5. Cleveland Cavaliers trade James Worthy to Los Angeles Lakers
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Back in 1980, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers made a trade that appeared to be of little consequence at the time. The Cavs traded Butch Lee and a 1982 first round pick to the Lakers in exchange for Don Ford and a 1980 first rounder. The deal was all but forgotten, until that ’82 pick the Lakers received turned into the #1 pick in the 1982 NBA Draft.
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With the pick, the Lakers selected James Worthy, a 6-foot-9 forward from North Carolina. Worthy quickly developed into a star player, and an integral part of the Showtime Lakers. During his 12-year career in Los Angeles, Worthy and the Lakers won three championships.
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