The Exchange
On June 18, 1970, the Denver Rockets traded Larry Jones, Greg Wittman and a 1971 second-round draft choice to the Miami Floridians for Larry Cannon, Don Sidle and Miami's 1971 first-round choice. Basketball-Reference's ABA transaction ledger, Denver transaction log and Floridians transaction log all describe the same six-asset exchange. Pro Sports Transactions resolves the incoming first-round pick as No. 4 in the 1971 ABA draft, used on Ken Durrett, while Denver's outgoing second-round pick remains listed without a verified player outcome.
Denver Return
Cannon produced the best single season on Denver's side. In 1970-71 he played 80 games, averaged 26.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 5.2 assists, posted 7.2 win shares and made the All-ABA Second Team. That is substantial immediate value from a player who had averaged 11.8 points as a Miami rookie. Cannon did not extend the return into a second Denver regular season, however; he signed with Memphis in October 1971.
Sidle also helped right away. He played 54 Denver games in 1970-71 and averaged 16.1 points and 9.0 rebounds with 4.2 win shares. Denver traded Sidle with Wayne Chapman to Indiana on February 1, 1971 for John Barnhill and Art Becker. That downstream exchange preserved asset value, but Sidle cannot be credited with the entire Barnhill-Becker return because Chapman was part of the package.
The first-round pick became Ken Durrett at No. 4 in the 1971 ABA draft. Denver moved Durrett's rights to Virginia on January 22, 1971 for another 1971 first-round choice and a player to be named later or cash. Pro Sports Transactions identifies that replacement first-rounder as No. 5 Cliff Meely. Meely played in the NBA rather than for Denver in the ABA, so the original Miami pick did not generate realized Denver player production through that branch.
Floridians Return
Jones was the most durable and productive long-term player in the deal. He played all 84 games for the Floridians in 1970-71, averaging 24.3 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.6 assists in 43.0 minutes. He made the ABA All-Star Game, finished seventh in MVP voting and produced 8.8 win shares. Jones followed with 66 games in 1971-72 at 17.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists, adding 8.1 win shares. Across two Florida seasons, that is 150 games, 21.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 16.9 win shares per Basketball-Reference.
Wittman contributed only five Floridians games before Miami traded him and a draft choice to Texas for Charlie Beasley on October 26, 1970. His direct production was minimal, and the unidentified Denver second-round pick cannot be assigned an invented player outcome. Florida therefore wins this comparison because of Jones rather than because every piece of its package paid off.
Hindsight Comparison
Denver got real value. Cannon's 1970-71 season was excellent and Sidle supplied another productive frontcourt season before being moved. Combined, those two players gave Denver 134 regular-season games and 11.4 win shares in 1970-71. The problem is duration. Cannon left after one Denver season, Sidle was traded during that same campaign, and the first-round-pick branch did not lead to a player who appeared for Denver.
Jones alone gave Florida 150 games and 16.9 win shares over two seasons, while also delivering an All-Star season and a top-seven MVP finish in the first year. That longer direct return outweighs Denver's two-player burst even before Wittman's small contribution is considered. The original record's slight-Denver-edge framing was therefore too favorable to the Rockets once the realized player outcomes are measured.
Final Verdict
Floridians Win, A-/B+. Florida receives an A- because Jones supplied two strong seasons, 150 games and 16.9 win shares, including an All-Star year immediately after the trade. Denver receives a B+ for Cannon's All-ABA season, Sidle's useful 54-game run and a first-round asset that retained transaction value even though its eventual rights chain did not produce Denver games. Confidence is high on the trade package, direct production and first-round pick identity; the outgoing Denver second-round pick remains an unresolved historical outcome. The verdict reflects only verified transaction terms and realized team value.