The Verified January 8 Transaction
Basketball-Reference's Atlanta, Buffalo and NBA league transaction ledgers agree that the Hawks traded Jim Washington to the Buffalo Braves on January 8, 1975 for a 1976 fifth-round draft pick. The later draft record identifies that selection as No. 82, which Atlanta used on Connie White. The archive maps historical Buffalo to the modern Los Angeles Clippers franchise key, so the source-backed record remains under los-angeles-clippers even though every contemporary transaction source correctly names the Braves. The package is unusually straightforward: one veteran player for one future fifth-round selection.
Washington Supplied Immediate Frontcourt Depth
Washington joined a Buffalo team that finished 49-33 and reached the Eastern Conference semifinals. After the trade he appeared in 42 regular-season games, averaging 16.0 minutes, 4.2 points and 4.7 rebounds while shooting 47.5 percent from the field. His per-36 rebounding rate was 10.5, which reflects the skill that had kept him in NBA rotations throughout the previous decade. He was not a featured scorer for Buffalo, but he provided experienced frontcourt minutes during a winning season and gave the club real on-court value from an otherwise distant fifth-round pick.
His Buffalo Tenure Was Brief
The limitation is duration. Washington played only one additional game for Buffalo in 1975-76, logging seven minutes, and that was the final NBA regular-season appearance of his career. The Braves therefore received 43 games in total from the transaction and did not preserve a meaningful later trade asset. That keeps the return from earning an elite grade even though it clearly beats a pick that never produced NBA minutes. The value is best described as useful short-term depth rather than a transformational acquisition.
Atlanta Waited Until the 1976 Draft
The Hawks' consideration did not convey for more than a year. Atlanta retained the fifth-rounder and used it on Connie White with the 82nd overall selection in the 1976 NBA Draft. The Hawks' transaction page and franchise draft history both preserve that outcome. White was a 6-foot-4 guard from California, and Basketball-Reference lists him as Atlanta's fifth-round selection. Because the pick did turn into a named player, the relationship should remain explicit rather than being left as generic future consideration.
White Never Produced NBA Regular-Season Value
Basketball-Reference's player page contains White's draft information but no NBA season statistics, and Atlanta's franchise draft table likewise shows no NBA games for the No. 82 selection. That means the Hawks realized no regular-season production from the draft asset. A late-round pick still carries some optionality at the moment of the trade, so the return should not be graded as though Atlanta received literally nothing. In hindsight, however, the option did not convert into an NBA roster contribution.
Final Verdict
Clippers Win, B+/D+. Buffalo receives a B+ because Washington supplied 42 useful games during a 49-win season plus one final appearance the next year. His role was limited and the tenure was short, so the return stops below the A range. Atlanta receives a D+ because the fifth-round pick was retained and used on a real prospect, but White never played an NBA regular-season game. The outcome is clear without exaggerating Washington's impact: Buffalo converted a low future pick into immediate rotation depth, while Atlanta's eventual selection produced no NBA minutes. Confidence is high on the transaction date, package, Washington statistics and White draft outcome. The verdict reflects only verified transaction terms and realized team value.