The Exchange
Basketball-Reference's Chicago, Seattle and league transaction pages agree on the October 20, 1972 structure: the Bulls sent Kenny McIntosh to the SuperSonics for Gar Heard and Seattle's 1973 third-round pick. Chicago used that selection at No. 39 on Arkansas guard Martin Terry. The trade therefore gave Chicago one immediate rotation player plus a draft asset, while Seattle received a young forward who had played only 46 games for the Bulls. The reviewed sources do not add cash or another hidden component, so the canonical ledger remains a straightforward player-for-player-and-pick transaction.
Heard's Chicago Season
Heard became useful immediately. After appearing in only three games for Seattle at the start of 1972-73, he played 78 for Chicago. Basketball-Reference credits him with 1,535 minutes, 807 points and 447 rebounds, or 10.3 points and 5.7 rebounds in 19.7 minutes per game. Chicago went 51-31 and reached the Western Conference semifinals. Heard was not a featured star, but his scoring rate and rebounding gave the Bulls much more immediate production than the player they surrendered produced for Seattle that season. He also appeared in two playoff games before the Bulls' postseason ended.
The Martin Terry Pick
The draft asset added little realized value. Chicago selected Martin Terry with the 39th pick in the 1973 draft. Basketball-Reference lists Terry as a Chicago draft choice but shows no NBA statistical line. The pick therefore produced zero NBA games for the Bulls. That prevents the extra selection from turning the trade into a major draft win, yet it still matters that Chicago received an additional asset on top of a productive player. The source-backed ledger marks Terry as a verified zero-game draft outcome rather than treating the third-round pick as unresolved.
McIntosh in Seattle
Seattle received more longevity from McIntosh than the original shorthand suggests. He played 56 games for the SuperSonics in 1972-73, averaging 4.5 points and 4.0 rebounds in 19.7 minutes. He then appeared in 69 games in 1973-74 and increased his role to 29.8 minutes, 7.4 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. McIntosh played six more Seattle games in 1974-75. In all, the SuperSonics received 131 regular-season appearances, 3,262 minutes, 783 points and 598 rebounds. He was a legitimate rotation player, which keeps Seattle's grade respectable despite Heard's stronger per-game impact.
Heard's Downstream Value
Chicago did not simply lose Heard for nothing after one season. On September 10, 1973, the Bulls traded Heard and 1973 first-round pick Kevin Kunnert to Buffalo for John Hummer plus second-round picks in 1974 and 1975. That package later produced Leon Benbow with the 1974 pick, while Hummer played 18 Chicago games before being traded to Seattle for another 1975 second-round pick. Heard cannot be credited with the entire Buffalo return because Kunnert was a meaningful co-asset, so the archive treats the downstream value as supporting evidence rather than assigning all later players and picks to this 1972 trade.
Hindsight Comparison
The direct comparison is closer than the old A-/C shorthand implied. Heard gave Chicago 78 games at 10.3 points and 5.7 rebounds, while McIntosh gave Seattle 131 games and stayed in a larger role for most of 1973-74. Chicago's advantage comes from receiving the more productive player immediately, adding a draft pick at no extra player cost, and retaining enough value in Heard to use him in another multi-asset trade the next year. Seattle's side was useful but did not produce a comparable downstream transaction in the reviewed record.
Final Verdict
Bulls Win, A-/B. Chicago receives an A- because Heard supplied a strong 78-game season, the Bulls also received the No. 39 pick, and Heard remained a tradable asset in the 1973 Buffalo deal. Seattle receives a B because McIntosh played 131 games across parts of three seasons and provided legitimate rotation minutes, even though his scoring efficiency and overall impact were lower. Martin Terry's zero-game outcome limits Chicago's draft bonus, and the Kunnert component prevents over-crediting Heard for the later Buffalo package. Confidence is high on the trade mechanics, player production, draft identity and immediate downstream transaction. The verdict reflects only verified transaction terms and realized team value.