Sacramento Acquired Mike McGee for Two Future Second-Rounders
On December 14, 1987, Sacramento traded its second-round selections in 1991 and 1995 to Atlanta for guard Mike McGee. Those choices became associated with No. 30 Rodney Monroe in 1991 and No. 42 Donnie Boyce in 1995. A Sacramento Kings official media guide independently confirms both the date and the two-pick price, and Atlanta's transaction register records the same agreement. McGee had been an NBA scorer for the Los Angeles Lakers earlier in his career, but was an expendable Hawks guard at this point. Sacramento hoped a veteran shooter could help a backcourt that needed more offense while the team adjusted to its early seasons in Northern California. Atlanta was willing to wait for two late future draft options rather than use another veteran immediately. The trade did not include cash or a first-round pick.
McGee Offered a Veteran Scoring Option, Not a New Kings Star
McGee could provide points from outside and had experience playing on successful Lakers teams, but his Sacramento role did not match the peak seasons he enjoyed before leaving Los Angeles. The Kings were struggling to find a productive combination of guards and forwards around their younger players, so adding a known scorer was an understandable move. His playing time with the Kings was limited to a narrower late-career stretch, and he did not become a sustained starting offensive leader. The inherited Hawks Win verdict reflects that short-lived value relative to two actual future selections, rather than declaring McGee unable to play. His earlier Lakers title contributions should not be counted as Sacramento achievements, and the club's later rebuild involved many more moves than this single trade. The correct direct return is the scoring and rotation help he provided once he joined the Kings.
Atlanta Accumulated Two Separate Draft Opportunities
The Hawks did not receive an existing NBA player on December 14. They received two future second-round choices, separated by four years and with different eventual draft outcomes. One selection was associated with Rodney Monroe and the later with Donnie Boyce. The rights themselves had trade or developmental value, even if the selected players did not become high-level Hawks stars. Atlanta could use the picks to seek inexpensive roster depth while its main contributors, including Dominique Wilkins, continued competing in the Eastern Conference. The Hawks Win inherited classification values that longer-horizon optionality over McGee's temporary Sacramento scoring. A second-round pick is not automatically a long NBA career for its original holder, however, so subsequent rights paths must be handled separately from the original trade value. The evaluation should not attribute all future games by Monroe or Boyce to Atlanta without verifying their actual teams.
Final Verdict
Hawks Win. Atlanta acquired 1991 and 1995 second-round picks later connected to Rodney Monroe and Donnie Boyce, while Sacramento received experienced scorer Mike McGee. The Kings obtained short-term backcourt shooting; the Hawks secured two real future draft opportunities with longer-horizon asset value.