Major League Baseball

What's the biggest trade in sports history?

Published Aug. 3, 2022 2:14 p.m. ET

On Tuesday, the Washington Nationals traded 23-year-old superstar outfielder Juan Soto to the San Diego Padres at the MLB trade deadline.

San Diego attained Soto and first baseman Josh Bell from Washington for first baseman Luke Voit and current/former top prospects MacKenzie Gore, C.J. Abrams, Robert Hassell III, James Wood and Jarlin Susana. The blockbuster move generated a conversation on "Undisputed": What's the biggest trade in the history of sports?

Shannon Sharpe argues that the Dallas Cowboys getting a historic haul from the Minnesota Vikings in a three-team trade that included the San Diego Chargers for running back Herschel Walker in 1989 takes the crown.

"Jimmy traded Herschel Walker, they got five players and six draft picks," Sharpe said. "The draft picks turned out to be Emmitt Smith, Russell Maryland, Kevin Smith, Darren Woodson. Emmitt Smith became the all-time leading rusher and one of the 100 greatest players in NFL history. Darren Woodson was a four-time Pro-Bowler and the all-time leading tackler. Russell Maryland was a Pro-Bowler, and Herschel basically played two and a half years in Minnesota, had one more 1,000-yard season and then became a journeyman, bounced around, Philly, the Giants and ended up coming back to Dallas."

"Once that trade happened, the Cowboys became a dynasty again," Sharpe later said.

Herschel Walker, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar mark the biggest trades in sports history | UNDISPUTED

In the wake of the San Diego Padres acquiring Juan Soto, Skip Bayless and Shannon Sharpe reflect on the biggest moves in sports history.

Vikings-Cowboys-Chargers 1989 Herschel Walker Trade Details

Vikings receive:

- Herschel Walker

- Four draft picks (three from Dallas and one from San Diego)

Cowboys receive:

- Jesse Solomon

– David Howard

- Issiac Holt

- Alex Stewart (waived in November 1989)

- Eight Minnesota draft picks, including their first-round picks from 1990 to 1992

Chargers receive:

- Darrin Nelson

Walker played two and a half seasons with the Vikings. He later spent time with the Eagles, Giants and finished his NFL career back in Dallas. Meanwhile, the Cowboys went on to win Super Bowls XXVII, XXVIII and XXX in the 1990s.

On the other hand, Skip Bayless argues that the Boston Celtics acquiring the No. 2 pick in the 1956 NBA Draft from the St. Louis Hawks, which became Hall of Fame big man Bill Russell, is sports' most substantial trade.

"I don't care who you threw in, it's Bill Russell," Bayless said. "And Boston got him via trade, so it's kind of the reverse of Babe Ruth, right? You got Bill Russell for that? I don't care who it is, Ed Macauley and Cliff Hagan? Okay, so that's pretty great. That's way up there."

Celtics-Hawks 1956 Bill Russell Trade Details:

Celtics receive:

- No. 2 pick (Bill Russell)

Hawks receive:

- Ed Macauley

- Cliff Hagan

Russell won 11 NBA championships in 13 seasons with the Celtics. He was a 12-time NBA All-Star and served as player-coach of the Celtics from 1966 to 1969.