Indiana Chose Hank McDowell Over a Future Third
The Pacers acquired Hank McDowell from Portland on October 7, 1983, giving up a 1986 third-round selection. The eventual draft choice became No. 49 Juden Smith. The parties therefore exchanged immediate player rights for a future late draft opportunity, not current NBA regulars in a two-player swap. The three-year lag is part of the deal's character: Indiana could evaluate McDowell immediately, while Portland's named selection would only become tangible after the 1986 draft.
McDowell Was a Modest Frontcourt Acquisition
McDowell was the Pacers' incoming player and provided a frontcourt possibility rather than a proven All-Star. That kind of move can help a rotation without materially changing a team's competitive prospects. The Pacers' C grade is appropriately modest because the canonical transaction does not establish a long, transformative Indiana career from McDowell. The club exchanged a late pick to obtain player rights that could be put to use sooner.
Portland Held the No. 49 Selection
The Trail Blazers ultimately obtained the 1986 No. 49 pick identified with Juden Smith. That is an actual draft asset even though a third-round selection generally carried a different expectation from a modern lottery choice. Portland's side can't be scored as if the trade included a first-round selection or a player who became a long-term Blazers star. Both parties secured lower-profile assets with limited documented realized impact, leaving little to distinguish their grades.
Final Verdict
Even Trade. Indiana earns C for taking Hank McDowell's rights in exchange for a future selection. Portland also receives C for the 1986 No. 49 choice that became Juden Smith. Neither side produced a clearly superior sustained NBA outcome from this narrow player-for-third-rounder exchange.