5 most controversial trade storylines in the NBA: featuring Ben Simmons, Chris Paul, and more
As the beginning of the 2021-22 NBA season approaches, it's always a popular time of the year in which rumors start to float around the basketball world. As it stands right now, there are a number of big names that could potentially come up in trade discussions. As fans of the NBA, there's nothing quite as thrilling as a trade rumor that turns into an actual transaction between teams. It's one of the most underrated thrills in the sport of basketball. Fans rush to their phones and computers to talk about the latest big trade that has happened in the NBA.
Some of these trades will get leaked to the public early on. Common words such as "discussions" or "negotiations" get thrown around, hinting to the fans that there is some seriousness to a potential move going down. Others stay pretty close to the chest, as fans don't even know that a trade almost happened until it's reported that both sides couldn't come to an agreement. But there's also another side of the story that rarely gets leaked to the public. Some of these trades weren't even known until years down the road. Let's take a look at some of the most controversial trade storylines in recent memory.
#5 Ben Simmons & The Sixers
Whether you want to admit it or not, Ben Simmons is quickly entering the conversation as one of the most controversial trade storylines in NBA history. It's becoming such a fascinating deal because Simmons viewed trade value around the league. Some teams are simply hesitant to go "all-in" when it comes to acquiring the three-time all-star. For now, it looks as if the Philadelphia 76ers and Ben Simmons are going to remain at a stalemate, as we wait for a resolution. With a situation that has involved a number of back-and-forths in press conferences involving teammates and coaches, it looks as if the Simmons situation is only going to get worse before it gets better.
#4 Charles Barkley to the Lakers
It's safe to say this was a trade storyline that not a lot of people knew about at the time. During his career with the Philadelphia 76ers, Charles Barkley was rumored to be involved in a number of trades. Well, in an interview Barkley revealed that he was told he was being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers.
It was going crazy for two weeks so I knew it would come down to Portland, [the] Lakers or Phoenix. So I get a call from my agent one morning and he said, "Philly has traded you to the Lakers." So I went to lunch and started drinking. I'm f---ing so excited that I am going to the Lakers. Three hours later I get a f---ing phone call from my agent saying that the Sixers backed out of the deal. I said, "Oh, s--t, I'm feeling pretty good right now." So I went out and played that night.
Unfortunately for Barkley, the trade would eventually fall through. The rumored proposal involved the Lakers trading James Worthy and Elden Campbell for Charles Barkley and Ron Anderson. That would eventually lead to Barkley being traded to the Phoenix Suns, in a move that made Barkley one of the most legendary Phoenix Suns players in the organization's history.