Houston traded Ron Behagen to Indiana on December 22, 1977 for the rights to Alonzo Bradley. The exchange was far closer in realized value than the legacy grading suggested. Behagen played 51 games for Indiana that season, starting 10 and averaging 11.2 points and 6.5 rebounds in 22.2 minutes before the Pacers waived him the following September. Bradley played 99 regular-season games for Houston across three seasons. He averaged 7.0 points in 18.6 minutes over 43 games in 1977-78, then moved into a smaller reserve role over the next two seasons before Dallas selected him in the 1980 expansion draft. The two branches were strikingly similar in total playing time: Behagen gave Indiana roughly 1,130 regular-season minutes, while Bradley gave Houston roughly 1,140. Indiana received more production per game; Houston received more games and longer roster continuity. The result is best treated as essentially even.
Houston and Indiana transaction records show the December 22, 1977 deal as Ron Behagen for the rights to Alonzo Bradley. The league ledger records the same structure. Houston had acquired Behagen from Atlanta only six days earlier, but this review evaluates this second transaction on its own. The question is what Houston received for Behagen and what Indiana received for Bradley's rights.
Behagen played 51 regular-season games for the Pacers in 1977-78 and started 10. He averaged 11.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 22.2 minutes per game. That is meaningful rotation production, especially for a player acquired in late December. Indiana did not get multiple seasons from him, however. Basketball-Reference's transaction history shows the Pacers waived Behagen on September 11, 1978. His Indiana branch therefore ends with one productive partial season and no documented trade return.
Bradley played 43 games for Houston in 1977-78, averaging 7.0 points in 18.6 minutes. He returned for 34 games in 1978-79 and 22 in 1979-80, although his role became much smaller in both later seasons. Across the three years Bradley appeared in 99 regular-season Rockets games. His first season supplied the bulk of the value; the final two were low-minute reserve years. Bradley's Houston tenure ended when the Dallas Mavericks selected him in the 1980 expansion draft. That produced no conventional player-or-pick return for Houston, so this review does not extend the branch beyond his 99 Rockets appearances.
The legacy evaluations treated the trade as heavily one-sided in opposite directions depending on which team perspective was used. The team-specific production does not support either extreme. Behagen's 51 Indiana games at 22.2 minutes per game amount to roughly 1,130 regular-season minutes. Bradley's 43 games at 18.6 minutes, 34 at 7.2 minutes and 22 at 4.4 minutes total roughly 1,140 minutes for Houston. The exact minute total is less important than the scale: the two teams received almost the same amount of court time. Indiana concentrated its value into one season with better scoring and rebounding production. Houston spread its value across three seasons, with a useful first year followed by smaller reserve roles.
Indiana waived Behagen before the next season. Houston lost Bradley in the expansion draft. Neither side turned the acquired asset into a premium pick, long-term starter or substantial later trade package. That makes this a useful example of why games played alone can mislead. Houston's 99 appearances sound much larger than Indiana's 51, but the minute load was nearly identical because Bradley's later role was so small.
Even Trade, B-/B-. Indiana receives a B- for a productive 51-game Behagen run. Houston receives a B- for 99 Bradley games across three seasons, with most of the impact concentrated in 1977-78. The two returns differ in shape but not enough in realized team-specific value to justify a winner. Confidence is high.