NBA Trade Verdict
Lakers Win
Los Angeles clearly won by reacquiring Gail Goodrich for Mel Counts, adding a Hall of Fame guard who became a leading scorer on the 1972 champions.
May 21, 1970 Los Angeles Lakers / Phoenix Suns Record confidence: High
Los Angeles Lakers Received
- Player Gail Goodrich
Phoenix Suns Received
- Player Mel Counts
Trade Analysis
Gail Goodrich blossomed into one of the franchise’s central offensive players after returning to the Lakers. He made four consecutive All-Star teams in Los Angeles, led the 1971-72 championship team in scoring and supplied high-level backcourt production throughout a sustained contender window. Mel Counts was a useful veteran big man for Phoenix, but his value did not approach Goodrich’s star-level impact. The combination of individual production, championship contribution and multi-season durability makes this one of the strongest Lakers acquisitions of the era.