3 Best and worst Draft day trades in NBA history

2. Scottie Pippen - Sonics to Bulls, 1987

Scottie Pippen

A much lesser known trade than the infamous Kobe deal, but Scottie Pippen was actually taken with the 5th pick by the Seattle SuperSonics in 1987 before being traded to the Chicago Bulls along with a 1989 first rounder for the 8th pick, Olden Polynice, a 1988 second rounder, Sylvester Gray and a 1989 first rounder, B.J. Armstrong.

Just based on the names of this trade, it's obvious how one-sided it now seems. The history of the Bulls in this era is very well documented, as Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen became the greatest partnership in NBA history as the pairing led the Bulls to six NBA titles in eight years.

Perhaps the only criticism on Jordan's career, as small as it is, is that he never won a playoff series before Pippen arrived. This is often pushed aside as before Pippen had arrived Jordan only had a few seasons of his long prestigious career, but the question can be asked what would have happened if Pippen was never traded to the Bulls on draft day.

Would Michael Jordan still be considered the undisputed greatest of all time or would he have failed to amass the achievements he did and go 6-0 in the Finals?

There is no doubt this trade changed the shape of the NBA in a huge way, but we will never know by quite how much.