BasketNews looks at the Top 10 biggest NBA trades that included European players. Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers is at the top of the list.
The Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis trade really blew everyone away. It was such a shock that people were actually wondering if ESPN's Shams Charania had been hacked. Spoiler alert: he wasn't.
This is the biggest NBA trade featuring a European superstar, and it's now officially in the books.
Luka is now the new face of the Los Angeles Lakers, joining forces with LeBron James.
Luka Doncic
| Team: |
Dallas Mavericks |
| Position: | PG, SG |
| Age: | 25 |
| Height: | 201 cm |
| Weight: | 104 kg |
| Birth place: | Ljubljana, Slovenia |
But his move isn't the only noteworthy one. Over the years, there have been some huge trades involving European players in the NBA.
So, let's take a look at the Top 10 biggest NBA trades that brought European talent into the spotlight. There's also a bonus trade that no one saw coming.
BONUS: Vlade Divac for Kobe Bryant (1996)
Teams involved: Los Angeles Lakers → Charlotte Hornets
Trade details:
- Hornets received: Vlade Divac
- Lakers received: 1996 first-round pick (became Kobe Bryant)
Why it's big:
The Hornets were looking to bolster their frontcourt and saw Divac as a valuable addition who could provide scoring, rebounding, and leadership.
Meanwhile, the Lakers were looking to acquire assets to build for the future, and they had their sights set on the 1996 NBA Draft, which was deep in talent.
The most significant aspect of this trade was the Lakers acquiring a first-round pick, which they used to select Kobe Bryant as the 13th overall pick.
This decision would ultimately change the trajectory of the franchise, leading to a dynasty in the early 2000s and establishing Bryant as one of the greatest players in NBA history.
10. Peja Stojakovic for Ron Artest (2006)
Teams involved: Sacramento Kings → Indiana Pacers
Trade details:
- Kings received: Ron Artest
- Pacers received: Peja Stojakovic
Why it's big:
This was a high-risk, high-reward move for Sacramento. They acquired Artest, one of the best defenders in the league, but also one of the most volatile personalities after the infamous Malice at the Palace.
Artest initially played well for the Kings, but his off-court issues resurfaced, and Sacramento never regained its early-2000s dominance.
Losing Peja closed the chapter on their golden era, and the Kings missed the playoffs for 16 straight seasons after this trade.
The trade didn't do much for the Pacers either.
Stojakovic was already past his peak, and he played only 40 games for Indiana before leaving in free agency that summer. Essentially, the Pacers gave away Artest for almost nothing in return.
9. Nikola Vucevic to the Bulls (2021)
Teams involved: Orlando Magic → Chicago Bulls
Trade details:
- Bulls received: Nikola Vucevic and Al-Farouq Aminu
- Magic received: Wendell Carter Jr., Otto Porter Jr., 2021 first-round pick (became Franz Wagner), and 2023 first-round pick (became Jett Howard)
Why it's big:
At the time of the trade, the Bulls were desperate to become a playoff team. They had been stuck in mediocrity since the Jimmy Butler era ended, and their front office wanted to accelerate the rebuild around Zach LaVine.
Vucevic was one of the most productive big men in the NBA – an All-Star center averaging over 24 points and 11 rebounds – so Chicago viewed him as the perfect piece to pair with LaVine and form a competitive team.
Meanwhile, Orlando was heading in the opposite direction. The Magic had been stuck in the lower tier of playoff teams for years, and their front office decided to blow up the roster and rebuild from scratch.
The 2021 first-round pick turned into Franz Wagner, who has since blossomed into one of the NBA's best young wings, capable of scoring, playmaking, and defending at a high level.
At first, Vucevic's arrival seemed promising. The Bulls made additional aggressive moves, signing DeMar DeRozan, Lonzo Ball, and Alex Caruso, transforming them into a playoff-caliber team.
The 2021-22 season saw Chicago start hot, even holding the No. 1 seed in the East for part of the season.
However, injuries (especially to Lonzo Ball) and defensive issues saw them decline, and they were eliminated in the first round.
Now, the future is uncertain for them since LaVine got traded to the Sacramento Kings.
8. Drazen Petrovic to the Nets (1991)
Teams involved: Portland Trail Blazers → New Jersey Nets → Denver Nuggets
Trade details:
- Nets received: Drazen Petrovic and Terry Mills
- Trail Blazers received: Walter Davis
- Nuggets received: a first-round pick and Greg Anderson
Why it's big:
Petrovic was a pioneering player from Croatia, often regarded as one of the best European talents to enter the NBA.
He joined Portland in the 1989-90 season. However, due to the presence of established players like Clyde Drexler, Petrovic struggled to find consistent playing time in Portland.
By the early 1990s, Portland was looking to reshape its roster, and with Petrovic's skills being underutilized, they decided to trade him.
After the trade, he averaged 20.6 points per game in his first full season with New Jersey, becoming one of the league's premier shooting guards.
Petrovic was instrumental in transforming the Nets into a more competitive team. New Jersey had struggled for several years, but with Petrovic, they made the playoffs in consecutive seasons (1992 and 1993).
The Trail Blazers' decision to trade Petrovic is often viewed as a mistake.
Tragically, Petrovic died in a car accident in June 1993, but his success in the NBA paved the way for future international players to join the league.
7. Rudy Gobert to the Timberwolves (2022)
Teams involved: Utah Jazz → Minnesota Timberwolves
Trade details:
- Timberwolves received: Rudy Gobert
- Jazz received: Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Walker Kessler, Jarred Vanderbilt, Leandro Bolmaro, and four first-round picks (2023, 2025, 2027, 2029)
Why it's big:
This trade was one of the most shocking in recent history due to the sheer amount of assets Minnesota gave up for French center Gobert.
The Wolves, looking to become a serious contender, paired Gobert with Karl-Anthony Towns, believing a twin-tower frontcourt could dominate.
However, the move was immediately met with skepticism, as modern basketball trends favor versatility and spacing over traditional big men pairings.
Meanwhile, Utah capitalized massively, receiving a young defensive stud in Walker Kessler (who quickly showed potential as a Gobert replacement) and multiple future picks.
The Timberwolves have improved defensively, but since this trade has not ended in a championship run, it might be remembered as one of the most lopsided deals in favor of Utah.
6. Kristaps Porzingis to the Mavericks (2019)
Teams involved: New York Knicks → Dallas Mavericks
Trade details:
- Mavericks received: Kristaps Porziņģis, Tim Hardaway Jr., Courtney Lee, and Trey Burke
- Knicks received: Dennis Smith Jr., DeAndre Jordan, Wesley Matthews, and two first-round picks
Why it's big:
Porzingis was considered one of the best young European stars in the NBA when the Knicks traded him, making this deal a huge risk for both sides.
The Knicks' front office decided to move on from Porzingis early, fearing long-term health issues and his dissatisfaction with the team.
For Dallas, the hope was that Porzingis could be Luka Doncic's co-star, but injuries and chemistry issues prevented him from reaching that level.
The Latvian big was eventually traded again, showing that while he was talented, he never became the elite No. 2 option Dallas had envisioned.
Meanwhile, the Knicks completely failed to capitalize on their return, as Dennis Smith Jr. never developed, and the draft picks didn't yield franchise-altering players.
5. Domantas Sabonis for Tyrese Haliburton (2022)
Teams involved: Indiana Pacers → Sacramento Kings
Trade details:
- Kings received: Domantas Sabonis, Jeremy Lamb, Justin Holiday, and a second-round pick
- Pacers received: Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield, and Tristan Thompson
Why it's big:
Sacramento's boldest move in years came when they decided to trade away Tyrese Haliburton, a young rising star who was loved by fans and seen as the franchise's future.
The Kings had missed the playoffs for 16 straight seasons, and they believed Sabonis, a three-time All-Star, would be the missing piece to push them into contention.
The move immediately paid off, as Sacramento not only ended their playoff drought, but Sabonis became the heart of their team, helping them earn the No. 3 seed in the West.
Meanwhile, Haliburton blossomed into a star in Indiana, proving that the trade was a rare win-win scenario.
Since this trade materialized, Haliburton earned two All-Star selections, All-NBA Third Team, and even made the Team USA roster for the victorious Paris Olympics.
4. Luka Doncic for Trae Young (2018)
Teams involved: Atlanta Hawks → Dallas Mavericks
Trade details (2018 NBA Draft):
- Mavericks received: Luka Doncic (3rd overall pick, drafted by Atlanta)
- Hawks received: Trae Young (5th overall pick, drafted by Dallas) and 2019 first-round pick (became Cam Reddish)
Why it's big:
This was a rare draft-night blockbuster that involved two of the most talented young guards of their generation. Both Doncic and Young were viewed as elite prospects, but teams had different philosophies on how to build their future.
For Dallas, this trade was an all-in move to secure their franchise player. Luka was already a proven winner in Europe, having just led Real Madrid to a EuroLeague title and won MVP at age 19 – a historic achievement.
The Mavs had zero doubts about his potential and were willing to part with a future first-rounder to land him.
The Hawks' front office wasn't fully sold on Doncic, believing Young could be just as impactful while also securing an extra first-round pick to speed up their rebuild.
For Atlanta, this was a bet on Trae's superstar potential and a chance to rebuild with more assets.
3. Marc Gasol for Pau Gasol (2008)
Teams involved: Memphis Grizzles → Los Angeles Lakers
Trade details:
- Lakers received: Pau Gasol and a 2010 second-round pick (became Devin Ebanks)
- Grizzlies received: Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton, Aaron McKie, first-round picks in 2008 and 2010 (became Donte Greene and Greivis Vasquez), and Marc Gasol (rights from 2007 Draft)
Why it's big:
This brotherly trade instantly transformed the Lakers into a championship contender and sparked a heated debate over whether Memphis got fleeced -- only for the deal to look much better in hindsight.
For the Lakers, this was a franchise-changing acquisition. They were trying to build a title contender around Kobe Bryant, who was frustrated with the team's strength after Shaquille O'Neal left.
Pau Gasol, a skilled 7-foot-1 (2.16-meter) big man with elite passing and scoring ability, was the perfect co-star for Kobe. The Spaniard immediately fit alongside Bryant, helping the Lakers reach the 2008 NBA Finals just months after the trade.
The Lakers won back-to-back championships in 2009 and 2010, with Gasol playing a crucial role in both title runs.
For Memphis, the move was seen as a salary dump, as they gave away their best player for what seemed like a weak return.
However, Marc Gasol, a relatively unknown prospect at the time, turned into the real prize of the deal.
Marc developed into a franchise cornerstone, becoming a three-time All-Star, Defensive Player of the Year (2013), and the leader of the "Grit and Grind" Grizzlies.
2. Dirk Nowitzki for Robert Traylor (1998)
Teams involved: Milwaukee Bucks → Dallas Mavericks
Trade details (1998 NBA Draft):
- Mavericks received: Dirk Nowitzki (9th overall pick, drafted by Milwaukee) and Pat Garrity (19th overall pick, drafted by Milwaukee)
- Bucks received: Robert Traylor (6th overall pick, drafted by Dallas)
Why it's big:
This was one of the most lopsided trades in NBA history, even if it wasn't obvious at the time. It gave Dallas a franchise icon, while Milwaukee gave away a future Hall of Famer for nothing.
For Dallas, this trade completely changed the franchise's trajectory. The Mavericks had been irrelevant for most of the 1990s, but by acquiring Nowitzki and Steve Nash on the same night, they suddenly had the foundation for a championship contender.
By the early 2000s, Nowitzki was a top scorer and MVP candidate, revolutionizing the power forward position with his shooting and versatility. Alongside Nash and Michael Finley, the German helped turn the Mavs into perennial contenders and win a championship in 2011.
For Milwaukee, they got Robert "Tractor" Traylor, a strong but undersized big man, believing he would be a dominant low-post force. However, he never lived up to expectations and became one of the biggest draft busts ever.
Traylor was a complete disappointment, averaging less than 5 points per game before bouncing around the league.
By 2001, he was already out of Milwaukee, and the Bucks got absolutely nothing out of this trade.
1. Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis (2025)
Teams involved: Dallas Mavericks → Los Angeles Lakers → Utah Jazz
Trade details:
- Lakers received: Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris
- Mavericks received: Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick
- Jazz received: Jalen Hood-Schifino, a 2025 second-round pick, and a 2025 second-round pick (via Clippers)
Why it's big:
The L.A. Lakers have been looking for a long-term face of the franchise for when LeBron James eventually retires or leaves. Luka is 25, a generational talent, and could carry the Lakers for the next decade.
He fits the Lakers' Hollywood star power and might be the biggest Laker acquisition since Kobe Bryant.
So, the Lakers get a young superstar who could dominate the league for 10-15 years, and the Slovenian phenomenon is already a better offensive engine than AD ever was.
The Lakers remain a championship contender with Luka and LeBron, and they have a future even after LeBron leaves.
Doncic has blossomed into one of the most productive players in NBA history since his arrival in 2018. He's finished no worse than sixth in MVP voting in four of the past five seasons while amassing career averages of 28.6 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 8.3 assists.
Teaming with Kyrie Irving, Doncic led Dallas to last year's Finals for its first appearance in the championship round since the Mavericks won the title in 2011.
Davis, 31, followed a similar path before him, earning a decade's worth of All-Star appearances as one of the elite players of his generation while leading the Lakers to the 2019-20 NBA championship.
He's on pace for the 10th 20-point, 10-rebound season of his career with current averages of 25.7 points and 11.9 boards.
But if AD gets hurt or the team doesn't win a title, Dallas would have given up a future MVP for nothing. Luka is a one-of-a-kind player, and players like him almost never get traded unless something goes horribly wrong.
If AD stays healthy and dominates, the Mavs could win a title in the short term. But long-term? They lose their franchise player for an aging, injury-prone big man. They risk becoming irrelevant in just a few years if things go south.
