Every NBA team’s Worst Roster Mistake Since 2020
NBA front offices live and die by the moves they make, and the mistakes are unforgettable. A bad contract, a botched pick, or the wrong trade can set a franchise back years. While some deals spark success, these did the opposite.
Here’s a look at the biggest roster blunders of the past few seasons.
Cleveland Cavaliers: Declining Isaiah Hartenstein’s Qualifying Offer (2021)
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The Cavs had a chance to keep a productive, high-upside big man who was averaging 17-12-5 per 36 minutes, but they let him walk. They thought Evan Mobley made him expendable. Instead, Hartenstein thrived elsewhere by becoming a vital rotation player and champion. Cleveland let a gem slip away without even trying to polish it.
Indiana Pacers: Hiring Nate Bjorkgren as Head Coach (2020)
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Hiring Bjorkgren felt like buying stock in a startup you’d never heard of, then watching it crash within a year. The locker room turned frosty, veterans bailed on him, and the playoff streak snapped. It turned into a one-season fiasco that forced Indiana to scramble, though the accidental setup for Rick Carlisle wasn’t the worst outcome.
New York Knicks: Signing Evan Fournier for Four Years and $73 million (2021)
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New York locked Fournier into a massive deal after a solid stretch of scoring and threes, then watched his game completely collapse. Year two, six points a night, and year three? Four. By the end, he was benched, traded, and suiting up overseas.
Portland Trail Blazers: Re-signing Jerami Grant for Five Years and $160 million (2023)
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Portland handed Grant a megadeal, and the next day, Damian Lillard requested a trade out. Now Grant’s stuck on a rebuilding team, shooting 37% and playing behind younger wings. His contract is bloated, his role is shrinking, and his timeline is mismatched. That’s $102.6 million remaining for a guy who suddenly feels like an afterthought.
Utah Jazz: Not trading Lauri Markkanen (2023-24)
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Markkanen’s value peaked after a breakout year, but Utah held on, and now it’s too late. His production slipped, his new contract kicked in, and the league’s worst roster looks no closer to winning. The Jazz could’ve cashed in big. Instead, they’ve anchored themselves to a 28-year-old scorer who doesn’t fit their timeline.
Charlotte Hornets: Signing Gordon Hayward for Four Years and $120 million (2020)
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Hayward got a monster payday, but his body never kept up. He missed over 40% of games, regressed each season, and didn’t play in a single Hornets playoff win. The team tied up precious cap space on a fading star, then shipped him off for scraps.
LA Clippers: Never Developing Young Perimeter Talent (2020–25)
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The Clippers built a flashy top end with Kawhi and PG, but ignored the next wave. They missed on their draft picks, let Mann fade, and cycled through veterans who couldn’t lead a playoff backcourt. While other teams drafted underrated gems, LA kept striking out and leaving their title hopes dependent on aging stars.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Trading Four Future Rotation Players After the Draft (2020 and 2021)
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OKC’s draft-night decisions are the stuff of “what-could-have-been” reels. They passed on Sengun, McDaniels, Quickley, and McBride, all the while chasing long shots like Poku and Dieng. Those gambles haven’t paid off, and none of the picks stuck. The irony is that they built the NBA’s best team, but still, that’s a lot of talent traded for vapor.
Boston Celtics: Trading Desmond Bane (2020)
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The Celtics basically gave Bane to Memphis to offload salary, thinking the No. 30 pick was expendable. In reality, they let go of a sharpshooting, defense-savvy guard who would’ve slotted perfectly alongside Jayson Tatum. He became worth four firsts.
Houston Rockets: Drafting Jalen Green Over Evan Mobley (2021)
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Green’s got flash, but Mobley was the better fit, especially with Ime Udoka preaching defense. Mobley, now a DPOY, might’ve anchored Houston’s paint for a decade. Green’s scoring, on the other hand, hasn’t translated to wins, and he was flipped in the Durant deal. It might work out long-term, but they passed on a foundational piece.
Orlando Magic: Drafting Jett Howard (2023)
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Howard barely cracks the rotation while his shooting tanked and his pick position—No. 11—aged poorly. Magic fans watch Lively, Dick, Hawkins, and Podziemski, all picked after him, thrive elsewhere. He was drafted to fix Orlando’s shooting, which is now dead last in threes. It was a reach then, but a regret now.
San Antonio Spurs: Drafting Joshua Primo (2021)
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San Antonio shocked everyone by taking Primo at 12, which quickly backfired. Indecent exposure allegations surfaced, but the team waived him, and other lottery wings became reliable rotation players. Spurs usually nail the draft, but this one missed on talent, fit, and character in one go.
Washington Wizards: Drafting Johnny Davis (2022)
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Washington used a top-10 pick on Davis, and he responded with some of the worst advanced metrics of any recent lottery selection. He’s averaging 3.5 points with ugly shooting splits and has barely played. Jalen Williams was drafted two picks later and turned into a star.
Golden State Warriors: Drafting James Wiseman Second (2020)
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Golden State wanted to build for now and later, but Wiseman couldn’t stay healthy or fit into their system. They passed on Ball and Haliburton, whiffed on their highest pick in years, and wound up flipping him for a role player. Their succession plan evaporated and left them with an aging core and zero future cushion.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Trading for D’Angelo Russell (2020)
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Minnesota’s friendship-first strategy backfired. They brought in Russell to make Karl-Anthony Towns happy, but the fit flopped. Meanwhile, Golden State turned Andrew Wiggins into a Finals cornerstone and grabbed Kuminga with the extra pick. By the time Russell was dealt, the Wolves were playing catch-up again.
Denver Nuggets: Not Trading for Any New Players for Two Years After Winning the Title (2023–25)
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Denver won it all and then stood still while the league sprinted ahead. There were just plug-and-play bench guys who couldn’t replicate Bruce Brown or Jeff Green. The starters kept thriving, but the depth cratered. Financial caution froze them in place and eventually cost GM Calvin Booth his job and playoff success.
Los Angeles Lakers: Losing 3-and-D Players from Their Championship Team (2020 and 2021)
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Instead of running it back, the Lakers tore apart a winning formula to chase ball handlers. Danny Green, Alex Caruso, and KCP were swapped or lowballed. The Lakers had chemistry, spacing, and defense, and then they had none. They’ve won two playoff series since.
Detroit Pistons: Hiring Monty Williams as Head Coach (2023)
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Detroit gave Monty $78.5 million to coach a 14-win team with a 28-game losing streak. His rotations confused everyone, his big lineups clogged the floor, and he benched the guys with upside. He didn’t last a year, but the Pistons looked worse than when he started. That’s expensive regression, and they’re still paying him millions.
Miami Heat: Trading for Terry Rozier (2024)
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Rozier cost Miami a first-round pick, then barely saw the floor. He averaged 12.5 inefficient points, missed the playoffs, and somehow ended up in a federal gambling investigation. The Heat got a $97 million mistake and witnessed their path back to relevance slam shut.
Toronto Raptors: Repeatedly Trading First-round Picks for Role Players (2022–2025)
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Toronto Raptors hoarded mediocre veterans at the cost of premium draft capital; four straight deadlines, four picks gone with zero playoff series wins. None of the additions changed their trajectory, and one pick turned into Rob Dillingham. The front office chased short-term boosts without realizing they weren’t close.
Philadelphia 76ers: Committing $399 million to Paul George and Joel Embiid (2024)
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The Sixers doubled down with giant contracts for two injury-prone stars and instantly faceplanted. George had his worst season in a decade. Embiid played 19 uneven games. Together, they cost $399 million and gave Philly 24 wins.
Chicago Bulls: Trading for Nikola Vucevic (2021)
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The Bulls’ big swing landed them a defensively limited center and cost them Wendell Carter Jr., plus two lottery picks—one of which became Franz Wagner. Vucevic gave them one playoff win and zero upside. It’s the trade that launched years of mediocrity.
Memphis Grizzlies: Trading for Marcus Smart (2023)
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Memphis went all-in on toughness with Smart by giving up Tyus Jones and two firsts. The results were injuries, regression, and a midseason salary dump that cost them a third pick. He played 39 games and had a VORP of zero, then left as quietly as he arrived.
Atlanta Hawks: Trading for Dejounte Murray (2022)
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The Atlanta Hawks saw three picks and a swap for a backcourt that never clicked. Murray was supposed to elevate Trae Young and push Atlanta forward. Instead, the Hawks stayed stuck in neutral with a losing record both years. The Spurs already landed Carter Bryant. Atlanta still owes unprotected picks in 2026 and 2027.
New Orleans Pelicans: Trading for Dejounte Murray (2024)
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The Pelicans joined the Murray misadventure two years later and somehow made it worse as he tore his Achilles tendon. They gave up Dyson Daniels—who broke out—and two firsts. Murray’s contract turned toxic fast, while Daniels blossomed into a Defensive Player of the Year runner-up.
Sacramento Kings: Having Tyrese Haliburton and De’Aaron Fox, Then Losing Them Both (2022 and 2025)
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The Kings picked Fox over Haliburton and traded both within three years. Sabonis looked like a win early, but now Sacramento’s back to irrelevance with no clear path forward. Meanwhile, Haliburton is leading the Pacers to the Finals.
Brooklyn Nets: Trading for James Harden (2021)
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Brooklyn went big on Harden, thinking they’d built a superteam. What they got was injuries, vaccine drama, and a second-round exit. The cost included Jarrett Allen, Caris LeVert, three picks, four swaps, and eventually, even more picks to undo the damage. When the dust settled, they had Ben Simmons.
Milwaukee Bucks: Trading for Damian Lillard (2023)
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On paper, Lillard looked like the missing piece. In practice, he barely shared the floor with Giannis, missed huge playoff games, and tore his Achilles. Now he’s off the roster but still eating $22.5 million in cap space annually through 2030. The Bucks don’t own their first-round pick again until 2031.
Phoenix Suns: Trading for Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal (2023)
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Mat Ishbia went full NBA 2K by trading 12 picks, six swaps, and nearly the whole roster for Durant and Beal. The results were one second-round exit, a sweep, and an 11th-place finish. Beal was bought out, while Durant was traded for pennies. Phoenix doesn’t control a first-round pick until 2032.
Dallas Mavericks: Trading Luka Doncic (2025)
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This broke the internet—and their fanbase. Trading a 26-year-old five-time All-NBA star is practically unheard of. Even if Cooper Flagg becomes a superstar and Anthony Davis regains form, the emotional fallout from losing Luka can’t be measured. Every sports fan remembers where they were when it happened.