1981 NBA Trades

Los Angeles acquired Bob McAdoo from New Jersey on December 24, 1981 for cash and a 1983 second-round pick that became No. 46 Kevin Williams. McAdoo played 224 regular-season games for the Lakers over four seasons and became a major reserve on the 1982 and 1985 championship teams. New Jersey never used the pick itself: in June 1983 the Nets sent it with Fred Roberts to San Antonio as compensation for signing coach Stan Albeck. Albeck went 87-77 over two Nets seasons and reached the playoffs both years, including a 1984 first-round upset of defending champion Philadelphia. The pick therefore retained real transaction utility, but McAdoo's four-year championship contribution gives Los Angeles a decisive win.

San Antonio acquired Mike Mitchell and Roger Phegley from Cleveland on December 23, 1981 for Ron Brewer, Reggie Johnson and cash. Mitchell became the centerpiece, playing 488 regular-season games for the Spurs through 1987-88 and starting 417, including 57 starts immediately after the trade in 1981-82. Phegley added 116 Spurs games over two seasons. Cleveland received 68 games and 59 starts from Brewer plus 23 games and 22 starts from Johnson, then turned Johnson into Cliff Robinson, who played 180 Cavaliers games with 174 starts over parts of three seasons. Cleveland recovered substantial value, but Mitchell's long run as San Antonio's high-volume scoring forward still gives the Spurs the stronger outcome.

Denver sold Ronnie Valentine's player rights to Washington on December 17, 1981 for cash. The Nuggets, Bullets and league transaction ledgers agree on the rights sale, but none of the reviewed public sources identifies the payment amount. Valentine never appeared in a regular-season game for Washington and his NBA career ended with the 24 games he had played for Denver in 1980-81. The Bullets therefore received zero on-court production, while Denver received an unquantified financial return. Because the cash figure is unavailable, the transaction remains Insufficient Evidence rather than receiving a speculative hindsight grade.

Chicago purchased Tracy Jackson's player rights from Boston on December 9, 1981 for cash. Jackson played 38 regular-season games for the Bulls in 1981-82, all off the bench, then returned for 78 games and three starts in 1982-83. Across those two Chicago seasons he produced 116 regular-season games, three starts and 662 points before finishing his NBA career with Indiana. Boston received a tangible cash return for a player who had appeared only 11 times for the Celtics, but the public amount is not identified in the reviewed sources. Chicago therefore received the stronger realized basketball value from a small transaction.

New Jersey acquired James Bailey from Seattle on November 25, 1981 for Ray Tolbert and a 1984 second-round pick that became No. 39 Danny Young. Bailey played 73 regular-season games for the Nets, all off the bench, before being traded to Houston for two second-round picks. Seattle received 97 regular-season games and two starts from Tolbert, then used the No. 39 pick on Young, who played 235 regular-season games for the SuperSonics across four seasons with 55 starts. Young became a useful backcourt piece and Seattle later spent an expansion-draft asset to protect him. The Sonics' direct player return was clearly stronger, though Bailey's later flip preserved some value for New Jersey.

Detroit acquired Vinnie Johnson from Seattle on November 23, 1981 for Greg Kelser. Johnson became a 10-season Pistons fixture, playing 798 regular-season games, starting 164, scoring 10,146 points and serving as a central reserve on the franchise's 1989 and 1990 championship teams. Kelser gave Seattle two useful seasons, playing 129 regular-season games with 19 starts before becoming one piece of the 1983 multi-asset trade that brought Tom Chambers and Al Wood to the SuperSonics. Seattle received legitimate value, but Johnson's decade of production and championship impact makes Detroit the overwhelming winner.

Kansas City acquired Mike Woodson and a 1982 first-round pick from New Jersey on November 12, 1981 for veteran center Sam Lacey. Woodson became a long-term franchise scorer, playing 387 regular-season games for the Kings across Kansas City and the first Sacramento season, starting 143 and averaging at least 14 points in each full season from 1981-82 through 1985-86. The No. 17 pick became Brook Steppe, who added 62 games and six starts for Kansas City as a rookie. Lacey played only 54 regular-season games for New Jersey with six starts before moving to Cleveland. The Kings received 449 direct franchise games from Woodson and Steppe against 54 from Lacey, producing a decisive Kansas City win.

New Jersey purchased Len Elmore's player rights from Milwaukee on November 2, 1981. Basketball-Reference describes Milwaukee as selling the rights, while the legacy source package identifies the consideration as future considerations/cash; the public dollar amount is not specified. Elmore played 155 regular-season games for the Nets across two seasons, starting 70, and averaged 9.1 points and 5.4 rebounds in 1981-82 as New Jersey reached the playoffs. Milwaukee received cash for a player it no longer used, but the Nets obtained two seasons of rotation value and the stronger realized return.

Milwaukee signed veteran free agent Bob Dandridge on November 2, 1981 after Washington relinquished its right-of-first-refusal claim, with the Bullets receiving a 1982 fifth-round pick and cash as compensation in the canonical source package. Dandridge's return to Milwaukee lasted only 11 regular-season games, all off the bench, before the Bucks waived him on November 25. Washington used the No. 112 pick on Jerry Davis, who never appeared in an NBA regular-season game. The draft asset itself produced no basketball value, but Washington still received cash while Milwaukee received only 11 limited games, leaving a slight Bullets edge rather than a major win.

San Antonio acquired Mike Bratz from Cleveland on October 28, 1981 for a 1983 third-round pick that became No. 66 Les Craft. Bratz played 81 regular-season games for the Spurs, started three, averaged 7.7 points and 5.4 assists, and appeared in all nine of San Antonio's 1982 playoff games. Cleveland drafted Craft in 1983 but immediately packaged his rights with Larry Anderson to San Diego for a 1985 second-round pick that became No. 30 Calvin Duncan. Duncan never played in the NBA and was later included with Charles Oakley in another draft-night trade. The pick retained downstream transaction utility, but San Antonio received the much stronger direct basketball return.

New Jersey signed restricted veteran free agent Ray Williams on October 25, 1981 after New York declined its right of first refusal, with Maurice Lucas going to the Knicks as compensation. Williams played all 82 games for the Nets, started 69 and averaged 20.4 points, 6.0 assists and 2.4 steals while helping a 24-win team improve to 44-38 and reach the playoffs. Lucas played 80 games for New York, started 74 and averaged 15.8 points and 11.3 rebounds. Both were productive one-season starters before moving on, making the realized exchange unusually balanced.

Washington acquired John Lucas from Golden State on October 19, 1981 for two second-round picks. Lucas played 114 regular-season games for the Bullets across parts of two seasons, starting 53 and averaging 7.0 assists in his first Washington year. Golden State used the 1982 No. 35 pick on Derek Smith, who played 27 games for the Warriors before being waived, and the 1984 No. 30 pick on Steve Burtt, who played 47 Warriors games. The two picks therefore produced 74 Golden State games and zero starts, while Lucas supplied 114 Washington games and 53 starts. The direct realized value favors Washington.

Indiana acquired Butch Carter from the Lakers on October 15, 1981 for a 1982 third-round pick that became No. 54 Hutch Jones. Carter played 229 regular-season games for the Pacers over three seasons, starting 82 and developing from a reserve into a 13.4-point-per-game starter by 1983-84. Los Angeles drafted Jones at No. 54 but waived him before the 1982-83 season, so he never appeared in a Lakers regular-season game. Jones later played 13 NBA games for San Diego, which are not credited to Los Angeles. Indiana therefore turned a third-round pick into three years of rotation and starting value while the Lakers received zero direct NBA games.

Atlanta signed veteran free agent Mike Glenn on October 12, 1981 and sent New York a 1982 second-round pick as compensation after the Knicks declined to exercise their right of first refusal. Glenn played 263 regular-season games for the Hawks over four seasons, starting nine and averaging 7.7 points in his first Atlanta year. New York used the No. 34 pick on Vince Taylor, who played 31 NBA games, all for the Knicks, and averaged 3.1 points. Atlanta therefore received four seasons of dependable bench scoring while New York got one brief rookie season, giving the Hawks the clear realized-value edge.

Chicago purchased Terry Stotts' NBA rights from Houston for cash on October 2, 1981. The Bulls' official transaction history says they acquired the rights that day, signed Stotts shortly afterward and waived him on October 12, before the regular season began. Stotts never appeared in an NBA regular-season game. Houston therefore converted unused rights to a 1980 second-round pick into cash, while Chicago paid for a player who produced zero NBA games. The cash amount is not publicly identified in the reviewed sources, so the scale is modest and the Rockets' advantage is based on realized value rather than a known financial figure.

Chicago acquired Johnny High from Phoenix around September 30-October 1, 1981 for the Bulls' 1983 third-round pick, later No. 52 Winfred King. Basketball-Reference places the trade on September 30, while the Bulls' official media guide and RealGM list October 1; this review preserves the canonical October 1 date and records the one-day source discrepancy. High never played a regular-season game for Chicago and was waived on October 20. Phoenix later included the incoming pick in the June 1983 Dennis Johnson trade with Boston; the Celtics ultimately used No. 52 on King, who never appeared in an NBA regular-season game. Phoenix therefore received the better realized outcome because the pick retained trade utility while Chicago got zero games.

Detroit acquired Jeff Judkins from Utah on October 1, 1981 for a 1982 third-round pick that became No. 55 Jerry Eaves. Judkins played 30 regular-season games for the Pistons, made no starts and averaged 2.6 points before leaving after one season. Eaves played all 82 games for Utah as a rookie, averaged 9.3 points and 2.6 assists, then added 80 more games the following year. The Jazz therefore received 162 regular-season games and eight starts from the pick against Detroit's 30 games and zero starts from Judkins, giving Utah a decisive realized-value win.

The September 25, 1981 Brad Branson rights transaction carries a genuine source conflict. RealGM's Dallas ledger, Branson's player transaction history and Detroit's draft-history page say Detroit sent Branson's draft rights to Dallas; Dallas signed him five days later and waived him on October 26 without an NBA appearance. Basketball-Reference's Dallas, Detroit and league ledgers reverse the direction and describe Dallas selling Branson's rights to Detroit. The canonical source package records Dallas receiving Branson for a future 1984 third-round obligation whose final outcome is not identified. Because Branson produced no Mavericks games and the future-pick branch has no verified NBA return, this review grades the transaction as an even, low-value result while preserving the source disagreement.

Milwaukee acquired Geoff Crompton from Portland on September 24, 1981 for a 1982 third-round pick. Crompton played 35 regular-season games for the Bucks in 1981-82, starting once and providing reserve center depth for a 55-win team. Portland used the No. 66 pick on Alabama center Phillip Lockett, who never appeared in an NBA regular-season game. The return was small in scale, but Milwaukee received actual NBA minutes while Portland's pick produced none.

Kansas City acquired Larry Drew from Detroit on August 26, 1981 for two second-round picks. Drew played 376 regular-season games for the Kings franchise over five seasons, starting 263 and peaking at 20.1 points and 8.1 assists per game in 1982-83. Detroit did not directly draft Dave Magley or Tony Costner with the incoming picks; it rerouted the 1982 pick in the package that brought Bill Laimbeer and Kenny Carr, and later rerouted the 1984 pick in a package that brought Ray Tolbert. The picks retained trade utility, but Drew's long, productive Kings tenure gives Kansas City the stronger realized return.

Dallas acquired Allan Bristow and Wayne Cooper from Utah for Bill Robinzine on August 20, 1981. Bristow played 119 regular-season games for the Mavericks across two seasons, including 54 starts, while Cooper added 76 games and 38 starts in 1981-82 before becoming part of a later trade package. Robinzine played 56 games with nine starts for Utah in what became his final NBA season. Dallas therefore received 195 direct regular-season games and 92 starts against Utah's 56 games and nine starts, producing a clear Mavericks win.

Atlanta acquired Rory Sparrow and a 1985 fourth-round pick from New Jersey for a 1982 fourth-round pick. Sparrow immediately became the Hawks' starting point guard, playing and starting 131 regular-season games across parts of two seasons before Atlanta traded him to New York. The 1985 pick became No. 84 John Battle, who then played 416 regular-season games for Atlanta over six seasons. New Jersey used the incoming No. 80 pick on James Griffin, who never appeared in an NBA regular-season game. The Hawks therefore turned one fourth-round pick into both a starting guard and a long-tenured rotation player, producing a decisive Atlanta win.

Los Angeles secured Washington's agreement not to exercise its right of first refusal on veteran free agent Mitch Kupchak, while the Bullets received Jim Chones, Brad Holland, a 1982 second-round pick and a 1983 first-round pick. Kupchak played 173 regular-season games for the Lakers across four seasons, started 26 games in 1981-82 and was part of the 1982 and 1985 championship teams despite major knee injuries. Washington received 59 Chones games, 13 Holland games, 32 Mike Gibson games and then converted the Randy Wittman pick into Tom McMillen, who played 187 Bullets games. Both sides realized substantial value, making an even verdict more accurate than a one-sided grade.

New York traded the rights to Tom Barker to Portland on August 4, 1981 for a 1982 third-round pick. Barker had last played in the NBA in 1978-79 and never appeared for Portland, so the Trail Blazers received no regular-season games from the acquired rights. New York kept the pick and used No. 57 on Illinois guard Craig Tucker, who also never played an NBA regular-season game. The deal therefore produced zero direct NBA games for either side. With neither asset generating documented downstream NBA value, the fairest retrospective result is an even, low-impact exchange.

Cleveland acquired James Silas and the rights to Rich Yonakor from San Antonio on June 16, 1981 for a 1982 second-round pick; the frozen Cavaliers package also lists cash, although Basketball-Reference's public transaction ledgers omit that term. Silas played 67 games and started 34 for Cleveland in 1981-82, averaging 11.2 points and 3.3 assists before a back injury ended his career. Cleveland waived Yonakor's rights, and he later signed back with San Antonio as a free agent. The Spurs used the No. 24 pick on Oliver Robinson, who played 35 games. Cleveland captured the stronger documented basketball return.

New Jersey sold Edgar Jones' player rights to Detroit on June 11, 1981 for cash or future considerations whose amount is not identified in the reviewed public ledgers. Jones gave the Pistons 97 regular-season games across parts of two seasons, including 44 starts, before Detroit traded him to San Antonio for a 1984 second-round pick and a 1985 third-round pick. Those selections became Eric Turner and Andre Goode, neither of whom played an NBA regular-season game. Detroit still received the stronger documented basketball return because Jones supplied two useful seasons while the Nets' cash value cannot be quantified.

New Jersey traded veteran scorer Mike Newlin to New York on June 10, 1981 for rookie guard Mike Woodson. Newlin gave the Knicks 76 games and 32 starts in 1981-82, averaging 9.3 points and 2.2 assists in the final season of his NBA career. Woodson played only seven games for the Nets before New Jersey packaged him with a 1982 first-round pick to Kansas City for Sam Lacey. Lacey then played 54 Nets games, but the incoming center cannot be credited entirely to Woodson because the first-round pick was a substantial additional asset. New York produced the clearer direct return.

Chicago traded the rights to 1981 second-round pick Mike Olliver to Indiana on June 10, 1981 for the rights to Ray Blume plus a 1982 second-round pick. Olliver never played an NBA regular-season game. Blume played 49 games for the Bulls in 1981-82, while the future pick became No. 31 Rod Higgins. Higgins then played 233 regular-season games for Chicago across his first three full seasons plus a brief 1985-86 return, including 82 games and 42 starts as a rookie. Chicago turned draft rights with no NBA return into two rotation players and 282 combined games.

New Jersey traded Cliff Robinson to Kansas City on June 8, 1981 for Otis Birdsong and a 1981 second-round pick. Birdsong became a seven-season Nets guard, playing 375 regular-season games and making the 1984 All-Star team while averaging 15.9 points during his New Jersey tenure. The incoming second-rounder was not used by the Nets; it was immediately routed to Washington to complete the 1980 Roger Phegley trade. Kansas City received 38 Robinson games at 20.2 points and 8.5 rebounds, then traded him for Reggie Johnson, who played 81 Kings games before being moved for cash. Both sides realized value, but Birdsong made this a clear Nets win.

Atlanta and Chicago swapped 1981 first-round positions on June 8, 1981, with the Hawks moving to No. 4 for Al Wood and adding the No. 38 second-round pick while the Bulls received No. 6 Orlando Woolridge plus Atlanta's 1982 second-rounder. The attached 1982 first-round swap option was not exercised. Wood played only 19 Hawks games before Atlanta packaged him with Charlie Criss for Freeman Williams, while Clyde Bradshaw never played an NBA regular-season game. Woolridge played 354 regular-season games for Chicago over five seasons and developed into a 20-point scorer. Ricky Frazier never reached the NBA. Chicago won the exchange decisively.

Cleveland completed its June 8, 1981 Scott Wedman signing by sending Kansas City the 1981 first-round pick that became No. 17 Kevin Loder, while the Cavaliers also received the No. 36 second-round pick later used on Ray Blume. Wedman played 89 Cleveland games and averaged 18.1 points in his final 35 before the Cavaliers traded him straight up for Darren Tillis and another first-round pick. Cleveland immediately routed the No. 36 pick to Indiana as part of the separate James Edwards compensation package. Loder played 147 Kansas City games before being waived in 1983. Both sides got value, but Cleveland's Wedman branch was stronger.

Cleveland's James Edwards compensation package sent Indiana the 1981 second-round pick used on Ray Blume and a 1982 second-rounder later used on Guy Morgan. Basketball-Reference dates Edwards' restricted-free-agent signing to May 25, 1981, while the frozen canonical record places the compensation package on June 8. Edwards played 92 Cavaliers regular-season games, including 77 starts at 16.7 points and 7.5 rebounds in 1981-82. Indiana immediately traded Blume's rights with another future second-round pick for Mike Olliver, who never played an NBA game, while Morgan appeared in only eight Pacers games. Cleveland clearly captured more realized value.

Golden State acquired veteran guard Mike Gale from Portland on June 8, 1981 for two future second-round picks. Gale started 70 of 75 Warriors games in 1981-82, averaging 5.6 points, 3.5 assists and 1.6 steals before his NBA career ended. Portland used the 1982 pick on Audie Norris, who played 187 Trail Blazers games over three seasons, and the 1985 pick on Mike Smrek. Portland immediately traded Smrek's rights to Chicago for Ben Coleman and Ken Johnson; Johnson then played 64 games for the Blazers while Coleman never appeared for them. Portland's two-pick return produced the stronger realized value.

Houston reacquired franchise icon Elvin Hayes from Washington on June 8, 1981 for two second-round picks. Hayes played 244 regular-season games over three final Rockets seasons, starting all 82 games in 1981-82 and averaging 16.1 points and 9.1 rebounds before retiring in 1984. Washington used the 1981 pick on Charles Davis, who played 178 Bullets games across parts of four seasons. The 1983 second-rounder was later sent with a separate 1985 second to Chicago as compensation for Ricky Sobers, so its downstream value was shared. Washington received useful depth, but Houston captured the stronger realized return.

Indiana traded Dudley Bradley to Phoenix on June 8, 1981 for two second-round picks and, most importantly, Phoenix surrendering its option to swap 1983 first-round picks with the Pacers. Bradley played 64 Suns games before leaving as a veteran free agent. Indiana got no NBA games from No. 37 Al Leslie and 63 games from No. 43 Jose Slaughter, but the relinquished swap became enormous: Indiana's 1983 first landed No. 2 and became Steve Stipanovich, who played 403 Pacers games, while Phoenix's original first landed No. 21. Preserving that premium pick makes Indiana the clear hindsight winner.

Indiana acquired veteran center Tom Owens from Portland on June 5, 1981 for an unprotected 1984 first-round pick. Owens played 74 games for the Pacers in 1981-82, starting 40 and averaging 10.5 points and 5.0 rebounds, then Indiana traded him to Detroit for a 1984 second-round pick. Portland's incoming first became the No. 2 selection in 1984 and Sam Bowie, who played 139 regular-season games for the Trail Blazers before being packaged with another first-round pick for Buck Williams. The grade does not rely on a Michael Jordan counterfactual: Portland simply received a premium No. 2 asset and the stronger realized value.

Cleveland traded veteran guard Randy Smith to New York on May 20, 1981 for a 1981 first-round pick. Smith played all 82 games for the Knicks in 1981-82, starting 40 and averaging 10.0 points and 3.1 assists before leaving as a veteran free agent the following fall. Cleveland did not use the No. 17 pick on Kevin Loder. Nineteen days after acquiring it, the Cavaliers sent that exact first-rounder to Kansas City as compensation for signing Scott Wedman. Wedman played 89 Cleveland games, then was traded straight up to Boston for Darren Tillis and a 1983 first-round pick. Cleveland's clean downstream chain gives it the stronger realized return.

Cleveland traded Chad Kinch and a 1985 first-round pick to Dallas on February 7, 1981 for Geoff Huston and a 1983 third-round pick. Huston became a four-season Cavaliers point guard, playing 260 regular-season games after the trade and starting 178 over his final three Cleveland seasons. The third-round pick became Larry Anderson, who never played an NBA regular-season game. Dallas received only 12 games from Kinch, but the first-rounder became No. 8 Detlef Schrempf, who played 264 regular-season games and 29 playoff games for the Mavericks before Dallas later packaged him with a second-rounder for Herb Williams. Dallas wins on the premium pick, though Cleveland's Huston return was substantial.

Atlanta acquired rookie point guard Wes Matthews from Washington on January 17, 1981 for rookie wing Don Collins. Matthews played 145 regular-season games for the Hawks across parts of three seasons, including 34 games at 12.5 points and 6.2 assists immediately after the trade. Washington received 178 regular-season games from Collins across parts of three seasons, including 79 games in 1981-82 and 65 in 1982-83. Atlanta later included Matthews with Kevin Figaro in a 1983 trade for a second-round pick that became Cedric Henderson, so that downstream value is diluted. Washington gets the slight edge on the longer direct return.