On May 11, 1970, the expansion Buffalo Braves traded veteran Bailey Howell to Philadelphia for Bob Kauffman and a 1971 second-round pick that Buffalo later used on Spencer Haywood at No. 30. Kauffman became the first major star in Braves history, making three straight All-Star teams while averaging 20.4, 18.9 and 17.5 points in his first three Buffalo seasons. Howell gave Philadelphia one productive final NBA season. The Haywood selection never produced a Buffalo appearance because he had already signed with Seattle and remained there after the litigation over his eligibility. Kauffman's four-year Buffalo run still makes the Braves the clear winner.
On May 11, 1970, the expansion Buffalo Braves traded Bailey Howell to the Philadelphia 76ers for Bob Kauffman and a 1971 second-round draft pick. Basketball-Reference's league transaction ledger identifies the future pick as No. 30 in 1971, when Buffalo selected Spencer Haywood. The historical franchise is Buffalo even though the canonical TradeVerdicts team key follows the modern Clippers lineage.
Kauffman became an immediate centerpiece for the new franchise. In Buffalo's inaugural 1970-71 season he played 78 games, averaged 20.4 points, 10.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists, and made the All-Star team. He followed with 18.9 points and 10.2 rebounds in 1971-72 and 17.5 points with 11.1 rebounds in 1972-73. Kauffman was an All-Star in all three seasons. By 1973-74 his role had fallen to 17.6 minutes per game, but he still appeared in 74 games as the Braves reached the playoffs for the first time. Across four Buffalo seasons, Kauffman provided 306 regular-season games and three All-Star selections. Buffalo eventually lost him to New Orleans in the 1974 expansion draft, so there was no later trade return to add. The direct value was already substantial: the Braves obtained a frontcourt anchor at age 24 and received his best NBA seasons. The 1971 pick requires more careful treatment. Buffalo used the acquired second-rounder on Haywood at No. 30. By then Haywood had already signed with Seattle and had played for the SuperSonics after winning the legal fight that challenged the NBA's four-years-out-of-high-school rule. Buffalo drafted him hoping to secure his rights, but Haywood remained with Seattle and never played for the Braves. The pick therefore counts as a verified draft outcome, not as realized Buffalo player production.
Howell was a Hall of Fame forward near the end of his career, not an empty salary slot. At age 34 he played all 82 games for Philadelphia in 1970-71, averaging 10.7 points and 5.4 rebounds in 19.4 minutes. He also appeared in all seven of the 76ers' playoff games. That is useful one-season value, especially from a veteran who had been an important part of Boston's 1968 and 1969 championship teams. The limitation is duration. Howell's Philadelphia season was his final NBA campaign. The 76ers received a capable rotation forward for one year, while Buffalo received four years of Kauffman with three All-Star appearances. Even after assigning zero on-court value to the Haywood pick, the player-for-player outcome strongly favors Buffalo.
The clearest comparison is Kauffman's prime against Howell's final season. Kauffman became the leading veteran presence on an expansion roster and produced three consecutive All-Star seasons before helping the franchise reach its first postseason in year four. Howell remained productive in Philadelphia, but his 82 regular-season games and seven playoff appearances were the end of his career. The Haywood draft outcome adds historical interest without inflating Buffalo's grade. Buffalo did use the acquired pick on a future Hall of Famer, but the selection never became a Braves player because Haywood's Seattle rights survived the dispute. Treating his Seattle career as Buffalo value would be wrong.
Braves Win, A-/B-. Buffalo receives an A- for acquiring Kauffman's four-year run and three All-Star seasons, with no extra basketball credit assigned for Haywood beyond documenting the draft outcome. Philadelphia receives a B- because Howell gave the club a full, productive final season and playoff minutes, but the return was far shorter and less valuable than Kauffman's Buffalo tenure. Confidence is high because the transaction, draft outcome and player production are well documented. The verdict reflects only verified transaction terms and realized team value.