San Antonio acquired Mike Bratz from Cleveland on October 28, 1981 for a 1983 third-round pick that became No. 66 Les Craft. Bratz played 81 regular-season games for the Spurs, started three, averaged 7.7 points and 5.4 assists, and appeared in all nine of San Antonio's 1982 playoff games. Cleveland drafted Craft in 1983 but immediately packaged his rights with Larry Anderson to San Diego for a 1985 second-round pick that became No. 30 Calvin Duncan. Duncan never played in the NBA and was later included with Charles Oakley in another draft-night trade. The pick retained downstream transaction utility, but San Antonio received the much stronger direct basketball return.
Basketball-Reference's San Antonio transaction ledger records the October 28, 1981 trade clearly. The Spurs sent Cleveland a 1983 third-round pick and received Mike Bratz. That pick eventually became No. 66 Les Craft, but Cleveland did not simply keep Craft as its final return.
Bratz appeared in 81 regular-season games for San Antonio in 1981-82 and started three. He averaged 20.0 minutes, 7.7 points and 5.4 assists while serving as a reserve point guard behind the Spurs' veteran backcourt. San Antonio finished 48-34, won the Midwest Division and reached the Western Conference Finals. Bratz also appeared in all nine Spurs playoff games, averaging 20.0 minutes and 5.3 assists per game in the postseason. His San Antonio tenure lasted one season, but it was a complete and useful one.
The Cavaliers exercised the incoming third-round selection at No. 66 in the 1983 NBA Draft and selected Kansas State center Les Craft. Craft never played a regular-season game for Cleveland. On the same draft day, the Cavaliers packaged his rights with No. 56 pick Larry Anderson and sent both players to San Diego for a 1985 second-round pick. That means the original Bratz return retained transaction value even though Craft himself never suited up for Cleveland.
The 1985 second-rounder acquired from San Diego became No. 30 Calvin Duncan. Cleveland then included Duncan with Charles Oakley in a draft-night trade with Chicago for Keith Lee and Ennis Whatley. Duncan never appeared in an NBA regular-season game. This review does not credit the entire Lee-Whatley return to the Bratz trade because Craft was packaged with Larry Anderson to acquire the 1985 pick, and Duncan was later packaged with Oakley. Those other assets were essential parts of both downstream transactions.
The Spurs received 81 regular-season games, three starts and nine playoff appearances from Bratz. Cleveland received a third-round pick that retained some trade utility but never produced a direct Cavaliers game through Craft or Duncan. The downstream chain prevents Cleveland from receiving a failing grade, but the direct realized basketball value is clearly on San Antonio's side.
Spurs Win, B+/C. San Antonio receives a B+ for a full season of useful guard depth on a division champion and conference finalist. Cleveland receives a C because the pick retained later transaction utility, but its direct player outcomes produced zero Cavaliers regular-season games.