Fansided

NBA Trade Deadline 2018: 5 worst trade deadline deals ever

By Jerry Christodoulatos

NEWARK, NJ - JUNE 23: NBA Commissioner David Stern and number one overall pick Kyrie Irving shake hands during the 2011 NBA Draft at The Prudential Center on June 23, 2011 in Newark, New Jersey. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2011 NBAE (Photo by Dov Freidman/NBAE via Getty Images)
NEWARK, NJ - JUNE 23: NBA Commissioner David Stern and number one overall pick Kyrie Irving shake hands during the 2011 NBA Draft at The Prudential Center on June 23, 2011 in Newark, New Jersey. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2011 NBAE (Photo by Dov Freidman/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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TORONTO – APRIL 15: Steve Francis
TORONTO – APRIL 15: Steve Francis /

4. February 2006: Steve Francis to the Knicks; Penny Hardaway and Trevor Ariza to the Magic

At the 2006 trade deadline the Knicks, in classic Knicks fashion, tried to make a splash by acquiring a big name player. And as with most moves in the Isiah Thomas era, New York’s decision to trade for former All-Star Steve Francis was mostly a disaster.

The trade worked out well for the Magic, who unloaded Francis’ hefty multi-year contract and got Penny Hardway’s expiring deal and young Trevor Ariza in return. Ariza played just under 100 games for the Magic and didn’t contribute that much to a team that would soon become a juggernaut in the East; moving on from Francis and reorienting the franchise around Dwight Howard were certainly enough to make this trade a success for the Magic though.

Things did not go nearly as well in New York. The player the Knicks received was not the three-time All Star guard that they were hoping for. Francis regressed throughout his tenure with the Knicks, struggling under Larry Brown in 2006 before falling off a statistical cliff when Isiah Thomas took over as Knicks coach in 2006-2007. Francis averaged just 11 points per game in 68 appearances for New York and made $15 million per season during that time. In addition, pairing two combustible personalities like Stephon Marbury and Steve Francis was never a particularly good idea. The Knicks predictably struggled to win under the leadership of two guys that don’t have a history of sacrificing for the team, to put things lightly.

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