NBA Trade Verdict

Even Trade

Boston acquired Dontae' Jones; Walter McCarty; John Thomas; Scott Brooks from Knicks in exchange for Chris Mills; 1998 second-round pick (#38 DeMarco Johnson); 2000 second-round pick (#39 Lavor Postel).

October 22, 1997 Boston Celtics / New York Knicks Record confidence: Private Record

New York Knicks Received

Trade Analysis

Boston Celtics Perspective

Boston secured the most useful side of the exchange through Dontae' Jones; Walter McCarty; John Thomas; Scott Brooks, while Chris Mills; 1998 second round pick (#38-DeMarco Johnson); 2000 second round pick (#39-Lavor Postel) produced substantially less lasting value for the counterpart.

New York Knicks Perspective

New York acquired Chris Mills; 1998 second round pick (#38-DeMarco Johnson); 2000 second round pick (#39-Lavor Postel) and sent Dontae' Jones; Walter McCarty; John Thomas; Scott Brooks. The value leaned toward New York, but the other team still received meaningful return. 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.