The Source Record Has a Date Split, but the Economic Exchange Is Clear
Basketball-Reference's 1977-78 Indiana and Milwaukee transaction logs record June 8, 1978 as the date Indiana signed Alex English as a veteran free agent and sent Milwaukee a 1979 first-round pick as compensation.
The legacy canonical record is dated October 3. A separate draft-pick transaction ledger places Milwaukee's agreement not to exercise its right of first refusal on English on that date and ties the same 1979 first-round pick to the agreement. This review preserves the canonical record rather than inventing a second transaction, but records the date split explicitly.
Whichever administrative date is used, the underlying value exchange is the same: Indiana acquired English's services, and Milwaukee acquired Indiana's 1979 first-round pick.
English Gave Indiana 135 Productive Games
English immediately became a major Pacers contributor. In 1978-79 he played 81 games, started 69 and averaged 16.0 points, 8.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists while shooting 51.1 percent.
He remained productive for Indiana in 1979-80. Before the midseason trade he played 54 games, started 15 and averaged 14.9 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists.
That gives the Pacers 135 direct regular-season games from the free-agent signing. This review does not credit Indiana for the Hall of Fame career English later built in Denver. Those seasons occurred after he left the Pacers and belong to Denver's side of the later transaction.
Indiana Also Used English in the George McGinnis Trade, but Attribution Is Shared
On February 1, 1980, Indiana traded English and a 1980 first-round pick to Denver for George McGinnis. The additional first matters because McGinnis cannot be treated as a return generated by English alone.
McGinnis nevertheless gave Indiana substantial downstream value from the package. He played 28 games for the Pacers after the trade in 1979-80 and averaged 16.9 points, 10.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists. He followed with 69 games in 1980-81 at 17.6 points, 10.3 rebounds and 4.1 assists, then played 76 more games in 1981-82.
The Pacers therefore received useful downstream production, but this review assigns it only as shared-package context because the separate first-round pick was part of the price.
Milwaukee Did Not Simply Use the Pick on Calvin Natt
The legacy summary says Milwaukee received Calvin Natt. That skips an important transaction.
On May 31, 1979, Milwaukee traded John Gianelli and the Indiana first-round pick to New Jersey for Harvey Catchings. New Jersey, not Milwaukee, then used the pick at No. 8 on Natt.
That means Natt's NBA career is not realized Bucks production from this transaction. Milwaukee's actual downstream return from the pick was its role in the package that acquired Catchings.
Catchings Became a Long-Term Bucks Rotation Player
Catchings played five seasons for Milwaukee from 1979-80 through 1983-84. He appeared in 372 regular-season games for the Bucks and started 45.
His role was mostly defensive and rotational rather than star-level. He played 72 games in his first Milwaukee season, 77 in 1980-81, 80 in 1981-82, 74 in 1982-83 and 69 in 1983-84.
The attribution again requires care because Milwaukee sent Gianelli with the pick. Catchings cannot be credited entirely to Indiana's first-rounder, just as McGinnis cannot be credited entirely to English.
The Pacers Still Hold the Hindsight Edge
Both organizations realized useful value. Milwaukee turned the compensation pick, together with Gianelli, into a player who stayed in the rotation for five seasons. That is a materially better outcome than simply losing English for nothing.
Indiana, however, received 135 direct games from English at a much higher individual level, including a full season as a 16-point, eight-rebound starter. The later McGinnis package adds more value even after discounting it for the extra first-round pick.
Final Verdict
Pacers Win, A-/B. Indiana receives an A- because English delivered 135 productive games and then remained part of a package that returned McGinnis. Milwaukee receives a B because the first-round compensation asset retained enough value to help acquire Catchings, who played 372 Bucks games, but Gianelli was also required in that deal. The result is a clear Pacers edge without crediting Indiana for English's Denver prime or pretending Milwaukee directly drafted Natt. Confidence is high.