Do You Know Who These NBA Superstars Were Traded For? Take The Quiz!

The NBA seems like a dream job with zero negatives from afar. NBA stars make millions of dollars, play a fun game that they love and become worldwide celebrities. However, the business side of the NBA landscape can makes things unpredictable. Players can be traded to places they don’t want to reside and forced out of a situation they enjoy. The teams basically control the future of the players despite the fact that players bring in all the success for the league. Many top superstars have been traded through the years from situations that seemed ideal.

We will test your knowledge when it comes to the moves to go down in the modern era from the 90s to today. All of these players are at least on the radar when it comes to eventually joining the Basketball Hall of Fame. It proves that no one is safe from the trade block when it comes to business side of the NBA. Some great players were traded for other established talent or future superstars. Others were sent away from mediocrity. Find out how well you remember these trades when it comes to the past couple of decades of the NBA. Try to select the right player that was sent back in a package for the superstar listed and see where you rank.

Question 1

Who did the Charlotte Hornets trade Kobe Bryant for?

Kobe Bryant spent his entire career with the Los Angeles Lakers but was actually drafted by the Charlotte Hornets. A draft night trade saw the Hornets send Bryant to the Lakers where he would become a legend. Lakers fans were treated to five NBA Championship wins during Bryant’s tenure on the team. Hornets fans were treated to zero titles in the same time. One solid player sent was sent back to Charlotte. Which of the following players did the Hornets get when sending Kobe to Los Angeles?

Question 2

Who did the Philadelphia 76ers trade Charles Barkley for?

The Philadelphia 76ers drafted Charles Barkley and tried to build around him as their superstar for about a decade. Various issues would come up with Barkley that saw Philadelphia deal him away to the Phoenix Suns for a few players. Barkley did very well on the Suns and led them to an NBA Finals appearance the same season he won the regular season MVP Award. Many pundits believe Barkley’s Suns would have won an NBA Championship if not for Michael Jordan. Who did Philadelphia get in exchange for Barkley of the names listed?

Question 3

Who did the Minnesota Timberwolves trade Kevin Garnett for?

Minnesota Timberwolves fans fell in love with the play of Kevin Garnett early in his career. Garnett was one of the best power forwards of his era that played with emotion. The fight of Garnett endeared him to the Minnesota fans. Unfortunately, the time came to an end when Garnett wanted to win and the Timberwolves wanted to rebuild. Garnett was traded to the Boston Celtics to form the big three with Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. Who did Minnesota get back in the trade that they believed would be a future star?

Question 4

Who did the Cleveland Cavaliers trade Kyrie Irving for?

A recent trade to take place this past offseason saw the Cleveland Cavaliers send Kyrie Irving to the Boston Celtics. Irving requested the trade because he no longer wanted to play second fiddle to LeBron James. Cleveland granted his wish and sent him to the Celtics. Kyrie is off to a great start and is thriving being the leader of a team. The Cavaliers got multiple players and a great draft pick in return for Irving. Which of the following players did Boston trade for Kyrie?

Question 5

Who did the Seattle SuperSonics trade Ray Allen for?

Ray Allen was traded in the same offseason as Kevin Garnett as the Boston Celtics went all in on contending for a title. The Seattle SuperSonics traded Allen shortly before their relocation to become the Oklahoma City Thunder. Boston traded the rights to a drafted rookie along with some forgettable veterans to get the shooting skills of Allen on their roster. Which of the following players was the draft pick that the SuperSonics/Thunder got back in exchange for sending Allen to Boston?

Question 6

Who did the New Orleans Hornets trade Chris Paul for?

The trade that sent Chris Paul from the New Orleans Hornets to the Los Angeles Clippers was considered highly controversial. David Stern stepped in blocked a prior agreed trade between New Orleans and the Los Angeles Lakers feeling it was unfair. The Clippers sneaked in and acquired Paul to completely change their franchise for the better. Many Lakers fan still complain about this as the Clippers deal saw New Orleans get very little back. Which player was sent to New Orleans for Paul?

Question 7

Who did the Los Angeles Lakers trade Shaquille O'Neal for?

The blockbuster trade of Shaquille O’Neal being dealt from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Miami Heat shocked the basketball world. Shaq and Kobe Bryant dominated the league for a few years together on the Lakers but started to despise each other. Bryant gave the ultimatum of either trading Shaq or risk losing Kobe. The Lakers traded O’Neal to keep the younger Bryant. Miami sent a package to the Lakers to get Shaq and won one NBA Championship with him. Which player did the Lakers get back for Shaq?

Question 8

Who did the Chicago Bulls trade Jimmy Butler for?

A shocking recent move saw the Chicago Bulls give up on contending any time in the near future by trading Jimmy Butler. It was obvious that Butler was by far the best player on the Bulls and a perennial All-Star. Tension between him and Chicago head coach Fred Hoiberg saw the Bulls pick Hoiberg by trading Butler to the Minnesota Timberwolves this past summer. Minnesota is looking to contend and Chicago is looking to rebuild. What young talented player did the Bulls get when trading Butler to the Timberwolves?

Question 9

Who did the Charlotte Hornets trade Alonzo Mourning for?

Alonzo Mourning is one of the most underrated NBA stars from the 90s. The talent of Mourning made him a force at his peak when it came to defending the paint and scoring the inside buckets. Charlotte Hornets fans witnessed him become a star from his rookie season and mature into an All-Star. The Hornets however decided to trade him to the Miami Heat. Mourning is remembered as a Heat today when looking at his legacy. Which player did Charlotte get back for Mourning?

Question 10

Who did the Toronto Raptors trade Vince Carter for?

The Toronto Raptors instantly became a popular and successful NBA franchise thanks to adding Vince Carter to their roster. Carter was arguably the most exciting player of the early 2000s with insane highlight dunks and an explosive offensive game. Things started to go downhill as Carter butted heads with Raptors management and forced a trade to the New Jersey Nets. Toronto got very little back in return. One of the following centers was in the trade at the tail end of his career and never reported to Toronto. Which player did the Nets send for Carter?

Question 11

Who did the Orlando Magic trade Dwight Howard for?

Dwight Howard’s trade was one of the most controversial ones in NBA history. It was highly reported all season that Howard wanted to leave the Orland Magic in 2011. Howard however foolishly opted in for another season with the Magic to win over the fans. The problem is he requested a trade that offseason that saw him go to the Los Angeles Lakers. This trade ended up being a disaster as Dwight had a horrible season with the Lakers before leaving them the following offseason. Which current player did Orlando get in the trade?

Question 12

Who did the Philadelphia 76ers trade Allen Iverson for?

Allen Iverson captured the attention of the sports world by becoming the unlikeliest of heroes in the NBA. The smaller size of Iverson made him an underdog in the NBA world. Iverson left it all on the court and was pound for pound the toughest man in basketball. The rise of AI in Philadelphia made him an icon until he started to become disgruntled. A toxic relationship between the 76ers and Iverson saw them trade him to the Denver Nuggets for very little. Which player did Philadelphia get back for Iverson?

Question 13

Who did the Boston Celtics trade Paul Pierce for?

The Boston Celtics trading Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett ended up being a genius move. It became apparent Boston would no longer be able to contend for an NBA Championship. Pierce wanted to remain a Celtic for the rest of his career but was instead traded to the Brooklyn Nets. Boston received draft picks and a couple of players in return for two veterans. The draft picks helped the Celtics become contenders today as one of those picks was dealt for Kyrie Irving. Which veteran did Boston get back in the Pierce trade to Brooklyn?

Question 14

Who did the Washington Wizards trade Chris Webber for?

The Sacramento Kings of the early 2000s are considered the best NBA team to never win an NBA Championship. Some shady refereeing in 2002 prevented the Kings from having that special moment. Chris Webber was the best player and the leader of the Kings during that time period. A trade saw the Kings steal Webber away from the Washington Wizards. Sacramento clearly won that trade as Webber led them to contention. Which of the following players did Washington get back for Webber?

Question 15

Who did the Denver Nuggets trade Carmelo Anthony for?

Carmelo Anthony is one of the great scorers in NBA history but has failed to find a team he can call home. The New York Knicks recently traded him to the Oklahoma City Thunder. However, the trade many years ago that landed him in New York was far more interesting. The Denver Nuggets were essentially forced to trade Anthony after it became clear he wasn’t going to re-sign. Anthony was traded to his ideal situation on the Knicks. Which of the following players did Denver get back for Melo?

Question 16

Who did the Oklahoma City Thunder trade James Harden for?

James Harden is currently one of the best players in the NBA. The passing, shooting and ability to score with ease have caused Harden to make the Houston Rockets one of the premiere teams in the league today. Houston acquired Harden by sending a package to the Oklahoma City Thunder. This trade looks horrible in retrospect given Harden is a superstar and no one the Thunder got turned into anything special. Which of the following NBA players was part of the Harden to Houston trade?

Question 17

Who did the Memphis Grizzlies trade Pau Gasol for?

The Los Angeles Lakers had one of the best trade moves in NBA history when landing Pau Gasol. Kobe Bryant badly needed another dynamic player to contend for an NBA Championship. The Lakers getting Pau from the Memphis Grizzlies saw them go to three consecutive NBA Finals and win two NBA Championships. One of the unknown assets in the trade would eventually become Marc Gasol but everything else involved was awful. Which NBA bust was a key piece in the trade that sent Pau to Los Angeles?

Question 18

Who did the Chicago Bulls trade Derrick Rose for?

Chicago Bulls fans thought they had their first major superstar since Michael Jordan when drafting Derrick Rose. The superb play of Rose during his first few seasons in the NBA led the Bulls back to relevance and Rose won an MVP Award. A few horrible knee injuries would cause his career to go downhill. Rose would never recover to his former status and Chicago traded him to the New York Knicks. Which player did the Knicks send back to the Bulls for Rose?

Question 19

Who did the Utah Jazz trade Deron Williams for?

Another point guard to see his career go downhill quickly due to injuries is Deron Williams. The Nets bet their future on Williams by sending a package to the Utah Jazz in exchange for him. Their hope was to make Williams the face of the franchise as the Nets moved to Brooklyn. A few other moves would pair Joe Johnson, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce with him. Williams failing to be a superstar is what doomed them. Utah clearly won the trade. Which current Jazz player did the Nets send for Deron?

Question 20

Who did the New York Knicks trade Patrick Ewing for?

The New York Knicks showed zero loyalty when trading Patrick Ewing towards the end of his career. Instead of allowing him to retire with them, they dealt him to the Seattle SuperSonics in a four-team trade that saw them get a few forgettable pieces. Ewing did very little for Seattle but Knicks fans still feel the pain of having to watch him end his career in another uniform. Which of the following players did New York get back when trading Ewing to the SuperSonics?

Question 21

Who did the Detroit Pistons trade Grant Hill for?

Grant Hill’s peak saw him become one of the most impressive players in the NBA. Unfortunately, injuries derailed him from fulfilling his potential of being a legitimate superstar. Hill did have great success for the Detroit Pistons before they traded him to the Orlando Magic. The hope of Orlando was that Hill would be at his best and lead them to contention in the playoffs. Hill sadly kept dealing with injuries and it was viewed as a horrible trade. Which player did Detroit get back for Grant Hill?

Question 22

Who did the Phoenix Suns trade Jason Kidd for?

Jason Kidd has been a part of multiple trades in his NBA career. The most important one saw the New Jersey Nets acquire him from the Phoenix Suns. New Jersey leaped from one of the worst teams to the best in the Eastern Conference after acquiring Kidd. The selfless play of Kidd made a mediocre Nets roster good enough to go to back to back NBA Finals. Kidd was viewed as the best point guard of the time due to his success in New Jersey. Who did the Nets send to Phoenix for Kidd?

Question 23

Who did the Chicago Bulls trade Scottie Pippen for?

Scottie Pippen spent the best years of his career dominating the NBA with Michael Jordan. Both legends worked perfectly together and won six NBA Championships with the Chicago Bulls. However, NBA life was difficult for Pippen when Jordan retired in 1998. Pippen requested a trade after the Bulls made it clear they were going to rebuild. The Houston Rockets acquired Pippen in hopes of forming a big three with fellow aging stars Hakeem Olajuwon and Charles Barkley. Which player did the Bulls get in the Pippen trade?

Question 24

Who did the Orlando Magic trade Tracy McGrady for?

The dominant offensive play of Tracy McGrady made him a superstar for the Orlando Magic. However, he would never lead them out of the first round of the playoffs. McGrady carried them all season and was as impressive as Kobe Bryant during his best years. Orlando and McGrady each wanted to part ways towards the end of his run there. The Houston Rockets offered a package that saw the Magic trade him to them. What player did the Magic get back for McGrady?

Question 25

Who did the Portland Trail Blazers trade Clyde Drexler for?

A rare case of a pleasant trade saw the Portland Trail Blazers NBA legend Clyde Drexler to the Houston Rockets in 1995. Drexler requested to spend the final few seasons of his career on a contender after playing eleven and a half seasons for the Trail Blazers as their top star. Portland honored his wish and dealt him to the Rockets where he would win an NBA Championship. Can you remember what player the Trail Blazers got back when sending Drexler to Houston?

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