New York Received a Full Season from Newlin
Basketball-Reference's Nets and Knicks transaction ledgers agree on the June 10, 1981 trade: New Jersey sent Mike Newlin to New York for Mike Woodson.
Newlin immediately became a useful Knicks rotation guard. In 1981-82 he played 76 games, started 32 and averaged 9.3 points, 2.2 assists and 1.6 rebounds in 19.8 minutes.
That season was the final year of Newlin's NBA career, so New York's realized return is easy to isolate: 76 games and more than 1,500 minutes of veteran backcourt play.
Woodson Played Only Seven Nets Games
Woodson's New Jersey tenure was much shorter. He appeared in seven games in 1981-82, all off the bench, totaling 145 minutes and 83 points.
The Nets did not simply lose him for nothing, however. On November 12, 1981, New Jersey traded Woodson and a 1982 first-round pick to Kansas City for veteran center Sam Lacey.
That later transaction gives the Woodson branch some downstream value, but it was not a one-for-one conversion. The Nets also surrendered a first-round pick, which later became the No. 17 selection used on Brook Steppe.
Lacey Added 54 Nets Games
Lacey played 54 regular-season games for New Jersey after the November deal. He started six and averaged 2.9 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 12.0 minutes.
Because Woodson was packaged with a meaningful first-round asset, this review treats Lacey as shared downstream value rather than crediting all 54 games to Woodson.
That distinction prevents the Nets side from being overstated. Woodson's direct contribution was only seven games, and the later package required another premium asset to produce Lacey.
Why New York Gets the Edge
New York received the more direct and more substantial isolated return. Newlin played 76 games, started 32 and gave the Knicks a full season of veteran guard minutes.
New Jersey received seven Woodson games plus a partial claim on the later Lacey package. The downstream branch has real value, but the attached first-round pick means it cannot be treated as if Woodson alone bought 54 games of Lacey.
Final Verdict
Knicks Win, B/C+. New York receives a B for 76 Newlin games and 32 starts in his final NBA season. New Jersey receives a C+ for seven Woodson games and shared downstream value in the Lacey transaction, but the first-round pick included in that later package limits how much credit belongs to this branch.