The Exchange
Basketball-Reference's Atlanta, Buffalo and league transaction logs agree on the July 26, 1971 four-player exchange: the Braves sent Herm Gilliam and Don May to the Hawks for Walt Hazzard and Jerry Chambers. Pro Sports Transactions preserves the same trade and lists Hazzard as 'Walt Hazzard / Mahdi Abdul-Rahman.' Hazzard had legally changed his name, but Basketball-Reference notes that he continued using Walt Hazzard professionally. The source-backed pass therefore repairs the legacy asset label from the alias-only 'Mahdi Abdul-Rahman' to a Walt Hazzard identity with the alternate name preserved rather than treating the two names as different players.
Atlanta Return
Gilliam became the most durable piece in the trade. He played all 82 games in 1971-72 at 10.2 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game, then improved to 14.0 points and 6.3 assists across 76 games in 1972-73. He remained a substantial Hawks contributor for two more seasons, averaging 14.1 points in 62 games in 1973-74 and 12.0 in 60 games in 1974-75. Across those four seasons, Gilliam gave Atlanta 280 regular-season games and a long stretch of starting-caliber guard production. May added useful depth in 1971-72, appearing in 75 games and scoring 594 points before his role diminished later in his career.
Buffalo Return
Hazzard gave Buffalo the best single season on the Braves side. In 1971-72 he played 72 games, averaged 33.2 minutes, 15.8 points and 5.6 assists, and remained the club's primary veteran ball-handler. His Buffalo value fell sharply the next year: he appeared in nine games at 5.9 points and 1.9 assists before the Braves traded him to Golden State. Chambers contributed much less, appearing in 26 Buffalo games in 1971-72 and totaling 178 points in 369 minutes before moving to the ABA the following season. Buffalo therefore received real immediate production, particularly from Hazzard, but little multi-year continuity from either incoming player.
Hindsight Comparison
The first season makes the exchange look competitive because Hazzard was better individually than either Atlanta acquisition in 1971-72. The longer view changes the balance. Gilliam alone became a four-season Hawks guard with 280 games and multiple double-digit scoring seasons, while May added another 75 games in the first year. Buffalo's two-player return produced 98 games in 1971-72, but Chambers did not remain with the franchise and Hazzard's Braves role collapsed early the next season. Atlanta therefore received both greater longevity and more cumulative useful production without needing a downstream draft outcome to create the advantage.
Final Verdict
Hawks Win, A-/B. Atlanta receives an A- because Gilliam became a durable multi-season guard and May added a substantial first-year role, giving the Hawks both depth and long-term value. Buffalo receives a B because Hazzard delivered a genuinely strong first season and Chambers provided limited additional minutes, but neither became a durable Braves piece. Confidence is high because the four-player exchange, Hazzard identity, and each player's post-trade production are well documented. The verdict reflects only verified transaction terms and realized team value.