Teddy joins the club: Big preseason trades in every sport

They said it: Largent was notified of his pending release by Oilers coach Bum Phillips. Largent had a rather long ride back to his home in Oklahoma, he told the Seattle Times. “I was crushed,” Largent said. “I cried all the way back.”

The aftermath: The kid with no wheels retired after 14 seasons in Seattle as the then-NFL’s all-time leader in receiving yards (13,089), receptions (819) and receiving touchdowns (100). Largent, a seven-time Pro Bowler, was named to the NFL 1980’s All-Decade Team and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1995. As for the Oilers, they selected a receiver from Georgia named Steven Davis with that eighth-round pick in ’77. He never played in a regular-season game for them.

Jets acquire Brett Favre from Packers, Aug. 6, 2008

Trade details: Call it the Broadway Blockbuster. Wanting to move on from longtime starter Chad Pennington, the Jets made an enormous splash by landing Favre from the Packers for a conditional draft pick (third round). Favre had wanted to be traded to the Vikings, but the Packers refused to send the star QB to their NFC North Division rival. Green Bay, however, had no problem with dealing Favre elsewhere. He had announced his retirement in March, then after returning to the team four months later asked to be released. The Packers, who were committed to starting Aaron Rodgers, didn’t want to release Favre, however. They eventually found a trade partner in the Jets, who reportedly outbid the Buccaneers in their offer for the three-time league MVP.

What the Jets were getting: Favre, who was 38 at the time of the deal, was far from a has-been. He’d led the Packers to the NFC title game in 2007, passing for 4,155 yards and 28 touchdowns. He was the NFL’s all-time leader in touchdown passes, yards, completions, attempts and victories, something the Jets were lacking in coming off a 4-12 season.

They said it: Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum wasn’t going to be denied in his quest to land Favre, who had the ability to nix the trade. “Once we made the trade, and I was making plans to go get Brett [in Mississippi], he said to me, ‘Do we have a dress code on away trips?'” Tannenbaum told ESPN’s Rich Cimini. Tannenbaum’s reply: “Does that mean you’re a Jet?” Favre: “Do you have a dress code?” Tannenbaum: “We don’t anymore.”

The aftermath: Favre and the Jets started 8-3, including a Week 4 win over Arizona that saw the Canton-bound QB throw for six TDs. Then came a stunning flameout. The durable Favre, who entered the season having started 253 consecutive regular-season games dating to 1992, suffered a torn biceps in his (right) throwing arm and struggled in trying to fight through the pain. He threw for only two touchdowns and tossed nine interceptions in the Jets’ last five games. They lost four of them and missed the postseason. Favre informed the Jets in February 2009 that he was again retiring from football, only to — what else? — change his mind and sign with the Vikings before the 2009 season. As for the Packers, they traded the pick they received for Favre to the Patriots to move up to select Clay Matthews in the bottom of the first round of the 2009 draft.

Vikings acquire Sam Bradford from Eagles, Sept. 3, 2016

Trade details: Vikings general manager Rick Spielman was forced into scramble mode less than two weeks before the 2016 NFL regular season kicked off after starting quarterback Teddy Bridgewater suffered a serious knee injury in practice. Feeling that the Vikings had Super Bowl potential, he pursued a proven veteran in Bradford, whose days were going to be numbered in Philadelphia with Carson Wentz, the No. 2 pick in the 2016 draft, set to be the team’s future franchise quarterback. The Vikings surrendered a 2017 first-round pick and a 2018 conditional fourth-rounder to get Bradford.

What the Vikings were getting: Bradford was the No. 1 pick in the 2010 NFL draft, but while he put up strong numbers when healthy, he was known for being an injury risk. Among his woes: two ACL tears in his left knee that cost him the second half of the 2013 season and all of the 2014 campaign. Bradford did produce a solid 2015 season, setting career highs in completion percentage and passing yards in 14 games with the Eagles.

They said it: Bradford had signed a two-year extension with the Eagles in March 2016, and thought he had found a home in Philly. “It’s something I really didn’t think was a possibility,” Bradford said of being dealt to Minnesota. “It kind of caught me off guard, but I think after the surprise, I was quickly filled with excitement for a new chapter and the opportunity ahead of me.”

The aftermath: Bradford set a single-season NFL record by completing 71.6 percent of his passes as the Vikings went 8-8 in 2016. But the impact of the trade would be felt the following season — in Philadelphia. By trading Bradford, the Eagles made room for Wentz to start immediately as a rookie. That experience paid off as Wentz was having an MVP-caliber season in 2017, leading the Eagles to an 11-2 record before he tore his ACL in Week 14. Wentz’s strong play helped the Eagles gain home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, and after defeating the Vikings in the NFC Championship Game, they beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl behind Nick Foles, who ironically was traded by the Eagles to the Rams for Bradford in 2015. As for Bradford, he was on the sideline for that NFC title game. He played in only two games in 2017 and was put on injured reserve in November because of a knee injury.

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MLB

Athletics acquire Dennis Eckersley from Cubs, April 3, 1987

Trade details: No, the trade involving Eckersley, journeyman infielder Dan Rohn and three Oakland minor leaguers didn’t exactly make waves in 1987. But taking a flier on a veteran pitcher helped the A’s become one of baseball’s powerhouses.

What the A’s were getting: Eckersley, the centerpiece of the deal, appeared to be broken down. The once successful starter — he threw a no-hitter in 1977 and was a two-time All-Star — was coming off a disastrous 1986 season with the Cubs. He was 6-11 with a 4.57 ERA, and far worse, he checked himself into alcohol rehab after the season. He was 32 years old at the time. Who knew if he could regain his previous form?

They said it: During his Hall of Fame speech in 2004, Eckersley discussed overcoming his demons. “I was spiraling out of control personally. I knew I had come to a crossroads in my life. With the grace of God, I got sober and I saved my life.”

The aftermath: Though Eckersley made a few starts in 1987, A’s manager Tony La Russa decided to have the veteran pitch out of the bullpen. And after closer Jay Howell suffered an injury, Eckersley took over the role. Quite the career move. Eckersley recorded 16 saves that season and soon became the top closer in baseball, helping Oakland to four AL West titles, three pennants and a World Series title in a five-year span beginning in 1988. Eckersley, who averaged 44 saves in those five seasons, won the AL Cy Young and league MVP awards in 1992 after finishing with 51 saves and a 1.91 ERA. He went on to record 390 career saves and is the only pitcher to have 100 complete games and 100 saves in a career. The three minor league players Chicago acquired in the Eckersley deal — outfielder David Wilder, infielder Brian Guinn and pitcher Mark Leonette — never reached the major leagues.

Braves acquire Kenny Lofton and Alan Embree from Indians for David Justice and Marquis Grissom, March 25, 1997

Trade details: This deal involving two of baseball’s elite teams at the time was made for one reason: money. The Braves, who had the highest payroll in the game at $63.8 million, shed $7.7 million in salary and luxury tax before the 1997 season by sending star outfielders David Justice and Marquis Grissom to Cleveland. They acquired baseball’s premier leadoff man in Lofton and reliable lefty reliever Embree in return, and created room in the outfield for budding stars Andruw Jones and Michael Tucker (who was acquired in a deal with the Royals two days after this one). But why were the Braves so intent on trimming their payroll, one might ask …

What the Braves were getting: By cutting the $26.9 million owed to Justice and Grissom for the rest of their contracts, the Braves created more flexibility in trying to re-sign co-aces Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine, who were set for free agency the following offseason. And the Braves knew they weren’t going to sign on the cheap. Maddux had won four straight NL Cy Young Awards from 1992 to 1995, and Glavine won the Cy Young in ’91 and was the MVP of the 1995 World Series.

They said it: Of all the trades that Hall of Fame executive John Schuerholz made with the Braves, he said that dealing Justice, who was a force in helping the team become perennial contenders beginning in 1991, tore at him the most. “I kept going, ‘David, I’m not going to trade you, you’re too valuable, I like you too much, you’re one of my favorites,”’ Schuerholz told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in an interview in 2015. “But we got to the point where we needed to clear some money, and I had to manage our payroll. We needed money to get pitching, and pitching was sort of our secret sauce at the major league level, and that was a hard deal. Not only David, but Marquis Grissom in the same deal.”

The aftermath: Both teams continued to win. The Braves captured their sixth straight division title, and the Indians made it to the World Series in 1997. Lofton returned to Cleveland in free agency after one disappointing season in Atlanta. Lofton, who led the AL in stolen bases the previous four seasons, including swiping 75 bags in 1996, stole only 27 bases and was caught stealing 20 times in ’97. Grissom and Embree also played for their respective teams for one season, and Justice remained in Cleveland until being dealt to the Yankees in the 2000 season. Meanwhile, the Braves were able to re-sign their Hall of Fame pitching duo. In May 1997, the Braves gave Glavine a four-year, $34 million extension. Three months later, the Braves made Maddux baseball’s highest-paid player with a five-year, $57.5 million extension.

Padres acquire Craig Kimbrel and Melvin Upton from Braves, April 5, 2015

Trade details: New Padres GM A.J. Preller was on a mission. In his first full season running the team, he was determined to build a contender in 2015. Preller overhauled the roster, acquiring numerous stars including James Shields, Matt Kemp, Wil Myers and Justin Upton. One piece was missing, however — a closer. With the Braves in full rebuild mode, Preller contacted them and struck a deal for Kimbrel on the eve of the new season. Just how badly did Preller want Kimbrel? The Padres agreed to take on the $46.35 million owed to Melvin Upton Jr., who proved to be a bust in two seasons with the Braves. Coming to Atlanta in the deal were Cameron Maybin, Carlos Quentin, minor league pitcher Matt Wisler, minor league outfielder Jordan Paroubeck, and a competitive balance pick.

What the Padres were getting: Kimbrel had become the best closer in the game, leading the National League in saves the previous four seasons. His 1.43 career ERA up to that point was the best in baseball history for a pitcher with at least 200 innings, and his 14.8 strikeouts per nine innings was second best in MLB history.

They said it: John Hart, the Braves’ top baseball decision-maker, had nothing but praise for the four-time All-Star Kimbrel. “He was just a consummate professional. This is a guy, you want him to be your son, you want him to marry your daughter. He’s just an outstanding young man. … He understands the dynamic. He was just absolutely professional and classy,” Hart told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

The aftermath: The Padres’ attempt at creating an immediate winner proved to be a dud. They went 74-88 and fired manager Bud Black after 65 games. After the season, Preller reversed course and tried to restock the farm system, which surrendered seven of its top 11 prospects, according to Baseball America, in their deals the previous offseason. That included trading Kimbrel, who had 39 saves in his lone season in San Diego, to Boston for four prospects. The Braves went 67-95 in the first year of their rebuild. Only Austin Riley, whom the Braves selected with the competitive balance pick, remains with the organization.

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NBA

Cavaliers acquire Shawn Kemp from SuperSonics, Sept. 25, 1997

Trade details: Kemp had shined for Seattle in the 1996 NBA Finals, averaging 23.3 points and 10 rebounds in the six-game series, and now he wanted to be paid like a superstar. But when the Sonics were unable to renegotiate his contract because of salary-cap restrictions, Kemp became disgruntled and was a distraction the following season. Being late for team flights and meetings hastened his exit from Seattle before the 1997-98 season, with the Sonics working out a three-team trade that sent Kemp to the Cavaliers. Also in that deal, the Cavs traded Terrell Brandon, Tyrone Hill and a 1998 first-round draft pick (Pat Garrity was later selected) to the Bucks, who in turn traded Sherman Douglas to the Cavaliers and Vin Baker to Seattle.

What the Cavaliers were getting: Kemp was one of the most explosive power forwards in the NBA, earning All-Star honors the previous five seasons before the trade and averaging a double-double for six straight seasons. Kemp was only 27, so he still appeared to have room for growth.

They said it: Sonics coach George Karl had one less headache after the Kemp deal went down. Karl had removed Kemp as a starter for four games late in the 1996-97 season for his selfish conduct. “I think in a lot of ways our mental health got better today, our focus got better today,” Karl said. “When the trade happened, I can’t deny that I was a little sad. I don’t think I’ll coach many players better than Shawn Kemp or as talented as Shawn Kemp.”

The aftermath: Someone mention growth? Kemp’s waistline became as hefty as the seven-year, $107 million deal the Cavaliers gave him. Kemp managed to still be productive in each of his three seasons in Cleveland despite showing up for training camp in 1998 drastically overweight. (Reports indicated he was over 300 pounds.) He averaged 18.5 points and 9.1 rebounds in that time, but his attitude was too much to bear and the Cavs traded him to Portland. As for the Sonics, Baker was an All-Star in his first season with the team, but, like Kemp, battled weight issues and saw his production decline in his final four seasons in Seattle.

Wizards acquire Jerry Stackhouse from Pistons, send Rip Hamilton to Detroit, Sept. 11, 2002

Trade details: Michael Jordan wasn’t about to go out a loser. In his final season as a player with the Wizards, Jordan overhauled the roster and had a new starting five. His final piece? Adding an All-Star in Stackhouse. Jordan landed the guard, along with Brian Cardinal and Ratko Varda, for Hubert Davis, Bobby Simmons and the promising Richard Hamilton.

What the Wizards were getting: Stackhouse was in his prime at 27 years old and was considered one of the most athletic players in the NBA. He routinely scored over 20 points per game, and although his scoring average had dipped by eight points per contest from the previous season, Stackhouse showed maturity in leading the Pistons to a 50-win season in 2001-02. He chose to get his teammates involved, taking seven fewer shots per game than in the previous season, where he finished second in the league in scoring.

They said it: Once thought of as perhaps a me-first player, Stackhouse helped Detroit improve its win total by 18 games in 2001-02. “When you have the opportunity to add an All-Star player of Jerry’s caliber, you can’t hesitate on the chance to strengthen the team,” Wizards general manager Wes Unseld said. “We had to part with several players we were very high on, but we feel we have improved.”

The aftermath: Washington might have wanted a mulligan after completing this trade. Stackhouse led the Wizards in scoring and assists in his first season with them in 2002-03, but a knee injury limited him to 26 games the following season. Stackhouse was then traded to Dallas after the 2003-04 campaign. But what really hurt Washington was how Hamilton grew with the Pistons, including helping them win the 2004 NBA championship. Hamilton averaged 18.4 points in nine seasons, made three All-Star teams, and in 2017 the Pistons retired his No. 32.

Rockets acquire Dikembe Mutombo from Bulls, Sept. 8, 2004

Trade details: The Rockets were set at center for the long term after drafting Yao Ming in 2002. But they still needed a reliable backup. And they got one before the start of the 2004 season, landing the defense-minded Mutombo in a trade with the Bulls for role players Adrian Griffin, Eric Piatkowski and Mike Wilks. Mutombo had just been acquired by the Bulls in a trade with the Knicks a month prior.

What the Rockets were getting: Mutombo was aging at 38 years old, but he was still a force on the glass and a shot-blocking menace. Yes, he was still able to create many opportunities to wag his index finger at opponents in his late-30s.

They said it: With the 7-foot-2 Mutombo backing up the 7-6 Yao, the Rockets had immense size to intimidate in the paint. “I think the jump shot is going to look more inviting to the opposing teams now,” Rockets GM Carroll Dawson told the Houston Chronicle.

The aftermath: Mutombo proved invaluable to the Rockets. He played his final five NBA seasons in Houston, mostly coming off the bench, and averaged over five rebounds and one block in 15.6 minutes per game. In 2007, a 40-year-old Mutombo snatched 22 rebounds against the Nuggets, becoming the oldest player in league history to record more than 20 boards in a game. The following season, he helped the Rockets win 22 straight games by starting the final 12 of those after Yao went down because of an injury.

Thunder acquire Carmelo Anthony from Knicks, Sept. 25, 2017

Trade details: Wanting to dethrone the Warriors in the West, the Thunder devised a plan last offseason. They already had the league’s MVP in Russell Westbrook and traded for All-Star Paul George. A third piece was needed for their version of a superteam. So the duo reportedly urged Anthony to waive his no-trade clause and accept a deal to join them in Oklahoma City. They didn’t have to do much arm-twisting. Anthony became disenchanted with the Knicks — in large part because of numerous conflicts with former team president Phil Jackson — and wanted out after 6½ seasons. A deal was put together on the eve of training camp, sending Anthony to OKC for Enes Kanter, Doug McDermott and a 2018 second-round draft pick (Mitchell Robinson was later selected).

What the Thunder were getting: Anthony was a 10-time All-Star and one of the elite scorers of this era. He had averaged over 20 points in each of his 14 seasons in the NBA, including nine seasons of scoring 25 or more per contest. The Thunder were indeed expected to light up scoreboards regularly with Westbrook, George and Anthony teaming up.

They said it: Anthony told the New York Times that Jackson would have traded him for next to nothing had he remained president of the Knicks. But when Scott Perry took over as the team’s GM in July 2017, the asking price for Anthony spiked. “They went from asking for peanuts to asking for steak,” Anthony quipped.

The aftermath: Forget chasing the Warriors and an NBA title, the Thunder were fortunate to have made the playoffs last season. They finished fourth in the West but only one game separated them from eighth-place Minnesota for the final playoff spot. Anthony didn’t appear to fit in with the Thunder, and he finished with career lows in points per game (16.2) and shooting percentage (.404). The Thunder have already severed ties with Anthony, recently trading him to Atlanta. In turn, the Hawks waived the forward so that he could sign with another team — which ultimately became the Rockets. As for the Knicks, Kanter provided a solid return last season, averaging a double-double. McDermott was traded to Dallas, and subsequently signed with the Pacers in July.

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NHL

Kings acquire Wayne Gretzky from Oilers, Aug. 9, 1988

Trade details: It’s known as “The Trade,” and no one in Canada will forget where they were when the news of the deal broke 30 years ago, especially in Edmonton. An entire country was practically inconsolable. That was the impact of the deal that sent Gretzky, along with Marty McSorley and Mike Krushelnyski, to the Kings in exchange for Jimmy Carson, Martin Gelinas, three first-round draft picks and $15 million. Why was the trade made? It has been reported that Oilers owner Peter Pocklington needed money with several business ventures failing. He unloaded some of his top players, including “The Great One,” and replaced them with less expensive talent.

What the Kings were getting: The greatest hockey player in history. Period. Gretzky had just powered the Oilers to their fourth Stanley Cup title in five seasons before the trade. He led the NHL in scoring and won the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league’s MVP in eight straight seasons from 1980 to 1987. At 27, Gretzky already was the NHL’s all-time assists leader and was No. 2 in history in goals and points behind Gordie Howe.

They said it: You thought Cleveland was leveled when LeBron sashayed to South Beach? The Gretzky trade cold-cocked an entire country, even enraging political figures. A member of Canada’s Parliament proposed the federal government block the trade or buy Gretzky’s contract and sell it to another Canadian team. “The Oilers without Gretzky is like apple pie without ice cream, like winter without snow, like ‘Wheel of Fortune’ without Vanna White,” New Democratic Party House Leader Nelson Riis said.

The aftermath: Hockey became a hot ticket in L.A. immediately after the trade was announced. And Gretzky delivered. He was again named the league’s MVP in his first season with the Kings and led them to the playoffs in each of his first five seasons, including a trip to the Stanley Cup Final in 1993. He spent eight seasons in L.A., finishing with 246 goals and 672 assists. Meanwhile, the Oilers won another Stanley Cup without Gretzky in 1990, but that would be the end of their dynasty as many of their stars left the franchise. They managed to make it to the conference finals in ’91 and ’92, but they missed the playoffs in the following four seasons.

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