The 5 Greatest Trades in LA Lakers History
The LA Lakers are one of the most decorated NBA franchises in the league and have won 17 championships so far, tied with the Boston Celtics for the most in NBA history. They are also one of the richest teams in the league and boast fans from all around the world.
The Lakers front office has a good history of putting together talented teams on the court and in this article, we will take a look at the five greatest trades in LA Lakers history.
Listing down the 5 Greatest Trades in LA Lakers History
LA Lakers have traded for some of the greatest legends, and here the five biggest moves their management has made in the NBA history.
#1- Kobe Bryant
The 1996 NBA draft is widely considered one of the most talented drafts in the history of the league. It had players like Allen Iverson (#1 pick), Stephon Marbury (#4 pick), Ray Allen (#5 pick), and Steve Nash (#15 pick), to name just a few.
With the 13th overall pick, the Charlotte Hornets selected Bryant. However, then- LA Lakers GM Jerry West wanted Bryant on his team as he was thoroughly impressed with the youngster's pre-draft workouts.
A few days later, Bryant was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for center Vlade Divac. The 'Black Mamba' would eventually bring home five championships to LA and spend his entire NBA basketball career with the team.
#2- Kareem Abdul Jabbar
After getting selected by the Milwaukee Bucks with the first overall pick in the 1969 NBA draft, Abdul-Jabbar led the Bucks to its only NBA championship, winning three MVP awards as well. The league had no answer to his skills as he posted monstrous numbers on a nightly basis.
In 1974, he requested a trade to either the New York Knicks or the Los Angeles Lakers. And in 1975, the LA Lakers acquired Abdul-Jabbar and reserve center Walt Wesley from the Bucks for center Elmore Smith, guard Brian Winters and rookies Dave Meyers and Junior Bridgeman.
The LA Lakers won this trade as they racked up multiple championships during Abdul-Jabbar's tenure with the team while the Bucks did not get the same productivity from the players involved.
Also read: NBA Trade Rumors: Milwaukee Bucks' Failure to Land Bogdan Bogdanovic May Lead to Giannis Antetokounmpo's Departure