1983 NBA Trades

Detroit acquired Philadelphia's restricted free-agent rights to Earl Cureton on November 12, 1983 for two future second-round picks and cash. Cureton became a durable Pistons reserve, playing 234 regular-season games across three seasons with 20 starts, 4,566 minutes, 1,376 points and 1,210 rebounds. Philadelphia's 1989 pick became No. 54 Toney Mack, who never played an NBA regular-season game. The 76ers used the 1990 pick as compensation to sign World B. Free in 1986, but Free lasted only 20 Philadelphia games. Detroit received far more direct and sustained value.

Philadelphia acquired Sam Williams from Golden State on November 12, 1983 for a 1984 second-round pick that became No. 45 Gary Plummer. Williams immediately became a useful 76ers reserve, playing 70 games with 12 starts in 1983-84 and 46 more with eight starts in 1984-85. Across two seasons he gave Philadelphia 116 games, 20 starts and 1,863 minutes. Golden State used the pick on Plummer, who played 66 games and 702 minutes as a rookie before leaving the NBA for several seasons. Both sides received usable depth, but Philadelphia got the larger and longer direct return.

Philadelphia traded Mark McNamara to San Antonio on November 4, 1983 for a 1988 second-round pick. McNamara gave the Spurs 82 games across parts of two seasons, including 70 games, 1,037 minutes, 388 points and 317 rebounds in 1983-84. Philadelphia waited nearly five years, selected Everette Stephens at No. 31, then immediately traded Stephens to Indiana for Ron Anderson. Anderson became a major 76ers reserve and scorer, playing 393 games over five seasons and averaging 16.2 points in his first Philadelphia year. San Antonio got useful center depth, but Philadelphia ultimately extracted much more downstream value.

Indiana traded Hank McDowell to the San Diego Clippers on October 26, 1983 for a 1988 third-round pick. McDowell immediately gave San Diego 57 games, 611 minutes, 208 points and 155 rebounds in 1983-84. Indiana held the future pick and used it at No. 73 in 1988 on Michael Anderson, but the Pacers waived Anderson before he played a regular-season game; his only NBA season came later with San Antonio. The Clippers therefore received a full season of reserve frontcourt play while Indiana's eventual draft selection produced zero Pacers games, making San Diego the clear winner.

Seattle acquired Reggie King from Kansas City on October 26, 1983 for a 1985 second-round pick. King immediately became a starter, playing 77 games with 42 starts in 1983-84 and another 60 games in 1984-85. Kansas City did not keep the pick until draft night; in February 1984 it included the selection, which eventually became No. 28 Ken Johnson, in the multi-asset package that brought Reggie Theus from Chicago. Both sides extracted useful value, but Seattle received 137 direct games for one second-rounder while the Kings' return was only one component of the larger Theus deal, giving the SuperSonics a slight edge.

New Jersey acquired Reggie Johnson from Philadelphia on October 25, 1983 for Eddie Phillips, Horace Owens and a 1987 second-round pick that became No. 43 Andrew Kennedy. Johnson gave the Nets 72 games, four starts, 818 minutes and 346 points in 1983-84, helping a 45-win team reach the second round of the playoffs. Philadelphia waived both Phillips and Owens two days after the trade, and Kennedy never appeared in an NBA regular-season game. With all three Philadelphia branches producing zero NBA games for the 76ers, the Nets won by securing one useful season from Johnson.

Atlanta sent guard Keith Edmonson to San Antonio for cash in October 1983. Edmonson had little established NBA playing value, and Atlanta received a financial return instead of another roster player. The inherited slight Hawks edge awards C+ to Atlanta and C to San Antonio.

Detroit traded Ricky Pierce to the San Diego Clippers on October 17, 1983 for the 1986 and 1987 second-round picks San Diego had acquired from the Lakers one week earlier. Detroit did not keep either pick: the Pistons immediately sent both to Phoenix for David Thirdkill. Thirdkill played 56 regular-season games for Detroit across 1983-84 and 1984-85, totaling 406 minutes and 106 points before he was waived. Pierce gave San Diego 69 games, 35 starts and 685 points in 1983-84, then became part of the 1984 package for Marques Johnson. The Clippers received the better realized return.

Detroit sent Phoenix two future second-round picks on October 17, 1983 for forward David Thirdkill. The Pistons had acquired those picks from San Diego earlier the same day for Ricky Pierce. Thirdkill gave Detroit only 46 games, no starts and 77 points in 1983-84 before being waived in November 1984. Phoenix used the 1986 pick at No. 46 on Jeff Hornacek, who became a six-season Suns starter and 1992 All-Star, then was a central piece of the Charles Barkley trade. The 1987 pick became Bruce Dalrymple, who never played in the NBA. Hornacek alone makes this a decisive Phoenix win.

Utah sold Ben Poquette's player rights to Cleveland for cash on October 14, 1983. Poquette went on to play 248 regular-season games for the Cavaliers over parts of four seasons, with 79 appearances in 1984-85 and 81 in 1985-86. Utah received cash of an undisclosed amount. Cavaliers Win, Cleveland A-, Utah C; the previous Jazz-favored verdict and grade contradicted the source-verified receiving-team value.

The Lakers acquired the draft rights to Byron Scott and veteran center Swen Nater from the San Diego Clippers on October 10, 1983 for Norm Nixon, Eddie Jordan and two future second-round picks. Scott immediately became a Lakers rotation guard and went on to start for three championship teams, while Nater played only 17 games. San Diego still received real value: Nixon was an All-Star in 1985 and gave the Clippers three strong seasons, and the two picks were flipped a week later for rookie Ricky Pierce. The Lakers nevertheless won because Scott became a long-term championship starter whose peak impact exceeded the Clippers' return.

Indiana and Portland Trail Blazers produced broadly comparable realized value in the 1983-10-07 exchange.

Clippers Win, narrowly. The San Diego Clippers, indexed under today's Los Angeles franchise, receive B- for Wes Matthews Sr. and Kevin Figaro. Atlanta earns C+ for a conditional second that became associated with 1986 No. 32 Cedric Henderson. Neither Matthews's prior career nor a future draft name is counted as guaranteed new receiving-team NBA production. On October 6, 1983, the San Diego Clippers acquired Wes Matthews Sr. and Kevin Figaro from Atlanta. The Hawks received a conditional second-round selection that later became associ

Bucks Win by a modest financial and draft-rights edge. Milwaukee earns B- for cash and a 1984 sixth-round pick later associated with No. 120 McKinley Singleton. Houston gets C for Milwaukee's decision not to exercise matching rights on Phil Ford. Ford's earlier NBA peak and Singleton's uncertain future aren't counted as guaranteed receiving-team production. On October 5, 1983, Houston reached an agreement under which Milwaukee declined to exercise its right of first refusal on restricted free agent Phil Ford. The Rockets supplied cash

Denver traded Billy McKinney to the San Diego Clippers for Richard Anderson on October 4, 1983. Both players spent the 1983-84 season with their new clubs, but Anderson provided the stronger direct return: 78 games, 17 starts, 1,380 minutes, 663 points and 406 rebounds for Denver, compared with McKinney's 80 games, zero starts, 843 minutes and 311 points for San Diego. Anderson averaged 8.5 points and 5.2 rebounds in 17.7 minutes, while McKinney averaged 3.9 points in 10.5 minutes. The exchange was useful for both sides, but Denver received the more substantial rotation piece.

Denver acquired conditional future considerations (details unresolved) from Houston Rockets for James Ray (b).

Bulls Win, slightly. Chicago earns C+ for converting its decision not to match Mike Bratz into a 1984 fourth-round choice, later No. 77 Mark Halsel. Golden State gets C for obtaining a clear route to a veteran guard. No existing player contract was traded for Halsel, and the fourth-round position wasn't a guaranteed Bulls rotation contributor. Chicago's September 30, 1983 agreement allowed Golden State to pursue restricted free agent Mike Bratz without the Bulls invoking their right of first refusal. In exchange, Chicago

Atlanta obtained permission to sign Billy Paultz after San Antonio agreed not to exercise its free-agent right of first refusal in September 1983. The Spurs received a future second-round pick linked to No. 54 Sam Mitchell in 1985. The inherited Spurs Win grades San Antonio B+ and Atlanta C+.

Denver acquired Kenny Dennard from the Kansas City Kings in September 1983 for a 1985 third-round pick that became No. 66 Michael Adams. Dennard played 43 games for the Nuggets in 1983-84 before Denver waived him in February, giving the Nuggets 413 minutes of reserve frontcourt play. Kansas City/Sacramento later used the pick on Adams, but he appeared in only 18 games and 139 minutes for the Kings before being waived in December 1985. Adams became an excellent NBA point guard later, but almost all of that value came after he left the franchise. On direct realized team value, Denver holds a narrow edge.

A 1983 three-team transaction sent Ray Williams to New York, Vince Taylor and the 1984 first-round selection that became Vern Fleming to Indiana, and cash to the Kansas City Kings franchise. Fleming developed into a long-serving Pacers guard, explaining Indiana's inherited win despite Williams's prior Knicks history. The grades are Indiana A-, New York B- and the Kings C+.

On September 6, 1983, Cleveland sent a 1987 second-round draft choice to Portland for Linton Townes. Townes did not appear in an NBA game for the Cavaliers; he later made two appearances each for Milwaukee and San Diego in 1983-84. Portland held the pick and selected Lester Fonville at No. 29 in 1987, but Fonville never played an NBA regular-season game. Even Trade, C- each, because neither acquired asset supplied NBA minutes for the receiving club.

Houston signed restricted free agent Lewis Lloyd on August 29, 1983 after Golden State declined to match, sending the Warriors a 1985 second-round pick as compensation. Lloyd immediately became a Houston starter and played 278 regular-season games for the Rockets from 1983-84 through 1986-87, including 82 starts and 17.8 points per game in his first season and a major role on the 1986 Finals team. Golden State used the pick at No. 42 on Bobby Lee Hurt, who never appeared in an NBA regular-season game. Houston won the exchange decisively.

Detroit acquired Pétur Guðmundsson from Portland on August 18, 1983 for a 1984 third-round pick that became No. 65 Tim Kearney. Detroit waived Guðmundsson on October 25, three days before the Pistons opened the regular season, so he produced zero Detroit NBA games. Portland used the pick on Kearney in the 1984 draft, but he never appeared in an NBA regular-season game. With zero direct NBA games on both sides, the completed franchise-specific outcome is best treated as even rather than forcing a winner from an unused pick or a player who never suited up for Detroit.

Indiana acquired the rights to Granville Waiters from Portland on August 18, 1983 for a 1984 second-round pick that became No. 26 Victor Fleming. Waiters immediately made the Pacers' roster and played 78 games as a rookie, then 62 more for Indiana in 1984-85. Portland used the pick on Fleming, but he never appeared in an NBA regular-season game. The realized return is therefore decisive: Indiana received 140 games and two seasons of center depth, while Portland's draft asset produced zero NBA games.

In August 1983 the San Diego Clippers acquired James Donaldson, Greg Kelser, Mark Radford and future selections from Seattle, while the SuperSonics obtained Tom Chambers, Al Wood and other picks. Chambers became a notable Seattle scorer; the Clippers' pick later linked to Michael Cage also supplied a substantial NBA player. The inherited Even Trade grades both current franchise identities A+.

Cleveland acquired Golden State's 1986 second-round pick for Darren Tillis on August 16, 1983. Tillis played 72 regular-season games for the Warriors in 1983-84, starting once and providing 730 minutes of reserve-center work. Cleveland used the No. 29 pick on Johnny Newman, who played 59 Cavaliers games as a rookie in 1986-87, made no starts and logged 630 minutes before Cleveland waived him the following November. Newman later became a productive 16-year NBA player, but those Knicks and later-team seasons are not Cleveland trade value. With one reserve season on each side and comparable direct minutes, the completed franchise-specific outcome is best treated as even.

New Jersey acquired Kelvin Ransey from Dallas on August 12, 1983 for Foots Walker plus the picks that became Tom Sluby and Bill Wennington. Ransey played 240 regular-season games for the Nets across three seasons and started 94, averaging 9.5 points and 6.0 assists in his first year. Dallas waived Walker before the season; he later re-signed with New Jersey. Sluby played 31 Mavericks games with no starts, while Wennington played 209 Dallas games with 12 starts over four seasons. The two drafted players therefore matched Ransey's 240-game total exactly, but Ransey carried a much larger role and starting burden. The realized franchise value gives New Jersey a modest edge, not Dallas.

Dallas sent Dirk Minniefield's draft rights and its 1987 second-round position to New Jersey on June 29, 1983 for a 1986 second-round pick plus the favorable side of the 1987 second-round swap. Minniefield never played for the Nets. New Jersey later used the incoming 1987 pick as part of a multi-asset trade for Reggie Johnson, so that branch retained some transaction utility. Dallas used the 1986 pick on Milt Wagner but waived him before he played an NBA game, then used the favorable 1987 swap position at No. 26 on Steve Alford. Alford ultimately played 112 regular-season games for Dallas over four seasons. That direct production gives the Mavericks a modest realized-value win.

Atlanta acquired the draft rights to No. 22 pick Randy Wittman from Washington on June 29, 1983 for veteran Tom McMillen and a 1984 second-round pick that became No. 34 Tony Costner. Wittman played at least 353 regular-season games for the Hawks across his first five seasons, starting 249, and developed into a full-time starter who averaged 12.9 points in 1985-86 and 12.7 in 1986-87. McMillen gave Washington three useful seasons totaling 187 games and 27 starts, while Costner never appeared in an NBA regular-season game. The Bullets received real veteran depth, but Wittman's longer tenure and multi-year starting role give Atlanta the stronger realized return.

New York acquired Rudy Macklin from Atlanta on June 29, 1983 for Sly Williams and cash. Macklin played only eight regular-season games for the Knicks, made no starts and was out of the NBA after that season. Williams played 47 regular-season games for Atlanta across two seasons, starting 21, before finishing his NBA career with Boston. The cash amount is not identified in the reviewed public sources, so it cannot be valued precisely, but it adds a tangible return to Atlanta's side. With 47 games and 21 starts from Williams plus cash against eight reserve games from Macklin, the completed value favors the Hawks clearly.

Chicago acquired the draft rights to Ennis Whatley and Chris McNealy plus a 1984 second-round pick that became No. 37 Ben Coleman from Kansas City for Mark Olberding and the rights to Larry Micheaux. Whatley gave the Bulls 150 regular-season games and 117 starts over two seasons, including 8.3 assists per game as a rookie. Coleman and Whatley later retained trade utility in separate multi-asset deals, but McNealy never played for Chicago. Olberding became a three-year Kings starter, playing 243 games with 207 starts across Kansas City and Sacramento, while Micheaux added 39 games. Direct realized value therefore favors the Kings, though Chicago's downstream asset utility keeps the deal competitive.

Chicago acquired Mitchell Wiggins' draft rights from Indiana on June 28, 1983 for Sidney Lowe's rights and a 1984 second-round pick. Wiggins played all 82 games for the Bulls as a rookie, started 40 and averaged 12.4 points before Chicago included him with two draft picks in the 1984 trade for Caldwell Jones. Lowe played 78 games for Indiana with two starts and 3.4 assists per game. The Pacers then traded the incoming second-round pick by itself for Granville Waiters, who added 140 Indiana games and 13 starts over two seasons. Chicago received the better one-season player peak, while Indiana turned both assets into 218 combined direct/downstream games. The completed value remains broadly even.

Cleveland sent the draft rights to Larry Anderson and Les Craft to San Diego on June 28, 1983 for a 1985 second-round pick. Neither Anderson nor Craft ever appeared in an NBA regular-season game, so the Clippers received zero direct player value. Cleveland held the pick until 1985 and used No. 30 on Calvin Duncan, who also never played in the NBA. Duncan's rights were immediately packaged with Charles Oakley in the trade that brought Keith Lee and Ennis Whatley from Chicago. Because Oakley was the dominant asset in that later deal, this review does not assign the full return to Duncan, but the pick did retain transaction utility. That gives Cleveland only a slight hindsight edge.

Boston acquired Dennis Johnson plus the 1983 picks that became Greg Kite and Winfred King from Phoenix for Rick Robey plus the picks that became Rod Foster and Paul Williams. Johnson played 541 regular-season games for the Celtics, started 522, made four All-Defensive teams in Boston and helped the franchise win the 1984 and 1986 championships. Kite added 241 Boston games and was on both title teams, while King never played in the NBA. Phoenix received 111 games from Robey and 207 from Foster, with 40 combined starts; Williams never played in the NBA. The Suns got usable depth, but Boston received a championship-era cornerstone and won the trade decisively.

Cleveland acquired Lonnie Shelton from Seattle on June 27, 1983 for the 1983 second-round pick that became No. 36 Scooter McCray plus cash. Basketball-Reference confirms the pick-for-Shelton core, while contemporary reporting and Pro Sports Transactions also document a substantial cash payment, commonly listed as believed to be about $500,000. Shelton played 180 regular-season games for Cleveland across three seasons, starting 93 and averaging 10.8 points in his first Cavaliers year. McCray played 53 regular-season games for Seattle across two seasons, starting six. The cash kept Seattle from receiving an empty return, but Cleveland obtained much more direct basketball value.

New Jersey traded Len Elmore to New York on June 22, 1983 for the Knicks' 1984 second-round pick, later No. 41 Tom Sluby. Elmore played 65 regular-season games for the Knicks in 1983-84, started five and appeared in New York's playoff run. The Nets never used the pick themselves: on August 12, 1983 they packaged it with Foots Walker and their 1985 first-round pick for Kelvin Ransey. Ransey became a productive three-year Nets guard, but because the Sluby pick was only one of three outgoing assets this review does not assign his entire New Jersey value to this trade. The Knicks received the clearer standalone return, so New York gets a modest edge.

Chicago acquired the rights to restricted free agent Mike Bratz from San Antonio on March 8, 1983 for a 1983 fourth-round pick that became No. 90 Brant Weidner. Bratz played 15 regular-season games for the Bulls, all off the bench, before signing with Golden State that September. Chicago then received a 1984 fourth-round compensation pick from the Warriors and used it at No. 77 on Mark Halsel, who never played in the NBA. Weidner played eight regular-season games for San Antonio in 1983-84 and never started. Both returns were small, but Chicago received more direct games from Bratz plus one additional compensation asset, giving the Bulls a narrow hindsight edge.

Atlanta acquired Rickey Brown from Golden State on February 15, 1983 for a 1984 second-round pick that became No. 35 Othell Wilson plus cash. Brown played 163 regular-season games for the Hawks across parts of three seasons, starting eight. Wilson played 74 regular-season games for the Warriors in 1984-85, started 23 and averaged 2.9 assists in 17.0 minutes before spending the next season outside the NBA. Golden State also received cash, with no public amount identified in the reviewed sources. Atlanta got greater duration; Golden State got more starts plus cash. The completed returns are close enough for an even verdict.

Chicago traded Dwight Jones to the Lakers on February 15, 1983 for a 1985 second-round pick that became No. 46 Adrian Branch. Basketball-Reference lists the pick as the transaction return and does not include cash, while the legacy canonical record includes cash to Chicago; this review preserves that discrepancy and lowers confidence to medium on the financial component. Jones played 32 regular-season games and seven playoff games for Los Angeles before being waived in August 1983. Chicago used the pick on Branch but waived him before the 1985-86 season, so he never appeared in a Bulls regular-season game. The Lakers therefore received the stronger direct basketball return.

Indiana acquired Russ Schoene, Philadelphia's 1983 first-round pick and a 1984 second-round pick on February 15, 1983 for Clemon Johnson and a 1984 third-round pick. Schoene played 31 Pacers games before a back injury and overseas stint. The first-round pick became No. 23 Mitchell Wiggins, whose rights Indiana immediately traded for Sidney Lowe and another second-round pick; Lowe played 78 Pacers games, while that pick was later used to acquire Granville Waiters, who played 140 for Indiana. The original 1984 second-rounder became Stuart Gray, who played 320 Pacers games over five seasons. Philadelphia received 245 games across four seasons from Johnson, while No. 48 James Banks never played in the NBA. Indiana's deeper multi-branch return earns the edge.

Kansas City sold Reggie Johnson's player rights to Philadelphia on February 15, 1983 for cash. The reviewed public ledgers do not identify the sale amount. Johnson played 29 regular-season games for the 76ers, started eight and averaged 5.5 points in 18.9 minutes, then appeared in six playoff games during Philadelphia's 1983 championship run. The 76ers later traded him to New Jersey for Horace Owens, Eddie Phillips and a 1987 second-round pick, preserving additional asset value beyond that title season. Kansas City realized cash for a departing player, but without a known large amount the direct and downstream basketball return favors Philadelphia.

New York acquired Rory Sparrow from Atlanta on February 12, 1983 for Scott Hastings and cash. Sparrow became a multi-year Knicks guard, playing 347 regular-season games through early 1987-88 and starting 228 while averaging at least 9.9 points and 5.0 assists in each of his first four full or partial New York seasons. Hastings also had real staying power for Atlanta, playing 299 regular-season games across parts of six seasons, but he started only nine and spent most of that tenure as a reserve. The cash amount is not identified in the reviewed sources. Both teams received useful value, but New York acquired the clearly more important rotation player.

In the February 1983 three-team trade, Atlanta sent Steve Hawes to Seattle and received Detroit's 1984 and 1985 second-round picks; Detroit sent those picks to Atlanta and received Ray Tolbert from Seattle; Seattle sent Tolbert to Detroit and received Hawes. Basketball-Reference dates the transaction February 13 while RealGM lists February 12, so this review retains the canonical February 12 date with medium confidence. Hawes gave Seattle 110 games and one start. Tolbert gave Detroit 77 games and no starts. Atlanta's 1985 pick became Lorenzo Charles, who played 36 Hawks games, while the 1984 pick was later packaged with Tom McMillen to acquire Randy Wittman, a multi-year Atlanta starter. That downstream leverage gives the Hawks the best overall return.

San Antonio acquired Edgar Jones from Detroit on February 10, 1983 for a 1984 second-round pick and a 1985 third-round pick. Jones played 127 regular-season games for the Spurs across parts of three seasons, started 37 and averaged 10.2 points and 5.5 rebounds in 1983-84. Detroit used the No. 32 pick in 1984 on Eric Turner and the No. 60 pick in 1985 on Andre Goode. Neither draft choice appeared in an NBA regular-season game. San Antonio therefore received all of the direct NBA production while Detroit's two selections yielded zero games, reversing the legacy Pistons-leaning verdict.

Cleveland sent James Edwards and the 1983 first-round pick that became Greg Kite to Phoenix on February 7, 1983 for Jeff Cook, a first-round pick that became Roy Hinson, a third-round pick that became Derrick Hord, and cash. Edwards gave Phoenix 224 regular-season games and several productive starting seasons. Cleveland received 129 games from Cook and three strong Hinson seasons, then traded Hinson in 1986 for the No. 1 pick used on Brad Daugherty. That direct production plus the enormous downstream Hinson conversion gives Cleveland the stronger realized return.

Denver acquired Danny Schayes and cash from Utah on February 7, 1983 for Rich Kelley. The source-backed pass corrects the legacy consideration direction: Basketball-Reference's Denver transaction ledger says the Nuggets received Schayes and cash, not an unresolved extra player asset while sending cash to Utah. Schayes played 536 regular-season games for Denver through 1989-90, starting 229 and developing into a multi-year frontcourt fixture. Kelley gave Utah 184 games and 87 starts across parts of three seasons before leaving for Sacramento. Both teams received real value, but Denver got the longer and stronger return.

New Jersey obtained Micheal Ray Richardson from Golden State on February 6, 1983, sending Eric 'Sleepy' Floyd and Mickey (Wallace) Johnson in return. The archived import had used shortened or formal names for the two Warriors acquisitions; those aliases were reconciled with contemporaneous transaction sources. The original record is marked Superseded Duplicate, with inherited Golden State A+ and New Jersey B.

Golden State traded Micheal Ray Richardson to New Jersey on February 6, 1983 for Sleepy Floyd and Mickey Johnson. Floyd became the centerpiece: he played 374 regular-season games for the Warriors, started 348, made the 1987 All-Star team and helped Golden State reach the 1987 Western Conference semifinals. Johnson added 174 Warriors games and 43 starts across parts of three seasons. Richardson was also productive for New Jersey, playing 208 games with 172 starts and making the 1985 All-Star team before a league suspension ended his NBA career in 1986. The Warriors still received the stronger total return, 548 direct games and 391 starts from two rotation players versus 208 games and 172 starts from Richardson.

Washington signed veteran free agent Ricky Sobers on January 24, 1983 and sent Chicago 1983 and 1985 second-round picks as compensation after the Bulls declined to exercise their right of first refusal. Sobers played 122 regular-season games for the Bullets across two seasons, starting 120 and averaging 15.7 points and 4.9 assists. Chicago used the 1983 No. 25 pick on Sidney Lowe but immediately packaged Lowe with another second-round pick for Mitchell Wiggins, who played 82 games and made 40 starts for the Bulls. The 1985 No. 35 asset was later bundled with Wiggins and another pick for Caldwell Jones. Chicago preserved real transaction value, but Washington received the stronger direct, attributable return.

Chicago received San Antonio's 1983 fourth-round pick as compensation when the Spurs signed restricted veteran free agent Coby Dietrick on January 18, 1983. Dietrick played only eight regular-season games for San Antonio, made no starts and was waived on February 8. Chicago did not keep the pick through the draft: on March 8, the Bulls sent the same No. 90 asset back to San Antonio for Mike Bratz. Bratz then played 15 games for Chicago with no starts. San Antonio ultimately used the reacquired pick on Brant Weidner, but that second transaction required Bratz and is not credited to the original Dietrick deal. The original asset chain therefore gives Chicago a slight realized-value edge, 15 games to eight.

Boston acquired Scott Wedman from Cleveland on January 14, 1983 for rookie center Darren Tillis, a 1983 first-round pick that became No. 21 Greg Kite, and cash. Wedman played 271 regular-season games for the Celtics across five seasons, started 31 and contributed to the 1984 and 1986 championship teams. Tillis played 37 games and made four starts for Cleveland before leaving after the season. The Cavaliers later packaged the incoming first-round pick with James Edwards in the February 1983 Phoenix trade, so the pick retained real downstream value but cannot be credited with the entire multi-asset return. Boston's direct long-term result was clearly stronger.

Cleveland acquired Larry Kenon's player rights from Golden State for cash in January 1983. The Warriors' official media guide dates the transaction January 8, while Basketball-Reference's Cleveland and league ledgers list January 10; this review retains the canonical January 8 date and records the discrepancy. Kenon played 32 regular-season games for Cleveland, starting seven and scoring 235 points in 624 minutes before being waived March 21. Golden State received cash, but the amount is not identified in the reviewed public sources. With Cleveland receiving a short veteran stint and the Warriors receiving an unquantified financial return, the completed value remains broadly even.