Top 10 Biggest Sports Trading Scandals

#10: Neymar to PSG

Money has had an undeniable effect on the game of football since its earliest days, but there’s no question that things have been getting out of hand in recent years. The frankly insane €222 million release clause that Neymar had in his Barcelona contract would’ve usually been seen as a ‘not for sale’ sign a decade ago. However, these days… things are a little different. PSG, who had financial backing and a desire to build a legit franchise, met the €222 million target, bringing Neymar to France in a deal that was totally out of this world. Money like that brings unrealistic expectations, and it’s pretty fair to say that it left us all with a very uncertain feeling about where football was headed.

#9: Patrick Roy Trade

Sometimes, a fallout with your coach can be the final nail in the coffin. Patrick Roy had a very public feud with Mario Tremblay, demanding a trade away from the Montreal Canadiens. They sent him off to the Colorado Avalanche and it was unanimously seen as one of the most dimwitted decisions imaginable. Early predictions that Tremblay would regret his actions were proven right several times over when Roy went on to win two Stanley Cups in his new home, while Montreal failed to make any real impact. A legendary trade disaster.

#8: Tevez’s Cross-City Defection

There are few rivalries in football quite as ferocious as the divide between Manchester United and Manchester City. Though United were generally the dominant force in the 20th and some of the 21st century, an influx of money has brought City right to the forefront of European football. These days, the roles are almost entirely reversed, with United now struggling to make ends meet. So in 2009 when Carlos Tevez, who was initially beloved by United fans until a rift with boss Sir Alex Ferguson, decided to leave and sign with Manchester City, it caused huge tension. To make matters worse, Tevez was a big success - helping City win their first Premier League title since 1968.

#7: The Curse of the Bambino

You don’t just trade Babe Ruth and expect to get away with it scot free. Red Sox owner Harry Frazee obviously didn’t heed any warnings he may have heard, and offloaded the greatest player of his generation to the Yankees for a reported $100,000 plus a $300,000 loan. The trade had the knock-on effect of catapulting the Yankees into a run of dominance, while Boston didn’t win a World Series for 86 years. “The Curse of the Bambino” is what they called it, but in reality, the trade on face value was a truly poor decision that totally baffled fans and analysts alike.

#6: Luka Doncic Traded From the Mavericks to the Lakers

This was truly a move that no one saw coming. There was no telegraphing to this one. The Mavericks boss, Nico Harrison, was supposedly ready to ship Luka Doncic off, despite him being the star and future of his franchise. The Lakers, who clearly had one eye on the aging LeBron James’ longevity, decided to trade Anthony Davis for Luka in early 2025. The Mavericks claimed that they had concerns about his work ethic and attitude, and hoped to improve their defense with this move. However, NBA fans almost unanimously agreed that the Lakers got themselves the deal of the century with this one.

#5: Wilt Chamberlain to Lakers

To say that Wilt Chamberlain was ahead of his time would be an understatement. The NBA recordbook in his heyday was basically just a collection of things that Wilt had managed to achieve. He had so much power over the Philadelphia 76ers that he basically managed to pressure them into trading him to the Los Angeles Lakers. This might not sound that odd to the modern basketball fan, but Wilt’s actions marked the beginning of a new era. Analysts worried that players leveraging their ability against their own team would become commonplace, and they were certainly right. Chamberlain was a pioneer in many ways, on and off the court.

#4: Figo’s Galáctico Backstab

There are many rivalries in the sporting world that are never going to disappear. The collision of Spanish footballing giants Real Madrid and Barcelona is such a huge event in and of itself that they call each game “El Clásico.” The meeting of these two teams is often football played at its very highest level, and while a few players have represented both sides, few have done as dramatically as Luis Figo. When Figo transferred to Madrid, it was the ultimate betrayal and the fans took it extremely personally. For years, the Portuguese winger was routinely pelted with projectiles during matches … with one fan even throwing a pig’s head in his direction. One of the most dramatic transfer U-turns of all-time.

#3: Herschel Walker Trade

Trades are always a gamble to some extent, but you really have to do your best to stack the odds in your favor. When the Minnesota Vikings basically gave up an unprecedented haul of players and draft picks to get their hands on Herschel Walker, they were putting a lot of their eggs in one basket. For the Dallas Cowboys, it was too good a deal to refuse. Walker unfortunately failed to live up to expectations, while the Cowboys used the boatload of resources that were handed to them to totally rebuild. This led them to a huge run of success and acclaim, making this one of the most lopsided deals in NFL history.

#2: Diego Maradona to Napoli

Diego Maradona holds the distinction of breaking the world transfer record not once, but twice. Which makes sense because he is Diego Maradona, after all. In 1984, when Napoli decided to shell out a huge sum of money to pry the Argentinian away from Barcelona, there were rumors of mafia involvement. Bringing a player like Maradona to Italy would do wonders for business, and so the transfer left many with an uneasy feeling. No matter where the money came from, though, Diego delivered the goods, becoming a living legend in Serie A. It was a larger-than-life deal for a larger-than-life player.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Alex Rodriguez to the Yankees

The Move That Reshaped Baseball Economics

Mo Johnston’s Old Firm Twist

The Ultimate Betrayal Within Glasgow City Limits

Deshaun Watson to the Cleveland Browns

Picked up by the Browns While Dealing With Several Allegations

LeBron James “The Decision”

Egotistical Spectacle Taken to a Whole New Level

John Robertson Jumps Ship

The Transfer That Caused a Rift Between an Iconic Manager & Former Assistant Duo

#1: Wayne Gretzky Trade

Wayne Gretzky is a legend with no equal in the world of hockey. On top of that, he was a symbol of Canadian pride and excellence, a unifying figure in the NHL who had accomplished truly exceptional things for the Edmonton Oilers by the time the 80s were wrapping up. So when the Oilers decided to trade him out of the country to the Los Angeles Kings, it was seen as a major betrayal of Canadian hockey culture. Though he was credited with popularizing hockey in L.A., he didn’t win a Stanley Cup there, in spite of his tremendous performances. Had he stayed in Canada, things might have played out a lot differently - or at least that’s what most Canadian fans will tell you.

But what sports trading scandal shook you to your core? Be sure to let us know in the comments below!