The Canonical Player Name Needed a Correction
Basketball-Reference's New Jersey transaction ledger identifies the incoming veteran as Mickey Johnson, not Wallace Johnson. The 1982-83 Nets roster confirms Johnson played 42 games for New Jersey after the trade.
This review corrects that asset identity while preserving the rest of the package: New Jersey received Mickey Johnson and the rights to 1982 second-round pick Fred Roberts, while Milwaukee received Phil Ford and New Jersey's 1983 second-round pick.
Mickey Johnson Gave New Jersey 42 Games
Johnson played 42 regular-season games for the Nets, started seven and averaged 23.8 minutes, 13.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists.
His Nets stay lasted only until February 6, 1983, when New Jersey traded Johnson and Sleepy Floyd to Golden State for Micheal Ray Richardson. This review credits only the 42 direct Nets games from this transaction and does not assign the later Richardson return entirely to Johnson because Floyd was a major co-asset.
Fred Roberts Never Played for the Nets
Roberts had been Milwaukee's No. 27 pick in the 1982 draft but spent 1982-83 in Italy. New Jersey held his NBA rights rather than receiving immediate on-court value.
On June 7, 1983, the Nets sent Roberts and another 1983 second-round pick to San Antonio as compensation for signing Stan Albeck as head coach. Roberts therefore produced zero New Jersey regular-season games.
His later 818-game NBA career cannot be credited to the Nets because it began with San Antonio after New Jersey had moved his rights.
Phil Ford Became a Milwaukee Starter
Ford had appeared in only seven games for New Jersey before the trade. With Milwaukee he played 70 regular-season games in 1982-83 and started 56.
He averaged 20.7 minutes, 6.8 points and 3.6 assists while the Bucks went 51-31 and reached the Eastern Conference semifinals. That gave Milwaukee a full season of real rotation and starting value.
The No. 41 Pick Became Ted Kitchel
Milwaukee used the 1983 second-round pick on Indiana forward Ted Kitchel at No. 41. Kitchel never appeared in an NBA regular-season game.
That means the pick branch itself produced zero direct Bucks games, but Ford's 70-game season still outweighs New Jersey's shorter Johnson return.
Why Milwaukee Wins
New Jersey received 42 games and seven starts from Johnson, plus Roberts' rights, which never turned into a Nets appearance. Milwaukee received 70 games and 56 starts from Ford, while Kitchel produced no NBA games.
The gap is meaningful but not enormous because Johnson was productive during his short New Jersey stay and Roberts retained some transaction utility as a rights asset.
Final Verdict
Bucks Win, B+/B-. Milwaukee receives a B+ for 70 games and 56 starts from Ford at a modest cost, even though Kitchel did not reach the NBA. New Jersey receives a B- because Johnson gave the Nets 42 useful games and Roberts' rights retained value, but neither incoming asset lasted long enough to match Ford's direct Milwaukee contribution.