- Vlade Divac was traded for Kobe Bryant’s draft rights on July 1, 1996.
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers from the Milwaukee Bucks in 1975.
- The Dallas Mavericks dealt Luka Dončič to Los Angeles on Feb. 1, 2025.
The Los Angeles Lakers’ championship basketball odds have been consistently short over the past few decades, as they have 17 titles to their name.
The Lakers have acquired big-name superstars to help them capitalize on those short NBA odds of winning a ring.
With that said, what are the seven biggest trades in Lakers history? Let’s find out.
7 Biggest Los Angeles Lakers Trades in Team History
1. Vlade Divac for Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant slid to No. 13 in the 1996 NBA Draft, as the Lakers sent Vlade Divac to the Charlotte Hornets for Bryant’s draft rights on July 1, 1996.
The rest is history, as the 2008 NBA MVP scored 33,643 points (No. 4 all-time) and helped the Lakers win five championships (2000, 2001, 2002. 2009, 2010), winning Finals MVP in the latter two years.
Bryant dropped a career-high 81 points on Jan. 22, 2006, in a 122-104 win over the Toronto Raptors, which is the second-most points scored by a player in a game.
2. Gail Goodrich for First-Round Pick
Back in 1976, teams were rewarded a draft pick if their free agent left.
Gail Goodrich was traded to the New Orleans Jazz for a 1979 first-round draft pick that ended up becoming Magic Johnson.
The three-time MVP became arguably the best point guard of all time, as he helped the Lakers win five championships (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988), winning Finals MVP on three occasions (1980, 1982, 1987).
3. Junior Bridgeman, Dave Meyers, Elmore Smith, and Brian Winters for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Walt Wesley
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was traded to the Lakers from the Milwaukee Bucks in 1975.
He went on to win five championships alongside Johnson, a Finals MVP (1985), and three MVPs (1976, 1977, 1980) during his time in Hollywood.
Renowned for his iconic skyhook, Abdul-Jabbar retired as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer (38,387 points), a record that was held for nearly 39 years.
4. Darrall Imhoff, Archie Clark, Jerry Chambers, and Cash for Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt Chamberlain helped the Lakers win a championship in 1972, winning Finals MVP.
He also helped lead Los Angeles to a 33-game winning streak that season, which is still the record for the most wins in a row by an NBA team. The Lakers also won a then-record 69 games.
5. Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and First-Round Pick for Luka Dončić, Maxi Kleber, Markieff Morris, and Second-Round Pick
The Lakers may have pulled off the most shocking trade in NBA history by landing Luka Dončić at just 25 years old on Feb. 1, 2025.
Dončić was a year removed from going to the NBA Finals at the time of the deal, as he had already been named to five All-NBA First Teams.
If Dončić lives up to his fullest potential and leads Los Angeles to at least one championship, this could go down as one of the best trades of all time for the Lakers.
6. Shaquille O’Neal for Lamar Odom, Caron Butler, Brian Grant, and First-Round Pick
When Shaquille O’Neal was dealt to the Miami Heat on July 14, 2004, it signaled the end of arguably the most exciting era in Lakers history.
O’Neal helped the Lakers win three championships (2000, 2001, 2002), winning Finals MVP each time.
The 2000 NBA MVP had a larger-than-life persona on and off the court, making him a perfect fit for the bright lights of Hollywood, especially when he threw down some of the most powerful dunks imaginable.
7. Kwame Brown, Jarvaris Crittenton, Aaron McKie, the Draft Rights to Marc Gasol, and Two First-Round Picks for Pau Gasol and Second-Round pick
Aside from Marc Gasol, the Lakers didn’t give up much to acquire Pau Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies in February 2008.
Pau Gasol’s post scoring, soft touch from the midrange, and playmaking skills helped make him a perfect fit in coach Phil Jackson’s triangle offence. He also gave Bryant the second star necessary to win championships, as they went back-to-back in 2009 and 2010.