NBA Trade Verdict
Knicks Win
Boston acquired cash from Knicks in exchange for rights to Elbert Butler(J.).
December 11, 1961 Boston Celtics / New York Knicks Record confidence: Private Record
Boston Celtics Received
- Cash cash
New York Knicks Received
- Draft Rights rights to Elbert Butler(J.)
Trade Analysis
Boston Celtics Perspective
The deal centered on cash and rights to Elbert Butler(J.). Both sides received limited short-term value, and neither outcome created meaningful separation.
New York Knicks Perspective
New York acquired rights to Elbert Butler / Al Butler (J.) and sent cash. Both sides realized enough value that a decisive winner would overstate the result. The grade emphasizes realized player impact, pick outcomes, roster fit and asset cost rather than assuming the Knicks or the other team would have made identical downstream draft choices. For lower-profile historical deals, confidence is intentionally conservative because archival detail and transaction mechanics are thinner than for modern trades.