Not every trade turns into a win-win. Sometimes a new city, system, or situation can totally derail a player’s momentum—and once it’s gone, it’s hard to get it back.
Whether it was bad timing, poor fit, or just plain bad luck, these players saw their careers crumble after one fateful move. Here are 16 NBA players whose fortunes took a nosedive after a trade they probably wish had never happened.
16. Josh Smith
Josh Smith was flying high in Atlanta before a move to Detroit drained the fun right out of his game. His shot selection went off the rails, and his reputation never really recovered.
15. Isaiah Thomas
Isaiah Thomas was a Boston legend in the making before a trade to Cleveland stopped him cold. Injuries piled up, roles shrank, and he was never the same player again.
14. Michael Beasley
Beasley’s flashes of brilliance with the Heat gave fans hope, but a trade to Minnesota sent him spiraling into NBA obscurity. The change of scenery didn’t fix anything—it just made it worse.
13. Steve Francis
Francis was a star in Houston, but once he got dealt to Orlando, his career hit a wall. The energy and swagger that once defined him seemed to vanish overnight.
12. Baron Davis
Baron Davis brought excitement wherever he played, but his trade to the Clippers came with bad vibes and even worse timing. His play dipped, and his body started breaking down soon after.
11. Antoine Walker
Antoine Walker thrived in Boston’s system, but when he got shipped to Dallas, he looked like a square peg in a round hole. The fit was awkward, and his game slowly unraveled from there.
10. Monta Ellis
Monta Ellis was a scoring machine in Golden State, but once he was traded to Milwaukee, it was clear the magic was gone. His volume remained, but the impact quietly faded.
9. Derrick Coleman
Coleman had All-Star potential, but the trade from New Jersey to Philadelphia never panned out. Injuries, conditioning issues, and locker room drama followed him to his new home.
8. Jalen Rose
Rose was a key piece in Indiana, but the move to Chicago sent his career into a slow decline. The Bulls weren’t ready to win, and Rose’s prime was wasted in the rebuild.
7. O.J. Mayo
O.J. Mayo showed real promise in Memphis, but after a trade to Dallas, his career veered off-course. He couldn’t find a rhythm and faded into journeyman territory quickly.
6. Ty Lawson
Ty Lawson was a dynamic point guard in Denver, but the trade to Houston marked the beginning of the end. Off-court issues and declining production made his stay short and forgettable.
5. Shawn Kemp
Shawn Kemp was a force in Seattle, but when he was traded to Cleveland, the explosiveness disappeared. His body changed, and so did the trajectory of his career.
4. Glen Rice
Rice was lighting it up in Charlotte, but the trade to the Lakers made him an afterthought in the triangle offense. The numbers dipped, and he never regained his former role or rhythm.
3. Danny Granger
Granger was a beloved scorer in Indiana before injuries and a trade to Philly accelerated his exit from the spotlight. He bounced around after that, never looking fully healthy or effective again.
Read more: Ranking the 20 Most Uncoachable NBA Stars Ever
2. Deron Williams
Once one of the best point guards in the league, Deron Williams’s trade to Brooklyn started a steady decline. The injuries piled up, the pressure mounted, and he never quite lived up to the hype again.
Read more: The 18 Most Questionable Trades in Sports History
1. Allen Iverson
Iverson’s trade to Detroit was supposed to be a fresh chapter—but it turned into a career detour he never recovered from. The fit was rough, the minutes were messy, and the legend faded faster than anyone expected.
Read more: Top 20 Draft Day Trades That Changed NFL History
