Minneapolis Bought Swede Carlson from Chicago
On September 1, 1947, the Minneapolis Lakers acquired Don 'Swede' Carlson from the Chicago Stags for cash. The transaction moved Carlson from a BAA team to a Minneapolis club that was still competing in the NBL. Carlson had just averaged 10.7 points in 59 games for Chicago during the inaugural BAA season, so this was not a purchase of an unused reserve. The surviving transaction histories do not disclose the cash amount, which means Chicago's financial return cannot be graded precisely.
Carlson Became Immediate Championship Help
Carlson immediately became the Lakers' third-leading scorer in the 1947-48 NBL regular season. He played 58 games, averaged 8.2 points and scored 475 points behind George Mikan and Jim Pollard as Minneapolis went 43-17 and won the NBL championship. That alone gave the Lakers a substantial return on a cash acquisition. The value continued after Minneapolis moved into the BAA.
Chicago Stayed Competitive Without Him
Chicago received cash for a player who had been one of its most productive scorers. Carlson's 10.7 points per game in 1946-47 came across 59 appearances for a 39-22 Stags team that reached the BAA Finals. The Stags remained competitive without him, going 28-20 in 1947-48 and 38-22 in 1948-49, so the sale did not collapse the roster. The problem for hindsight evaluation is that the cash amount and its downstream use are not visible in the public transaction record.
Three Productive Lakers Seasons Decide the Deal
The championship context separates this deal from most cash sales of the 1940s. Carlson was not the Lakers' star, but he was a regular contributor on the 1948 NBL champion and the 1949 BAA champion, then remained on the 1950 NBA championship roster. He supplied 58 NBL games before adding 112 BAA/NBA regular-season games for Minneapolis. Chicago was good enough to absorb his departure, which prevents the transaction from being described as a franchise-destroying mistake.
Final Verdict
Lakers Win — Lakers A+, Chicago C+. Minneapolis acquired Don 'Swede' Carlson from the Chicago Stags for cash on September 1, 1947. Carlson became a major supporting piece immediately, averaging 8.2 points in 58 games as the Lakers won the 1948 NBL championship. He then averaged 9.2 points in 55 games for the 1949 BAA champions and remained on the roster for the Lakers' 1950 NBA championship season. Chicago's cash return is not disclosed in the surviving transaction records.