverson’s time in Denver was coming to a close. Denver management knew that they weren’t going to win with Iverson and Carmelo Anthony on the same team. They needed a better point guard to run the team.

In 2008, Denver found a trade partner in Detroit, who sent veteran point guard Chauncey Billups.

Iverson would struggle in Detroit while Billups would lead the Nuggets to a Western Conference Finals appearance in 2009.

29. LaMarcus Aldridge to Portland Trail Blazers From Chicago Bulls

In the 2006 NBA draft, the Chicago Bulls selected LaMarcus Aldridge with the No. 2 overall pick with the pick they received from the New York Knicks as part of the Eddy Curry deal. The Bulls then decided to trade Aldridge, who would have fit their needs for a power forward with a quality mid-range shooting game, for Tyrus Thomas.

Thomas was not terrible for the Bulls, as he was a non-stop motor. However, he was a troublemaker for the most part as he never matured in Chicago.

Prior to the trade deadline in 2010, Thomas was traded to the Charlotte Bobcats.

Aldridge, in the meantime, continues to improve each season for the Trail Blazers and is arguably their most consistent player.

28. Gary Payton to Milwaukee Bucks from Seattle Supersonics for Ray Allen

Gary Payton is a Hall of Fame point guard. He is one of the best to ever play the game.

Still, this was an odd trade for Milwaukee.

In 2002, they shipped away one of the emerging shooting guards in the league and one of the best three-point shooters in history.

Gary Payton was still a quality point guard at the time, but he was on the downside of his career. If the Bucks held on to Allen, there’s no telling how much improved they would have been. Payton left the Bucks after that season for the Los Angeles Lakers.

27. Mitch Richmond to Sacramento Kings from Golden State Warriors

The 1988-89 Rookie of the Year excelled with the Golden State Warriors in his first three seasons.

Then the Warriors up and traded Richmond to the Sacramento Kings for Billy Owens in 1991. Richmond became the Kings’ first legitimate franchise player.

Why the Warriors would decide to break up their own “Big Three” consisting of Richmond, Chris Mullin and Tim Hardaway is beyond me.

26. Antonio McDyess to New York Knicks from Denver Nuggets

Somehow, again, the New York Knicks are taken advantage of.

It truly was a dark period for Knicks fans.

The Knicks traded for already injury-prone Antonio McDyess prior to the 2002 season. The Knicks sent away Marcus Camby, Mark Jackson and the rights to Nene Hilario.

Of course, all three players could have greatly aided the Knicks.

Instead, McDyess was terrible for New York. He was constantly injured.

As one would expect, as soon as McDyess left New York, he was back to playing very good basketball.

What a decade for Knicks fans.

25. Brandon Roy to Portland Trail Blazers from Minnesota Timberwolves

During the 2006 NBA Draft, the Minnesota Timberwolves inexplicably traded the rights of No. 6 overall pick Brandon Roy to the Portland Trailblazers for No. 7 overall pick Randy Foye.

Randy Foye has been terrible for the T’Wolves, while Brandon Roy, despite suffering from knee injuries, is the face of the Portland franchise and one of the brightest young players when healthy.

Just another example of Minnesota setting their franchise back for no reason whatsoever.

24. Grant Hill to Orlando Magic from Detroit Pistons for Ben Wallace

This is a poor deal in hindsight.

In 2000, it seemed like a great opportunity for the Magic.

Grant Hill was one of the top players in the league while Wallace was an undrafted center with limited but raw potential.

Hill was supposed to bring the Magic to title contention along with Tracy McGrady, but several injuries and a potentially fatal illness crushed those dreams.

Wallace went on to become one of the top defenders in the league and was one of the Pistons’ biggest assets in the championship run and Eastern Conference dominance in the mid-2000s.

23. Charles Barkley to Phoenix Suns from Philadelphia 76ers

Anytime a team trades away a Hall of Fame player, the move will be questioned, and will ultimately end up on a “Worst of…” list.

When Barkley accidentally spit on a young girl when he was aiming for a heckler, that probably sealed his fate in Philadelphia. The 76ers probably should’ve just kept him instead of trading him to Phoenix in the 1992-93 season.

The 76ers received nothing in return for the Hall of Famer, which makes no sense considering Barkley was already one of the top players. If you’re going to trade one of the greats, gets some quality in return!

22. Baron Davis Signing to Los Angeles Clippers

Following his great stint with the Golden State Warriors, Baron Davis left his comfort zone for the cellar that is the Los Angeles Clippers.

Baron Davis signed with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2008, agreeing to a five-year, $65 million deal.

This relationship has failed miserably.

Davis has been injured frequently and the Clippers have yet to get back to the playoffs. Even worse, it has been reported that Davis is often heckled by Clippers owner Donald Sterling.

21. Denver Nuggets Sign-and-Trade for Kenyon Martin

Oh what a difference it makes to play with Jason Kidd. Martin had hops, there’s no doubt about that.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t do much else.

Martin was simply another leaper who could dunk the ball. He was never a quality player. Luckily for Martin, he found the right team of suckers to take the bait.

The Nuggets traded three future first-round draft picks for Martin and gave him a monster contract in the 2004 offseason.

Martin, as one would expect, failed to live up to his hype as he was constantly injured and causes more harm than good for the Nuggets.

20. Tim Thomas to New York Knicks from Milwaukee Bucks for Keith Van Horn

In 2004, the Knicks traded away Keith Van Horn for Tim Thomas despite Van Horn playing much better than Thomas.

Thomas is a terrible player and did nothing to help the Knicks during their worthless playoff appearance.

Instead, he caused problems with New Jersey Nets forward Kenyon Martin, which only resulted in the Nets sweeping the Knicks.

The Knicks ended up using Tim Thomas in a trade to acquire Eddy Curry, which only hurt the Knicks even more in the long run.

19. Chicago Bulls Signing Ben Wallace

Ben Wallace was one of the leaders of the Detroit Pistons team, which was one of the best Eastern Conference teams of the new millennium.

Wallace was a fantastic defender but by the time he got to Chicago, his talents were waning. This didn’t stop Chicago from signing Wallace to a monster contract worth $60 million over four years in the 2006 offseason.

Oddly enough, Wallace didn’t last long in Chicago. He battled knee injuries, although he averaged 9.7 rebounds and two blocks per game.

Prior to the 2008 trade deadline, Wallace was part of a three-team trade and was sent to Cleveland, where he could not help LeBron James and the Cavaliers win an NBA championship.

18. New Orleans Hornets Sign-and-Trade for Peja Stojakovic

The Hornets thought they found the missing link to their potential championship squad led by Chris Paul.

They acquired sharpshooter Peja Stojakovic as part of a sign-and-trade with the Indiana Pacers.

They would have been better off if they hadn't, and wouldn’t have gotten their hopes up.

New Orleans signed Stojakovic to a five-year, $64 million deal in 2006.

Stojakovic was constantly sidelined with a myriad of injuries, most notably his back, during his worthless stint with the Hornets.

His points declined each season with New Orleans and he never played an entire season. He played in just 123 games in his final two years with the Hornets.

In November 2010, the Hornets said “good riddance” to their foreign sharpshooter by shipping him off to Toronto.

17. Robert Parish to Boston Celtics from Golden State Warriors

Robert Parish was drafted by Golden State and played with the Warriors for four years.

Then the best thing that could have ever happened to Parish happened.

He was traded to the Boston Celtics along with the Golden State Warriors' No. 3 overall pick for the top pick in the 1980 draft.

The Warriors drafted Joe Barry Carroll with the pick, who was disappointing due to injuries.

The Celtics acquired Parish and drafted Kevin McHale.

With their dominant frontcourt, the Celtics went on to create a dynasty. Parish became a four-time NBA champion.

16. Philadelphia 76ers Signing Elton Brand

The 76ers thought they solved all of their interior issues when they signed the coveted free agent in 2008. Brand grew frustrated with the Clippers and was ready to move on after finding success in Los Angeles.

Philadelphia signed Brand following the 2007-208 season, which Brand missed due to a ruptured Achilles tendon.

The 76ers hoped Brand would return to his All-Star form, which came during a four-year stretch where he averaged over 20 points per game.

Philadelphia signed Brand to a five-year, $82 million deal. The 76ers are still waiting for their return on their investment as Brand has been a major disappointment for them, failing to match any and all expectations.

15. Portland Trail Blazers Signing Darius Miles

Darius Miles was a No. 3 overall pick out of high school in the 2000 draft.

After solid years with the Los Angeles Clippers, the Portland Trailblazers thought they were finally getting their small forward of the future.

They signed Miles to a six-year, $48 million deal in 2004.

Miles was awful. He was a headache. He failed to perform. He ultimately became injured. He was, simply put, a waste of money.

Even after Miles was injured and Portland thought they could get out of paying Miles the remaining $18 million of his contract, Miles screwed them over once again. He appeared in 34 games for the Memphis Grizzlies in 2008-09 and was able to receive the money he was owed.

14. Jermaine O’Neal from Portland Trail Blazers to Indiana Pacers for Dale Davis

Jermaine O’Neal was drafted by Portland in 1996. Portland would see continued success, though without any production from O’Neal. O’Neal grew frustrated and requested a trade from the organization, which Portland obliged.

Portland traded away O’Neal for Dale Davis in 2000.

Bad move.

O’Neal would emerge as one of the top players in the league with the Indiana Pacers and helped lead the Pacers to become one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference in the beginning of the new millennium.

One could only wonder if Portland would have won a championship had they received that type of production from O’Neal.

13. Toronto Raptors Sign-and-Trade for Hedo Turkoglu

Turkoglu became a star with the Orlando Magic. He was able to handle the rock, displaying quality dribbling skills for a forward his size as well as great court vision and passing ability. He displayed clutch ability for the Magic.

The Raptors acquired Turkoglu and a hefty contract in 2009 only to be left disappointed with the results. Turkoglu did not display any of the magic he showed in Orlando. He averaged 5.5 less points with the Raptors and was soon displeased with the organization.

He was then traded away in the 2010 offseason to Phoenix.

12. Moses Malone to Buffalo Braves from Portland Trail Blazers

In the 1976 ABA Dispersal Draft, the Portland Trail Blazers selected future Hall of Famer Moses Malone. They soon traded the three-time NBA MVP away to the Buffalo Braves for a first-round draft pick.

The Braves should also be on this list as after two games, they decided to trade him to the Houston Rockets for two first-round picks.

Malone was a 13-time NBA All-Star and won an NBA championship.

11. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to Los Angeles Lakers from Milwaukee Bucks

Abdul-Jabbar was one of the best players in his four-year stint with the Bucks. He was the Rookie of the Year in the 1970 and proceeded to win his first of six NBA MVP awards in 1971. Throughout his career, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar would be named to 19 All-Star teams, capture six NBA championships and be awarded the NBA Finals MVP twice.

Yet somehow, after four years with the Bucks, the Lakers were able to acquire Abdul-Jabbar for Elmore Smith, Brian Winters, Dave Meyers and Junior Bridgeman in 1975.

Two questions:

Who?

And why?

10. Dominique Wilkins to Atlanta Hawks from Utah Jazz

Wish you could have that one back, Utah?

In the 1982 draft, the Jazz selected all-time great dunker and Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins with the No. 3 overall pick.

Money problems caused the Jazz to trade ‘Nique to the Atlanta Hawks for John Drew, Freeman Williams and cash considerations.

This lopsided deal allowed the Hawks to boast one of the single most exciting players in NBA history.

9. Wilt Chamberlain to Los Angeles Lakers from Philadelphia 76ers

Mind-boggling, but a bit easier to understand since Chamberlain requested to be traded.

Honestly, I’d rather let him rot and be unhappy than trade away one of the most dominant players on the face of the planet.

Still, it was done. The 76ers traded away one of the game’s greatest players for Archie Clark, Jerry Chambers and Darrall Imhoff in 1968.

Chamberlain in his career was a four-time NBA MVP and two-time championship winner.

How do we numb the pain!?

8. Dirk Nowitzki to Dallas Mavericks from Milwaukee Bucks for Robert Taylor

Dirk Nowitzki was the ninth overall pick in the 1998 NBA Draft. Robert Taylor was the sixth.

The Bucks clearly did not want to wait to on the development of the German sharpshooter. Wrong move.

Nowitzki is one of the best players in the league over the past decade and has taken his team to the NBA Finals.

Robert Traylor wasn’t even a quality role player.

Is he even in the league anymore?

Who cares?

The Bucks could have had a dominant squad for over a decade had they held on to Dirk.

7. Caron Butler to Washington Wizards from Los Angeles Lakers for Kwame Brown

Caron Butler may have been undeservingly bounced around in this league, but this trade was awful.

Kwame Brown is easily one of the biggest busts to ever step foot on a basketball court. He was drafted by the Wizards and did absolutely nothing but fail.

For some odd reason, the Lakers decided they would trade a very good small forward in Butler for an abysmal center with absolutely no skills prior to the 2005 season.

Washington made out like bandits and went on to become a playoff team in the Eastern Conference.

6. Scottie Pippen to Chicago Bulls from Seattle Supersonics for Olden Polynice

In the 1987 draft, the Seattle Supersonics made a franchise-changing pick when they selected Scottie Pippen.

They messed that up quickly.

They then traded Pippen to the Chicago Bulls for Olden Polynice.

The rest, as we know, is all history. Pippen paired with the greatest to ever do it in Michael Jordan and went on to win six NBA championships and became a member of the top 50 players in NBA history.

Ouch, Seattle.

5. New York Knicks Signing Jerome James

Another Isiah Thomas blunder.

Jerome James had one good postseason, performing very well for Seattle in two playoff series. Thomas felt this was just what the Knicks needed. Without James ever doing anything else in his career, Thomas was sold on James’ two-series playoff performance, and thus Thomas decided he would go all-in on the center.

Thomas signed James to a five-year $30 million contract in 2005.

James was abysmal, as one would expect from a player with little talent. He played in 41 games for the Knicks in his first year and averaged just below two minutes in just over six minutes of work.

James was eventually traded away in 2009 as part of a deal for Larry Hughes of the Chicago Bulls.

4. Julius Erving to Philadelphia 76ers from New Jersey Nets for $3 Million

Dr. J was one of the most remarkable and exciting players to ever grace the hardwood floor.

The Nets were forced to sell the rights of Erving after Nets owner Roy Boe went back on his promise to raise Erving’s salary after the team joined the NBA.

The Nets sold Erving’s rights to the Philadelphia 76ers for $3 million in 1976.

The rest is history.

3. Pau Gasol to Los Angeles Lakers from Memphis Grizzlies

One of the biggest steals in NBA history.

Somehow, the Lakers finagled a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies for one of the top players in the world in 2008.

The Lakers received Pau Gasol, the missing link to the Lakers’ NBA Finals run.

The Lakers sent Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton, Aaron McKie, the rights to Marc Gasol, a 2008 first-round draft pick and a 2010 first- and second-round draft pick.

Thank you very much, Memphis.

The Lakers proceeded to three straight NBA Finals appearances and have won back-to-back titles in the past two seasons.

They’re in position to win a third.

2. Eddy Curry to New York Knicks from Chicago Bulls to Sabotage New York

This trade still disturbs me.

The New York Knicks traded away their first-round draft pick, Mike Sweetney, Tim Thomas and Jermaine Jackson for Eddy Curry and Antonio Davis in 2005.

What doesn’t make sense about this trade is the mere fact that everybody knew Curry had potentially life-threatening heart issues.

How anybody could possibly trade for a player with heart issues is beyond me. How Isiah Thomas lasted as long as he did with New York still baffles me.

Even worse, Curry’s contract haunted the Knicks in the 2010 free-agent offseason extravaganza.

1. Kobe Bryant to Los Angeles Lakers from Charlotte Hornets for Vlade Divac

During the 1996 draft, the Charlotte Hornets traded away future Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant to the Los Angeles Lakers for Vlade Divac.

It had been known that Bryant did not want to play for Charlotte, but if I was part of Charlotte management, I wouldn’t even care. You own the rights to him, he either plays for you or he can wait to play for another team.

Still, all the Hornets got for Bryant was Vlade Divac. If only they knew what Bryant would turn into.

Just imagine if Bryant was never a Laker…