The Worst NBA Trades of the Last 15 Years

There's usually a winner and a loser with every NBA trade. But some transactions are more lopsided than others. Here are the worst NBA trades since .

DeMarcus Cousins Kings Mouthpiece 2016 New Orleans
USA Today Sports

Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins (15) looks on during the second quarter of the game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Sleep Train Arena.

DeMarcus Cousins Kings Mouthpiece 2016 New Orleans

NBA All-Star Weekend brought one of the biggest surprises of the season when news that DeMarcus Cousins was getting shipped to the Pelicans broke during the NBA All-Star Game—and that was days before Thursday's trade deadline. We have no idea whether any other transactions will come close to equaling how epically bad the Cousins trade looks right now for the Kings. We have some suggestions. But you know at least one general manager out there will make some absurd acquisition that every savvy NBA observer will mock until the end of time. 

Kind of like these awful, lopsided trades we highlighted. From all the debacles Isiah Thomas orchestrated while running the Knicks to Sunday's head-scratcher of a deal that officially teamed Cousins with Anthony Davis, familiarize yourself with the worst trades at the NBA's trade deadline since 2002. 

13. Steve Francis to the Knicks.

Steve Franics Knicks Trade 2006

12. Joe Johnson to the Suns.

Joe Johnson Phoenix Suns 2005

11. Ron Artest to the Pacers.

Ron Artest Pacers 2005

10. Baron Davis to the Cavs.

Baron Davis Cleveland Cavaliers 2011

9. Ray Allen to the Sonics.

Ray Allen Sonics 2006

8. Shaquille O'Neal to the Suns.

Shaquille O'Neal Phoenix Suns 2009

7. Gerald Wallace to the Nets.

Gerald Wallace Nets Playoffs Bulls 2013

6. Carmelo Anthony to the Knicks.

Carmelo Anthony reacts to a call.

5. Isaiah Thomas to the Celtics.

Celtics point guard Isaiah Thomas

4. Rasheed Wallace to the Pistons

Rasheed Wallace Detroit Pistons 2007

3. Pau Gasol to the Lakers.

Pau Gasol 2010 NBA Finals Lakers

2. DeMarcus Cousins to the Pelicans.

Omar Casspi DeMarcus Cousins Pelicans 2017

Date: February 20, 2017

Team Involved: Kings and Pelicans

Kings Acquired: Buddy Hield, Tyreke Evans, Langston Galloway, a 2017 first-round pick, and a 2017 second-round pick

Pelicans Acquired: DeMarcus Cousins and Omri Casspi

The Winner: Clearly the Pelicans

This trade was so bad, the artificial intelligence in NBA 2k17 refused to confirm it. Kings’ owner Vivek Ranadive believes that 23-year-old rookie Buddy Hield has Steph Curry potential. Kings GM Vlade Divac admitted that he had a better offer two days before the deal was made. At least Boogie finally gets what he’s always wanted (which was to leave Sacramento) and now fans finally get to see what could have been if DeMarcus and Anthony Davis played together at Kentucky.

1. Andrew Bogut to the Warriors.

Andrew Bogut Chris Bosh Warriors Chris Bosh 2016

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