Golden State traded the draft rights to Jeff Ruland to Washington on June 10, 1980 for a 1981 second-round pick that became No. 33 Sam Williams. Ruland spent 1980-81 in Spain, then played 303 regular-season games for Washington over five NBA seasons, averaged at least 18.9 points in four straight years after his rookie season and made the 1984 and 1985 All-Star teams. Williams gave Golden State 141 games across parts of three seasons before moving to Philadelphia. The legacy summary understated the result: Washington received the decisively more valuable player.
Basketball-Reference's Golden State, Washington and league transaction ledgers all record the same June 10, 1980 trade. Golden State sent the rights to second-round pick Jeff Ruland to Washington for a 1981 second-round selection that later became No. 33 Sam Williams. Ruland did not immediately join the Bullets. He spent 1980-81 playing in Spain, then debuted for Washington in 1981-82.
Ruland played all 82 games as a rookie and averaged 14.4 points and 9.3 rebounds in 27.0 minutes. He followed with 79 games in 1982-83 at 19.4 points and 11.0 rebounds, then produced his best season in 1983-84. That year Ruland played 75 games, started all 75 and averaged 22.2 points, 12.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 41.1 minutes. He made the All-Star team and finished ninth in MVP voting. Ruland was an All-Star again in 1984-85 despite playing only 37 games. He returned for 30 games in 1985-86. Across five Washington seasons, he appeared in 303 regular-season games and scored 5,653 points while functioning as one of the franchise's primary interior players.
The Warriors kept the incoming second-round pick and selected Sam Williams at No. 33 in 1981. Williams became a useful rotation forward. He played 59 games as a rookie, starting 22, and averaged 6.1 points and 5.2 rebounds. He followed with 75 games in 1982-83 and averaged 8.4 points and 5.2 rebounds. Williams appeared in seven more Golden State games in 1983-84 before continuing the season with Philadelphia. His Warriors total was 141 regular-season games, 50 starts and 2,665 minutes.
Golden State did receive a productive NBA player from the future second-round pick. Williams was not a failed selection, and 141 games of frontcourt depth are real value. Washington's return operated at a completely different level. Ruland became a five-season starter-level centerpiece, twice made the All-Star team and produced multiple seasons near or above 20 points and 10 rebounds per game. The original legacy summary described Golden State as holding a modest edge, but the source-backed player records do not support that conclusion. Washington received substantially more realized value.
Bullets Win, A+/B. Washington receives an A+ for 303 Ruland games, two All-Star selections and several elite production seasons. Golden State receives a B because Sam Williams supplied 141 useful games and 50 starts, but his value was far below Ruland's Washington tenure.