The Exchange
Basketball-Reference's San Francisco and Portland transaction logs describe Jim Barnett going to the Warriors for three draft choices: Portland's 1971 second-round pick at No. 25, used on Charlie Yelverton; a 1971 third-round pick at No. 42, used on Bill Smith; and a 1972 second-round pick at No. 26, used on Dave Twardzik. Those logs date the transaction March 23, 1971. Pro Sports Transactions ties the same three selections to Barnett but dates the exchange March 27. The verdict reflects only verified transaction terms and realized team value.
Golden State Return
Barnett was a real return, not a throwaway veteran. In 1971-72 he played 80 games for Golden State, averaging 12.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 27.5 minutes. He remained with the Warriors for three full seasons, playing 82 games in 1972-73 and 77 in 1973-74 while staying around 12 points per game. His first Golden State postseason was especially useful: the veteran guard gave the club experienced scoring and playmaking as it reached the 1972 playoffs. That durability keeps the Warriors' grade respectable even though Portland eventually realized more value from the pick package.
Portland Return
Yelverton supplied the quickest return from the package. As a rookie in 1971-72 he played 69 games for Portland, averaging 7.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 17.8 minutes, but that was his only NBA season. Smith, the No. 42 pick, played 22 games for Portland as a rookie at 8.3 points and 6.1 rebounds in 20.4 minutes, then appeared in only eight more NBA games the next season. Twardzik took longer to reach Portland because he spent four seasons in the ABA after being drafted. Once he arrived, however, he became the package's defining piece. He joined the Trail Blazers in 1976-77 and was part of the championship rotation, averaging 10.9 points and 2.8 assists in 25.3 minutes across 14 playoff games.
Hindsight Comparison
The delayed Twardzik payoff is what moves the transaction beyond an even exchange. Golden State received three productive Barnett seasons, so the Warriors did not lose the trade because their acquisition failed. Portland instead won because the three-pick package produced multiple NBA contributors and one player who later became part of the franchise's first championship team. Yelverton and Smith offered early but limited value; Twardzik supplied the long-tail upside and meaningful postseason production. The comparison is retrospective, but it does not pretend Portland could have known in 1971 that a 1972 second-round pick would leave for the ABA and then return in time to help a title team.
Final Verdict
Blazers Win, A-/B-. Portland receives an A- because all three picks became NBA players and Twardzik eventually provided championship-level rotation value, giving the package both breadth and a high-value long-term outcome. Golden State receives a B- because Barnett was a productive three-year contributor rather than a miss, including an 80-game first season and continued double-digit scoring. Confidence is high on the asset chain and player outcomes, with the March 23 versus March 27 source-date discrepancy noted in the record. The verdict reflects only verified transaction terms and realized team value.