New York Sold Jake Weber's Rights for Cash
On December 2, 1946, New York sold Jake Weber's player rights to the Providence Steamrollers. The league and team transaction logs agree on the date and direction of the move, but the surviving public record does not disclose the cash amount. That missing number limits how precisely New York's financial return can be valued. The basketball side of the exchange is clearer: Weber left the Knicks after 11 appearances and became a regular part of Providence's frontcourt rotation.
The Knicks Moved a Small Part of Their Rotation
Weber had scored 20 points in 11 games for New York, averaging 1.8 points per game. The Knicks went on to finish 33-27 and reach the BAA playoffs, so the sale did not remove a central contributor from the first-year club. Moving a low-usage reserve for cash was defensible roster management. New York earns credit for that decision, but the undisclosed sale price prevents the hindsight grade from assuming a financial windfall that cannot be verified.
Providence Received Most of a Season of Useful Depth
Providence got the more visible return. Weber played 39 games for the Steamrollers after the sale, averaged 3.9 points and scored 153 points. He was not a star, and Providence still finished 28-32, but the club received real game availability from a 6-foot-6 center for most of the remaining schedule. In an early-BAA cash transaction, that amount of documented playing time is meaningful even if it did not materially change the team's record.
The Edge Is Real but Narrow
The transaction favors Providence because its return can be measured in 39 games of player use while New York's cash consideration remains unknown. That does not make the Knicks' decision poor. Weber had been a marginal scorer in New York, and the team remained successful without him. The correct gap is therefore modest: Providence bought usable depth, while New York reasonably monetized a reserve whose role was already small.
Final Verdict
Providence Steamrollers Win — Providence B+, New York B. Weber gave Providence 39 games and 153 points after the sale, producing the clearest documented value in the transaction. New York moved a 1.8-point-per-game reserve and still reached the playoffs, so the decision was reasonable. The undisclosed cash amount keeps the verdict narrow rather than turning it into a decisive Providence win.