The Los Angeles Lakers are the most controversial franchise in the NBA due to a polarizing reception. No other team has had as many iconic legends on the roster. LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jerry West and Magic Johnson are just a handful of iconic names to spend time in the franchise.

RELATED: 10 Most Beloved Players In NBA History

This star power has allowed the Lakers to remain a dominant force for most of their time in the NBA. However, this also causes many fans to root against them. Los Angeles making a bad move will be more scrutinized than any other franchise in the league. The following players showed how ugly things could get as the worst free agent signings or trade acquisitions in Lakers history.

10 Trading For Russell Westbrook

Russell Westbrook Lakers

© Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Lakers are trying to figure out how to make things work with Russell Westbrook after a horrible first season. Westbrook was a negative addition to the roster when the Lakers pulled off a blockbuster trade for the former MVP.

LeBron James hoped that the big three of him, Westbrook and Anthony Davis would be enough to contend, but they didn’t even make the playoffs. The Lakers unable to find a trade partner for Westbrook shows how bad that trade was. It would be higher on the list, but they have a chance to fix it this upcoming season.

9 Signing Smush Parker

via nbclosangeles.com

Smush Parker joined the Los Angeles Lakers as a relatively unknown to make it feel wrong to put him on the list, but the results harmed the team. Phil Jackson returning as the Lakers coach saw him picking Smush over more popular names to be the starting point guard for a few years.

RELATED: 10 NBA Players You Forgot Were On These Teams

Kobe Bryant butted heads with Parker and created a dynamic no team wants of their shooting guard and point guard hating each other. Smush started 162 of 164 games with the Lakers to negative results. Kobe’s disdain of Parker led to the Lakers bringing back Derek Fisher as the starting point guard when they were ready to contend again.

8 Trading For Steve Nash

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Lakers trading for Steve Nash is a move most teams would have done in their situation, but it turned into an all-time flop. Nash wanted to contend for an NBA Championship after his legendary run with the Phoenix Suns.

Kobe Bryant was pushing to team with an elite passing point guard like Nash or Chris Paul. The Lakers dealt four draft picks to pull off a multi-team sign and trade as the only method to adding Nash. Unfortunately, the peak of Nash ended, and his career started to break down with the Lakers to harm the team’s plans.

7 Signing Timofey Mozgov

Timofey Mozgov
Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Dire times in 2016 saw the Los Angeles Lakers trying to sign risky players to big contracts after Kobe Bryant retired to harm their relevance. Timofey Mozgov was coming off a solid run as the Cleveland Cavaliers backup center in back to back NBA Finals trips.

The Lakers felt that adding someone from a championship team would help. However, a massive contract offer of 4 years, $64 million made it a horrible decision. Mozgov was nowhere near a player of that money level. Los Angeles traded Mozgov after just one season to Brooklyn to clear cap space.

6 Signing Luol Deng

Timofey Mozgov wasn’t even the worst signing of that offseason when the Los Angeles Lakers also added Luol Deng. This was a bit different since Deng was more established with two All-Star appearances and starting roles on winning teams.

Los Angeles just made the mistake of overpaying Deng with a four year deal at $72 million. Deng was nowhere near the superstar money he received, and his older age led to a decline. Both injuries and his play falling apart made it a huge failure. The Lakers ended up sitting out Deng towards the end of his deal and paying him to do nothing.

5 Signing Karl Malone

Karl Malone did a solid job on the court during his sole season with the Los Angeles Lakers. However, the locker room presence created a huge problem that doomed their failed super team. Gary Payton and Malone joined the core of Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal and the supporting cast.

RELATED: The 10 Best Seasons Of Kobe Bryant's Career, Ranked

The decision to ring chase was controversial for Malone after he spent his entire career with the Utah Jazz up to then. Malone was playing decent in the role player spot, but he allegedly made a pass at Kobe Bryant’s wife Vanessa. Kobe spoke about his issues with Malone that had to negatively impact the locker room.

4 Trading For Kwame Brown

Via usathoopshype.files.wordpress.com

Nothing good comes when looking back at Kwame Brown’s NBA career from the failure as the #1 draft pick to issues with others in the locker room. The Los Angeles Lakers upset a large percentage of their fans when trading future two-time All-Star Caron Butler for Brown.

Lakers management felt that playing with Bryant could help Brown hit his potential after the brutal Washington Wizards run. Brown continued to disappoint with the Lakers, and Bryant even joked about having to pass to him after retirement. The Lakers missed the mark by trading a very good role player for an all-time bust.

3 Trading Away Shaquille O'Neal

Shaquille O'Neal Free Throw
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

It is hard to break down the Los Angeles Lakers trading Shaquille O’Neal to break up their dynasty duo with Kobe Bryant. The two superstars loathed each other at the end with many negative interactions. Bryant essentially wanted a trade if they didn’t get rid of Shaq.

Los Angeles moved O’Neal to the Miami Heat in exchange for Lamar Odom, Caron Butler and Brian Grant. Even though Odom contributed to future NBA Championships and the team was forced into a move, trading an all-time great center for that haul is clearly a bad move.

2 Signing Dennis Rodman

Dennis Rodman Warming Up
Credit: RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Bulls dynasty falling apart after 1998 led to Dennis Rodman without a home. Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Phil Jackson all leaving the team made Rodman need to find his next chapter in the NBA as well.

The Los Angeles Lakers signed Rodman for one season in 1999 with the hopes of him being a missing piece to add to the Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant core. Rodman was no longer worth the negatives as his play declined. The Lakers wanted nothing to do with Rodman after one year and let him walk in free agency.

1 Trading For Dwight Howard

No trade led to more disappointment for the Los Angeles Lakers than Dwight Howard coming from the Orlando Magic. Howard foolishly re-signed for an extra season with Orlando when wanting out due to public pressure and still ended up requesting a trade.

The Lakers added Dwight in a shocking four-team deal when he was viewed as easily the best center in the league. Howard joining Kobe Bryant could have created a new dynamic duo with the aging Steve Nash and Pau Gasol also on the roster. Kobe loathed Dwight and the fit was terrible for a brutal season. Howard chose to leave in free agency for the Houston Rockets due to how miserable that season went.