In the wake of the Nuggets’ trade, The Denver Post sports staff put together a list of the top five trades in Denver sports history:
1. John Elway arrives; Chris Hinton, Mark Herrmann and pick to Baltimore.
In the spring of 1983, Stanford quarterback John Elway, the most coveted player in the NFL draft, vowed he wouldn’t play for Baltimore Colts owner Robert Irsay or coach Frank Kush. But the Colts took a chance and made Elway the No. 1 pick in the draft. Finally convinced that Elway wouldn’t play for them, the Colts traded Elway’s rights to the Broncos in exchange for the rights to guard Chris Hinton, the Broncos’ first-round pick in 1984 (which became Maryland guard Ron Solt), quarterback Mark Herrmann and $1 million the cash-strapped Colts received in guaranteed revenues from preseason games at Mile High Stadium in 1984 and 1985.
2. Carmelo Anthony leaves town after 7 1/2 seasons and takes Denver native Chauncey Billups with him.
The two were the fan favorites of the team since joining forces in Nov. 2008.
3. Patrick Roy arrives in November 1995 after ending a storied career with Montreal.
The Avs sent Jocelyn Thibault, Martin Rucinsky and Andrei Kovalenko to the Canadiens. Later that season, the Avalanche hoists the Stanley Cup after its first season in Denver and again in 2001 with Roy in net.
4. David Thompson arrives in Denver in 1975 after leading North Carolina State to the 1974 NCAA title.
Denver sent Mack Calvin, Mike Green and Jan van Breda Kolff to the Virginia Squires for D.T.’s draft rights and George Irvine.
5. Rockies trade Matt Holliday to the Oakland A’s for Carlos Gonzalez, Huston Street and Greg Smith on Nov. 10, 2008.
Holliday had turned down the Rockies’ seven-year, $107 million offer, and the team was eager to move him. In return, the Rockies got Street, who’s been a solid closer, Smith (who never panned out) and Gonzalez, who evolved into CarGo, a budding superstar with a new seven-year, $80 million contract.
