New York Made Room for Mark Jackson and Chicago Needed a Guard
The Knicks sent Rory Sparrow to Chicago on November 12, 1987, for a 1988 second-round pick. UPI's report that day specified that New York would receive the lower of the Bulls' two second-round selections; the choice ultimately became No. 37, used on Greg Butler. New York had added rookie point guard Mark Jackson, reducing Sparrow's role after several seasons as a regular starter. Chicago acquired a veteran who could handle backcourt minutes for a team still building around Michael Jordan. Unlike the earlier Kyle Macy deal that put the pick in the Bulls' hands, this transaction shows how Chicago actually spent one of those draft assets.
Sparrow Helped Chicago More in Starts Than in Scoring
Sparrow appeared in 55 regular-season games for Chicago during 1987-88, starting 25 and averaging 18.0 minutes, 4.5 points and 2.9 assists. He wasn't the high-usage Knicks guard he had been in earlier seasons, but he could spell other ball handlers and supplied experienced starts during the year the Bulls reached the Eastern Conference semifinals. He appeared in seven playoff games that spring. Those minutes are the direct Chicago return; his later production for Miami shouldn't be charged to this deal. Chicago's B- grade reflects a practical one-season guard acquisition, with its scoring limitation keeping the result modest.
Butler Became a Brief Knicks Reserve
New York drafted Stanford center Greg Butler with the No. 37 selection in 1988. He appeared in 33 Knicks games as a rookie and 13 more the following season, totaling 46 New York appearances and averaging 1.3 points in 3.8 minutes. The draft choice produced an NBA player, but not a long-term frontcourt rotation answer. The Knicks' B- rating recognizes that New York converted an expendable veteran's roster spot into a future second-round opportunity, although the realized basketball output was low. Sparrow delivered more direct minutes than Butler, yet neither became an enduring contributor for the club that received him. That keeps the trade within the modest-return tier reflected in the original equal grades.
Final Verdict
Even Trade. Chicago receives B- for Rory Sparrow's 55 regular-season games and 25 starts in 1987-88. New York also earns B- for turning an expendable guard into the pick used on Greg Butler, whose 46 Knicks appearances were brief. Chicago obtained the stronger immediate player contribution, but neither return had lasting reach.