Chicago Moved Earl Cureton for a Future Draft Choice
On February 11, 1987, the Bulls sent veteran forward-center Earl Cureton to the Los Angeles Clippers for a 1989 second-round pick, sometimes described at the time as a second-or-third-round choice because of evolving draft-round rules. The selection eventually became No. 43 in 1989 and was used on Chucky Brown, although the Bulls did not make that selection themselves. It is important to preserve the complete pick chain rather than award Brown NBA production to the team that originally acquired the asset. The Clippers sought interior depth during a difficult season; Chicago accepted a future choice for a player it could remove from its crowded frontcourt.
Cureton Became a Regular Clippers Rotation Player
Cureton appeared in 35 games for Los Angeles after the transaction, averaging 7.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and 24.8 minutes. Those figures represent substantial playing time during the final months of the 1986-87 season, even though the Clippers won only 12 games that year. His work was an immediate return and should not be dismissed merely because the receiving team was weak. Los Angeles earned a C in the canonical grades because the on-court help was short-term and did not alter the trajectory of the club. The team paid a future draft opportunity to get it.
Chicago Reused the Pick Four Days Later
The Bulls gained a tradable asset rather than a player who would arrive in 1989. On February 15, 1987, they sent the acquired second-round selection to Cleveland for Ben Poquette. The Cavaliers ultimately drafted Chucky Brown at No. 43 in 1989. Chicago should receive credit for being able to swap the choice for Poquette, not for Brown career seasons on another team. That transaction happened only four days after the Cureton sale, giving the front office immediate flexibility. The Bulls C+ grade reflects the transferability of the pick and the narrow edge over one partial Clippers season, without pretending it created an enduring star.
Final Verdict
Slight Bulls Edge. Chicago gets C+ for turning Earl Cureton into a second-round asset immediately exchanged for Ben Poquette. Los Angeles grades C after receiving Cureton 35 games of frontcourt depth. Cleveland, not Chicago, eventually selected Chucky Brown with the transferred pick.