Mavericks and Wizards Anthony Davis trade tops list of unexpected NBA deadline transactions.
The NBA trade deadline is often characterized by unpredictability, with unexpected deals frequently dominating the news cycle.
This century has witnessed a plethora of remarkable trades in the NBA. From Luka Doncic joining the Los Angeles Lakers to Blake Griffin moving to the Detroit Pistons, fans have learned to stay alert as the new year approaches. This year has continued that trend. Most notably, the Washington Wizards have significantly altered their roster through an eight-player trade, acquiring Anthony Davis on Wednesday to team up with another recent addition, Trae Young. Meanwhile, the Dallas Mavericks are also making changes, bringing in Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham, Marvin Bagley III, along with two first-round draft picks and three second-round picks, according to sources. The Wizards are also set to gain Jaden Hardy, D’Angelo Russell, and Dante Exum as part of this multi-team exchange, as reported by sources.
The element of surprise in these trades is a rare yet unforgettable aspect of the league, with blockbuster deals often emerging unexpectedly when players have not sought to be traded.
Here’s a retrospective on some of the most astonishing trades in the NBA since 2000.
Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, 2025
Teams involved: Lakers, Dallas Mavericks, Utah Jazz
Key players dealt: Doncic to Lakers; Anthony Davis, Max Christie to Mavericks.
In a transaction that reverberated throughout the sports community, the Lakers secured Doncic in a three-team deal that sent Davis to the Mavericks late one Saturday night in February 2025.
The Mavericks had acquired Doncic’s draft rights in 2018 after the Atlanta Hawks selected him third overall. In exchange, Atlanta received Trae Young, whom Dallas picked fifth. Doncic was viewed as the next cornerstone for the franchise following Dirk Nowitzki’s retirement in 2019.
Dallas initiated discussions with the Lakers, motivated to trade Doncic due to ongoing conditioning issues, sources informed ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. The deal caught Lakers star LeBron James off guard. Sources indicated that Doncic and Davis were also not made aware of the trade beforehand, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Russell Westbrook to the Los Angeles Lakers, 2021
Teams involved: Lakers, Washington Wizards
Key players dealt: Westbrook to Lakers; Montrezl Harrell, Kyle Kuzma, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to Wizards.
In a deal during the 2021 offseason, the Wizards traded Westbrook to the Lakers in exchange for Harrell, Kuzma, Caldwell-Pope, and the 22nd pick in the 2021 NBA draft. Los Angeles also received two second-round picks from Washington.
This trade brought Westbrook together with James and Davis. Westbrook had just completed a season where he averaged a triple-double and aided the Wizards in reaching the playoffs. Unlike his previous trade to the Houston Rockets for Chris Paul two years prior, Westbrook had not collaborated with Washington to facilitate a move to a preferred location. However, the prospect of returning to his Los Angeles roots was enticing for the Southern California native.
Paul George to LA Clippers, 2019
Teams involved: LA Clippers, Oklahoma City Thunder
Key players dealt: George to Clippers; Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Galinari to Thunder.
George’s trade to the Clippers is regarded as one of the most extraordinary transactions in NBA history. Concerned about the possibility of a Lakers dynasty if they signed Kawhi Leonard, the Clippers made a last-minute acquisition of George, enabling them to secure Leonard as well.
The deal required four future unprotected first-round picks, one protected first-round pick, and two pick swaps sent to the Thunder.
Leonard informed the Clippers’ management that he would join them if they acquired George. In the days leading up to the trade, George’s agent reached out to Oklahoma City to request a trade. Just a year before this transaction, George had signed a four-year, $137 million max contract with the Thunder.
After a hectic Friday night, news of the trade broke around 2 a.m. ET. This occurred on the same night an earthquake postponed the NBA summer league in Las Vegas, shaking the league with this significant move.
Kawhi Leonard to Raptors, 2018
Teams involved: Raptors, San Antonio Spurs
Key players dealt: Leonard, Danny Green to Raptors; DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Poeltl to Spurs
During the 2018 offseason, Leonard and his representatives made it clear to the Spurs that he wished to play in Los Angeles, ideally for the Lakers. Instead, San Antonio traded him to Toronto in a surprising move.
The unexpected nature of the location and the players involved, particularly DeRozan, added to the shock. DeRozan expressed his surprise on his Instagram story following the trade: “Be told one thing & the outcome another. Can’t trust em. Ain’t no loyalty in this game. Sell you out quick for a little bit of nothing… Soon you’ll understand… Don’t disturb…”
At that time, DeRozan had spent his entire career in Toronto and had three years remaining on his contract. Leonard had one year left on his deal but continued to express his desire to sign with the Lakers, posing a risk for the Raptors’ decision to acquire him.
Blake Griffin to Detroit Pistons, 2018
Teams involved: Pistons, Clippers
Key players dealt: Griffin to Pistons; Tobias Harris, Avery Bradley to Clippers
Griffin was a key figure in the “Lob City” Clippers, but the team traded him to the Pistons in January 2018, marking a surprising turn of events.
Months prior to the trade, the franchise had created a presentation emphasizing Griffin as a “Clipper for life” in an effort to re-sign him. Griffin and the Clippers had reached an agreement on a five-year, $171 million contract in July 2017. However, he did not complete the first season of that contract.
This led to a tense moment during Griffin’s first road game against his former team, where he ignored Clippers owner Steve Ballmer’s handshake before the game, opting instead to head to the locker room after his warmup. Griffin later downplayed the incident, stating it was not intentional.
Pau Gasol to Lakers, 2008
Teams involved: Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies
Key players dealt: Pau Gasol to Lakers; Marc Gasol, Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton to Grizzlies
Seventeen years prior to acquiring Doncic, the Lakers surprised the league by trading for Pau Gasol. This occurred three weeks before the trade deadline and drew criticism from a rival head coach — San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich.
He described the deal as “beyond comprehension” and suggested the establishment of a trade committee to “scrutinize all trades that make no sense.”
“I just wish I had been on a trade committee that oversees NBA trades,” he added. “I’d like to elect myself to that committee. I would have voted no to the L.A. trade.”
Ultimately, no such committee was formed, and the transaction proceeded in a dramatic in-season shakeup.
Ray Allen to Milwaukee Bucks, 2003
Teams involved: Bucks, Seattle SuperSonics
Key names involved: Allen to Bucks; Gary Payton to SuperSonics.
In 2003, the Bucks traded Allen to Seattle for Payton at the trade deadline.
This move not only concluded Payton’s 12-plus season tenure with the SuperSonics but also reunited him with former head coach George Karl. At the time of the trade, Allen was averaging a team-high 21.3 points, adding to the surprise of the transaction.
