Philadelphia acquired Sam Williams from Golden State on November 12, 1983 for a 1984 second-round pick that became No. 45 Gary Plummer. Williams immediately became a useful 76ers reserve, playing 70 games with 12 starts in 1983-84 and 46 more with eight starts in 1984-85. Across two seasons he gave Philadelphia 116 games, 20 starts and 1,863 minutes. Golden State used the pick on Plummer, who played 66 games and 702 minutes as a rookie before leaving the NBA for several seasons. Both sides received usable depth, but Philadelphia got the larger and longer direct return.
Basketball-Reference records the November 12, 1983 trade as a straight player-for-pick exchange. Philadelphia sent Golden State its 1984 second-round selection for forward Sam Williams. Golden State later used that pick at No. 45 on Gary Plummer. The deal therefore produced direct NBA rotation players for both teams, which makes the comparison closer than many late-pick trades.
Williams joined Philadelphia shortly after the season began and appeared in 70 games in 1983-84. He started 12, logged 1,375 minutes and produced 472 points and 326 rebounds. He averaged 6.7 points and 4.7 rebounds in 19.6 minutes while shooting 47.7 percent from the field. Williams also appeared in four playoff games for a Philadelphia team trying to defend its 1983 title. He returned in 1984-85 and played 46 more games with eight starts. His role was smaller, but he still contributed 488 minutes, 144 points and 106 rebounds. Across the two seasons, Philadelphia received 116 regular-season games, 20 starts and 1,863 minutes from Williams.
The Warriors held the incoming second-rounder and selected Boston University forward Gary Plummer at No. 45 in the 1984 draft. Plummer played 66 games for Golden State as a rookie, all off the bench. He logged 702 minutes, scored 250 points and collected 134 rebounds. He averaged 3.8 points and 2.0 rebounds in 10.6 minutes. Plummer then missed the 1985-86 season with injury and spent several years outside the NBA before returning with Denver in 1992-93. That later Denver season does not count for Golden State. The Warriors' realized return from the pick is the 66-game rookie season.
Neither side made a franchise-changing move. Golden State received an NBA player from a second-round pick, which is a legitimate success and deserves a positive grade. Philadelphia simply received more. Williams played 50 more games, logged more than twice as many minutes and started 20 times across two seasons. The 76ers also got that production immediately rather than waiting until the following draft. The transaction was useful for both teams, but the scale of direct realized value favors Philadelphia.
76ers Win, B+/C+. Philadelphia earns a B+ for turning one second-round pick into 116 games and two seasons of rotation frontcourt play. Golden State receives a C+ because Plummer made the roster and contributed 66 games as a rookie but did not become a lasting Warriors piece. Confidence is high because the trade terms, draft result and both players' team-specific production are documented in primary statistical records.