The Primary Record Shows McNeill for a 1977 Third-Round Pick
Basketball-Reference's Kansas City, New York and NBA transaction ledgers all record the September 9, 1976 exchange as Larry McNeill to the Nets for a 1977 third-round draft pick. The Nets' own historical media guide says the same thing and identifies the eventual selection as Bill Paterno. None of those primary-style records lists cash. Pro Sports Transactions does preserve a UPI-based note that cash was also included, while also flagging conflicting reporting around the transaction date. This review therefore keeps the cash report visible as secondary evidence but does not treat it as a fully verified primary-ledger asset.
McNeill Gave New York Only a Brief Regular-Season Return
McNeill had been a useful Kansas City reserve and part-time starter before the trade, appearing in all 82 games in 1975-76. His New York stint was much shorter. Basketball-Reference credits him with eight Nets games, 93 total minutes, 60 points and 26 rebounds in 1976-77. On a per-game basis he averaged 7.5 points and 3.3 rebounds in 11.6 minutes. That is real realized value, but the sample is too small to treat the acquisition as a successful long-term rotation move.
The Nets Waived Him in December
Basketball-Reference's league and Nets transaction pages show New York waiving McNeill on December 13, 1976. RealGM independently records the same waiver, followed by free agency two days later. He did not return to the Nets. Golden State signed him on February 24, 1977, so his later 16-game Warriors stint belongs to a separate free-agent transaction and cannot be credited to New York here. This review grades only the eight games the Nets actually received from the September trade.
Kansas City Used the Pick on Bill Paterno at No. 45
The pick outcome is fully traceable. Kansas City selected Notre Dame forward Bill Paterno with the first pick of the third round, No. 45 overall, in the 1977 NBA Draft. Basketball-Reference's Kings transaction log and Paterno player page both identify that selection. Paterno has no NBA regular-season statistical record, so the pick produced no realized NBA playing value for Kansas City. The draft asset had option value when acquired, but its completed on-court outcome was zero.
The Cash Report Does Not Create a Measurable Kings Advantage
Pro Sports Transactions says a UPI report included cash in addition to the third-rounder. Because the amount is not identified and the Basketball-Reference ledgers plus the Nets' historical media guide omit cash entirely, this review discounts that component heavily. It is reasonable to preserve the possibility that Kansas City received some financial consideration, but there is not enough verified information to price it or use it to overturn the direct basketball comparison.
Final Verdict
Slight Nets Edge, C+/C. New York receives a C+ because McNeill at least produced eight regular-season games and 93 minutes before being waived. Kansas City receives a C because the acquired third-round pick became Bill Paterno, who never appeared in an NBA regular-season game; the secondary cash report adds some possible transaction value but cannot be measured confidently. The margin is intentionally small. Confidence is high on the player-for-pick structure, McNeill's Nets production and the Paterno draft outcome, while the cash component remains secondary-source-only.