Each NBA team’s best trade in franchise history

Chicago Bulls

Dennis Rodman for Will Perdue to SA (1995)

In a way, Dennis Rodman didn’t become Dennis Rodman until early 1993. It was around that time where the then-two-time rebounding champion was found asleep in his car with a loaded rifle. Rodman would admit in his autobiography that he actually considered committing suicide on that February night but instead concluded that he needed to live his life on his own terms going forward.

And boy, did he put that to the test with the San Antonio Spurs, who traded for him prior to the 1993-94 season. It was in San Antonio where Rodman debuted his infamous dyed hair and began a highly publicized relationship with singer Madonna.

On the court, Rodman exhibited his newfound eccentricities in the form of headbutting opponents and removing his shoes and sitting on the court during a playoff game. Despite everything that came with the new Rodman, however, he still reigned as the NBA’s premier rebounder and post defender.

But following a public undressing at the hands of Hakeem Olajuwon in the 1995 Western Conference Finals, the Spurs decided that his antics weren’t worth it and traded him to the Chicago Bulls for anodyne big man Will Perdue.

Adding Rodman to a roster that boasted Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Ron Harper produced the results that you would expect: in “The Worm’s” three seasons there, the Bulls ranked no worse than fourth in defensive rating and pulled off the franchises second three-peat. For his part, Rodman won three rebounding titles in Chicago and made the All-NBA Defensive first team in 1995-96.