Chicago acquired Ed Nealy from Phoenix for a conditional 1996 second-round pick that did not convey.
The Bulls acquired Ed Nealy from Phoenix on October 5, 1989 for a conditional 1996 second-round selection. Seven years of potential separation between the trade and the nominal pick could make the return sound more elaborate than it actually became. The condition was never exercised; no draft pick conveyed to the Suns. This leaves an identifiable player on one side and an unfulfilled draft contingency on the other.
Nealy appeared in 46 Chicago games during 1989-90. He wasn't the sort of high-minute scorer who would turn a transaction into a defining season, but forty-six NBA appearances are direct roster value. Chicago received useful frontcourt depth at the time it needed bodies to complete the rotation. The narrow scale of that output is also why a modest edge describes the outcome better than an overwhelming win.
Phoenix's hypothetical compensation would have been a 1996 second-round pick only if its conditions were met. Since the pick did not convey, the Suns cannot receive credit for a selection, a drafted player or subsequent development. They may have viewed the original condition as acceptable compensation for a marginal veteran, but hindsight shows no realized pick from this transaction. The comparison rests on Nealy's 46 games against no conveyed selection.
Slight Bulls Edge. Chicago earns C+ for Nealy's 46 appearances, a modest but direct role. Phoenix receives C because its conditional 1996 second-rounder never conveyed. The decision to make the exchange had limited stakes, so the grades acknowledge a small advantage without claiming major franchise consequences.