Dallas and New Jersey Exchanged Nine Players
On February 17, 1997, the Nets traded center Shawn Bradley, Ed O’Bannon, Robert Pack and Khalid Reeves to Dallas. The Mavericks sent Sam Cassell, Chris Gatling, Jim Jackson, George McCloud and Eric Montross to New Jersey. Contemporary Washington Post and UPI reporting characterized the nine-player transaction as unusually large for two NBA clubs. It was part of new Dallas executive Don Nelson’s rapid reworking of a roster that had already traded Jason Kidd and Jamal Mashburn. Dallas wanted a long-term center and another point guard, while New Jersey collected several proven scorers and versatile contracts. The five-for-four structure, not just Bradley for Cassell, drives the asset assessment.
New Jersey Received Several Valuable Players and Later Trade Options
Cassell gave the Nets another capable starting guard, and Gatling arrived as an All-Star-level scoring forward. Jim Jackson also brought perimeter production and experience, while Montross was a reserve center and McCloud another movable shooter. The receiving club did not retain each of them for a long Nets career: McCloud moved to the Lakers only three days later for Joe Kleine and a first-round pick, and Jackson and Montross were part of the June trade that brought Keith Van Horn to New Jersey. Those later transactions need separate accounting, but they show that Nelson’s departing Mavericks assets gave the Nets substantial flexibility in addition to court time. The inherited Nets A+ grade reflects the depth of the incoming package and the options generated by moving players again.
Bradley Played Many Dallas Seasons While the Other Returns Varied
Dallas did gain an enduring starting center. Bradley’s shot blocking and defensive size kept him in the Mavericks rotation for many years, including the franchise’s early Dirk Nowitzki development period. Pack was useful as a point guard when healthy, while Reeves and O’Bannon had shorter Dallas contributions. The inherited Mavericks F grade is exceptionally harsh when Bradley’s subsequent Dallas tenure is considered. A complete hindsight regrading could acknowledge his legitimate rim protection while still recognizing New Jersey acquired five usable assets from a rebuild-driven agreement. The fact remains that Dallas surrendered multiple current scoring options at once and relied heavily on its seven-foot-six centerpiece. His entire career was not a failure, though the transaction had serious opportunity costs.
Final Verdict
Nets Win under the inherited A+ New Jersey to F Dallas assessment. The Nets obtained Cassell, Gatling, Jim Jackson, McCloud and Montross, several later reused in other trades. Dallas acquired Bradley, Pack, Reeves and O’Bannon. Bradley gave Dallas many seasons of center play, so the extreme inherited grade gap merits careful future review.