Boston and St. Louis Exchanged Gray and Hankins
On April 29, 1947, after the inaugural BAA season, the Boston Celtics traded Wyndol Gray to the St. Louis Bombers for Cecil Hankins. Basketball-Reference records the transaction on both clubs' 1946-47 pages and in the league transaction log. Because the exchange occurred after the season, the first meaningful comparison comes in 1947-48. Neither incoming player became a major contributor for his new club, but St. Louis later turned Gray into a second asset, which changes the long-term value of the deal.
Hankins Had a Short Celtics Stay
Hankins had been a regular for St. Louis in 1946-47, playing 55 games and averaging 5.9 points. His Boston role was much smaller the following season. He appeared in 25 games, averaged 2.8 points and shot .198 from the field, producing negative win-share value in the Basketball-Reference estimates. Boston finished 20-28 and reached the playoffs, but Hankins was not a central part of that team and did not remain in the BAA after the season.
Gray’s Direct Bombers Return Was Also Modest
Gray's immediate contribution was even smaller. He played 11 games for the Bombers in 1947-48, averaging 1.2 points on .167 shooting. St. Louis nevertheless found additional value on December 30, 1947, when it traded Gray to Providence for Ariel Maughan. Maughan played 28 games for St. Louis that season at 4.6 points per game, then became a much larger scorer in 1948-49 with 10.8 points across 55 games. He remained with the Bombers into 1949-50, giving St.
The Later Asset Chain Pushes St. Louis Ahead
If the transaction ended with Hankins and Gray alone, neither side would have much reason to claim victory. Hankins supplied 25 modest games for Boston, while Gray lasted only 11 games in St. Louis. The difference is what happened next. The Bombers converted Gray into Maughan, who immediately offered more production and then became a double-digit scorer the following season. St. Louis also finished 29-19 and first in the Western Division in 1947-48, while Boston went 20-28.
Final Verdict
Bombers Win — St. Louis A, Boston B-. Boston traded Wyndol Gray to the St. Louis Bombers for Cecil Hankins on April 29, 1947. The direct returns were modest the next season: Hankins played 25 games for Boston at 2.8 points per game, while Gray played 11 games for St. Louis at 1.2 points. The deal tilted toward St. Louis because Gray was later traded to Providence for Ariel Maughan, who became a useful Bombers contributor for multiple seasons, including 10.8 points per game in 1948-49.