The buildup to the NBA trade deadline can occasionally lead to a letdown, but several years are full of mayhem and movement.

Kevin DurantChris Coduto/Getty Images

Most recently, for example, the 2023 season featured 24 teams combining for a dozen deals that included Kevin Durant joining the Phoenix Suns and approximately 5,318 second-round picks trading hands.

And it made a serious run at overtaking the chaos of 2015.

For the sake of order, a trade must be included on the NBA’s official list of deadline deals to be considered. So, yes, some notable trades that occurred near a certain deadline may not be included.

6. 2011: An Impactful Pick Changes Hands

Shane BattierAndy Lyons/Getty Images

We need a big ol’ disclaimer on 2011.

The timeline of the NBA’s list means the blockbuster sending Carmelo Anthony to the New York Knicks is not included; neither is Deron Williams heading to the New Jersey Nets. Otherwise, this would be much higher.

Nevertheless, the season featured one of the most memorable hindsight trades of all time. In a salary dump involving Baron Davis, the Los Angeles Clippers sent a first-round pick to the Cleveland Cavaliers. That selection ended up winning the lottery with 2.8 percent odds and allowed the Cavs to draft Kyrie Irving—who later hit a championship-winning shot.

Both the Memphis Grizzlies and Oklahoma City Thunder also added impactful pieces in Shane Battier and Kendrick Perkins, respectively.

Battier played a pivotal role in Memphis upsetting the San Antonio Spurs in the playoffs, and Perkins became a mainstay in OKC as the starting center for several years with Durant and Russell Westbrook.

5. 2021: Quantity over Quality

Aaron GordonGarrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images

If we were focused on highly impactful trades, 2021 didn’t provide many of those. Few deadlines have been more active, though.

Granted, the Denver Nuggets landed a future contributor of their championship run in Aaron Gordon. The swap involving Nikola Vucevic and Wendell Carter Jr. (and two first-round picks) is notable, as well.

The bigger picture is the deadline had 23 teams making a deal and moved 48 players around the league.

Among the other trades, the Clippers added Rajon Rondo, the Heat picked up Victor Oladipo and the Philadelphia 76ers reinforced the backcourt with veteran George Hill.

4. 2018: The Cavaliers Retool

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In the final year of LeBron James’ second tenure with the Cavaliers, they reshaped the roster at the deadline.

Cleveland moved on from Dwyane Wade, Jae Crowder, Derrick Rose, Isaiah Thomas, Iman Shumpert and Channing Frye. In return, the transactions brought George Hill, Jordan Clarkson, Larry Nance Jr. and Rodney Hood to the new-look Cavs.

That alone created a wild deadline.

Beyond the Cavs, a few notable mid-tier moves—a three-way trade flipping Devin Harris, Emmanuel Mudiay and Doug McDermott, among them—rounded out the catalog.

The timeline narrowly misses Blake Griffin ending his Clippers tenure in a trade to the Detroit Pistons.

3. 2022: Philly Pulls Trigger on Simmons Move

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After months of speculation, the long-awaited Ben Simmons trade finally happened at the 2022 deadline. Philly unloaded the disgruntled star in a blockbuster to land James Harden from the Brooklyn Nets.

But there was plenty more.

Kristaps Porzingis exited the Dallas Mavericks for the Washington Wizards, and the Spurs went further into a rebuild after shipping Derrick White to the Boston Celtics.

Elsewhere, the Milwaukee Bucks acquired Serge Ibaka in a four-team trade. Within the deal, the Sacramento Kings also moved on from recent top pick Marvin Bagley III.

San Antonio also picked up a first-rounder from Toronto, which became a recurring theme over a half-decade stretch.

2. 2015: Phoenix Shakes Things Up

Isaiah Thomas and Goran DragicChristian Petersen/Getty Images

For plenty of NBA fans, 2015 is a “where were you” type of deadline. I vividly remember sitting in a college lecture hall, incessantly refreshing Twitter for updates and definitely not listening to the teacher.

Blame the Suns, honestly.

Phoenix restructured a guard-heavy roster, shipping Goran Dragic to the Miami Heat and Isaiah Thomas to the Boston Celtics. Plus, the Suns added Brandon Knight in a three-team trade also sending Michael Carter-Williams to the Bucks.

Oklahoma City moved Reggie Jackson to the Pistons while adding Enes Kanter from the Utah Jazz, as well.

As a bonus, Kevin Garnett reunited with the Minnesota Timberwolves in a low-cost deal loaded with nostalgia. Tayshaun Prince returned to the Pistons, too.

1. 2023: Durant Heads to the Desert

Kevin DurantGarrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images

Another year, another trade shifting Toronto’s first-round selection to San Antonio. Oh, and the whole Kevin Durant thing.

Brooklyn waved the white flag on an all-in effort that failed miserably and sent KD to Phoenix. Mikal Bridges and a boatload of first-round selections went back to the Nets, while Milwaukee added Jae Crowder and the Indiana Pacers snagged three players in the four-team trade.

You like multi-team deals? This was the year, considering five other transactions included three-plus franchises.

Mike Conley departed the Jazz for the Timberwolves, who shipped D’Angelo Russell to the Los Angeles Lakers, who sent Russell Westbrook and a first-rounder to Utah in advance of a buyout.

In total, 49 players on 24 teams had a new basketball home after the action-packed 2023 deadline.