New Orleans Bought Two Rotation Players Instead of Betting on Projection
New Orleans sent Craig Brackins and Darius Songaila to Philadelphia on September 23, 2010 for Willie Green and Jason Smith, with the canonical record also carrying a swap of 2011 second-round assets. Green immediately played 77 games for the 46-win Hornets, starting 13 and averaging 8.7 points. Smith also appeared in 77 games that season, then stayed with the franchise through 2013-14. The Pelicans-side return therefore produced both immediate depth and multi-year frontcourt continuity.
Philadelphia’s Player Return Barely Reached the Floor
The Sixers did not get comparable on-court value from the two veterans and prospects they acquired. Brackins appeared in only three games as a rookie and 14 more the next season for Philadelphia. Songaila played 10 games in 2010-11, averaging 7.1 minutes, before his NBA career ended. The upside case in the deal was Brackins, a recent first-round pick, but his Philadelphia tenure totaled 121 regular-season minutes. That shortfall is a major reason the final outcome favors New Orleans.
Lavoy Allen Keeps the Sixers Side From Collapsing
The draft component prevents the Philadelphia package from being dismissed. The canonical ledger sends the No. 50 pick to the Sixers, and that selection became Lavoy Allen. Allen played 41 games with 15 starts as a rookie, then 79 games with 37 starts in 2012-13. He developed into a six-year NBA big and gave Philadelphia considerably more usable value than Brackins or Songaila. New Orleans’ No. 45 pick became Josh Harrellson, but the Hornets traded his rights to New York for cash on draft night.
The Difference Is Depth and Longevity, Not a Star Outcome
Neither side found a franchise player in this transaction. The Pelicans’ advantage comes from accumulating more ordinary NBA usefulness: Green supplied a full season, and Smith remained a rotation big for four seasons with the franchise. Philadelphia’s best result was Allen, while the two incoming players contributed very little. That is enough to support the canonical Pelicans Win call and the B+ versus C+ grade gap without exaggerating the deal into a blockbuster or pretending the Sixers received nothing of value.
Final Verdict
Pelicans Win — New Orleans B+, Philadelphia C+. Willie Green and Jason Smith gave New Orleans immediate rotation help, and Smith stayed with the franchise for four seasons. Philadelphia received almost no lasting production from Craig Brackins or Darius Songaila, but the No. 50 pick becoming Lavoy Allen rescued meaningful value from the package. New Orleans’ corresponding No. 45 asset became Josh Harrellson and was moved to New York for cash. The result is a clear but modest Pelicans edge: more usable player seasons on one side, with Allen keeping Philadelphia’s return respectable enough for a C+.