1984 NBA Trades

San Antonio Spurs received 1986 second round pick (#38-Lemone Lampley) and 1988 second round pick (#42-Jeff Moe). Utah Jazz received Fred Roberts. Even Trade. San Antonio Spurs is graded C; Utah Jazz is graded C. The completed outcome is judged on realized player production, draft conversion and traceable downstream trade value rather than on the best later name merely associated with a pick.

Philadelphia 76ers received 1986 third round pick (#56-Keith Colbert). San Antonio Spurs received Marc Iavaroni. Spurs Win. Philadelphia 76ers is graded D+; San Antonio Spurs is graded C. The completed outcome is judged on realized player production, draft conversion and traceable downstream trade value rather than on the best later name merely associated with a pick.

Cleveland Cavaliers received Edgar Jones and cash. San Antonio Spurs received Jeff Cook. Cavaliers Win. Cleveland Cavaliers is graded B; San Antonio Spurs is graded C. The completed outcome is judged on realized player production, draft conversion and traceable downstream trade value rather than on the best later name merely associated with a pick.

Kansas City/Sacramento Kings received Mark McNamara. San Antonio Spurs received Billy Knight. Spurs Win. Kansas City/Sacramento Kings is graded D+; San Antonio Spurs is graded A-. The completed outcome is judged on realized player production, draft conversion and traceable downstream trade value rather than on the best later name merely associated with a pick.

New York Knicks received James Bailey. San Antonio Spurs received 1986 third round pick (#48-Forrest McKenzie) and cash. Knicks Win. New York Knicks is graded A; San Antonio Spurs is graded C. The completed outcome is judged on realized player production, draft conversion and traceable downstream trade value rather than on the best later name merely associated with a pick.

Dallas Mavericks received first-round pick (protected top 7 in 1990, unprotected in 1991) (1990-#14-Travis Mays). Indiana Pacers received Bill Garnett and Terence Stansbury. Mavericks Win. Dallas Mavericks is graded B; Indiana Pacers is graded C+. The completed outcome is judged on realized player production, draft conversion and traceable downstream trade value rather than on the best later name merely associated with a pick.

Indiana Pacers received 1985 second-round pick (#27-Dwayne McClain). New York Knicks received Butch Carter. Knicks Win. Indiana Pacers is graded C-; New York Knicks is graded B+. The completed outcome is judged on realized player production, draft conversion and traceable downstream trade value rather than on the best later name merely associated with a pick.

Boston Celtics received 1986 first-round pick (#2 Len Bias). Seattle/Oklahoma City franchise received Gerald Henderson (Sr.). Oklahoma City Thunder Win. Boston Celtics is graded B-; Seattle/Oklahoma City franchise is graded B+. The completed outcome is judged on realized player production, draft conversion and traceable downstream trade value rather than on the best later name merely associated with a pick.

Houston Rockets received John Lucas Jr. and 1985 third-round pick (#54-Sam Mitchell). San Antonio Spurs received James Bailey, 1985 second-round pick (#35-Tyrone Corbin), and cash. Slight Spurs Edge. Houston Rockets is graded B+; San Antonio Spurs is graded A-. The completed outcome is judged on realized player production, draft conversion and traceable downstream trade value rather than on the best later name merely associated with a pick.

Utah signed Billy Paultz in September 1984, and Atlanta received a 1985 third-round draft pick as compensation after relinquishing its free-agent rights. The pick became No. 59 Sedric Toney, who appeared in three games for Atlanta. Paultz supplied 62 Jazz regular-season appearances in 1984-85. Jazz Win, Utah B+, Atlanta C+; the canonical October 1 source date conflicts with the September 28 league transaction ledger and needs a separate historical date reconciliation.

Cleveland Cavaliers received Campy Russell. New York Knicks received 1985 conditional second round pick (if Russell is on Cavaliers roster on 1984-12-01) (not exercised). Cavaliers Win. Cleveland Cavaliers is graded B+; New York Knicks is graded B-. The completed outcome is judged on realized player production, draft conversion and traceable downstream trade value rather than on the best later name merely associated with a pick.

Los Angeles/San Diego Clippers received Junior Bridgeman, Harvey Catchings, Marques Johnson, and cash. Milwaukee Bucks received Terry Cummings, Craig Hodges, and Ricky Pierce. Bucks Win. Los Angeles/San Diego Clippers is graded C+; Milwaukee Bucks is graded A+. The completed outcome is judged on realized player production, draft conversion and traceable downstream trade value rather than on the best later name merely associated with a pick.

Slight Blazers Edge. Portland earns B- for acquiring veteran guard Eddie Jordan and the chance to use him immediately. The Lakers receive C+ for a conditional 1985 third-round selection, whose final conveyance and draft identity aren't established here. Jordan's prior Los Angeles games cannot be counted as new Portland production. Portland's September 28, 1984 transaction brought guard Eddie Jordan from the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers received the right to a conditional third-round choice in the 1985 draf

Clippers Win, modestly. Los Angeles earns B- for acquiring Bryan Warrick as a guard option, while the Washington Bullets receive C+ for a 1985 third-round selection associated with No. 65 Ken Perry. The pick's name variant with Kenny Perry in an earlier trade needs rights-chain reconciliation rather than duplicate draft credit. On September 25, 1984 the Los Angeles Clippers obtained guard Bryan Warrick from the Washington Bullets. Washington received a 1985 third-round draft choice eventually associated w

Houston acquired Kevin McKenna from Indiana on September 17, 1984, surrendering its 1985 fifth-round pick, ultimately No. 111 Ivan Daniels. Houston waived McKenna on October 23 before he played a Rockets regular-season game; Daniels never made an NBA regular-season appearance for the Pacers. Neither club gained NBA playing time. Even Trade, C- for each.

Chicago Bulls received 1986 conditional second round pick (#39-Rafael Addison). Dallas Mavericks received Wallace Bryant. Even Trade. Chicago Bulls is graded B-; Dallas Mavericks is graded B-. The completed outcome is judged on realized player production, draft conversion and traceable downstream trade value rather than on the best later name merely associated with a pick.

Indiana Pacers received Leo Rautins. Philadelphia 76ers received 1987 third-round pick (#57-Hansi Gnad). Slight 76ers Edge. Indiana Pacers is graded C; Philadelphia 76ers is graded C+. The completed outcome is judged on realized player production, draft conversion and traceable downstream trade value rather than on the best later name merely associated with a pick.

Clippers Win, narrowly. Los Angeles earns C+ for the 1985 third-round selection associated with No. 65 Kenny Perry, while Houston receives C- for Hank McDowell's limited upside as a frontcourt option. A related later No. 65 transaction requires rights-chain reconciliation; the August deal shouldn't be counted as creating two separate picks. Houston and the Los Angeles Clippers reached an agreement on August 29, 1984 that sent Hank McDowell to the Rockets in exchange for a 1985 third-round draft selection. The historic

Dallas Mavericks received Howard Carter. Denver Nuggets received Mavericks agreed not to exercise their right of first refusal on free agent Elston Turner. Nuggets Win. Dallas Mavericks is graded C+; Denver Nuggets is graded B. The completed outcome is judged on realized player production, draft conversion and traceable downstream trade value rather than on the best later name merely associated with a pick.

Chicago Bulls received Caldwell Jones. Houston Rockets received Mitchell Wiggins, 1985 second round pick (#35-Tyrone Corbin), and 1985 third round pick (#57-Michael Payne). Rockets Win. Chicago Bulls is graded D; Houston Rockets is graded A-. The completed outcome is judged on realized player production, draft conversion and traceable downstream trade value rather than on the best later name merely associated with a pick.

Slight Hawks Edge. Atlanta Hawks earns B-; Cleveland Cavaliers earns C+. Atlanta received two named personnel options while Cleveland acquired a known veteran guard, giving the Haw

New York signed restricted free agent Pat Cummings on June 27, 1984 and sent Dallas a 1985 third-round pick that became Leonard Allen and a 1986 second-round pick that became Mark Price as compensation. Cummings gave the Knicks 205 games across four seasons, including 113 starts and 2,246 points. Dallas received no NBA production from either pick: Allen never played in the league, and the Mavericks traded Price's rights to Cleveland on draft night for a 1989 second-round pick that became Jeff Hodge, who also never played an NBA regular-season game. New York won decisively by receiving four years of rotation frontcourt value while Dallas' two compensation branches produced zero Mavericks games.

Cleveland sent Cliff Robinson and the draft rights to Tim McCormick to Washington on June 19, 1984 for the rights to No. 6 pick Mel Turpin. Turpin gave the Cavaliers 223 games over three seasons, including 114 starts in his first two years and 2,325 points. Washington received 138 games and 2,463 points from Robinson over two seasons, then immediately rerouted McCormick with Ricky Sobers to Seattle for Gus Williams, who played 156 games for the Bullets across 1984-85 and 1985-86. Seattle received 155 games and 69 starts from McCormick before later trading him. All three teams obtained substantial value, with Washington's Robinson-plus-Williams outcome providing the broadest return.

Golden State traded the draft rights to No. 31 pick Jay Murphy to the San Diego Clippers on June 19, 1984 for veteran center Jerome Whitehead. Whitehead became an immediate Warriors starter, playing 79 games with 78 starts in 1984-85 and remaining with Golden State for four seasons. Across that span he played 305 regular-season games, including 109 starts, and supplied steady center minutes. Murphy played only 37 games and 249 minutes for the Clippers across two seasons, never starting a game, before finishing his brief NBA career in Washington. Golden State won decisively by turning one second-round pick into four years of frontcourt production.

Philadelphia traded the draft rights to No. 22 pick Tom Sewell to Washington on June 19, 1984 for the Bullets' 1988 first-round pick. Sewell played only 21 games and 86 minutes for Washington in his lone NBA season. Philadelphia held the future first for two years, then included it with Moses Malone, Terry Catledge and a 1986 first-round pick in the 1986 trade that brought Cliff Robinson and Jeff Ruland to the 76ers. Washington ultimately reacquired the pick and used it at No. 12 on Harvey Grant, so Grant's career belongs to Washington's later 1986 transaction, not to Philadelphia's direct return. The 76ers won the 1984 exchange by turning a low-impact rookie into useful first-round trade capital.

Atlanta acquired Cliff Levingston; rights to Antoine Carr; 1986 second round pick (#40-Augusto Binelli); 1987 second round pick (#42-Terence Bailey) from Pistons in exchange for Dan Roundfield.

Denver traded Kiki Vandeweghe to Portland on June 7, 1984 for Fat Lever, Calvin Natt, Wayne Cooper, a 1984 second-round pick that became Willie White and a 1985 first-round pick that became Blair Rasmussen. Portland received 285 games and 6,698 points from Vandeweghe, including a 26.9-point season in 1986-87. Denver received vastly more aggregate value: Lever became a two-time All-Star and All-NBA guard across 474 Nuggets games, Natt was an All-Star in his first Denver season, Cooper became a starting center, Rasmussen played 429 Nuggets games, and White added 82 games. Both sides did well, but Denver won decisively on depth and longevity.

Milwaukee signed veteran free agent Mike Dunleavy Sr. on March 8, 1984 and sent San Antonio a 1984 fourth-round pick as compensation. Dunleavy played 36 regular-season games for the Bucks across parts of 1983-84 and 1984-85, starting 31 and providing experienced point-guard minutes for two division-winning teams. San Antonio used the pick at No. 90 on Ozell Jones, who played 67 games with six starts in 1984-85 and gave the Spurs 888 minutes, 238 rebounds and 57 blocks. The two sides received different but comparable one-to-two-season rotation value, making the completed outcome effectively even.

Chicago traded Reggie Theus to Kansas City on February 15, 1984 for Steve Johnson and three second-round picks. Theus became a long-term Kings starter, playing 346 regular-season games through 1987-88 and producing 6,492 points and 2,809 assists. Chicago still extracted substantial value: Johnson played 105 Bulls games before he and the Mike Brittain pick were traded for Gene Banks, who added 145 Bulls games and 1,505 points. Another pick became Ken Johnson and helped bring Mike Smrek, while Greg Wiltjer never reached the NBA. Kansas City/Sacramento won because Theus delivered the best sustained individual return, but Chicago's multi-branch return was far stronger than a simple draft miss.

Denver acquired Keith Edmonson from San Antonio on January 21, 1984 for a 1984 third-round pick that became No. 57 Joe Binion. Edmonson's Nuggets tenure was brief: 15 games, 101 minutes and 64 points over the rest of the 1983-84 season. San Antonio selected Binion but never received an NBA regular-season game from him; he spent the next two seasons in the CBA and eventually made his NBA debut with Portland in 1986-87. The stakes were small on both sides, but Denver at least received direct NBA minutes, giving the Nuggets a narrow realized-value edge.

Golden State traded Ron Brewer to San Antonio on January 20, 1984 for a 1985 second-round pick. Brewer gave the Spurs 49 games across parts of two seasons, including 40 games, five starts and 782 minutes in 1983-84. Golden State later packaged the incoming pick with another second-rounder to Washington for Greg Ballard. Ballard then played 157 games over two Warriors seasons, logging 3,371 minutes, 1,241 points and 757 rebounds. Because the San Antonio pick was only one of two selections in the Ballard package, Golden State cannot claim all of his value, but its downstream return still narrowly exceeds Brewer's brief Spurs tenure.