1996 NBA Trades

Phoenix acquired Jason Kidd, Tony Dumas and Loren Meyer from Dallas on December 26, 1996 for Michael Finley, Sam Cassell, A.C. Green and a conditional second-round pick that became Greg Buckner. Kidd became the Suns' elite lead guard for the next four-plus seasons and later retained enough value to headline the Stephon Marbury trade. Finley became a two-time All-Star and long-term Dallas cornerstone, while Green supplied three useful seasons and Cassell was moved again within months. Both franchises extracted major direct and downstream value, supporting an Even Trade with A grades.

Phoenix sent Chucky Brown to Milwaukee on December 4, 1996 for Darrin Hancock and a conditional second-round pick that never conveyed. Brown appeared in 60 Bucks regular-season games that season, totaling 674 minutes, while Hancock was waived by Phoenix after a week without a Suns regular-season appearance. Bucks Win, Milwaukee B and Phoenix D+. The pick condition cannot be converted into a fictional Phoenix selection.

The Nets acquired Reggie Williams (b. 1964-03-05) from Pacers in exchange for Vincent Askew.

The partner finished with a modest edge. The Warriors acquired Felton Spencer; Jon Koncak; Donald Royal from Orlando Magic for Rony Seikaly; Clifford Rozier; second round pick (1999 #38-Laron Profit).

Milwaukee Bucks received Elliot Perry. Phoenix Suns received Marty Conlon; first round pick (protected top 13 in 1997, top 10 in 1998, unprotected in 1999) (1999 #18-James Posey).

Houston acquired Charles Barkley and a 1999 second-round pick from Phoenix on August 19, 1996 for Robert Horry, Sam Cassell, Chucky Brown and Mark Bryant. Barkley gave the Rockets 183 regular-season games, 152 starts and a 1997 trip to the Western Conference finals. Phoenix did not keep most of the incoming players long, but it converted Cassell in the Jason Kidd package, Horry in the Cedric Ceballos deal, and received 111 games from Bryant. Houston obtained the best direct player and the strongest immediate team result, while Phoenix preserved considerable downstream asset value.

New York acquired 1997 first round pick (#25-John Thomas) from Raptors for Hubert Davis. Both sides realized enough value that a decisive winner would overstate the result.

Dallas received Jimmy King; Raptors' option to swap 1997 first-round picks with Timberwolves (not exercised); 1997 and 1998 or 1998 and 1999 second-round picks (1998 #30-Ansu Sesay) (1999 #40-Gordan Giricek) from Toronto Raptors and sent Ronald Jones; 1997 first-round pick (#25-John Thomas); Raptors' option to swap 1997 first-round picks with Timberwolves (not exercised) in return.

Minnesota acquired James Robinson; Bill Curley; 1997 or 1998 first round pick (Blazers option) (1997 #20-Paul Grant) while sending out J.R. Rider in the 1996-07-23 transaction with Blazers.

The Nets acquired Vincent Askew from Sonics in exchange for Greg Graham.

The 1996-07-16 trade leans slightly toward Memphis Grizzlies; Los Angeles Lakers received 1998 second-round pick (#31-Ruben Patterson); 1999 second-round pick (#30-John Celestand) but sent George Lynch; Anthony Peeler; plus 2 additional assets.

Atlanta sent Stacey Augmon and Grant Long to Detroit for several conditional draft rights in 1996. The first-round components later carried Cal Bowdler and Dion Glover draft identities; the second-round rights were linked to Alain Digbeau and Lari Ketner. The inherited Hawks Win grades Atlanta A- and Detroit B-.

Portland acquired Rasheed Wallace and Mitchell Butler from Washington on July 15, 1996 for Rod Strickland and Harvey Grant. Wallace became an eight-season Trail Blazer, playing 544 games with 500 starts, earning two All-Star selections and anchoring the frontcourt on the 1999 and 2000 Western Conference finalists. Washington also received a strong return: Strickland played 304 games for the franchise, led the NBA in assists in 1997-98 and made All-NBA Second Team, while Grant supplied two seasons of veteran depth.

Anthony Mason delivered the deal’s best post-trade season and became an All-NBA centerpiece for Charlotte, while Larry Johnson reinvented himself as an important contributor on New York’s 1999 Finals team.

Los Angeles acquired the draft rights to Kobe Bryant for Vlade Divac, receiving twenty seasons of franchise-defining production and five championship runs while Charlotte obtained two productive playoff seasons from a veteran center.

Timberwolves Win. Minnesota recovered a first-round asset with meaningful future value and ultimately used it on Nesterovic, a long-term NBA center who became a regular starter. That outcome comfortably exceeded the short Milwaukee tenure generated by Lang. Milwaukee’s logic was understandable. The Bucks had just acquired Ray Allen and were adding an experienced interior player rather than waiting two years for another draft pick. Lang filled a roster need, but his stay did not create enough durable production to match the pick’s eventual yield.

On June 29, 1996, Dallas traded center Cherokee Parks to Minnesota in return for loosening the protection on a future first-round pick previously owed by the Timberwolves from the 1994 Sean Rooks trade. Parks played 76 games for Minnesota in 1996-97 and another 79 in 1997-98, making 43 starts in his second season. Dallas increased its chance of receiving the 1997 selection and gained payroll room. Even Trade with B grades recognizes the 155 Wolves games and the Mavericks' genuine draft and salary leverage without double-counting the older pick obligation.

Detroit acquired rights to Ron Riley from Oklahoma City Thunder for 1997 second round pick (#40 – Eddie Elisma).

On June 27, 1996, Portland acquired rights to Jason Sasser from Sacramento Kings in exchange for future considerations.

Utah Jazz came out ahead in the 1996-06-26 transaction with Miami, which received rights to Martin Muursepp for 2000 first-round pick (#23-DeShawn Stevenson).

Milwaukee exchanged Stephon Marbury’s draft rights for Ray Allen’s rights and a future Minnesota first-round pick, selecting the better long-term fit while adding another asset.

Atlanta acquired the No. 28 draft right used on Priest Lauderdale from Seattle in June 1996, sending two second-round choices associated with Joe Vogel and Ron Riley. Lauderdale offered an opportunity to add size to the Hawks' frontcourt, but never became a durable NBA rotation center. The inherited Hawks Win grades Atlanta B and the future Oklahoma City franchise C+.

Celtics Win. Boston Celtics earns A+; Dallas Mavericks earns D. Boston obtained its best sustained basketball return through Antoine Walker while also holding another premium first

Houston finished with a modest realized-value edge: Houston received 1996 second-round pick (#30-Othella Harrington); 1996 second-round pick (#42-Randy Livingston) and additional assets from Memphis Grizzlies for Pete Chilcutt; Tim Breaux; 1996 first-round pick (#22-Roy Rogers); 1996 second-round pick (#51-Chris Robinson) and additional assets.

Win. Indiana turned Mark Jackson, Ricky Pierce and a lower first-round pick into Jalen Rose, Reggie Williams and the No. 10 pick, then later brought Jackson back in a separate transaction. Rose became a core player on the 2000 Finals team, while Denver's veteran return was short-lived. IND A+, DEN D is the appropriate completed-value spread.

Denver received Sarunas Marciulionis; 1996 second-round pick (#37-Jeff McInnis) from Sacramento Kings, sending Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf in return.

Hawks Win. Atlanta earns B+ for Christian Laettner's meaningful frontcourt role after arrival, alongside Sean Rooks's added depth. Minnesota gets C+ for guard Spud Webb and center Andrew Lang. The Timberwolves acquired real NBA veterans, but the Hawks received the more durable scoring option in Laettner without relying on future pick assumptions. At the February 22, 1996 deadline, Atlanta acquired Christian Laettner and Sean Rooks from Minnesota in exchange for veteran guard Anthony 'Spud' Webb

Miami acquired Tim Hardaway and Chris Gatling for Kevin Willis and Bimbo Coles, adding the lead guard who completed Pat Riley’s first sustained Heat contender.

On February 22, 1996, the expansion Vancouver Grizzlies traded veteran forward Kenny Gattison and a 1996 second-round selection to Orlando for Jeff Turner. Vancouver waived Turner on March 8, only fifteen days later. Orlando used the second-round pick at No. 49 on Amal McCaskill, who logged 17 Magic regular-season games in 1996-97, alongside the Gattison acquisition. Magic Win: Orlando B- for two usable assets and Vancouver D for a short-lived replacement; Memphis is the database successor label for Vancouver.

The 1996-02-22 exchange produced broadly comparable realized value: Tony Smith for Terrence Rencher.

Miami and Sacramento Kings produced a narrow realized-value edge for Heat in the 1996-02-22 exchange: Walt Williams; Tyrone Corbin for Billy Owens; Kevin Gamble.

On February 22, 1996, the Philadelphia 76ers acquired Tony Massenburg, Ed Pinckney, 76ers' option to swap 1996 or 1997 first round picks with Raptors (not exercised), and 2 additional assets from the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Sharone Wright and 76ers' option to swap 1996 or 1997 first round picks with Raptors (not exercised).

New York acquired Willie Anderson; Victor Alexander from Raptors for Doug Christie; Herb Williams; cash. The partner captured substantially more realized value than New York.

New York acquired J.R. Reid; Brad Lohaus; 1996 conditional first round pick (#18-John Wallace) from Spurs for Monty Williams; Charles Smith (Daniel). New York ultimately received the stronger realized value.

The Nets acquired Kendall Gill; Khalid Reeves from Hornets in exchange for Kenny Anderson; Gerald Glass.

Minnesota acquired guard Darrick Martin from the Vancouver Grizzlies on January 12, 1996, for a 1996 second-rounder that ultimately became No. 49 Amal McCaskill. Martin played 35 Minnesota games in 1995-96 after the trade, totaling 747 minutes, 254 points and 156 assists. Vancouver traded the incoming pick to Orlando in February alongside Kenny Gattison for Jeff Turner; Orlando, not Vancouver, drafted McCaskill. Wolves Win, Minnesota B+, Vancouver C+.