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NBA trades are almost always interesting. Teams often use this move to build a championship-contending team or to set up the franchise for future success.
Superstars demanding a trade is another sort of spectacle. Sometimes, a standoff between the player and the team could drag on for months and bring even more controversy.
Over the past 20 years or so, there have been impasses that captured basketball fans’ attention.
Here are some NBA trades that turned nasty before they were resolved:
#10. Dwight Howard vs. LA Lakers
During the 2012-13 season, the LA Lakers had NBA superstars Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, Pau Gasol, Steve Nash and Metta World Peace. However, they had a 45-37 record to finish a disappointing seventh place in the Western Conference.
Howard’s first year in Hollywood ended after the San Antonio Spurs sent the Lakers home after just four games. The elimination at the hands of San Antonio capped off a tumultuous season for Howard where he clashed often with Bryant.
“D12” left LA with a year on his contract and nearly $30 million on the table. His style of play and Bryant’s no-holds-barred personality were likely the main reasons he took his talents to Houston.
#9. Kyrie Irving vs. Boston Celtics
There was strictly no trade standoff between the Boston Celtics in Kyrie Irving regarding a trade. The mercurial point guard earned the ire of Cs fans after failing to live up to his promise.
In October 2018, he said this to the media and some fans:
“I’ve shared it with some of my teammates as well as the organization as well as everyone else in Boston. If you guys will have me back, I plan on re-signing here.”
Irving left Boston to form an NBA super team with Kevin Durant in Brooklyn. He has since said some things about the franchise and the fans that have made him one of the city’s most hated villains.
#8. Jimmy Butler vs. Philadelphia 76ers
In the 2018 NBA playoffs, the Philadelphia 76ers had Jimmy Butler, Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris and Ben Simmons in the lineup. But they still lost to the eventual champs Toronto Raptors. Kawhi Leonard’s iconic last-second Game 7 shot sent the 76ers home.
Harris, Redick and Butler were free agents that summer. Philadelphia chose Harris over Butler as “Jimmy Buckets” reportedly didn’t see eye-to-eye to coach Brett Brown. Butler’s sometimes aggressive personality probably rubbed the Sixers’ coaching staff the wrong way.
The 76ers then sent him to the Miami Heat in a four-team trade. Jimmy Butler has reminded them time and again that they made the wrong decision.
#7. John Wall vs. Houston Rockets
John Wall’s stay with the Houston Rockets didn’t have any drama until he played for the LA Clippers. Coming off a season lost to various injuries, Wall played just 40 games for the Rockets during the 2020-21 NBA season.
Houston unexpectedly kept Wall on the bench the following season before he was waived. The Clippers got him off the buyout market.
On the "Run Your Race" podcast, the former Washington Wizards star described his stay in Houston:
“Trash, beyond trash. We were trying to lose on purpose, tanking. "That was our starting lineup, it was like me, David Nwaba, Jae'Sean Tate, Justin Patton, someone else...How the f*** can I win a game with this s***?"
#6. Kobe Bryant vs. LA Lakers
Kobe Bryant helped push Shaquille O’Neal out of the LA Lakers in the summer of 2004. Three seasons later, he desperately wanted to force his way out of Hollywood after disappointing seasons without the legendary big man.
“KB24” appeared in several shows and interviews claiming he lost faith in the direction the Lakers were going. The Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks and Detroit Pistons were just three of the teams who were reportedly going all-in for “The Black Mamba.”
The Lakers eventually convinced Bryant to stay before swinging for a trade that landed them Memphis Grizzlies star center Pau Gasol. With another go-to player on the roster, Bryant carried the Lakers to three more NBA Finals appearances, winning the titles in 2009 and 2010.
#5. Jimmy Butler vs. Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves sensationally traded for Jimmy Butler from the Chicago Bulls in 2017, but 69 games later, they couldn’t stand him and sent him to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Butler asked the Timberwolves to trade him heading into the 2018-19 NBA season. Minnesota refused to budge so “Jimmy Buckets” nearly stayed away from the team during training camp and preseason games.
The now infamous Timberwolves practice where the forward called out his coaches, teammates and the front office may have been the last straw.
Tom Thibodeau, the team’s president of basketball operations, traded Butler to the 76ers as the team “can no longer function with him in the lineup.”
#4. Russell Westbrook vs. LA Lakers
The three-team trade that sent Russell Westbrook to the Utah Jazz in the 2023 NBA trade deadline was expected. Westbrook’s tumultuous stint in LA only meant that the team was looking to trade him.
After failing to make the playoffs during the 2021-22 season, Westbrook took a shot at everyone in his exit interview. He ripped the team’s former coach Frank Vogel for not giving him opportunities to succeed.
“Brodie” even called out NBA superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis for lying. The writing was on the wall. It was only a matter of time before the Lakers were going to ship him out. Only Westbrook’s massive contract likely prevented him from getting traded earlier.
#3. Kyrie Irving vs. Brooklyn Nets
Kyrie Irving’s trade to the Dallas Mavericks wasn’t nearly as dramatic or as controversial as his past controversies with the Brooklyn Nets. Irving’s stint in Brooklyn will be known mostly for his off-court issues rather than his basketball exploits.
He sat out for nearly an entire season for refusing to take the Covid-19 vaccine. “Uncle Drew” also took time out without notice due to the political situation in Washington. There was also an anti-semitic post that caused him to be suspended for multiple NBA games.
Despite everything, Irving thought he’d get a maximum long-term deal. The Brooklyn Nets refused so the point guard asked to be traded for the second time in this year’s trade deadline.
#2. James Harden vs. Houston Rockets
James Harden and fat suits became a meme when “The Beard” reported for the Houston Rockets’ 2020 training camp visibly out of shape. The former NBA MVP asked the team to trade him in November of that year.
When Houston refused to accommodate him, he became disgruntled and disappointed. He was often late in practices after reportedly partying most nights.
The Rockets eventually gave in when the Brooklyn Nets offered a ton of draft capital and players to acquire the wantaway star.
#1. James Harden vs. Philadelphia Sixers
James Harden recently called Philadelphia 76ers basketball operations head Daryl Morey “a liar” in front of hundreds of fans. No one has come close to what “The Beard” did to his former friend and someone he worked with closely for a decade.
Harden (again) wanted to be traded somewhere else. Morey publicly said that he was looking to honor that request if the Sixers can get fair compensation.
When the team reportedly shut down trade talks to bring the 10x NBA All-Star back for training camp, Harden went ballistic. He said that he would never play for a team that Morey is a part of.
James Harden just opted into the final year of his contract, making him obligated to play for the Philadelphia 76ers. How this will play out will probably be the most interesting standoff to monitor in the NBA’s offseason.
