Rank The Top 10 Biggest Trades Of The Past 5 Off-Seasons

[NYG]

Excluding sign and trades since I view that as more of a free agent transaction than trade... review the past 5 off-seasons... now that we have some hindsight, which trades have made the biggest impact? What are your top 10 biggest trades of the last 5 off-seasons?

As a reference...

2024: https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2024/06/2024-nba-offseason-trades.html
2023: https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2023/06/2023-nba-offseason-trades.html
2022: https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2022/06/2022-nba-offseason-trades.html
2021: https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2021/07/2021-nba-offseason-trades.html
2020: https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2020/11/2020-nba-offseason-trades.html

Giving it a quick eye, some candidates...

Karl-Anthony Towns to the Knicks - 2024
Mikal Bridges to the Knicks - 2024
Dejounte Murray to the Pelicans - 2024
Jrue Holiday to the Celtics - 2023
Damian Lillard to the Bucks - 2023
Donovan Mitchell to the Cavaliers - 2022
Rudy Gobert to the Timberwolves - 2022
Dejounte Murray to the Hawks - 2022
Russell Westbrook to the Lakers - 2021
Russell Westbrook to the Wizards - 2020
Jrue Holiday to the Bucks - 2020
Chris Paul to the Suns - 2020

[SNPA]

Holiday is directly related to two title in those five years, he has to be towards the top.

[giberish]

Holiday twice led to titles. Paul led to a finals run. Mithell was key to building the current Cavs team. The WB to LAL deal stopped the Lakers from being a deep playoff threat for a bit. The Gobert trade was big but Minny never got that far before finances limited them but they should be decent enough to not give up huge picks. The Beal trade killed any hopes of Phoenix being relevant with Booker/KD.

So:
Holiday to Mil
Holiday to Boston
Mitchell to Cleveland
Beal to Phoenix
WB to LAL
Gober to Minny

[Wigginstime]

With the benefit of hind sight, the most impactful trades were (not sticking directly to 5 year timeline but close):

SGA / Paul George Trade - Elevated OKC to contender status
AD to Lakers - LA title in 2020
Jrue to Bucks - Bucks title in 2021
Jrue to Celtics - Celtics title in 2024
CP3 to Suns - Finals appearance in 2021
Aaron Gordon to Nuggets - Title in 2023
Andrew Wiggins to Warriors - Title in 2022
Luka to Lakers - Major change to final appearances team from 2024

[schaffy]

With the benefit of hind sight, the most impactful trades were (not sticking directly to 5 year timeline but close):

SGA / Paul George Trade - Elevated OKC to contender status
AD to Lakers - LA title in 2020
Jrue to Bucks - Bucks title in 2021
Jrue to Celtics - Celtics title in 2024
CP3 to Suns - Finals appearance in 2021
Aaron Gordon to Nuggets - Title in 2023
Andrew Wiggins to Warriors - Title in 2022
Luka to Lakers - Major change to final appearances team from 2024

You also didnt stick to the "off-seasons" ask either as 3 of those were in-season moves ...

[ReggiesKnicks]

Holiday twice led to titles. Paul led to a finals run. Mithell was key to building the current Cavs team. The WB to LAL deal stopped the Lakers from being a deep playoff threat for a bit. The Gobert trade was big but Minny never got that far before finances limited them but they should be decent enough to not give up huge picks. The Beal trade killed any hopes of Phoenix being relevant with Booker/KD.

So:
Holiday to Mil
Holiday to Boston
Mitchell to Cleveland
Beal to Phoenix
WB to LAL
Gober to Minny

I'm confused because your rationale says "Mitchell was key to building the current Cavs" but Gobert was just as instrumental to building a team with more success up to this point in the Timberwolves. The Gobert trade then led to the KAT trade, another trade in the Top 10.

You can't logically say "The Timberwolves didn't get anywhere" when they got further than Cleveland so far and then have the Mitchell trade over the Gobert trade. That seems very short-sighted and ignoring the Timberwolves success in 2024, no?

I agree about both Holiday trades, though Boston also added other players and was in an NBA finals before Holiday just 2 years prior.

Beal is probably #1 for me. Phoenix was on the come up and gutted their entire team for KD only to turn around and trade for the worst contract in the NBA (In hindsight but we knew Phoenix wouldn't work out beforehand).

CP3 to the Suns led to an NBA Championship appearance, also more than what Mitchell accomplished.

[gswhoops]

(1) AD to Lakers - led to the Lakers winning a title*, ultimately set up their move for Luka five years later

(2) Jrue Holiday to the Bucks - led to the Bucks winning a title

(3) Dame to Milwaukee / Jrue to Boston via Portland - led to the Celtics winning a title

(4) Spida to Cleveland - set the Cavs up to become one of the league's elite teams; sent Lauri to Utah where he blossomed into an All-Star

(5) Gobert to Minnesota - set up the T'Wolves to become an elite team alongside Ant developing into a superstar; ultimately set off a chain of dominos that led to KAT to NYK.

[ReggiesKnicks]

(1) AD to Lakers - led to the Lakers winning a title*, ultimately set up their move for Luka five years later

Post-2024
Post-2023
Post-2022
Post-2021
Post-2020

Unfortunately AD to the Lakers was 6 years ago.

(2) Jrue Holiday to the Bucks - led to the Bucks winning a title

(3) Dame to Milwaukee / Jrue to Boston via Portland - led to the Celtics winning a title

(4) Spida to Cleveland - set the Cavs up to become one of the league's elite teams; sent Lauri to Utah where he blossomed into an All-Star

(5) Gobert to Minnesota - set up the T'Wolves to become an elite team alongside Ant developing into a superstar; ultimately set off a chain of dominos that led to KAT to NYK.[/quote]

[gswhoops]

(1) AD to Lakers - led to the Lakers winning a title*, ultimately set up their move for Luka five years later

Post-2024
Post-2023
Post-2022
Post-2021
Post-2020

Unfortunately AD to the Lakers was 6 years ago.

(2) Jrue Holiday to the Bucks - led to the Bucks winning a title

(3) Dame to Milwaukee / Jrue to Boston via Portland - led to the Celtics winning a title

(4) Spida to Cleveland - set the Cavs up to become one of the league's elite teams; sent Lauri to Utah where he blossomed into an All-Star

(5) Gobert to Minnesota - set up the T'Wolves to become an elite team alongside Ant developing into a superstar; ultimately set off a chain of dominos that led to KAT to NYK.

Ahh rats. I'd probably say CP3 to the Suns then (because it also had the knock on effect of making the Beal to Phoenix trade possible)

[giberish]

Holiday twice led to titles. Paul led to a finals run. Mithell was key to building the current Cavs team. The WB to LAL deal stopped the Lakers from being a deep playoff threat for a bit. The Gobert trade was big but Minny never got that far before finances limited them but they should be decent enough to not give up huge picks. The Beal trade killed any hopes of Phoenix being relevant with Booker/KD.

So:
Holiday to Mil
Holiday to Boston
Mitchell to Cleveland
Beal to Phoenix
WB to LAL
Gober to Minny

I'm confused because your rationale says "Mitchell was key to building the current Cavs" but Gobert was just as instrumental to building a team with more success up to this point in the Timberwolves. The Gobert trade then led to the KAT trade, another trade in the Top 10.

You can't logically say "The Timberwolves didn't get anywhere" when they got further than Cleveland so far and then have the Mitchell trade over the Gobert trade. That seems very short-sighted and ignoring the Timberwolves success in 2024, no?

I agree about both Holiday trades, though Boston also added other players and was in an NBA finals before Holiday just 2 years prior.

Beal is probably #1 for me. Phoenix was on the come up and gutted their entire team for KD only to turn around and trade for the worst contract in the NBA (In hindsight but we knew Phoenix wouldn't work out beforehand).

CP3 to the Suns led to an NBA Championship appearance, also more than what Mitchell accomplished.

Cleveland is in position to have a deep playoff run this season with a credible title chance. That counts. They also look to have credible title chances for the next few seasons. That's all much more important than one conference finals run before fading. As big as the Gobert deal was it didn't move Minny that far forward and it also didn't limit them like the bad deals on the list.

[ReggiesKnicks]

Holiday twice led to titles. Paul led to a finals run. Mithell was key to building the current Cavs team. The WB to LAL deal stopped the Lakers from being a deep playoff threat for a bit. The Gobert trade was big but Minny never got that far before finances limited them but they should be decent enough to not give up huge picks. The Beal trade killed any hopes of Phoenix being relevant with Booker/KD.

So:
Holiday to Mil
Holiday to Boston
Mitchell to Cleveland
Beal to Phoenix
WB to LAL
Gober to Minny

I'm confused because your rationale says "Mitchell was key to building the current Cavs" but Gobert was just as instrumental to building a team with more success up to this point in the Timberwolves. The Gobert trade then led to the KAT trade, another trade in the Top 10.

You can't logically say "The Timberwolves didn't get anywhere" when they got further than Cleveland so far and then have the Mitchell trade over the Gobert trade. That seems very short-sighted and ignoring the Timberwolves success in 2024, no?

I agree about both Holiday trades, though Boston also added other players and was in an NBA finals before Holiday just 2 years prior.

Beal is probably #1 for me. Phoenix was on the come up and gutted their entire team for KD only to turn around and trade for the worst contract in the NBA (In hindsight but we knew Phoenix wouldn't work out beforehand).

CP3 to the Suns led to an NBA Championship appearance, also more than what Mitchell accomplished.

Cleveland is in position to have a deep playoff run this season with a credible title chance.

So is Minnesota and Minnesota already had a deep playoff run

[brackdan70]

Derick White to Boston is arguable more impactful than Jrue trade. Should make the list.
His 4 seasons in Boston so far have made the finals, ECF, Won the finals and will see this year. He has been a top 50 guy from the start and climbing higher each year.

[giberish]

I'm confused because your rationale says "Mitchell was key to building the current Cavs" but Gobert was just as instrumental to building a team with more success up to this point in the Timberwolves. The Gobert trade then led to the KAT trade, another trade in the Top 10.

You can't logically say "The Timberwolves didn't get anywhere" when they got further than Cleveland so far and then have the Mitchell trade over the Gobert trade. That seems very short-sighted and ignoring the Timberwolves success in 2024, no?

I agree about both Holiday trades, though Boston also added other players and was in an NBA finals before Holiday just 2 years prior.

Beal is probably #1 for me. Phoenix was on the come up and gutted their entire team for KD only to turn around and trade for the worst contract in the NBA (In hindsight but we knew Phoenix wouldn't work out beforehand).

CP3 to the Suns led to an NBA Championship appearance, also more than what Mitchell accomplished.

Cleveland is in position to have a deep playoff run this season with a credible title chance.

So is Minnesota and Minnesota already had a deep playoff run

Minnesota's a play-in team. Cleveland has the best record in the NBA.

[giberish]

I'm confused because your rationale says "Mitchell was key to building the current Cavs" but Gobert was just as instrumental to building a team with more success up to this point in the Timberwolves. The Gobert trade then led to the KAT trade, another trade in the Top 10.

You can't logically say "The Timberwolves didn't get anywhere" when they got further than Cleveland so far and then have the Mitchell trade over the Gobert trade. That seems very short-sighted and ignoring the Timberwolves success in 2024, no?

I agree about both Holiday trades, though Boston also added other players and was in an NBA finals before Holiday just 2 years prior.

Beal is probably #1 for me. Phoenix was on the come up and gutted their entire team for KD only to turn around and trade for the worst contract in the NBA (In hindsight but we knew Phoenix wouldn't work out beforehand).

CP3 to the Suns led to an NBA Championship appearance, also more than what Mitchell accomplished.

Cleveland is in position to have a deep playoff run this season with a credible title chance.

So is Minnesota and Minnesota already had a deep playoff run

Minnesota's a play-in team. Cleveland has the best record in the NBA.

[ReggiesKnicks]

Cleveland is in position to have a deep playoff run this season with a credible title chance.

So is Minnesota and Minnesota already had a deep playoff run

Minnesota's a play-in team. Cleveland has the best record in the NBA.

But this isn't about ranking the teams right now, it's about what they accomplished in total from the trades.

Minnesota accomplished more than Cleveland so far.

[babyjax13]

1. Luka to LAL
2. Mitchell to CLE
3. Gobert to MIN
4. Towns to NYK
5. Lillard to MIL

2-4 all felt really unexpected to me, but we knew Dame would be dealt.