The 5 greatest NBA trade deadline deals ever

4. Jeff Hornacek, Sean Green, 1995 second round pick to the Jazz; Jeff Malone, 1994 first round pick to the 76ers

After 10 consecutive seasons of making the post-season without managing to get over the hump and make their way out of the West and into the Finals, the time had come for the Jazz to reassess their plan.

In John Stockton and Karl Malone, Utah was lucky enough to have one of the greatest duos the NBA has ever seen. By the time the 1994 NBA trade deadline arrived the question centered around whether the rest of the team’s roster was properly tooled to maximize the ability of their two stars.

With the Philadelphia 76ers mired in mediocrity, Hornacek found himself as a target for every team looking to receive that extra push towards contention or even to consolidate their position at the top. The Atlanta Hawks looked to send Stacey Augmon to Philadelphia in exchange for Hornacek, while the Chicago Bulls also once looked poised to make a deal for the Illinois native.

In the end, Hornacek landed in Salt Lake City and would become a key component of a Jazz team that would pose the greatest threat to the Bulls in the mid to late 90s. Having been almost a 20 point per game scorer in Philadelphia, Hornacek was asked to do less in Utah. Instead, they relied on his off-ball movement and sharpshooting to open up the floor, creating opportunities for himself, as well as Stockton and Malone.

It would prove to be an effortless fit, and although the Jazz would never get the title that they craved, Hornacek was a key reason as to why they were able to push Michael Jordan and an all-time great Bulls team to six games in the Finals for two consecutive seasons.

Hornacek’s No.14 jersey was later retired by the Jazz as a testament to his impact on the franchise.