Minneapolis Sold Ed Beach to Tri-Cities
On December 11, 1950, the Minneapolis Lakers sold Ed Beach's player rights to the Tri-Cities Blackhawks for cash. Minneapolis' transaction page, Tri-Cities' transaction page and the 1950-51 league transaction log all identify the same sale. Beach had been Minneapolis' fifth-round pick in the 1950 NBA Draft, 59th overall, and had already appeared in 11 games for the Lakers before the transaction. He averaged 2.0 points, 2.3 rebounds and 0.2 assists in those appearances.
Beach Played One Scoreless Blackhawks Game
The Blackhawks received almost no realized basketball value from the purchase. Beach appeared in one game for Tri-Cities, missed all three of his field-goal attempts, scored no points and recorded one assist. That single appearance was also the last NBA game of his career. He did not become a rotation player, later trade chip or multi-season roster piece for the Blackhawks. The transaction therefore produced a technically real but extremely small on-court return.
The Lakers Turned a Fringe Rookie into Cash
Minneapolis received cash for a player who had been used sparingly on a defending-champion roster. Beach's 11 Lakers appearances produced only 22 total points, and the club remained strong after moving him, finishing 44-24 and reaching the Western Division Finals. Because the payment amount is unknown, the Lakers' financial return cannot be measured precisely. Even so, the franchise converted a marginal roster asset into compensation rather than carrying a player who was not part of the main rotation.
One Game Makes the Sale a Minneapolis Win
The Lakers hold the narrow edge because the Blackhawks' return was limited to one scoreless game. This is not a major historical win: the cash amount is unknown, Beach was a fifth-round rookie, and neither side gave up a meaningful long-term asset. Still, the realized comparison is straightforward. Minneapolis received financial value and lost almost no production, while Tri-Cities paid for rights that generated only one NBA appearance. The surviving record supports a modest Lakers advantage rather than the legacy even-grade.
Final Verdict
Lakers Win — Minneapolis C+, Tri-Cities D. Minneapolis sold Ed Beach's player rights to the Tri-Cities Blackhawks for cash on December 11, 1950. Beach had played 11 games for the Lakers as a rookie, averaging 2.0 points and 2.3 rebounds, after Minneapolis selected him in the fifth round of the 1950 NBA Draft. He appeared only once for Tri-Cities, recording no points and one assist, and never played another NBA game. The cash amount is not preserved in the reviewed public records.