Boston Sold Songaila's Rights for Two Seconds
The Celtics transferred the rights to Darius Songaila to Sacramento in June 2003, receiving two second-round draft picks. One was tied to No. 56 Brandon Hunter in the 2003 draft, while the other became No. 53 Orien Greene in 2005. Songaila was a developing European frontcourt player who had not yet supplied Boston with NBA minutes. The Celtics chose multiple future selection opportunities rather than retaining the rights, while the Kings sought a player whose skills could complement their established frontcourt rotation.
Songaila Became a Useful Sacramento Reserve
Songaila joined the Kings and offered shooting touch, mobility and solid decision-making from a forward position. He played significant reserve minutes across Sacramento seasons before continuing his NBA career elsewhere. Those subsequent teams' games cannot be added to his Kings receiving-team return, but the initial club still acquired a dependable role player. A second-round rights acquisition becoming an active contributor is a tangible success, especially for a team already relying on an experienced competitive core.
Hunter and Greene Gave Boston Limited Returns
Boston used the two incoming second-round opportunities on Hunter and Greene. Both received NBA chances, with Hunter supplying reserve frontcourt minutes and Greene working as a backup guard, but neither became an enduring Celtics starter. The picks were genuine assets, not blank compensation, and their short-term usefulness shouldn't be erased. Nevertheless, the club surrendered rights to a player who established a more reliable position elsewhere, making the decision to split the value into two later selections less productive in hindsight.
The Strongest Long-Term Contributor Went to Sacramento
The Kings developed a recognizable rotation forward from a player Boston could have kept under contract rights. The Celtics tried to spread their chance of finding help across two second-round prospects, which was reasonable given the uncertainty surrounding Songaila before his NBA debut. Actual results favored Sacramento, whose incoming player supplied more sustained production. The grade difference is moderate rather than overwhelming because both teams received some usable depth, but the best direct player contribution belonged to the Kings.
Final Verdict
Kings Win. Sacramento earns B for securing Darius Songaila's draft rights and obtaining a useful NBA rotation forward. Boston receives C+ for the two second-round picks used on Brandon Hunter and Orien Greene, neither of whom matched Songaila's sustained Kings role. The Celtics collected more selections, but Sacramento developed the stronger single contributor.