Cleveland Turned Paul Thompson Into Two Conditional Draft Returns
On February 12, 1985, Cleveland sent forward Paul Thompson to Milwaukee for the Bucks' 1985 second-round selection and a conditional 1987 choice. The first pick became No. 45 in 1985, used on John 'Hot Rod' Williams. The later obligation was a second-rounder if Thompson appeared on Milwaukee's roster that season, and a third-rounder otherwise; it ultimately became the 1987 No. 41 selection of Kannard Johnson. Those conditions matter because the Cavaliers secured two defined draft opportunities rather than a vague promise of future compensation. Milwaukee wanted a wing who had played a much larger role in Cleveland, but accepted the future-draft cost for a midseason roster addition.
No. 45 Became a Long-Term Cavaliers Frontcourt Piece
Williams didn't join Cleveland's NBA rotation until 1986-87, so the deal shouldn't be described as an instant 1985 breakthrough. His delayed arrival proved worth waiting for. Williams started all 80 of his Cleveland games in 1986-87 and averaged 14.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks. He played for the Cavaliers throughout the next several seasons, including the developing playoff era that followed, and recorded 16.8 points and 8.1 rebounds per game in 1989-90. This sustained, directly attributable production from the acquired second-round pick is why Cleveland's A+ has a concrete foundation. Johnson's later selection is a separate, smaller incoming asset, not a second Hot Rod Williams.
Milwaukee Received a Short Reserve Stint
Thompson had started 27 of his 33 Cavaliers games in 1984-85, averaging 10.5 points before the trade. Milwaukee instead used him as a reserve in 16 regular-season games, where he averaged 6.6 points and 2.6 rebounds. He was with Philadelphia the following season. That narrow Bucks return is real enough to record, but far short of the multi-season Cleveland value created by Williams. Milwaukee's D doesn't imply that Thompson had no NBA ability; it reflects the specific bargain the Bucks made by sending away a pick that turned into a long-serving Cavaliers forward.
Final Verdict
Cavaliers Win. Cleveland receives A+ after trading Paul Thompson for a 1985 second-round pick that became Hot Rod Williams and a conditional 1987 pick later used on Kannard Johnson. Milwaukee gets D for 16 games of reserve production from Thompson. Williams' substantial Cavaliers career gives Cleveland the decisive advantage.