1973 NBA Trades

The ABA's Indiana Pacers brought back Bob Netolicky from the San Antonio Spurs in November 1973, giving up a draft choice and cash. Netolicky returned to a franchise where he had helped win titles and played 56 games that season, averaging 9.1 points and 5.9 rebounds. The Spurs received compensation for an established forward-center, but Indiana got the more visible basketball return.

On November 12, 1973, Houston traded Otto Moore to the Kansas City-Omaha Kings for Ron Riley. Moore played 65 regular-season games for the Kings that season, averaging 3.2 points and 3.1 rebounds. Riley logged 36 Houston games and 421 minutes after the swap. Kings Win, Kings C, Rockets D-; the team's present-day Sacramento slug refers to its Kansas City-Omaha era.

The 1973-10-30 exchange produced broadly comparable realized value: Connie Hawkins for Keith Erickson; 1974 second-round pick (#31-Fred Saunders).

The long-term value clearly favored Sacramento Kings: Houston received Matt Guokas from Sacramento Kings for Jimmy Walker.

Suns Win on draft flexibility. Phoenix earns B for two third-round selections, which later corresponded to 1974 No. 49 Earl Williams and 1975 No. 54 Bayard Forrest. The Capital Bullets, historically grouped under Washington's franchise record, get C+ for veteran Walt Wesley. The Suns' incoming rights weren't automatically two productive NBA roster players. On October 9, 1973, Phoenix traded veteran center Walt Wesley to the Capital Bullets for two future third-round selections. The 1974 choice later appeared at No. 49, associated wit

Atlanta traded Bob Christian to Phoenix on October 8, 1973, for draft compensation. The 1976 second-round right became associated with Bob Carrington, and the 1977 third-round right with Eddie Johnson. Both sides obtained legitimate assets, though later rights histories and the specific Eddie Johnson identity require care. The inherited Hawks Win grades Atlanta B+ and Phoenix C.

Philadelphia acquired Toby Kimball from the Kansas City-Omaha Kings for cash on September 28, 1973. Kimball appeared in 75 games, totaling 559 points and 552 rebounds in the 1973-74 season. The Kings received cash of an unverified amount, with no documented draft or player asset. Slight 76ers Edge, Philadelphia C+, Kansas City-Omaha C.

Lakers Win. Los Angeles receives A+ because Smith combined elite immediate defensive production with premium downstream trade utility. Buffalo receives A- because McMillian was a productive starter on a rising playoff team, making this far from a zero-return loss. The verdict is Lakers Win rather than a rout because the Braves converted Smith into real competitive value; the separation comes from Smith's second life as a Kareem-trade asset. Los Angeles received immediate value from Smith and then something much larger. Smith led the NBA in blocks in 1973-74, setting the still-standing single-game record of 17, and one year later he became one of the central players the Lakers sent to Milwaukee in the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar blockbuster. Because Smith himself was a direct outgoing asset in that later trade, the Kareem chain is legitimate downstream value rather than unrelated franchise history. The original exchange therefore supplied Los Angeles with both a high-level starting center and a bridge into the most important acquisition of its 1970s rebuild.

Chicago received Rick Adelman for 1974 second round pick (#34-Phil Lumpkin), cash and finished with a modest realized-value edge.

Chicago sent Garfield Heard / Gar Heard, rights to Kevin Kunnert for John Hummer, 1974 second round pick (#27-Leon Benbow), and the outgoing package produced materially greater realized value.

Chicago acquired John Tresvant from the Capital Bullets on September 4, 1973 for a future draft pick; the Bulls' official historical transaction guide also records cash in the package. Tresvant never appeared in a regular-season game for Chicago. He was waived on October 1 and did not play in the NBA again. The future pick remains unidentified in the reviewed team, league and executive ledgers, and the cash amount is unreported. Washington therefore receives a modest hindsight edge because it converted a departing veteran into two assets, while Chicago realized zero regular-season production.

Golden State sold Ron Williams' player rights to Milwaukee on August 24, 1973 for cash. The source-backed review corrects an legacy identity error that had attached the canonical asset to Fritz Williams; team, league and executive transaction ledgers all identify Ron Williams. He played 117 regular-season games for Milwaukee across two seasons, including 71 games for the 1973-74 team that reached the NBA Finals. The Bucks then traded Williams to the Lakers for a 1976 fifth-round pick that became James Rappis. Golden State's cash amount is unreported, so Milwaukee receives the hindsight edge on realized basketball value.

The Capital Bullets traded Stan Love to the Lakers on August 23, 1973 for Los Angeles' 1974 second-round pick, which became No. 22 Truck Robinson; the Lakers' official media guide and draft-trade records also identify cash in the package. Love played 81 NBA games for Los Angeles across parts of two seasons before being waived in February 1975. Robinson played 199 regular-season games for Washington, growing to 16.0 points and 8.9 rebounds before becoming part of a 1977 first-round-pick swap that returned Tom Henderson and the No. 4 pick used on Greg Ballard. Washington holds the clear hindsight edge.

Denver acquired Mike Green's ABA rights from Indiana on August 7, 1973 for an unidentified draft choice. Green immediately became a productive Rockets center, playing 79 games as a rookie and 81 more in 1974-75, when he averaged 17.4 points and 9.2 rebounds and made the ABA All-Star team. Denver then included Green with Mack Calvin and Jan van Breda Kolff in the July 1975 trade that brought back George Irvine and David Thompson's rights. The Pacers' draft return remains unresolved in the reviewed record, giving Denver the clear hindsight win.

The New York Nets acquired Julius Erving and Willie Sojourner from the Virginia Squires on July 31, 1973 for George Carter, Kermit Washington's ABA rights and cash. Erving then played all 252 Nets regular-season games across the ABA's final three seasons, won three straight league MVP awards and led New York to championships in 1974 and 1976. Sojourner added 161 games over two seasons. Virginia got an excellent 80-game season from Carter, but Washington never played for the Squires and the cash amount is unreported. The Nets receive an overwhelming hindsight win.

Golden State acquired Butch Beard from Seattle on July 25, 1973 for veteran guard Walt Hazzard, who was also known as Mahdi Abdul-Rahman. Beard played 161 regular-season games for the Warriors across two seasons, averaging 12.8 points and 4.2 assists while appearing in all 82 games for the 1974-75 NBA champions, then played all 17 postseason games during the title run. Hazzard played 49 games for Seattle in 1973-74 at 3.8 points and 2.5 assists per game, and that season ended his NBA career. Golden State receives the clear hindsight edge.

Cleveland sent John Johnson, Rick Roberson and the 1973 first-round pick that became No. 15 Barry Parkhill to Portland on April 24, 1973 for the No. 2 pick used on Jim Brewer and the No. 37 pick used on Jim O'Brien. Brewer became a six-season Cavaliers regular, playing 462 games and earning two All-Defensive Second Team selections. Portland received 158 games from Johnson and 69 from Roberson, then later traded both for additional assets; Parkhill chose the ABA and never played for Portland. The deal produced substantial value on both sides and remains best treated as broadly even.

Atlanta traded George Trapp to Detroit on April 13, 1973 for the Pistons' 1973 first-round pick, which the Hawks used at No. 9 on Dwight Jones. Jones played 215 regular-season games for Atlanta across three seasons, including 10.4 points and 9.3 rebounds per game in 1974-75, before the Hawks included him in a 1976 pick-swap trade with Houston. Trapp gave Detroit 242 games across parts of four seasons, including all 82 games in 1973-74, before being waived in October 1976. Both teams received useful multi-year forwards, with Atlanta holding a modest edge because Jones produced the stronger peak and retained trade value.

Philadelphia acquired Jeff Halliburton from Atlanta on January 26, 1973 for a 1973 third-round pick that became No. 36 Ted Manakas. Halliburton played 31 games for the 76ers after the trade, averaging 9.5 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 17.7 minutes. Atlanta drafted Manakas but waived him before he appeared in a Hawks game; Kansas City-Omaha later signed him as a free agent and he played five NBA games there. The 76ers receive the hindsight edge because Halliburton delivered an immediate rotation contribution while Atlanta's acquired pick produced no on-court value for the Hawks.

Kansas City-Omaha acquired John Block from Philadelphia on January 26, 1973 for Tom Van Arsdale and a 1974 third-round pick that became No. 42 Harvey Catchings. Block gave the Kings 107 regular-season games before New Orleans selected him in the 1974 expansion draft. Van Arsdale played 117 games for Philadelphia and averaged 19.6 points in 1973-74, while Catchings played 251 games for the 76ers before becoming part of a later trade package. Philadelphia also turned Van Arsdale into Clyde Lee and another third-round pick in 1974, giving the 76ers the stronger direct and downstream return.