5 teams who won the NBA championship after a big in-season trade
NBA front offices usually go out in the NBA offseason and try to find all the pieces that they consider right for their teams to make a push for the NBA championship in the upcoming campaign.
However, it all comes down to the small details that separate winners from dreamers. Ultimately, some front offices could find a way to unlock the organization's potential by bringing in a player during the season and changing the entire plan that was prepared before the action began.
5 NBA championship teams that made big trades during the middle of the season
Last year, for example, the Brooklyn Nets seemed to have more than enough to compete in the Eastern Conference. The Nets had the likes of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving on the roster alongside other players who managed to make the 2020 NBA Playoffs without the team's superstars. Still, the front office went out and got James Harden in January from the Houston Rockets.
The LA Clippers also did something similar, although they went out and traded for Rajon Rondo, who they probably felt was a piece needed to control LAC's offense. Things ultimately did not work out for the Nets or the Clippers, and the teams that made it to the NBA Finals were those which carried on with their plan from the offseason.
However, the latter is not always the case. On several occasions, a mid-season trade has unlocked a team's winning spirit and taken it face-to-face with the Larry O'Brien trophy.
In this article, we will take a look at five teams that won the NBA title after making a significant mid-season trade.
#5 2018-19 Toronto Raptors
To begin with, the Toronto Raptors' road to the 2019 NBA championship started with a big trade. That transaction put Kawhi Leonard in Canada and sent DeMar DeRozan to the San Antonio Spurs.
However, a big mid-season trade helped the 2018-19 Toronto Raptors establish themselves as solid contenders. Their already strong defense was bolstered by bringing in Marc Gasol in exchange for C.J. Miles, Jonas Valanciunas, Delon Wright and a second-round draft pick.
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Ultimately, Gasol helped the Raptors win the 2019 NBA championship after averaging 9.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and four assists per game in the regular season with 46/44/76 shooting splits.
During the 2019 postseason, he put up similar numbers with 42/38/87 shooting splits. In the NBA Finals, Gasol averaged 12 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, while starting every game.
#4 1988-89 Detroit Pistons
The 'Bad Boy' Detroit Pistons had their core formed by Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, Bill Laimbeer and Dennis Rodman. But a move that was often underrated was a risky trade that sent the team's top scorer elsewhere.
During the Detroit Pistons' run to the 1988 NBA Finals (which they lost in heartbreaking fashion), Adrian Dantley, already a six-time All-Star with two scoring titles under his belt, led the team in scoring in the regular season and the NBA Finals.
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Mid-way through the 1988-89 season, on February 15th, 1989, Dantley was traded to the Dallas Mavericks for Mark Aguirre. Aguirre was also a three-time All-Star and a top scorer.
The move ultimately proved to be a good one and helped the Pistons, with Aguirre helping the team win two consecutive NBA championships in 1989 and 1990. Aguirre did not score at the same level with the Pistons as he did with Dallas, but he was definitely a nice weapon to rely on in the team's offense.
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