I’m sure you’ve already heard the latest D’rumor by now: Howard ends up in his preferred destination, Brooklyn, to play alongside Deron Williams and Joe Johnson thanks to some help from the Cleveland Cavaliers, who would be willing to take on free agent Kris Humphries in a sign-and-trade deal. The Magic dump a bunch of bad contracts and get Brook Lopez in return.
Only time will tell whether or not this will become the transaction that finally brings about Dwight’s inevitable departure from Orlando, but if it does, it could be one of the largest trades in NBA history. According to Hoopsworld.com, the deal could include up to 11 players and multiple draft picks. That would put it in a tie for third place according to NBA.COM (note: this article is a few years old, and I believe it should include the Carmelo Anthony trade). Just for fun, take a look back at the seven largest trades to date (not including the aforementioned Anthony trade as I copied this information from the old NBA.COM article)…
THIRTEEN PLAYERS:
August 2, 2005: MIAMI HEAT acquires F Antoine Walker from the BOSTON CELTICS and G Jason Williams, F James Posey and G Andre Emmett from the MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES and the draft rights to C Roberto Duenas from the NEW ORLEANS HORNETS in a five-team trade that sent G-F Eddie Jones to Memphis, F Rasual Butler to New Orleans, a 2006 second-round draft pick, a conditional second-round draft pick, F Qyntel Woods and the draft rights to Albert Miralles to Boston; The UTAH JAZZ acquired C Greg Ostertag from Memphis; Boston acquired C Curtis Borchardt from Utah and G Raul Lopez from Memphis; New Orleans acquired G Kirk Snyder from Utah.TWELVE PLAYERS:
September 20, 2000: NEW YORK acquires F Glen Rice, C Travis Knight and a first-round pick from the LOS ANGELES LAKERS and C Vladimir Stepania, F Lazaro Borrell, G Vernon Maxwell, a first-round pick and two second round picks from SEATTLE in a four-team trade that sent C Patrick Ewing to Seattle; Los Angeles Lakers acquired F Horace Grant and F Chuck Person, C Greg Foster and G Emanual Davis from Seattle; PHOENIX acquired C Chris Dudley and a first-round pick from New York for C Luc Longley.ELEVEN PLAYERS:
August 27, 1999: HOUSTON traded G Michael Dickerson, F/C Othella Harrington, G Brent Price, F/C Antoine Carr and a future first round draft pick to VANCOUVER as part of a three-way deal in which the Rockets received draft rights to G Steve Francis and F Tony Massenburg from Grizzlies and F Don MacLean and future first round draft choice from ORLANDO, and the Magic received F Michael Smith, G/F Rodrick Rhodes, G Lee Mayberry and F Makhtar Ndiaya from Grizzlies.NINE PLAYERS:
February 17, 1997: DALLAS traded G Sam Cassell, G Jim Jackson, G George McCloud, F Chris Gatling and C Eric Montross to NEW JERSEY for C Shawn Bradley, G Robert Pack, G Khalid Reeves and F Ed O’Bannon.March 11, 1999: MILWAUKEE traded G Terrell Brandon to MINNESOTA and G Elliot Perry to NEW JERSEY in exchange for New Jersey trading G Sam Cassell and F Chris Gatling to Milwaukee and F Brian Evans and future draft considerations to Minnesota in exchange for Minnesota trading G Chris Carr, F Bill Curley and G Stephon Marbury to New Jersey and C Paul Grant to Milwaukee.
August 17, 2000: BOSTON traded F Danny Fortson to GOLDEN STATE as part of four-team deal in which Celtics received G Robert Pack, F/C John “Hot Rod” Williams and cash considerations from DALLAS and a conditional first-round draft choice from UTAH, Mavericks received G Dana Barros from Celtics, F Bill Curley from Warriors and G Howard Eisley from Utah Jazz, Jazz received F Donyell Marshall from Warriors and C Bruno Sundov from Mavericks and Warriors received F Adam Keefe from Jazz.
August 18, 2003: GOLDEN STATE traded F Antawn Jamison, F Danny Fortson, F Chris Mills and G Jiri Welsch to DALLAS for G Nick Van Exel, G Avery Johnson, G Antoine Rigaudeau, F Popeye Jones, and C Evan Eschmeyer.
Kind of funny that Sam Cassell and Danny Fortson were each involved in two of these trades. I also love that the biggest trade in league history was centered around Antoine Walker, sent Greg Ostertag back to Utah, and involved two convicted criminals.
There ought to be a Sporcle quiz about these deals. Come to think of it, I wouldn’t be surprised if there already is.
