Twenty-five years. The sports world has produced countless indelible memories during the 21st century's opening quarter, and it would be a gargantuan task to conjure it all in one place.

To help sift through all of the dizzying heights, jaw-dropping feats, unforgettable players and teams, the Bleacher Report staff got together to run back the best of the past two-and-a-half decades in sports—because, hey, reminiscing is part of why we're all fans.

Today we present the 25 biggest trades across the NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL since January 1, 2000, the third of our six-part Quarter Century series.

To determine the ranking, a staff vote gave us our pool of finalists. Voters were instructed to consider deals that changed league narratives, impacted championships and still hold a special place on the sports landscape years later. The rankings were subject to a smaller expert panel to produce the final order.

You can find previous installments of the series linked below, and be sure to check back through New Year's Day as we reveal Parts 4 through 6, which cover the best sports cities and the most incredible moments of the last 25 years—each of which lead to a look-ahead at the stars of the next 25.

Trade write-ups by Joel Reuter

Part 1: 25 Most Influential Sports Figures of the Last Quarter Century

Part 2: Greatest Sports Franchises of the Last Quarter Century

25. Terrell Owens to the Eagles

Date: March 16, 2004

Eagles Received: WR Terrell Owens

49ers Received: DE Brandon Whiting

Ravens Received: 2004 2nd-round pick, 2004 5th-round pick

For a few short weeks in March 2004, it was unclear whether Terrell Owens was a member of the San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Ravens or Philadelphia Eagles.

Ready to play elsewhere after eight seasons in San Francisco, Owens intended to void the final year of his contract to enter free agency, but the 49ers claimed his agent had missed the deadline to file the necessary paperwork.

As his status stood in limbo, the 49ers traded him to the Ravens for a second-round pick, while Owens agreed to a deal with the Eagles in free agency.

The mess was ultimately resolved with the Eagles sending defensive end Brandon Whiting to the 49ers for the rights to Owens and a fifth-round pick to the Ravens in exchange for them renouncing any perceived rights to Owens. The 49ers also returned the second-round pick they had acquired from the Ravens.

In his first season in Philadelphia, Owens continued to be one of the game's best receivers, tallying 77 catches for 1,200 yards and 14 touchdowns, but he suffered a severe ankle sprain and a fractured fibula on Dec. 19.

Expected to be out the rest of the year, Owens made a shocking return for the Super Bowl where he tallied nine receptions for 122 yards, though the Eagles lost to the New England Patriots.

The 2005 season then devolved into an absolute circus, with Owens hiring agent Drew Rosenhaus to try to renegotiate the deal he had just signed with the Eagles, and a series of off-the-field shenanigans—including his public criticism of quarterback Donovan McNabb and the organization—quickly turning into a major distraction.

He ended up playing in just seven games before he was suspended for conduct detrimental to the team, and the Eagles released him that offseason.

24. Dwight Howard to the Lakers

Date: August 10, 2012

Lakers Received: C Dwight Howard, G Chris Duhon, F Earl Clark

Magic Received: F Nikola Vučević, F Al Harrington, G Aaron Afflalo, F Maurice Harkless, F Christian Eyenga, F Josh McRoberts, 2013 2nd-round pick, 2014 1st-round pick, 2017 2nd-round pick, 2018 1st-round pick

Nuggets Received: G Andre Iguodala

76ers Received: C Andrew Bynum, G Jason Richardson

After losing to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2012 Western Conference semifinals, the Los Angeles Lakers set out to find a third established star to pair with Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol.

Dwight Howard was on the tail end of an elite five-year peak that saw him average 20.6 points, 13.9 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game while earning First Team All-NBA honors every season.

However, he was also entering the final year of his contract and coming off back surgery, and he was unflinching in his desire to test the open market rather than signing a long-term extension.

Reports surfaced that he wanted Stan Van Gundy fired before the head coach was let go, and the end of his run in Orlando was so tumultuous that it was dubbed "The Dwightmare." A will-they, won't-they trade saga continued for the better part of a year until his move to L.A.

In his return to action, he averaged 17.1 points, 12.4 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in 76 games for the Lakers, but the team finished 45-37 and got swept by the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the playoffs.

Despite interest from the Lakers in a new deal, Howard went on to sign with the Houston Rockets in free agency.

Though Howard's public departure set the franchise back years, the Magic at least did well to land a young Nikola Vučević in the trade, as he developed into a perennial double-double threat and a two-time All-Star.

23. Jon Gruden to the Buccaneers

Date: February 18, 2002

Buccaneers Received: Head coach Jon Gruden

Raiders Received: 2002 1st-round pick, 2002 2nd-round pick, 2003 1st-round pick, 2004 2nd-round pick, $8 million

"I felt that I put the price tag so high that they wouldn't agree to it. And they did. Gruden is no longer our coach."

That's what legendary Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis told Pro Bowl tackle Lincoln Kennedy (via Paul Gutierrez of ESPN) after reports surfaced that head coach Jon Gruden had been traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the 2002 Pro Bowl.

After going 48-26 in four seasons with the Raiders while winning back-to-back AFC West titles, Gruden was a coaching star on the rise and still only 38 years old at the time of the trade.

He made an immediate splash in Tampa Bay, leading the Buccaneers to a 12-4 record and steamrolling the 49ers and Eagles en route to the Super Bowl, where he met up with none other than the Raiders team he had just left behind.

On the strength of one of the best defenses in NFL history, the Buccaneers rolled to a 48-21 victory, and Gruden became the youngest head coach ever to win a Super Bowl. That record has since been surpassed by Mike Tomlin and Sean McVay.

He spent six more seasons as the Buccaneers head coach, making just two other playoff appearances and losing in the first round both times, but his legacy in Tampa Bay was cemented with his Super Bowl win.

22. Cavs Flip Andrew Wiggins for Kevin Love

Date: August 23, 2014

Cavaliers Received: F Kevin Love

Timberwolves Received: G Andrew Wiggins, F Anthony Bennett, F Thaddeus Young

76ers Received: F Luc Mbah a Moute, G Alexey Shved, 2016 1st-round pick

Following a memorable four-year run with the Miami Heat, LeBron James rejoined the Cleveland Cavaliers in free agency on July 12, 2014.

He joined a Cavaliers team that had finished 33-49 the previous year and landed the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft, which they used on University of Kansas wing Andrew Wiggins.

With the focus shifting from rebuilding to contending following the James re-signing, Wiggins was shipped to the Minnesota Timberwolves before he ever played a regular-season game in Cleveland along with 2013 No. 1 overall pick Anthony Bennett in a three-team deal that brought All-Star forward Kevin Love to Cleveland.

Love was one year away from being able to opt out of his contract, and fully expected to do so for a chance to play for a contender. He had averaged 26.1 points, 12.5 rebounds and 4.4 assists the previous season in Minnesota and looked like the perfect complement to James and point guard Kyrie Irving.

There were some growing pains as the three players meshed, but they won 53 games and reached the NBA Finals during the 2014-15 season, and the following year they won it all when they upended the Golden State Warriors in seven games.

Love ended up spending nine seasons in Cleveland, averaging 15.7 points and 9.2 rebounds in 489 games while earning a pair of All-Star selections.

21. Rams, Lions Swap Goff and Stafford

Date: March 18, 2021

Lions Received: QB Jared Goff, 2021 3rd-round pick, 2022 1st-round pick, 2023, 1st-round pick

Rams Received: QB Matthew Stafford

After 12 seasons and 45,109 passing yards in a Detroit Lions uniform, Matthew Stafford and the team that selected him No. 1 overall in the 2009 draft mutually agreed to part ways following a 5-11 season in 2020.

There was a long list of potential suitors, but he ultimately landed with the Los Angeles Rams in a deal that sent fellow former No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff and a package of picks the other way.

Goff had a pair of Pro Bowl selections, two 4,000-yard passing seasons and a trip to the 2018 Super Bowl under his belt during his five seasons with the Rams, but he had regressed in the two years since winning the NFC championship and fallen out of favor with head coach Sean McVay.

It was the first major move made by new Lions general manager Brad Holmes, who had been hired out of the Rams organization a few weeks prior.

Stafford won a Super Bowl in his first season with the Rams, while Goff has led a franchise-altering turnaround in Detroit, finishing 12-5 last season and looking like the NFC favorites so far this year. The Lions rewarded him with a four-year, $212 million extension in May.

This can already be called a win-win trade, and if the Lions win a Super Bowl at some point in the coming years, it would solidify that legacy.

20. Justin Verlander to the Astros

Date: August 31, 2017

Astros Received: SP Justin Verlander, OF Juan Ramirez, $16 million

Tigers Received: SP Franklin Perez, OF Daz Cameron, C Jake Rogers

The Detroit Tigers were in the midst of a 98-loss season and trending toward a full-blown rebuild during the 2017 season, and Justin Verlander was one of the more obvious trade chips on the roster.

However, his full no-trade clause, desire to play for a title contender, and $56 million still on the books in 2018 and 2019 made finding a trade partner tricky.

Negotiations ended up going down to the final minutes of what used to be the Aug. 31 waiver trade deadline, and at the buzzer he waived his no-trade clause and agreed to a deal that sent him to the Houston Astros.

An Astros squad on the rise paid a steep price, sending No. 1 prospect Franklin Perez and 2015 first-round pick Daz Cameron the other way, but Verlander proved to be the missing piece they needed to get over the hump.

He went 5-0 with a 1.06 ERA in five starts down the stretch, and 4-1 with a 2.21 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 36.2 innings in the postseason, winning ALCS MVP honors and helping to deliver a World Series title.

For good measure, he then finished runner-up in 2018 AL Cy Young voting before taking home the hardware in 2019, going a combined 37-15 with a 2.55 ERA, 0.85 WHIP and 590 strikeouts in 437 innings while piling up 13.7 WAR over the final two years of his contract.

19. Curt Schilling to the Red Sox

Date: November 28, 2003

Red Sox Received: SP Curt Schilling

Diamondbacks Received: SP Casey Fossum, SP Jorge De La Rosa, RP Brandon Lyon, OF Mike Goss

The Boston Red Sox came one game away from reaching the World Series in 2003, and with all due respect to Derek Lowe and Tim Wakefield, that team was in serious need of a second front-line starter to pair with Pedro Martinez atop the rotation.

They got their guy early on during the subsequent offseason, acquiring Curt Schilling from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for a package of four prospects headlined by left-hander Casey Fossum.

He went 21-6 with a 3.26 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 203 strikeouts in 226.2 innings in his Red Sox debut, finishing runner-up to Johan Santana in AL Cy Young balloting, and he was instrumental in helping the Red Sox finally break 86-year World Series drought that postseason.

He won Game 6 of the ALCS against the New York Yankees with seven innings of six-hit, two-run ball while pitching on an injured ankle in the famous "Bloody Sock Game" and was also the winning pitcher in Game 2 of the World Series.

Injuries and age caught up to him in the coming years, but the Red Sox don't win their 2004 title without him in the rotation.

The deal that sent Schilling from the Phillies to the D-backs at the 2000 trade deadline also could have been included on this list, as he teamed with Randy Johnson to deliver the fledgling franchise with a World Series title in 2001.

18. Brett Favre to the Jets

Date: August 7, 2008

Jets Received: QB Brett Favre

Packers Received: 2009 3rd-round pick

One of the most prolific passers in NFL history and a Super Bowl champion during more than a decade under center for the Green Bay Packers, Brett Favre appeared ready to ride off into the sunset when he announced his retirement following the 2007 season.

After two of the worst seasons of his career, Favre rebounded to throw for 4,155 yards with 28 touchdowns and 15 interceptions in 2007 while leading the Packers to a 13-3 record and a spot in the NFC championship.

Four months later, rumblings of a comeback started, and when the Packers publicly committed to Aaron Rodgers as their quarterback of the present and future, Favre asked for his unconditional release so he could weigh his options in free agency.

After weeks of uncertainty, Favre was traded to the New York Jets in exchange for a conditional fourth-round pick (which turned into a third-rounder), while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were also serious suitors for his services.

He threw for 3,472 yards with 22 touchdowns and 22 interceptions while leading what had been a 4-12 team the previous year to a 9-7 record, though the Jets still missed the playoffs, and Favre announced his retirement in February.

It didn't stick, and he went on to play two more seasons with the Minnesota Vikings before finally calling it a career.

17. James Harden to the Rockets

Date: October 27, 2012

Rockets Received: G James Harden, C Cole Aldrich, G Daequan Cook, F Lazar Hayward

Thunder Received: G Kevin Martin, G Jeremy Lamb, 2013 1st-round pick, 2013 2nd-round pick, 2014 1st-round pick

All it would have taken was an extra $4.5 million to keep the dynamic young core of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden intact.

Instead, the Oklahoma City Thunder front office was unwilling to come up from their four-year, $55.5 million extension offer, and Harden held firm in wanting the full $60 million value that would have represented a max extension.

The future Hall of Famer had just averaged 16.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game while playing 31.4 minutes per night off the bench and winning Sixth Man of the Year honors in his age-22 season, and the Thunder had just reached the NBA Finals.

With the two sides unable to come to terms and the deadline to extend him or risk exposing him to restricted free agency the following offseason looming, the Thunder pulled the trigger on a blockbuster deal.

Harden immediately upped his scoring to 25.9 points per game with the Houston Rockets and emerged as a perennial All-Star and three-time scoring champ, while the Thunder plugged Kevin Martin into Harden's role and won 60 games, but failed to return to the Finals.

They did take Steven Adams with the 2013 first-round pick they received in the deal, which helps level the scales a bit, but this trade will always stand as one of the great "what-ifs" after it dismantled an all-time great homegrown core.

16. Marshawn Lynch to the Seahawks

Date: October 5, 2010

Seahawks Received: RB Marshawn Lynch

Bills Received: 2011 4th-round pick, 2012 5th-round pick

The Buffalo Bills selected Marshawn Lynch with the No. 12 pick in the 2007 draft and immediately inserted him as their starting running back, with the University of California product posting strong numbers during his first two NFL seasons.

• 2007: 280 carries, 1,115 yards, 7 TD; 18 receptions, 184 yards
• 2008: 250 carries, 1,036 yards, 8 TD; 47 receptions, 300 yards, 1 TD

However, after a guilty plea to a misdemeanor gun charge prior to the 2009 season, he lost his starting job to Fred Jackson, and the following year he was traded to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for a pair of late draft picks.

The Seahawks had been searching for an answer at running back since Shaun Alexander played his final season with the team in 2007, and Lynch proved to be a great fit from the jump.

In four full seasons with the team from 2011-14, he had at least 1,200 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns every year, tallying 5,357 yards and 48 touchdowns total on the ground during that stretch while earning a Pro Bowl selection each year.

The Seahawks won the 2014 Super Bowl and might have repeated in 2015 if they had just handed the ball to Lynch on the 1-yard line on their final drive.

15. Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce to the Nets

Date: July 12, 2013

Nets Received: F Kevin Garnett, F Paul Pierce, G Jason Terry, F D.J. White, 2017 2nd-round pick

Celtics Received: F Gerald Wallace, F Kris Humphries, G Keith Bogans, G MarShon Brooks, F Kris Joseph, 2014 1st-round pick, 2016 1st-round pick, 2018 1st-round pick, 2017 1st-round pick swap

Following a first-round exit at the hands of the No. 7 seed Chicago Bulls in the 2013 postseason, the Brooklyn Nets front office set to work trying to build an immediate title contender.

They acquired 36-year-old Paul Pierce, 37-year-old Kevin Garnett and 36-year-old Jason Terry from the Boston Celtics in exchange for a package of three first-round picks and the right to swap first-rounders in 2017.

The Nets ended up winning five fewer games than they had the year before, with Pierce (13.5 PPG) and Garnett (6.5 PPG, 6.6 RPG) both a shell of the players they were in the prime of their careers. Pierce left in free agency that offseason and Garnett was traded back to the Timberwolves midway through his second year in Brooklyn.

In exchange, the Celtics got a fresh start.

With the 2016 first-round pick they acquired in the deal, they selected Jaylen Brown. They then used their 2017 first-round pick swap to move into the No. 1 overall selection, which they flipped to the Philadelphia 76ers for another additional first-round pick and moved down to take Jayson Tatum at No. 3 overall (more on that in a minute).

Just like that, another title winner was assembled.

14. Jayson Tatum for Markelle Fultz Ahead of Draft Night

Date: June 19, 2017

Celtics Received: G Jayson Tatum, 2019 1st-round pick

76ers Received: G Markelle Fultz

Nothing creates offseason buzz quite like a team making the No. 1 overall pick in an upcoming draft available via trade.

The Boston Celtics did just that in 2017, eventually coming to terms on a deal with the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for the No. 3 overall pick and an additional first-round selection two years down the road.

It was no secret the 76ers coveted University of Washington guard Markelle Fultz, and he was expected to be a big part of Philadelphia's ongoing rebuild. With UCLA point guard Lonzo Ball all but locked in as the No. 2 overall pick to the Los Angeles Lakers, the question became who the Celtics would target in their new draft position.

"Boston president of basketball operations Danny Ainge told reporters that he believes the player the Celtics will now choose at No. 3 would be the same one they would have taken at No. 1," wrote Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press.

Kansas forward Josh Jackson was the speculative name, but it ended up being Duke forward Jayson Tatum, who averaged 16.8 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists as a one-and-done freshman.

Seven-plus seasons later, Tatum has established himself as an all-world talent and the face of the franchise for a Celtics team fresh off the 2023-24 NBA title, while Fultz is a role player averaging 7.8 points per game for the Magic.

The Celtics took Romeo Langford with the No. 14 pick in the 2019 draft with the other selection they received in the deal, and while he didn't make much of an impact, he was used as part of the package to acquire Derrick White from the San Antonio Spurs in 2022.

13. Luka Dončić for Trae Young on Draft Night

Date: June 21, 2018

Mavericks Received: G Luka Dončić

Hawks Received: G Trae Young, 2019 1st-round pick

The goal of any NBA team picking in the lottery is to find a franchise player who can serve as a foundational piece to build around.

The Atlanta Hawks and Dallas Mavericks both accomplished just that in the 2018 draft, but before draft night was over, they had swapped their respective lottery picks.

The Hawks took international star Luka Dončić with the No. 3 pick, but flipped him to the Mavericks for No. 5 pick Trae Young and a future first-rounder.

Young had just finished leading the nation in scoring and assists as a true freshman at Oklahoma, averaging 27.4 points and 8.7 assists per game while knocking down 118 threes for the Sooners.

He has developed into a three-time All-Star and averaged 25.2 points per game over his seven seasons in the NBA, leading the Hawks to three postseason appearances.

However, Dončić has emerged as a generational talent for the Mavericks, edging out Young for 2018-19 Rookie of the Year honors before developing into one of the game's elite all-around players. He has averaged 28.6 points, 8.7 rebounds and 8.3 assists in his career, and won the NBA scoring title with 33.9 points per game a year ago.

The Mavericks have made the playoffs four times in his seven seasons, including a trip to the NBA Finals last year.

12. Chris Paul-Lakers Vetoed, Subsequently Traded to Clippers

Date: December 14, 2011

Clippers Received: G Chris Paul, 2015 2nd-round pick, $350,000

Hornets Received: G Eric Gordon, C Chris Kaman, F Al-Farouq Aminu, 2012 1st-round pick

One of the biggest "what-ifs" in NBA history is a three-team deal that would have sent future Hall of Fame point guard Chris Paul to the Los Angeles Lakers to play alongside Kobe Bryant during the 2011 season.

However, the trade was ultimately vetoed by NBA, which owned the Hornets at the time after majority owner George Shinn had to sell the team and no buyer was immediately found.

When that deal fell apart, the Clippers swooped in and acquired Paul in exchange for a package built around young guard Eric Gordon, starting center Chris Kaman and a first-round pick.

As part of the famed Lob City Clippers alongside Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan, Paul averaged 18.8 points, 9.8 assists and 2.2 steals per game in six seasons with the Clippers, finishing in the top 10 in MVP voting five times during his run.

Without the roster shake-up the Lakers had in place, Bryant never won another title during his career, and Paul is still chasing his first ring after stops with the Clippers, Rockets, Thunder, Suns, Warriors and Spurs since leaving the Hornets.

11. Anthony Davis to the Lakers

Date: July 6, 2019

Lakers Received: F Anthony Davis

Pelicans Received: F Brandon Ingram, G Lonzo Ball, G Josh Hart, F De'Andre Hunter, 2022 1st-round pick, 2023 1st-round pick, 2025 1st-round pick

Wizards Received: C Moritz Wagner, F Isaac Bonga, F Jemerrio Jones, 2022 2nd-round pick

Seven years after the ill-fated trade that paired Dwight Howard with Kobe Bryant, the Los Angeles Lakers pulled off another blockbuster deal to acquire a standout big man in Anthony Davis, this time to co-star alongside LeBron James.

On Jan. 28, 2019, Davis informed the New Orleans Pelicans that he did not intend to sign an extension during the upcoming offseason and requested a trade. The Pelicans failed to find a suitable offer during the season but got a deal done during the offseason when he was sent to the Lakers for a huge haul of young talent and draft picks.

Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball were the centerpieces, along with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2019 draft, which turned out to be Virginia forward De'Andre Hunter.

The Lakers won the NBA title in Davis' first season with the team, with James and Davis both earning First Team All-NBA honors. In the years since, he has continued to build on his Hall of Fame resume, averaging 24.9 points, 10.8 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game during his time in Los Angeles.

Meanwhile, Ingram won Most Improved Player honors in his first season with the Pelicans, and he has averaged 23.0 points per game in his six seasons with the team.

10. Carmelo Anthony to the Knicks

Date: February 22, 2011

Knicks Received: F Carmelo Anthony, G Chauncey Billups, G Anthony Carter, C Shelden Williams, G Renaldo Balkman, G Corey Brewer

Nuggets Received: F Danilo Gallinari, F Wilson Chandler, G Raymond Felton, C Timofey Mozgov, C Kosta Koufos, 2012 2nd-round pick, 2013 2nd-round pick, 2014 1st-round pick, 2016 1st-round pick swap with Knicks

Timberwolves Received: F Anthony Randolph, C Eddy Curry, 2015 2nd-round pick

When Carmelo Anthony declined a three-year, $65 million extension offer from the Denver Nuggets in the summer of 2010, it set in motion one of the most memorable cycles of the NBA rumor mill.

A long list of teams were tied to Anthony in the months that followed, but the New York Knicks were also viewed as the front-runners and Anthony's preferred landing spot, and they finally got a deal done in February.

The trade paired Anthony with his good friend Amar'e Stoudemire, who ranked second in the NBA with 26.1 points per game at the time of the deal, and appeared to give the Knicks a real shot at a title push.

They made the playoffs in each of Anthony's first three seasons with the team but never advanced beyond the Eastern Conference semifinals. They then failed to make the playoffs entirely in his final four years with the team. In 412 games with the Knicks, he averaged 24.7 points per game and earned six All-Star selections.

The biggest get for the Nuggets in the deal ended up being the 2016 pick swap, as they moved up to take Jamal Murray with the No. 7 overall selection.

9. Kawhi Leonard to the Raptors

Date: July 18, 2018

Raptors Received: F Kawhi Leonard, G Danny Green

Spurs Received: F DeMar DeRozan, C Jakob Poeltl, 2019 1st-round pick, $5 million

The ultimate goal when a contender pulls the trigger on a blockbuster trade is for the player they acquire to be the missing piece in a championship run.

That's exactly what Kawhi Leonard was for the Toronto Raptors.

In his lone season with the Raptors, he averaged 26.6 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists while finishing in the top 10 in the voting for both Most Valuable Player and Defensive Player of the Year.

He then took things up a notch in the postseason, averaging 30.5 points, 9.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists while playing 39.1 minutes per game, and he delivered one of the most memorable buzzer-beaters in recent memory in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Philadelphia 76ers.

He departed in free agency that offseason and signed with the Los Angeles Clippers, but he goes down as one of the best hired guns for a title run in the history of professional sports.

To their credit, the Spurs ended up with a decent return package for a player they were going to lose in free agency anyway, with DeMar DeRozan averaging 21.6 points per game in three years with the team before he was traded to the Chicago Bulls.

8. Shaquille O'Neal to the Heat

Date: July 14, 2004

Heat Received: C Shaquille O'Neal

Lakers Received: F Lamar Odom, F Caron Butler, F Brian Grant, 2006 1st-round pick, 2007 2nd-round pick

For eight memorable seasons, two of the greatest players in NBA history shared a locker room, with Shaquille O'Neal joining the Los Angeles Lakers ahead of the 1996-97 season, which was the same year that Kobe Bryant made his NBA debut.

At their best, the two were the driving force behind a dynasty that won three straight NBA Finals, but their relationship was always destined to end in divorce as the spotlight was simply not big enough for both of them once Bryant reached his peak.

With the Lakers unwilling to meet O'Neal's request for a raise and extension on the three years and $30 million remaining on his contract, and the relationship with the front office splintered, "Big Diesel" hit the trade block prior to the 2004-05 season.

The Miami Heat traded two of their top players in Lamar Odom and Caron Butler, along with a future first-round pick to pair the veteran O'Neal with rising star Dwyane Wade.

In their second season together, the Heat won the NBA title, with O'Neal averaging 20.0 points and 9.2 rebounds while earning First Team All-NBA honors for the final time in his 19-year career.

Odom (15.2 PPG, 10.2 RPG) and Butler (15.5 PPG) both had solid first seasons in Los Angeles, and Odom ended up spending seven years with the team. They also eventually drafted UCLA point guard Jordan Farmar with the first-round pick they received in the deal.

Nevertheless, the trade marked an unceremonious end to one of the greatest one-two punches in NBA history.

7. Mookie Betts to the Dodgers

Date: February 10, 2020

Dodgers Received: OF Mookie Betts, SP David Price, $48 million

X Received: OF Alex Verdugo, SS Jeter Downs, C Connor Wong

In six seasons with the Boston Red Sox, Mookie Betts established himself as one of the faces of baseball and put himself on a Hall of Fame trajectory.

He was a four-time All-Star, four-time Gold Glove winner, 2018 AL MVP and a World Series champion that same year, racking up 42.2 WAR during his time with the Red Sox, but the club was unwilling to do whatever it took to keep him around.

"I know people don't believe it, but I wanted to stay in Boston my whole career," Betts said, via Justin Leger of NBC Sports Boston. "That was my life. I knew everybody there. It was a short flight to Nashville. It was perfect."

When extension talks reached an impasse, Betts was flipped to the Los Angeles Dodgers ahead of his final year of arbitration, bringing back former top prospect Alex Verdugo, current top prospect Jeter Downs and catcher Connor Wong.

The Dodgers signed Betts to a 12-year, $365 million extension just before Opening Day, and in five years with the team he has won two more World Series rings and tacked another 27.4 WAR onto his career total.

Verdugo never took the next step in his development and had a 105 OPS+ and 8.2 WAR over four seasons with the Red Sox, while Downs saw his prospect stock crater during a poor 2021 season. Wong ended up being the best return piece for Boston, and he is currently the club's starting catcher.

6. Randy Moss to the Patriots

Date: April 29, 2007

Patriots Received: WR Randy Moss

Raiders Received: 2007 4th-round pick

The New England Patriots had a knack for finding the perfect reclamation project and revitalizing a player's career during the Bill Belichick era, and there is no greater example of that than Randy Moss.

Following a 2006 season in which Moss tallied a career-low 42 receptions for 553 yards and three touchdowns in his second year with the Oakland Raiders, the Patriots decided he would benefit from a change of scenery and scooped him up for a fourth-round pick ahead of his age-30 season.

The fit with Tom Brady was magical.

In his first season with the Patriots, he hauled in 98 receptions for 1,493 yards and a NFL record 23 receiving touchdowns, earning All-Pro honors and a Pro Bowl nod for the first time in four years. The Patriots finished 16-0 during the regular season but fell short in the Super Bowl.

He continued to shine in 2008 (69 receptions, 1,008 yards, 11 TD) and 2009 (83 receptions, 1,264 yards, 13 TD) before the relationship eroded in 2010 when he was not offered a contract extension, and he was eventually traded to the Tennessee Titans.

For the negligible cost of a fourth-round pick, the Patriots launched one of the most impressive career renaissances in NFL history.

5. Eli Manning for Phillip Rivers on Draft Night

Date: April 24, 2004

Giants Received: QB Eli Manning

Chargers Received: QB Phillip Rivers, 2004 3rd-round pick, 2005 1st-round pick, 2005 5th-round pick

In perhaps the most famous trade in NFL draft history, Eli Manning was taken No. 1 overall in 2004 by the San Diego Chargers, but less than an hour later he was dealt to the New York Giants in exchange for Phillip Rivers and future draft capital.

It was no secret in the days leading up to the draft that Manning did not want to play for the Chargers.

"It was my decision having talked with my agent, coaches, [general managers] and owners," Manning said years later on the 10 Questions with Kyle Brandt podcast (via CBS Sports). "Going through the draft process, I was just worried about the Chargers organization at the time. I felt it was the right decision and I had a little pull. I quietly tried to say, 'Hey, please don't draft me, it can be our secret,' and they didn't keep the secret part very well."

That came in the wake of Ryan Leaf becoming one of the biggest busts in draft history and Drew Brees struggling early in his NFL career under the Chargers' watch.

Despite threats that he would sit out the entire 2004 season if the Chargers drafted him, Manning still heard his name called with the top pick, though his time in the Chargers organization was short-lived.

Both teams ended up walking away with franchise quarterbacks, while the Chargers also selected Pro Bowl linebacker Shawne Merriman with the 2005 first-round selection they acquired in the deal.

Manning won two Super Bowls in New York—though in a fun twist of irony, the Chargers were one of two teams Manning never beat during his playing career, going 0-4 against the team he spurned on draft night.

4. Pau Gasol to the Lakers

Date: February 1, 2008

Lakers Received: C Pau Gasol, 2010 2nd-round pick

Grizzlies Received: C Marc Gasol, G Javaris Crittenton, F Kwame Brown, G Aaron McKie, 2008 1st-round pick, 2010 1st round-pick

In the three years following Shaquille O'Neal being traded to the Miami Heat, the Los Angeles Lakers were no longer a serious title contender:

• 2004-05: 34-48, missed playoffs
• 2005-06: 45-37, lost in first round to Suns
• 2006-07: 42-40, lost in first round to Suns

The Lakers found the perfect fit for the co-star role when Pau Gasol was acquired from the Memphis Grizzlies, and he averaged 18.8 points and 7.8 rebounds in 27 games following the trade to help the Lakers finish 57-25 and reach the NBA Finals.

That set the stage for back-to-back titles in the two years that followed, with Gasol providing the reliable second scoring option the team had been lacking prior to his arrival.

Gasol's brother Marc went the other way in the trade and developed into one of the best centers in the league during his time with the Grizzlies, but this was the perfect trade at the perfect time for the Lakers.

In seven seasons in Los Angeles, Gasol averaged 17.9 points and 10.0 rebounds over 429 games, earning three All-Star selections before departing in free agency and joining the Chicago Bulls.

3. Chiefs Trade Up to Draft Patrick Mahomes

Date: April 27, 2017

Chiefs Received: QB Patrick Mahomes

Bills Received: 2017 1st-round pick, 2017 3rd-round pick, 2018 1st-round pick

Even though Patrick Mahomes threw for 5,052 yards and 41 touchdowns during his junior season at Texas Tech, it took some late helium in the predraft process for him to move decisively into the top half of the first-round picture.

With the Houston Texans and Arizona Cardinals both in the market for a quarterback and set to pick at No. 12 and No. 13 overall, the Kansas City Chiefs made a big move to get their guy, sending the No. 27 overall pick, a third-round pick and the following year's first-round selection to the Buffalo Bills to jump all the way up to No. 10 overall.

After spending a year sitting behind veteran Alex Smith, Mahomes took over the starting quarterback job in 2018 and immediately transformed the Chiefs franchise, winning MVP honors while throwing for 5,097 yards and 50 touchdowns to lead the team to a 12-4 record.

In the years since, he has started to build a compelling case to be mentioned among the all-time greats at the position, winning three Super Bowl rings while throwing for 31,613 yards and 239 touchdowns.

Still only 29 years old, he is now the best quarterback in the world and one of the faces of the NFL.

2. Alex Rodriguez to the Yankees

Date: February 16, 2004

Yankees Received: 3B Alex Rodriguez, $67 million

Rangers Received: 2B Alfonso Soriano, SS Joaquin Arias

The baseball world had never seen anything remotely resembling the 10-year, $252 million deal that Alex Rodriguez signed with the Texas Rangers during the 2000 winter meetings.

For context, left-hander Mike Hampton had just signed an eight-year, $121 million deal with the Colorado Rockies a few days earlier that set a record for the largest contract in MLB history.

Still only 25 years old and coming off a 2000 campaign in which hit .316/.420/.606 with 41 home runs, 132 RBI and a staggering 10.4 WAR, Rodriguez was a generational free agency case given his age and track record of superstar production.

He lasted just three seasons in Texas, leading the AL in home runs each year and winning 2003 AL MVP honors, but the team won 73, 72 and 71 games and his salary made it difficult to build a competitive roster around him.

The Yankees jumped at the chance to acquire another star prior to the 2004 season, sending promising young second baseman Alfonso Soriano and a player to be named to the Rangers, who agreed to eat $67 million of the $179 million remaining on his deal.

Years later, it was revealed that the Yankees gave the Rangers a list of several prospects to choose from to complete the trade. The two sides eventually settled on shortstop Joaquin Arias, who was the No. 4 prospect in the Yankees system at the time.

Also on that list? A young Robinson Cano.

1. Garnett, Allen to the Celtics in Separate Deals

Date: June 28, 2007

Celtics Received: G Ray Allen, F Glen Davis

Sonics Received: G Wally Szczerbiak, F Jeff Green, G Delonte West, 2008 2nd round pick

Date: July 31, 2007

Celtics Received: F Kevin Garnett

Timberwolves Received: F Al Jefferson, G Sebastian Telfair, F Ryan Gomes, G Gerald Green, F Theo Ratliff, 2009 1st-round pick, 2009 1st-round pick

Heading into the 2007-08 NBA season, the Boston Celtics were coming off an ugly 24-58 finish and staring down a title drought that stretched all the way back to 1985-86 when the Big Three of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish anchored the roster.

The Celtics had a homegrown star in Paul Pierce, but the cast of characters alongside him did not click, and a front office led by Danny Ainge set to work building a title contender, swinging a pair of deals that are inextricably linked.

Szczerbiak and West were packaged with No. 5 overall pick Jeff Green on draft night and sent to a rebuilding Seattle team in exchange for sharp-shooter Ray Allen, who averaged 26.4 points and shot 37.2 percent from three-point range the previous year.

A month later, the new Big Three was completed when Kevin Garnett was acquired from the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for five players and two picks, making it the most players ever traded in return for only one player in NBA history.

Garnett signed a three-year, $60 million extension shortly after the trade was completed, erasing the uncertainty of his contract-year status, and the Celtics had their trio.

The pieces fit together perfectly and in their first season together, the Celtics went 66-16 and won the NBA title, with Pierce, Garnett and Allen all co-existing in pursuit of a title, while a young Rajon Rondo also proved instrumental in emerging as the starting point guard.

Arguably no trade in professional sports has ever had a more immediate impact on the success of a franchise, and the fact that Ainge was later able to recoup draft capital by sending Garnett and Pierce to the Nets is icing on the cake.