The Warriors Exchanged a Veteran Guard for Three Suns Reserves
Golden State traded Vinny Del Negro to Phoenix on January 26, 2001, receiving forward Corie Blount, guard Paul McPherson and big man Rubén Garcés. The Warriors' official media guide records the three-for-one transaction and its exact date. The clubs were pursuing different roster adjustments: Phoenix sought a steady veteran guard who could provide some minutes behind its established perimeter players, while Golden State wanted more frontcourt bodies and a chance to evaluate a younger scoring guard. No future picks are recorded as part of this particular exchange.
Blount Supplied the Main Golden State Return
Blount played thirty-eight regular-season games for Golden State after the acquisition, logging 918 minutes and averaging 6.8 points with 8.3 rebounds per 36 minutes. His game-by-game role was more limited than those per-minute figures imply, but the Warriors needed additional size in a season affected by injuries and poor results. He was a playable power forward rather than an end-of-bench contract. McPherson also appeared in twenty-two games, played 287 minutes and averaged 6.8 points in just thirteen minutes per contest. Combined, the two players delivered 1,205 minutes of Warriors use.
Garcés Didn't Play, While Del Negro Became a Suns Backup
The third incoming player, Garcés, did not appear in a Warriors regular-season game and was waived on February 28, 2001, according to the club's transaction history. Golden State therefore should not be credited with his ten earlier Phoenix games. On the other side, Del Negro appeared in thirty-six Phoenix regular-season games after the swap, played 526 minutes and averaged 5.2 points. He gave the Suns some guard cover, but was not a major offensive contributor. His twenty-nine Golden State games before January 26 also remain pretrade Warriors statistics, not additional Phoenix value.
Two Rotation Pieces Outweighed One Veteran Guard
This exchange was not a major event for either franchise, and Golden State's season remained difficult. Nonetheless, the return was more than an unused group of contracts: Blount gave the Warriors real frontcourt minutes and McPherson a chance to handle bench possessions. Phoenix acquired a veteran guard who could help occasionally, though he logged fewer minutes than either the combined Warriors additions or Blount alone. The Suns' decision was reasonable given their need for experience, but the receiving-team records support a modest Warriors advantage rather than the imported perfectly even B grades.
Final Verdict
Warriors Win. Golden State earns B for Corie Blount's thirty-eight games and 918 minutes plus Paul McPherson's twenty-two games and 287 minutes; Rubén Garcés did not play before his waiver. Phoenix receives C+ for Vinny Del Negro's thirty-six games and 526 minutes. The Warriors acquired more useful bench coverage from the January three-for-one trade.