7. Trading away Eddie Jones to the Hornets for Glen Rice, J.R. Reid, and B.J. Armstrong
The Los Angeles Lakers’ biggest star in the years between championship teams of the Showtime era Lakers and the Kobe and Shaq lead dynasty was perhaps Eddie Jones. Jones helped lead the Lakers to the playoffs in his first two seasons before Shaq arrived in 1996.
After leading the Temple Owls to a surprise elite eight appearance in his final season in college, Jones was drafted 10th overall by the Lakers in the 1994 draft, made first-team All-Rookie and won the rookie challenge MVP in his first season.
Then after a few seasons in the league, he made the All-Star team with the Lakers in 1997 and 98. In the 1999 shortened season, he was surprisingly dealt to the Charlotte Hornets for Glen Rice, J.R. Reid, and B.J. Armstrong.
The peak of his career was the season after that in 2000 when he was once again named an All-Star, made 3rd Team All-NBA, and had his best statistical season averaging 20.1 points while leading the league in steals. He was even voted by the fans to start in the 2000 NBA All-Star game, and that speaks to his stardom at the time.
Like the trade ranked ahead of this one, this deal is not higher on the list because it really had no negative effect on the Lakers’ championship future. They ended up winning the NBA title in the 3 seasons after the Jones trade and the emergence of Kobe Bryant as the premier shooting guard in the league left little need for Jones on the roster.
Glen Rice was a big part of the Lakers’ first title run in their 3-peat, so this move cannot be ranked higher than it is. It does make the list at this spot because the Lakers once again traded away a player that went on to be an All-Star for another team.