Atlanta Turned James's Rights Into Two Opportunities
On draft night in 2010, the Hawks traded the rights to No. 24 selection Damion James to the New Jersey Nets for the rights to Jordan Crawford and Tibor Pleiss. Crawford was the No. 27 pick, while Pleiss was selected at No. 31. Atlanta was balancing the value of a specific scoring guard against another team's desire for James. The initial acquisition was not the entire story, however, because Atlanta had another arrangement ready for one of the two incoming players.
Pleiss's Rights Immediately Moved to Oklahoma City
The Hawks sent Pleiss's rights to the Thunder for cash consideration in a separate draft-night step. An official Thunder release confirmed the receipt, and Atlanta's own contemporaneous announcement traced both phases. Pleiss had been briefly acquired from New Jersey but was not a second permanent Hawks draft asset alongside Oklahoma City's final rights. The corrected ledger identifies that interim status and restores the spelling of Tibor's name. Cash was Atlanta's compensation for giving up those rights, not an additional player arriving from Oklahoma City.
Crawford and James Followed Different NBA Paths
Atlanta retained Crawford's draft rights and could evaluate his offensive scoring potential. New Jersey received James as its incoming prospect, while Oklahoma City acquired the developmental rights to an international center. Each club was buying a different kind of opportunity; none obtained a current veteran star. Crawford's later appearances for other NBA teams and Pleiss's eventual career should be assigned to the franchises for which they occurred. One prospect's future elsewhere can't be used as retroactive Hawks or Nets playing minutes.
The Grades Should Follow Final Ownership
The inherited Atlanta B, Oklahoma City B and Nets C value Atlanta's guard prospect and cash, the Thunder's center rights and the Nets' single first-round acquisition differently. The Slight Hawks Edge label is modest rather than a claim that every Hawks draft decision succeeded. The important provenance repair is recognizing that Pleiss passed through Atlanta on the way to Oklahoma City. Without that step, the same prospect can appear to belong to two final recipient teams in the archive.
Final Verdict
Slight Hawks Edge. Atlanta gets B for Jordan Crawford's rights and cash received after promptly forwarding Tibor Pleiss's rights. Oklahoma City also earns B for acquiring Pleiss, and New Jersey receives C for Damion James. Atlanta held Pleiss only temporarily, so the complete 2010 rights chain doesn't award the same permanent prospect to both the Hawks and Thunder.