Boston and Fort Wayne Swapped Harris and Mehen
On December 19, 1950, the Fort Wayne Pistons traded Bob Harris to the Boston Celtics for Dick Mehen. Boston's transaction page, Fort Wayne's transaction page, the 1950-51 league transaction log and Red Auerbach's executive record all identify the same player-for-player exchange. Mehen had been in Boston for only seven games after arriving from Baltimore on December 1. Harris had appeared in 12 Fort Wayne games that season. The trade therefore moved two players who were already being treated as movable rotation pieces rather than long-term franchise anchors.
Harris Gave Boston Useful Frontcourt Depth
Harris became a useful frontcourt rebounder for the Celtics. Basketball-Reference credits him with 44 Boston games in 1950-51 at 5.5 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game. He later made brief appearances for Boston in three additional seasons, so the Celtics did receive continuing roster value beyond the first year. Harris was never a major scorer, but he supplied more immediate games than Mehen had given Boston and fit as depth behind the club's more prominent frontcourt players.
Mehen Later Helped Bring Frankie Brian to Fort Wayne
Mehen gave the Pistons 43 games during the rest of 1950-51, averaging 6.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists. The more important value came after the season. On May 31, 1951, Fort Wayne traded Mehen, Howie Schultz and cash to the Tri-Cities Blackhawks for Frankie Brian. Brian became an All-Star for Fort Wayne in 1951-52, appearing in 66 games and scoring 1,051 points, then remained a major part of the Pistons the following season.
The Brian Conversion Separates the Pistons
Boston's side was respectable. Harris gave the Celtics 44 games immediately and remained available for later short stints. Fort Wayne's side still separates because Mehen's value did not end with his 43-game Pistons run. Converting him into part of the Frankie Brian package created a second, much larger return that directly followed from the asset acquired in this trade. That downstream path is the kind of traceable conversion that matters in a hindsight review and was not captured by the legacy grade.
Final Verdict
Pistons Win — Boston B-, Fort Wayne A-. Fort Wayne traded Bob Harris to the Boston Celtics for Dick Mehen on December 19, 1950. Harris became useful Boston depth, playing 44 games that season at 5.5 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, with brief Celtics appearances in later seasons. Mehen gave Fort Wayne 43 games at 6.5 points and 2.8 rebounds, then became part of a May 1951 package with Howie Schultz and cash that brought All-Star guard Frankie Brian to the Pistons. That downstream conversion creates the decisive value gap.