Ranking the Los Angeles Lakers’ best trades with each team, numbers 8-5:
8. Phoenix Suns
Remember we talked about Mel Counts being a part of the eighth-best trade on this list? Well, in May of 1970, he was traded straight up to the Phoenix Suns for former Laker and future Hall of Famer, Gail Goodrich.
Goodrich became a massive part of the Lakers in the coming years and without him, the team might not have won the only championship of the Jerry West era in 1972.
7. Memphis Grizzlies
Without this trade, Kobe Bryant might not have had championships numbers four and five, and if he did, it might have come on another team. The Lakers traded the NBA rights to Marc Gasol, among other things, to the Memphis Grizzlies for his brother, Pau Gasol.
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This is a massive part of Lakers’ history and even though this trade ranks seventh, it is one of the most important trades of this century.
6. Philadelphia 76ers
In July of 1968, the Los Angeles Lakers acquired Wilt Chamberlain from the Philadelphia 76ers. If the Lakers would have acquired prime Chamberlain then this would undoubtedly be the number one trade on this list, as in terms of domination compared to his peers, there has never been a player like Wilt.
The team did get him after his prime, though, but he was still a massive component in the team winning the 1972 title. In fact, Chamberlain, not West or Goodrich, was the NBA Finals MVP in 1972.
5. Cleveland Cavaliers
The Los Angeles Lakers traded Don Ford, Butch Lee and a 1980 first-round pick during the 1979-80 season in exchange for the Cavaliers’ 1982 first-round pick. It could not have worked out any better for the Lakers, as the Cavaliers plummeted to the bottom of the league and the Lakers got the first overall pick and James Worthy.