Charlotte Acquired Robert Reid and a Draft Pick for Bernard Thompson
On July 18, 1988, the expansion Charlotte Hornets sent Bernard Thompson to the Houston Rockets for veteran Robert Reid and Houston’s 1990 second-round draft choice. That selection eventually became No. 39 and was used on Steve Scheffler. Thompson had been among Charlotte’s expansion-draft selections, which made the transaction another example of the new franchise converting acquired roster rights into an experienced NBA player. Contemporary Los Angeles Times reporting and the dated league transaction register confirm both incoming assets, rather than Reid alone. Reid had spent a decade in Houston and played on two Rockets teams that reached the Finals. Charlotte wanted a familiar professional who could carry minutes and score on a roster without an established hierarchy.
Reid Started All 82 Games for the Inaugural Hornets
Reid immediately gave Charlotte 82 starts in 1988-89, averaging 14.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 26.2 minutes per game. Those numbers are from his Hornets season, not his previous ten years with Houston. They gave the young franchise dependable veteran scoring and availability even as the expansion team struggled to win consistently. Charlotte held the 1990 second-round choice for another two years and selected Scheffler, adding a separate developmental option to the transaction. The Hornets’ C+ canonical grade looks cautious beside Reid’s production, but the team paid with another unproven expansion asset and did not acquire an enduring offensive star. Reid nonetheless supplied an unusually tangible immediate return for a new team.
Houston Added Depth Rather Than Another Lead Contributor
Houston received Bernard Thompson, a forward without a sustained NBA scoring résumé comparable to Reid’s. The Rockets had already used Reid as a major playoff contributor and were moving toward a younger rotation, so the trade reduced their reliance on an older wing and brought in another potential body. They also surrendered a deferred second-round pick that Charlotte eventually exercised. Thompson never became a main Houston scoring option, and the transaction therefore did not produce the same direct on-court impact for the Rockets. The equal C+ grades can be understood as a narrow roster-management evaluation rather than equal points scored by the incoming players. On the court, Charlotte received the clearer first-year contribution.
Final Verdict
Even Trade. Charlotte earns C+ for veteran Robert Reid’s 82 starts and 14.7 points per game in its inaugural season, plus the No. 39 pick used on Steve Scheffler. Houston receives C+ for Bernard Thompson as a younger depth option, though Reid produced the more identifiable immediate return.