What defines the worst sports trades in history?

The worst sports trades are those where one team gives up a star player or future Hall of Famer for minimal return, often due to poor evaluation, financial constraints, or mismanagement, significantly hurting the team's success for years.

Which trade is considered the worst in NBA history?

The 2013 trade sending Paul George to the Oklahoma City Thunder from the Indiana Pacers for Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis is often cited, but the most infamous is the 1984 trade where the Portland Trail Blazers drafted Sam Bowie over Michael Jordan.

What was the worst trade in MLB history?

The trade of Babe Ruth from the Boston Red Sox to the New York Yankees in 1919 is widely considered the worst, as it ended the Red Sox's dynasty and began the Yankees' run of championships.

What made the Herschel Walker trade so disastrous for the Minnesota Vikings?

The Vikings gave up multiple first-round picks, second-round picks, and players to the Dallas Cowboys for Herschel Walker in 1989, which the Cowboys used to build a dynasty winning three Super Bowls, while the Vikings got little in return.

Are these worst trades often the result of a single bad decision?

Yes, typically a worst trade stems from a single ill-advised transaction, but it can also result from a series of poor moves; examples like the 1976 trade of Wilt Chamberlain for cash or the 2022 trade of Deshaun Watson with massive guaranteed money also qualify.

Top 10 Worst Sports Trades in History

Top 10 Worst Sports Trades in History | Top10Grid

0
#1
Babe Ruth to the Yankees (1920)
The Red Sox sold the greatest baseball player alive to fund a Broadway show, cursing Boston for 86 agonizing years.
Details →
0
#2
Herschel Walker Trade (1989)
The Vikings gave up a king's ransom for a running back while Dallas flipped the picks into three Super Bowl championships.
Details →
0
#3
Wayne Gretzky to the Kings (1988)
Edmonton traded the greatest hockey player ever for cash and role players, making an entire nation weep on live television.
Details →
0
#4
Brooklyn Nets for Kevin Garnett & Paul Pierce (2013)
The Nets traded their entire future for aging stars, gifting Boston the picks that became Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
Details →
0
#5
Nolan Ryan to the Angels (1971)
The Mets dealt a future Hall of Famer with 5,714 career strikeouts for third baseman Jim Fregosi, who was washed up within two years.
Details →
0
#6
Kobe Bryant Draft-Night Trade (1996)
The Charlotte Hornets drafted Kobe 13th overall and shipped him to the Lakers for Vlade Divac — five rings later, the pain still lingers.
Details →
0
#7
Ricky Williams Trade (1999)
Mike Ditka traded every single Saints draft pick for a running back, destroying the franchise's depth for years.
Details →
0
#8
Bill Russell Draft-Night Trade (1956)
The St. Louis Hawks traded the pick that became the winningest player in NBA history to Boston for Ed Macauley and Cliff Hagan.
Details →
0
#9
Chris Webber for Penny Hardaway (1993)
The Warriors traded the number-one pick after just one season, sending Webber to Washington while Orlando built around Penny and Shaq.
Details →
0
#10
Patrick Roy to the Avalanche (1995)
The Canadiens humiliated their franchise goalie, then traded him to Colorado where he immediately won the Stanley Cup.
Details →

0
#1
Babe Ruth to the Yankees (1920)
The Red Sox sold the greatest baseball player alive to fund a Broadway show, cursing Boston for 86 agonizing years.
Details →
0
#2
Herschel Walker Trade (1989)
The Vikings gave up a king's ransom for a running back while Dallas flipped the picks into three Super Bowl championships.
Details →
0
#3
Wayne Gretzky to the Kings (1988)
Edmonton traded the greatest hockey player ever for cash and role players, making an entire nation weep on live television.
Details →
0
#4
Brooklyn Nets for Kevin Garnett & Paul Pierce (2013)
The Nets traded their entire future for aging stars, gifting Boston the picks that became Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
Details →
0
#5
Nolan Ryan to the Angels (1971)
The Mets dealt a future Hall of Famer with 5,714 career strikeouts for third baseman Jim Fregosi, who was washed up within two years.
Details →
0
#6
Kobe Bryant Draft-Night Trade (1996)
The Charlotte Hornets drafted Kobe 13th overall and shipped him to the Lakers for Vlade Divac — five rings later, the pain still lingers.
Details →
0
#7
Ricky Williams Trade (1999)
Mike Ditka traded every single Saints draft pick for a running back, destroying the franchise's depth for years.
Details →
0
#8
Bill Russell Draft-Night Trade (1956)
The St. Louis Hawks traded the pick that became the winningest player in NBA history to Boston for Ed Macauley and Cliff Hagan.
Details →
0
#9
Chris Webber for Penny Hardaway (1993)
The Warriors traded the number-one pick after just one season, sending Webber to Washington while Orlando built around Penny and Shaq.
Details →
0
#10
Patrick Roy to the Avalanche (1995)
The Canadiens humiliated their franchise goalie, then traded him to Colorado where he immediately won the Stanley Cup.
Details →