Is the Rudy Gobert Trade The Worst in NBA History?

Common sense tells us the team will improve with more court time together. In the small sample size early in the 2023-24 season, the Wolves are No. 1 in Defensive Rating, No. 6 in rebounding rate, No. 5 in point paints allowed, and No. 2 in second chance points allowed. These are areas where Gobert shows his impact, and the numbers are reflecting it.

With time, it appears that the Timberwolves may not suffer as much long-term damage from this transaction as projected by so-called experts. 

5 Worst Trades in NBA History

While the Wolves gave up almost an entire roster’s worth of players and picks, the Gobert trade is not as one-sided as it looks. Unless the Jazz picked up a hidden gem in those future drafts, chances are, the three-time Defensive Player of the Year is the best piece involved in that transaction. You know how the rules work: the team that landed the best player won the trade.

With that being said, one-sided trades have happened in the NBA before. That may not be apparent when the deal happened, but it was often the attached draft picks that made the difference down the line. In hindsight, here are the five worst trades in NBA history.

Note: Some of the blockbuster trades in the early NBA, such as the Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar trades, were primarily because of monetary reasons. Most teams during this era were not profitable and were, therefore, forced to trade their best players for money. More often than not, superstars command huge salaries, and teams cannot afford them.

Sonics Shipped Scottie Pippen to Chicago

It’s a clear indication that a trade is really bad for a team when they let go of a player who becomes a pillar for a dynasty. The Seattle Supersonics drafted Scottie Pippen in 1987 and dealt him to the Chicago Bulls for Olden Polynice. 

Now, Polynice is not as bad as anyone thought. After all, someone who played 17 seasons in the NBA is no joke. Pippen, on the other hand, became a perennial All-Star and made multiple All-Defense and All-NBA teams. Most importantly, he was a six-time NBA champion with the Bulls.

Truth be told, we may never see a perimeter defender more intelligent and versatile than Pippen.

Moses Malone Traded Twice

Malone made his mark in the ABA, but it seemed like NBA teams were not convinced of his abilities. Evidently, he was traded twice by the Portland Trail Blazers and the Buffalo Braves without even finding out what they got in their hands. It’s as if Portland and Buffalo decided they just won’t give the guy a chance.

The Blazers got Malone in the 1976 dispersal draft for former ABA players. Since they had already drafted Maurice Lucas in the standard draft and had Bill Walton and Lloyd Neal in their big men rotation, Malone was the odd man out. The Braves also didn’t see anything special in him and traded him to the Houston Rockets after two games and six total playing minutes.

When the smoke cleared, Malone became a three-time league MVP, a Finals MVP, and a champion. He made 12 All-Star teams and eight All-NBA teams. He is also one of a few players who have jerseys retired for two separate NBA teams.

Dirk Nowitzki For a Guy Called “Tractor”

Dirk Nowitzki was a virtual unknown in a talented draft. However, somebody from the Dallas Mavericks saw his potential and began the machinations of acquiring him. They eventually did find a partner, the Milwaukee Bucks. The Mavericks let go of their sixth overall pick for two players, one of which was Nowitzki. 

Now, Robert “Tractor” Traylor was a beast in college, but being nearly 500 pounds did not do him any favors. Meanwhile, Nowitzki steadily improved and peaked as an NBA MVP, 14-time All-Star, and 12-time All-NBA team member. Nowitzki was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2023.

Boston Celtics Fleeced the Brooklyn Nets in 2013

Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce were five years removed from a championship and three after their last Finals appearance. Still, there was no denying their days as first and second options were numbered.

For some reason, the Brooklyn Nets bit and traded for Garnett, Pierce, and Jason Terry. In exchange, the Celtics got four players and four first-round picks. Now, there’s no guarantee that the draft picks turned out to be something, but the Celtics struck gold in 2017. They selected Jayson Tatum and used one of those picks to acquire Kyrie Irving in 2018. Irving bolted out later, but Tatum has become one of the league’s premier players.

Hawks Trade Bill Russell for Ed McCauley and Cliff Hagan

Not many know this, but the legendary Celtic was a St. Louis Hawk momentarily. The Hawks drafted Russell and traded him for Ed McCauley and Cliff Hagan for allegedly two reasons. One, the Hawks were setting their sights on McCauley, a St. Louis native. He wanted to return home to take care of his sick son.

The second reason was a bit controversial because of racial overtones. It appears Russell wanted no part of St. Louis, a city famous for treating black players with disgust and often resorting to name-calling. John Taylor corroborated this belief in his book “The Rivalry: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and the Golden Age of Basketball.” When the Hawks drafted Russell, the roster consisted solely of white players.

We know too well how this turned out. The Hawks won the championship in 1958, but Russell led Boston to 11 titles in 13 seasons from 1957 to 1969.

Conclusion: Is the Rudy Gobert Trade the Worst in NBA History?

Trades are as common as muck in the NBA. There were always winners and losers in these transactions, although there are occasional deals that benefit both sides. 

In recent memory, the Gobert trade is one of the most highly-criticized swaps. That’s because the Wolves gave up four draft picks and five players to acquire the French center. However, in hindsight, it’s too early to tell. Gobert fits the Wolves’ timeline at 31 years old and will only get comfortable playing with Towns and Anthony Edwards. He will never be a floor spacer because of his lack of shooting, but players of his defensive pedigree are few and far between.