1970 NBA Trades

Cleveland sent Johnny Egan to the San Diego Rockets on December 9, 1970 for Houston's 1971 third-round pick, which became Jackie Ridgle at No. 41, plus cash. Egan played 74 games for the Rockets franchise across the rest of 1970-71 and 1971-72, averaging 7.7 points and 4.5 assists per game across those two stops. Ridgle played 32 NBA games for Cleveland, averaging 1.8 points in 3.3 minutes. With the cash amount undisclosed, Cleveland's full return cannot be priced, but the documented basketball value favors the Rockets.

Baltimore acquired John Tresvant from the Lakers in November 1970 for a 1972 second-round pick that became No. 22 selection Paul Stovall. Tresvant gave the Bullets 187 regular-season games over three seasons and was especially useful during the 1971 Finals run, averaging 8.3 points and 7.4 rebounds across 18 playoff games. Los Angeles did recover downstream value: Stovall was traded to Phoenix for a 1974 second-round pick and another future pick, and the Lakers later used the 1974 pick in the Stan Love trade. Baltimore still received the stronger direct and postseason return, but the Lakers' side was far from empty.

Baltimore acquired Dorie Murrey from Portland on October 22, 1970 for a 1971 second-round pick that became No. 27 selection Rick Fisher. Murrey played 120 regular-season games for the Bullets over two seasons and appeared in 16 playoff games during Baltimore's run to the 1971 NBA Finals. Portland used the acquired pick exactly as traced, but Fisher never appeared in the NBA; his only major-league professional season consisted of 12 ABA games. That gives Baltimore the clearer realized return despite Murrey's limited offensive role.

Portland acquired Shaler Halimon from Chicago on October 20, 1970 for a 1971 second-round pick that became No. 20 selection Willie Sojourner. Halimon immediately played 79 games for the expansion Trail Blazers, averaging 8.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 20.6 minutes. Chicago correctly converted the pick into Sojourner, but he chose the ABA and never appeared in an NBA game; his four-year pro career came outside the Bulls. Portland waived Halimon the following summer, so the payoff was only one season, but that season still gives the Trail Blazers the documented edge.

Chicago acquired Matt Guokas from Philadelphia on October 16, 1970 for a 1971 second-round pick that became No. 33 selection Marvin Stewart. Guokas immediately played 78 games for a 51-win Bulls team, averaging 6.6 points and 4.4 assists in 28.3 minutes while also appearing in six playoff games. Philadelphia used the pick exactly as traced, but Stewart never appeared in an NBA game. Chicago later included Guokas in its May 1971 trade for Charlie Paulk, preserving some additional transaction value. The realized return gives the Bulls the clear edge.

Philadelphia acquired Connie Dierking and Fred Foster from Cincinnati on October 16, 1970 for Darrall Imhoff and a future draft choice. Foster became the strongest documented return, playing 140 games for the 76ers over two seasons and averaging 11.9 points in 1971-72. Dierking added 53 games in his final NBA season. Imhoff gave Cincinnati 43 games across two seasons before moving to Portland, while the draft choice sent with him remains unidentified in the surviving ledgers. Because that pick cannot be fully valued, Philadelphia's edge is meaningful but not overwhelming.

Kentucky acquired Walt Simon from the New York Nets on October 14, 1970 for a future draft choice. Simon became a four-season Colonels contributor, appearing in 314 regular-season games and averaging 8.9 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists for the franchise. He played all 84 games in 1970-71 as Kentucky reached the ABA Finals. The draft choice sent to New York remains unidentified in the surviving transaction ledgers, so the Nets' realized return cannot be fully traced. Even with that uncertainty, Kentucky's multi-year production gives the Colonels the documented edge.

Indiana acquired Warren Jabali from Kentucky on October 13, 1970 for a 1971 first-round pick and cash. Jabali gave the Pacers 62 regular-season games at 11.0 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game, plus 11 playoff appearances, before Indiana moved him the following September. The draft trail points to Virginia's No. 7 selection of Willie Sojourner, but the surviving transaction database labels that outcome only as probable. With useful short-term production on one side and meaningful draft-plus-cash value on the other, the existing even-trade verdict remains defensible.

Los Angeles acquired Pat Riley's player rights from Portland on October 7, 1970 after the expansion Trail Blazers had selected him from San Diego. Contemporary transaction ledgers describe the move as a sale, while a later Lakers media guide calls it a waiver claim. Riley nevertheless produced 296 regular-season games for Los Angeles and played all 15 playoff games during the 1972 championship run. With the cash figure unavailable and Portland receiving no lasting on-court asset from the transaction, the realized basketball value favors the Lakers.

Boston sold Jim Barnes's player rights to the Baltimore Bullets for cash on October 2, 1970. Barnes appeared in only 11 games for Baltimore, averaging 3.4 points and 1.5 rebounds in 9.1 minutes per game, before the Bullets waived him on November 13. The cash amount is not identified in the surviving transaction ledgers, but Boston converted a player near the end of his NBA career into consideration while Baltimore received only a brief bench stint. That gives the Celtics a small but defensible edge.

Denver traded Jeff Congdon to the Utah Stars on September 19, 1970 for a second-round draft choice. Congdon gave Utah 38 games at 7.7 points and 4.1 assists per game before the Stars moved him to the New York Nets in January 1971. The draft-pick return is confirmed as second-round compensation, but the surviving transaction ledgers do not identify the year or eventual player with enough certainty to trace Denver's realized value. The trade therefore remains ungraded.

Milwaukee acquired Lucius Allen and Bob Boozer from Seattle for Zaid Abdul-Aziz and reported cash of $100,000. The Bucks received immediate championship value: Boozer played 80 regular-season games and all 14 playoff games for the 1971 title team, while Allen grew into a productive multi-year guard who averaged 17.6 points and 5.2 assists in 1973-74. Seattle did get real value from Abdul-Aziz, especially his 13.8-point, 11.3-rebound 1971-72 season, so this was not a giveaway. Milwaukee still comes out ahead.

Boston sent a 1971 fifth-round pick to San Diego for Art Williams, turning the No. 78 selection that became Greg Nelson into four seasons of useful reserve point-guard play. Williams appeared in 303 regular-season games for the Celtics, posted 11.1 win shares in that span and remained on the roster through Boston's 1974 championship season. Nelson was drafted by the Rockets at No. 78 but never appeared in an NBA game. The low acquisition cost and durable rotation value make this a clear Celtics win.

The Nets acquired Rick Barry from Virginia for a 1971 first-round ABA draft choice and reported cash of roughly $200,000 to $250,000. Barry immediately became an elite scorer, averaging 29.4 and 31.5 points across his two New York seasons, making the ABA All-Star team both years and helping the Nets reach the 1972 ABA Finals. The pick was later routed to Denver and is recorded as the No. 5 selection tied to Cliff Meely. New York wins the value comparison, though Virginia received meaningful cash and premium draft capital.

The Nets turned a draft choice and undisclosed cash into Billy Paultz, a five-year cornerstone who played 404 games for the franchise, averaged 15.6 points and 11.2 rebounds, made two ABA All-Star teams as a Net and helped New York win the 1974 ABA championship. Virginia's exact draft-pick outcome and cash amount remain unidentified in the surviving transaction records, so its return cannot be fully priced. Even with that limitation, Paultz's sustained production and championship value give the Nets the clear edge.

Denver traded Walt Piatkowski's ABA rights to Kentucky on July 14, 1970 for future considerations that became Wayne Chapman on October 2. The return produced a clear, if modest, Denver edge. Chapman played 47 games for the Rockets, averaging 10.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 22.3 minutes before Denver included him in a February 1971 trade with Indiana. Piatkowski retired for the 1970-71 season and never played for Kentucky, later returning only briefly with the Floridians. Denver therefore realized the only direct playing value from the exchange.

On July 8, 1970, Phoenix traded the NBA rights to Columbia guard Heyward Dotson to New York for the Knicks' 1971 fifth-round pick. Phoenix used that pick at No. 84 on Holy Cross forward Bob Kissane. Neither return produced an NBA regular-season appearance: Dotson never played for the Knicks, while Kissane did not make the Suns after being drafted. With no realized NBA production or downstream asset value on either side, the retrospective result is an even trade.

This July 1, 1970 Seattle-Baltimore listing is retained only as legacy source provenance. Seattle had already lost Dorie Murrey to Portland in the May 11, 1970 expansion draft. Portland then traded Murrey to Baltimore on October 22, 1970 for a 1971 second-round pick, which Portland used on Rick Fisher. The July Seattle-Baltimore record is therefore not a separate NBA trade.

On June 20, 1970, the expansion Buffalo Braves acquired Nate Bowman and the rights to Mike Silliman from the New York Knicks. Basketball-Reference records the return as cash, while Buffalo and later Clippers media guides describe future considerations or a possible future draft choice, so the exact non-player consideration remains historically disputed. Bowman played 44 Buffalo games at 3.1 points and 3.9 rebounds per game; Silliman played 36 at 2.5 points and 1.7 rebounds. Their combined value was modest and lasted one season. With New York surrendering fringe depth for an uncertain non-player return, the fairest hindsight result is an even trade.

On June 18, 1970, Denver sent Larry Jones, Greg Wittman and a 1971 second-round pick to the Miami Floridians for Larry Cannon, Don Sidle and Miami's 1971 first-round pick, later No. 4 Ken Durrett. Cannon delivered an All-ABA season for Denver, averaging 26.6 points and 5.2 assists in 80 games, while Sidle added 54 games at 16.1 points and 9.0 rebounds. Jones gave the Floridians two productive seasons: 150 games, 21.4 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game, including an All-Star season in 1970-71. Denver never received ABA production from the Durrett pick. Florida's longer, higher aggregate realized return gives it the hindsight edge.

On June 17, 1970, Atlanta traded Gary Gregor to the expansion Portland Trail Blazers for Jerry Chambers. Chambers gave Atlanta one season, appearing in 65 games and averaging 8.9 points and 3.8 rebounds before being included with Walt Hazzard in a 1971 trade to Buffalo. Gregor gave Portland 126 games over two seasons, averaging 10.6 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists across that span. When Philadelphia signed Gregor as a veteran free agent in 1972, Portland also received a 1974 second-round compensation pick later used on Rubin Collins. Portland's longer direct production and small retained asset value produce the better hindsight return.

The Lakers reacquired Gail Goodrich from Phoenix for Mel Counts in May 1970, turning a one-for-one veteran trade into a core piece of the 1972 championship team. Goodrich played six more seasons in Los Angeles, made four consecutive All-Star teams from 1972 through 1975 and led the Lakers in scoring for four straight seasons. Counts was useful for Phoenix, appearing in 156 games over two seasons, including 80 games at 11.0 points and 6.3 rebounds in 1970-71. The value gap still strongly favors Los Angeles. Historical databases disagree by one day on the trade date, so the existing May 21 route is preserved with the May 20 evidence documented.

Phoenix traded Gail Goodrich to the Lakers for Mel Counts on May 20, 1970. Goodrich then played 466 regular-season games across six Lakers seasons, made four All-Star teams, earned 1974 All-NBA First Team honors and led Los Angeles in scoring on the 1972 championship team. Counts was not an empty return: he played 156 Suns games over two seasons, averaged 11.0 points and 6.3 rebounds in his first year, and Phoenix later traded him for a second-round pick and cash. The gap is enormous, but the Suns received more value than the legacy F suggested.

On May 11, 1970, the San Diego Rockets traded Jim Barnett to the expansion Portland Trail Blazers for Larry Siegfried. Barnett immediately became Portland's second-leading scorer, averaging 18.5 points in 78 games, while Siegfried gave San Diego 53 games and 6.5 assists per game before appearing in only 10 more games for the relocated Houston club. Portland then traded Barnett for three draft picks, including the 1972 second-rounder used on Dave Twardzik. The direct production and retained asset value give Portland the stronger hindsight return, although Siegfried was a useful starting playmaker for one season.

On May 11, 1970, the expansion Buffalo Braves traded veteran Bailey Howell to Philadelphia for Bob Kauffman and a 1971 second-round pick that Buffalo later used on Spencer Haywood at No. 30. Kauffman became the first major star in Braves history, making three straight All-Star teams while averaging 20.4, 18.9 and 17.5 points in his first three Buffalo seasons. Howell gave Philadelphia one productive final NBA season. The Haywood selection never produced a Buffalo appearance because he had already signed with Seattle and remained there after the litigation over his eligibility. Kauffman's four-year Buffalo run still makes the Braves the clear winner.

On April 23, 1970, Chicago traded Clem Haskins to Phoenix for Jim Fox and a 1971 second-round pick that became Howard Porter at No. 32 overall. Phoenix received four productive seasons and 319 regular-season games from Haskins, including 17.8 points and 4.7 assists per game in 1970-71. Chicago received 92 games from Fox and 110 from Porter, then used Fox in the November 1971 trade that brought Norm Van Lier back to the Bulls. Van Lier became a three-time All-Star during seven Chicago seasons. Phoenix won the direct player comparison, but Chicago's downstream return through Fox gives the Bulls the stronger long-term outcome.

Milwaukee acquired Oscar Robertson from the Cincinnati Royals for Flynn Robinson and Charlie Paulk, adding the veteran organizer who completed a 66-win championship team in his first season.

On April 15, 1970, the San Diego Rockets sold the player rights to Don Kojis to the Seattle SuperSonics. The reviewed transaction sources do not identify the sale price. Seattle received two useful seasons from Kojis: 79 games at 14.6 points and 5.5 rebounds per game in 1970-71, then 73 games at 11.4 points and 4.6 rebounds in 1971-72. San Diego's return was cash of an unknown amount, so its economic value cannot be reconstructed. The realized basketball value favors Seattle, which turned the purchased rights into 152 regular-season games from a proven veteran forward.

The ABA New York Nets acquired the rights to Jim McMillian from the Los Angeles Stars on March 24, 1970 for a future draft pick. Los Angeles had selected McMillian 15th overall in the 1970 ABA draft, but he instead joined the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers after they selected him 13th overall. McMillian therefore produced no ABA games for the Nets, despite becoming a productive nine-year NBA forward. The surviving transaction record does not identify the year, round or eventual player attached to New York's future pick. That uncertainty keeps the verdict narrow, with a slight Los Angeles edge for converting unused rights into draft capital.

Buffalo acquired Mike Davis and the 15th pick in the 1970 draft from Baltimore for the ninth pick on March 23, 1970. The No. 15 selection became John Hummer, who immediately started 81 games for the expansion Braves and averaged 11.3 points and 8.9 rebounds as a rookie. Davis added two useful Buffalo seasons. Baltimore used No. 9 on George E. Johnson, but he appeared in only 24 games for the Bullets as a rookie and never developed into a comparable return. In realized value, Buffalo won the exchange clearly.

Miami acquired George Lehmann from the New York Nets for cash on February 19, 1970. Lehmann immediately moved from a reserve role in New York into a major Floridians role, playing 25 games at 43.1 minutes, 17.9 points and 5.0 assists per game. Miami then traded him to Carolina in August for Rich Niemann, who supplied 51 games the next season. New York recovered an undisclosed cash payment after getting 46 games from Lehmann earlier that season. With the cash amount unknown, Miami gets only a modest hindsight edge for turning money into meaningful on-court production and a later player return.

San Francisco acquired the NBA rights to Zelmo Beaty from Atlanta on February 2, 1970 for its 1970 first-round pick and future consideration that ultimately became Clyde Lee. Atlanta used the third overall pick on Pete Maravich, who played 302 regular-season games for the Hawks over four seasons and became an All-Star and All-NBA guard. Lee was finally sent to Atlanta in October 1974 and played nine Hawks games before becoming part of another trade. Beaty never played an NBA game for the Warriors after the deal; he spent four seasons in the ABA and returned to the NBA with the Lakers. The realized value overwhelmingly favored Atlanta.

Detroit acquired Bob Quick and Baltimore's 1970 second-round pick on February 1, 1970 for Eddie Miles and Detroit's 1970 fourth-round pick. The second-rounder became Ken Warzynski, who never played in the NBA, while Baltimore used the fourth-rounder on Bill Stricker, whose NBA career lasted one game for Portland rather than Baltimore. Quick gave Detroit 93 regular-season games over parts of three seasons, including 56 games at 8.0 points and 4.1 rebounds in 1970-71. Miles gave Baltimore 66 games over parts of two seasons, including 63 games at 9.9 points during the Bullets' 1971 Finals run. The realized packages are close enough to support an even verdict.

Atlanta acquired Walt Bellamy from Detroit on February 1, 1970 for cash and future player consideration that was ultimately satisfied by John Arthurs. A complicated pre-draft obligation briefly pointed to Milwaukee's 1970 first-round pick and Gary Freeman, but Detroit did not receive Freeman; Arthurs replaced that route as the player consideration. Bellamy gave Atlanta 338 regular-season games through 1973-74, including four full seasons averaging at least 13 points and 9 rebounds. Arthurs never played an NBA game for Detroit, and the cash amount is undisclosed. The realized return therefore favored Atlanta by a wide margin.

Los Angeles acquired John Tresvant's player rights from Seattle on January 23, 1970 in a cash sale. Multiple Basketball-Reference team, league and executive ledgers agree on January 23, correcting the legacy January 21 TradeVerdicts date. Tresvant played 20 Lakers games that season and eight more in 1970-71 before Los Angeles traded him to Baltimore for a 1972 second-round pick that became Paul Stovall. Seattle's cash amount is undisclosed. The Lakers therefore received modest on-court value plus a later draft asset, giving Los Angeles a small realized-value edge without turning the transaction into a major win.

Chicago acquired Ed Manning from Baltimore for Al Tucker on January 5, 1970. The trade swapped two reserve forwards who both remained useful only in modest roles for their new clubs. Manning played 38 Bulls games after the deal, averaging 5.6 points and 5.2 rebounds in 16.2 minutes. Tucker played 28 games for Baltimore that season and 31 more in 1970-71, for 59 Bullets appearances in all. Neither player became a long-term piece for the acquiring team, and neither side created meaningful downstream asset value. The completed returns remain close enough to support an even verdict.