July 23, 2003

As wacky trades go ...: this is a big dog. I like the instability of the NBA, for some reason, and this four-way deal would be quite a shake-up for each of the teams involved. Who do you think would benefit the most, and as a sidenote — what's your favorite trade of all-time? Not necessarily the best, just the one that brought you the most joy.

posted by wfrazerjr to basketball at 11:44 AM - 17 comments

Hopefully Keith Van Horn wont kick the door jamb on the way of his house and miss the entire year. Worst trade ever that brought me much pain: Dennis Johnson for Paul Westphal Best Trade ever: Mark Langston for Randy Johnson

posted by vito90 at 11:51 AM on July 23, 2003

If I'm a GM, I'm not sure I want any of the guys involved in this trade. Who benefits the most? Assuming everything works out chemistry-wise, I think the T-Wolves. Spree's a good defender, and he rounds out their starting five pretty well. On the sidenote...how 'bout the trade that brought me the most sadness? When my favorite MLB team (the Reds) traded my favorite player (Eric Davis) to my least favorite team (the Dodgers).

posted by 17-14 at 11:56 AM on July 23, 2003

Minneapolis sports radio just mentioned that the deal might have fell through. Not sure what the status is of this thing now. Worst trade ever. Herschell Walker to the Vikings for like 30 draft picks, 18 players, and $50 million dollars. Yeah, that worked to our advantage.

posted by emoeby at 12:10 PM on July 23, 2003

Vito, the other Randy Johnson trade ain't working out too badly for your guys either (especially considering what Houston got in return), though I can see why you would prefer the first. From the recent category the Benitez to Yankees trade has to be on my list. I hated that man. And of course there is this one --- October 4, 1991 --- The NY Rangers get Mark Messier (+ one giant Cup) for Bernie Nicholls, Steve Rice and Louie DeBrusk. The most exciting trade of my time has to be the Eric Lindros/NY Rangers/Philly Flyer ordeal, also in '91. The names associated with that deal are amazing: Richter, Kovalev, Forsberg, Lindros himself, Mike Ricci, Steve Duchesne, Kerry Huffman, Ron Hextall, Chris Simon, Jocelyn Thibault... and more. It's made all the better because the Flyers really got taken (lost Forsberg, nuf said) even considering Eric's solid play in that town and the fact they were able to dump him back to the Rangers down the road. (On preview: How could I have forgotten the Walker trade? Damn you Vikings! Dallas sucks.)

posted by 86 at 12:15 PM on July 23, 2003

Personally, my favorite trade of all time was Mark Brunell to the Jags from the Packers for 3rd and 5th round picks in 1995. My team has somewhat benefited from that one. Worst trades ever: Every deal the Marlins made, 1998-2000.

posted by bcb2k2 at 12:16 PM on July 23, 2003

I wince every time the Pack ships out some no name backup QB; it seems like two or three years later the guy's in the Pro Bowl. The Ahman Green deal still warms my heart though, specially since we took him off Holmgren.

posted by kloeprich at 12:41 PM on July 23, 2003

My favorite basketball trade was Dallas sending Jim Jackson, Chris Gatling, Sam Cassell, George McCloud and Eric Montross to New Jersey for Shawn Bradley, Khalid Reeves, Robert Pack and Ed O'Bannon. I woke up one morning to discover my favorite team of spares had become the Nets. Never have so many been traded for so little result.

posted by rcade at 12:54 PM on July 23, 2003

Since we're talking Packer trades...that QB we got from the Falcons in '92 turned out okay.

posted by 17-14 at 01:11 PM on July 23, 2003

welcome back, rcade! In that trade, I think the only one still playing for either team is Bradley, who has survived in the league far longer than I ever thought his skinny, bony body would. Fav trade: Babe Ruth for cash + neverending curse!

posted by billsaysthis at 01:24 PM on July 23, 2003

Best trade the Leafs made: getting Doug Gilmour (and others) for Gary Leeman (and others). A HUGE steal. Worst trade the Leafs made: getting John Kordic for Russ Courtnall...OR...trading away Lanny McDonald and absolutely KILLING the late 70s momentum the team had.

posted by grum@work at 01:26 PM on July 23, 2003

#1: The Cards get Ozzie Smith from the Padres for Garry Templeton. #2 Lou Brock for Ernie Broglio Recently: Edmonds for Bottenfield and Kennedy, Rolen for Polanco and Bud Smith Hopefully soon: A solid starter for JD Drew

posted by mbd1 at 01:34 PM on July 23, 2003

My favorite - Robert 'Tractor-sized-ass' Traylor for Dirk Nowitzki. Sure it was all rights and draft picks - but that's what it ended up as. Also - are the Knicks just throwing it in now? Van Horn is a total stiff. He'll be trying to get Spike Lee to shoot before he does in the 4th quater.

posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 02:06 PM on July 23, 2003

Minneapolis sports radio just mentioned that the deal might have fell through. Not sure what the status is of this thing now. Do you have any details? If this goes through, the Wolves should be in pretty sweeeeeeeeeet shape for the year. I don't see chemistry/player baggage as being an issue here, unless Sczerbiak starts feeling shut out; and he slips way down the pecking order now anyway. And god, yeah, that Walker trade was the worst of all time. Except maybe Ditka's Ricky Williams fiasco.

posted by cobra! at 02:07 PM on July 23, 2003

Argh! Another one I can't believe I forgot. That "Ricky Williams fiasco" netted my Redskins Champ Bailey (following another trade) and Jon Jansen, among others. Loved it. Still do. Even with New Orleans getting robbed blind, I'm not sure it was the worst trade of that draft year. Marshall Faulk for a 2nd and 4th? Ouch.

posted by 86 at 02:32 PM on July 23, 2003

The report on the radio must have been bogus. I can't find any other info online to back it up.

posted by emoeby at 02:42 PM on July 23, 2003

My least favorite trade ... easy ... Rasheed Wallace for Rod Strickland. After suffering through ten years of miserable Bullet's basketball Washington finally caught some luck. Sheed, who was continually touted as a sure #1 overall pick, slipped to the Bullet's at #4 cause he was such a headcase(Picked after Joe Smith, Stackhouse, and McDyess. In retrospect, it's pretty clear that Sheed was the #1). So my team not only is looking competative for the first time in years (they had Howard & Webber as well), they've got my favorite college player (Sheed), the guy who warms up to my favorite rapper (Redman), the guy I've been watching tear up the ACC for the last 2 years, the guy I'm convinced is the best player from his class, and they TRADE him for Rod freaking Strickland. Yikes! This Knicks trade almost takes the pain away though. Nothing better than schadenfreude. After all these years living in NYC and having to listen to Knicks fans mindlessly babble on about how great the Knicks are there's nothing quite like watching Layden rip their hearts out. Weis over Artest. Ewing for Travis Knight instead of clearing Ewing's 16.0M contract off the books. 100.0M for Allan Houston. McDyess instead of Amare. And now, now, for his masterpiece Van Horn for Sprellwell. I get giddy just thinking about. Go Knicks!

posted by Mike McD at 03:52 PM on July 23, 2003

Worst trade ever. Herschell Walker to the Vikings for like 30 draft picks, 18 players, and $50 million dollars. Yeah, that worked to our advantage. Yep, trade the future of the team for him, but refuse to adjust the team's style of play to match his (and if you aren't going to do that, why mortgage the team's future?). Then watch the Cowboys win Super Bowls with your draft picks and players. Woe is us.

posted by kirkaracha at 06:56 PM on July 23, 2003

You're not logged in. Please log in or register.