The draft picks and ping pong balls may not work out, but from a process perspective was this the best trade in NBA history?
http://www.nytimes.com/1982/12/06/sports/everything-changes-on-the-cavaliers-but-the-face-of-failure.html?pagewanted=allThe Cavaliers traded away No.1 draft picks for players who didn't produce or didn't stick around very long. One, Jerome Whitehead, was gone within eight days.
Was thinking the same. Other candidates?:The draft picks and ping pong balls may not work out, but from a process perspective was this the best trade in NBA history?
Gerald Henderson to Seattle for pick that became Len Bias would have, um, nevermindWas thinking the same. Other candidates?:
1. Lakers trade some no-name guy I can't remember to Utah for the pick that turns into Magic Johnson. Massive impact on NBA history, but from a 'process perspective', no better than any countless number of trades fleecing struggling franchises for their #1.
2. Celtics trade #1 pick (and Ricky Brown IIRC?) to Golden State for Robert Parish and the pick that turns into Kevin McHale. Shrewd in terms of the valuation of the players involved, but not outright slanted on the face of it.
3. Celtics trade Ed McCauley to St. Louis for pick that turns into Bill Russell. Inclined to discount this one in part because racism reportedly forced St. Louis' hand (they weren't sure if a black star would play down South).
4 & 5: Kareem to Lakers, Wilt Chamberlain to Lakers-- both of these trades were basically extortions IIRC. So, no "process perspective" points.
Others? Scottie Pippin to Chicago? Kobe to LA? Kawhi to SA?
A real underrated great one was the Cavaliers trading Mo Williams and Jamario Moon to the 21-37 Clippers for Baron Davis' awful contract and their first round pick that year, which the Clippers somehow didn't protect at all.The draft picks and ping pong balls may not work out, but from a process perspective was this the best trade in NBA history?
If you believe the stories, Red got Walter Brown to promise the Rochester Royals owner that he would send the Ice Capades for a week if they promised not to take Russell #1.Was thinking the same. Other candidates?:
1. Lakers trade some no-name guy I can't remember to Utah for the pick that turns into Magic Johnson. Massive impact on NBA history, but from a 'process perspective', no better than any countless number of trades fleecing struggling franchises for their #1.
2. Celtics trade #1 pick (and Ricky Brown IIRC?) to Golden State for Robert Parish and the pick that turns into Kevin McHale. Shrewd in terms of the valuation of the players involved, but not outright slanted on the face of it.
3. Celtics trade Ed McCauley to St. Louis for pick that turns into Bill Russell. Inclined to discount this one in part because racism reportedly forced St. Louis' hand (they weren't sure if a black star would play down South).
4 & 5: Kareem to Lakers, Wilt Chamberlain to Lakers-- both of these trades were basically extortions IIRC. So, no "process perspective" points.
Others? Scottie Pippin to Chicago? Kobe to LA? Kawhi to SA?
That was the first year of the merger. Net owner Roy Boe couldn't afford entry into the NBA, which involved a payment to the league and another to the Knicks.The Nets sold Dr. J. to Philly in 1976 ("traded for cash" was the way it was officially reported I think). Probably would have been better to hang on to the good Doctor.
An all-time head scratcher—how do you make this deal without knowing you've got the target locked up? Agreements are made in principle all the time before being finalized. Used the space on Rondo and Bellinelli instead—reminiscent of the Nets clearing the deck for Lebron before ending up with Farmar, Outlaw, Morrow, and Petro as their big offseason signings.The Sixers - Sacramento trade is one of the worst I can think of.
Sacramento sent Stauskus, Landry, Jason Thompson, an unprotected 2019 first, and swap rights in 2017 for two second round picks.
Why? Because they didn't know about the stretch provision and wanted cap space to go after Wesley Matthews. Matthews then signed with Dallas.
Bill Simmons wrote in his book that the trade was the equivalent of trading 1980 Sly Stallone and getting a couple hookers and Frank back in return.At time it was made, the Lakers deal for Pau Gasol looked like it would belong on the list. As it turned out, his brother Marc has approached or exceeded his value (though timing better for Lakers with Pau)
Deal was:
Lakers get: Pau Gasol and a 2010 second round draft pick (Devin Ebanks).
Grizzlies get: Marc Gasol, Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton, a 2008 1st round pick (Donte Greene) and a 2010 1st round pick (Greivis Vasquez).
Marc 16/8 Gasol is a top 15 player and has been for some time? What's the metric? I glanced at last year's VORP on BRef, and he wasn't top 20. His brother was though.Bill Simmons wrote in his book that the trade was the equivalent of trading 1980 Sly Stallone and getting a couple hookers and Frank back in return.
Marc Gasol is well on his way to being a HoF player if he stays healthy (its really easy to make the HoF) and is a Top 15 player in the NBA and has been for some time.
Gasol is also averaging 20-6-4 this year with 2.5 stocks and shooting 46/40/83 on nearly 4 3pa per game. The fact that VORP rated Pau head of Marc last year just proves that VORP isn't very accurate when comparing two players. He's been the best Center in basketball for a while now, is the smartest defensive big man and probably the best passer as well. He has been the best player on a team that has won 60 percent of their games since 2010, in a loaded conference.Marc 16/8 Gasol is a top 15 player and has been for some time? What's the metric? I glanced at last year's VORP on BRef, and he wasn't top 20. His brother was though.
Swap rights in 2016 AND 2017 to be precise. Though the odds of 2016 sixers being good was low, the free lottery balls in the event the Kings got lucky in the lottery make it have some value though.The Sixers - Sacramento trade is one of the worst I can think of.
Sacramento sent Stauskus, Landry, Jason Thompson, an unprotected 2019 first, and swap rights in 2017 for two second round picks.
Why? Because they didn't know about the stretch provision and wanted cap space to go after Wesley Matthews. Matthews then signed with Dallas.
I feel this deserves a bump after tonight.Too early to nominate the 28th pick in the 2016 draft for Isaiah Thomas?
The blow would have been softened if not for KAAAAAAAHN. One of the picks involved in the KG trade was Minny's 2009 1st rounder, which had previously been traded to the C's. Ended up at 6*, then Kahn traded Foye and Miller for #5 (nice move!), then this happened:KG for Big Al and garbage is certainly on the list.
In 1976 the Trailblazers selected the 21 year-old Moses Malone in the dispersal draft of the players from the old St. Louis ABA franchise-- but two months later they traded Malone to Buffalo for the draft pick that Buffalo used to select... Rick Robey.I think Rick Robey to the Suns for DJ was one of the great trades in Celtic history
Would gladly place a futures wager on this with you. Even perfect health, Marc Gasol is not making the HoF. Not happening.Bill Simmons wrote in his book that the trade was the equivalent of trading 1980 Sly Stallone and getting a couple hookers and Frank back in return.
Marc Gasol is well on his way to being a HoF player if he stays healthy (its really easy to make the HoF) and is a Top 15 player in the NBA and has been for some time.
You've got to come up with the money some other way -- take in a minority investor or something.That was the first year of the merger. Net owner Roy Boe couldn't afford entry into the NBA, which involved a payment to the league and another to the Knicks.
No, the worst was probably when Chamberlain was traded to the Sixers for Paul Neumann, Connie Dierking (who left the Warriors at the end of the season), and Lee Shaffer (who retired immediately).Not the worst, but pretty terrible.
The garbage included a big expiring contract and two first-round picks. For a 31 year-old with a no-trade clause and tons of mileage on his odometer. The trade worked out one-sidedly, in that Boston immediately won a title and Minny gave up on / mismanaged most of the assets they received -- but it wasn't super lopsided per se.KG for Big Al and garbage is certainly on the list.
Yeah you are correct. The management coaching around Wilt was tragic. It speaks to the immaturity of the NBA that maybe the greatest individual talent (I await the "Are you saying Lebron is the worst athlete of all time?! posts) was so poorly managed.No, the worst was probably when Chamberlain was traded to the Sixers for Paul Neumann, Connie Dierking (who left the Warriors at the end of the season), and Lee Shaffer (who retired immediately).
That trade has to put in context though. According to Dr. Jack, who was the GM at the time, Wilt indicated he would not play in Philly again, demanded a trade to the Lakers, and threatened to jump to the ABA if Sixers did not meet this demand. Hard to blame a GM for getting a limited return under those circumstances.Not the worst, but pretty terrible.
http://allball.blogs.nba.com/2015/07/02/throwback-thursday-wilt-chamberlain-traded-to-lakers/
By the end of the 1967-68 season, Wilt Chamberlain was coming off an MVP season and had just led the Philadelphia 76ers to a league-best 62 victories and the Eastern Conference finals (which Philly lost to the Boston Celtics in Game 7). That playoff loss marked the third time in the last four seasons the 76ers had been KO’d by the Celtics and Philadelphia’s management was ready for a change.
They sent Chamberlain across the country to the Los Angeles Lakers for Jerry Chambers, Archie Clark and Darrall Imhoff on July 9, 1968, but Chamberlain still had plenty of good basketball left in his tank. He spent his final five campaigns in Los Angeles and helped the Lakers to the NBA Finals four times in those five seasons. The most notable season was 1971-72, in which he scored only 14.8 points per game. But his contributions came in other forms. At age 35, he managed to grab 19.2 rebounds per contest and was selected to the NBA All-Defensive First Team. His 1971-72 Lakers won a then-record 69 games and Chamberlain was a force in The Finals against the New York Knicks, claiming Finals MVP honors.
Outside of Boston, the deal was considered a gift from Kevin McHale when it happened.The garbage included a big expiring contract and two first-round picks. For a 31 year-old with a no-trade clause and tons of mileage on his odometer. The trade worked out one-sidedly, in that Boston immediately won a title and Minny gave up on / mismanaged most of the assets they received -- but it wasn't super lopsided per se.
Reading various books some say Wilt was almost on the verge of suicide when Philly writers and fans turned on him. Jerry West called him the "unhappiest" guy he ever knew, even after his success in LA.That trade has to put in context though. According to Dr. Jack, who was the GM at the time, Wilt indicated he would not play in Philly again, demanded a trade to the Lakers, and threatened to jump to the ABA if Sixers did not meet this demand. Hard to blame a GM for getting a limited return under those circumstances.
But that had everything to do with the fact that McHale was a former Celtic and teammate of Ainge's, rather than what the Wolves actually got back for KG.Outside of Boston, the deal was considered a gift from Kevin McHale when it happened.
Wait. I'm confused. Indiana had the number one pick and when Bird said he was staying in college traded down and drafted Robey 3rd (Klay's dad went #1).In 1976 the Trailblazers selected the 21 year-old Moses Malone in the dispersal draft of the players from the old St. Louis ABA franchise-- but two months later they traded Malone to Buffalo for the draft pick that Buffalo used to select... Rick Robey.
He expressed it poorly, Portland traded Malone for a first round pick, which ended up the third pick in the '78 draft, which they in turn traded to Indiana in order to select Mychal Thompson #1. The Braves had Malone and McAdoo, but screwed the pooch by immediately sending Malone to Houston for draft picks.Wait. I'm confused. Indiana had the number one pick and when Bird said he was staying in college traded down and drafted Robey 3rd (Klay's dad went #1).
There's an argument to be made that Slick Leonard's management of that draft pick was one of the worst in history.