Detroit acquired Mark West from Phoenix for a 1996 second-round pick that became No. 39 Russ Millard and a conditional 1999 second-round pick that did not convey.
Detroit sent Phoenix a 1996 second-round pick and a conditional 1999 second-round choice on August 1, 1994 for Mark West. The later 1999 choice never conveyed, so the Suns' actual return was narrower than the two-pick headline suggests. The 1996 selection eventually landed at No. 39 and became Russ Millard. Neither the 1999 contingency nor the existence of a drafted player should be confused with a second NBA contributor reaching the Suns.
West appeared in 114 games for Detroit across two seasons, with 79 starts. In 1994-95 alone, he averaged 7.5 points and 6.1 rebounds, useful center production obtained without surrendering a first-round asset. This wasn't a future-star acquisition. It was a trade for an established rotation big who could occupy real frontcourt minutes immediately. His actual Pistons performance explains why the franchise received the stronger return even if those teams didn't build a title run around this transaction.
The Suns used the conveyed 1996 pick on Millard, but he never appeared in an NBA regular-season game. The conditional 1999 pick did not convey, leaving Phoenix without another selection from this deal. Its return therefore had draft opportunity rather than confirmed game production. Detroit's existing 114 games from West contrast directly with that outcome; this isn't an inference about Millard's potential or anything West achieved for other clubs before the transaction.
Pistons Win. Detroit earns B for West's immediate center minutes and 79 starts across 114 games without using a first-rounder. Phoenix receives C- for the 1996 No. 39 selection of Russ Millard, who never played in the NBA, plus a 1999 conditional second that did not convey. The grades reflect the very different realized returns.