Most recent example: Damian Lillard.
Is everybody done picking apart the galactic three-team deal that sent Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks? Not yet? OK.
Just when everyone thought Dame Time would happen in South Beach, as he openly said he wanted to play for the Miami Heat, the Bucks swooped in out of nowhere like a deer suddenly crossing a dimly lit highway and grabbed the All-Star guard.
The Bucks weren't even mentioned in the possible destinations of Lillard. The Heat, Los Angeles Clippers, Chicago Bulls, and Toronto Raptors were considered the frontrunners in the sweepstakes that could win them a D.O.L.L.A.
Lillard's surprising move to Cream City could send a seismic shift in the NBA. But obviously, it's not the first time that a blockbuster trade went down almost secretly, as there have been several out-of-nowhere deals in the last three decades that altered the course of league history.
Kyrie Irving to Boston Celtics - 2017
What do you do when you're just a year removed from winning your first NBA championship? Ask for a trade, of course! Duh. If you're Irving, that is. The ankle-breaking guard sent shockwaves to the league when he wanted out of the shadow of LeBron James. Before the 2017-2018 season, the Cleveland Cavaliers shipped him to the Celtics for Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, and a future first round pick.
Irving's trade request came from left field, and if the Cavaliers knew about it way before, they did a pretty good job of keeping it under wraps until a deal was made. Irving's time with the Celtics was largely unsuccessful, riddled with injuries, and even problematic. Just imagine if he also believed in conspiracy theories.
Pau Gasol to Los Angeles Lakers - 2008
When the Lakers were looking to make that extra push in the 2007-2008 season, coach Phil Jackson probably told team officials: "Better call Gasol." With that out of the way, the Lakers did acquire Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies before the trade deadline for Aaron McKie, Kwame Brown [LOL], Javaris Crittenton [more LOL], two future first round picks, and the rights to Marc Gasol a.k.a. at that time 'Yung Kapatid Ni Pau Gasol.
It wasn't widely known that the Grizzlies wanted to move Gasol, who had been their franchise player. That's why when the huge deal went down [one could say the Grizzlies jumped the gun on Crittenton], it came as a surprise to many. Gasol quickly helped the Lakers to back-to-back NBA titles.
Shaquille O'Neal to Miami Heat - 2004
After the Lakers lost in the 2004 NBA Finals, the writing on the wall was clear: Brian Cook can't cook. No, it became obvious that either Shaquille O'Neal or Kobe Bryant had to go. They couldn’t exist. In the end, it was The Big Diesel who went, as he was shipped to the Heat for Caron Butler, Lamar Odom, Brian Grant, and a future first round pick before the 2004-2005 season.
The trade wasn't totally surprising, especially since Shaq was already disgruntled with the Lakers brass. The Heat, however, pulled off an under-the-radar deal. It was also reported at that time that the Dallas Mavericks were seriously entertaining a Shaq-Dirk Nowitzki trade. In just his second season, Shaq helped the Heat to their first NBA title.
Kawhi Leonard to Toronto Raptors - 2018
It was the laugh that launched a thousand memes. Leonard's entry to the Raptors in the 2018-2019 season wasn't as foreboding as his laugh. While he was ready to move on from the San Antonio Spurs after their fractured relationship, Toronto was arguably the last city The Klaw would find himself in. It was almost as if the Spurs did it out of spite.
Kawhi, along with Danny Green, were traded to the Raptors for DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Poeltl, and a future first round pick. Many big-market teams sent feelers for the All-Star forward, but the Raptors inexplicably landed him. Rich flex, as Drake would say. The trade bore fruit instantly, as Kawhi led the Raptors to the NBA title in his pit-stop stint with them.
Kobe Bryant to Los Angeles Lakers - 1996
Can you imagine the late Kobe in a Charlotte Hornets jersey? Exactly. In arguably one of the greatest heists in sports history, then-Lakers general manager Jerry West pulled off a draft-day trade to land an 18-year-old Kobe. He sent fan-favorite Vlade Divac to the Hornets, who weren't even planning to pick Kobe at no. 13 overall. West told them who to draft. The rest was history.
It wasn't a shocking deal since Kobe was still unknown. But the way West secretly engineered it to perfection eventually became legendary. In hindsight, it was straight-up ninja moves by The Logo, who had an eye for generational talent. Obviously, his stealthy and shrewd wheeling and dealing paid off, as the Black Mamba led the Lakers to five NBA championships.