New York acquired Rudy Macklin from Atlanta on June 29, 1983 for Sly Williams and cash. Macklin played only eight regular-season games for the Knicks, made no starts and was out of the NBA after that season. Williams played 47 regular-season games for Atlanta across two seasons, starting 21, before finishing his NBA career with Boston. The cash amount is not identified in the reviewed public sources, so it cannot be valued precisely, but it adds a tangible return to Atlanta's side. With 47 games and 21 starts from Williams plus cash against eight reserve games from Macklin, the completed value favors the Hawks clearly.
The canonical June 29, 1983 package sends Rudy Macklin to New York for Sly Williams and cash. Basketball-Reference's player records make the on-court comparison straightforward even though the public cash amount is not identified. Both players were former first-round picks whose roles were already shrinking, so this was a secondary roster move rather than a franchise-changing deal.
Rudy Macklin had spent his first two NBA seasons with Atlanta before the trade. In New York, he appeared in only eight regular-season games in 1983-84. He made no starts, played 65 total minutes and averaged 4.4 points and 1.4 rebounds. Those eight games were the final NBA appearances of his career. New York therefore received very little direct basketball value from the acquired player.
Sly Williams appeared in 13 regular-season games for Atlanta in 1983-84 and made one start. His role expanded the following season, when he played 34 games and started 20. Across the two Hawks seasons, Williams totaled 47 regular-season games and 21 starts. The production was not star-level, but it was materially more useful than Macklin's eight-game Knicks tenure. Williams later played six games for Boston in 1985-86, which are not credited to Atlanta.
The canonical source package also sends cash from New York to Atlanta. The reviewed public sources do not establish the amount, so this review does not convert it into a speculative dollar-adjusted grade. It still counts as a tangible asset. Atlanta received both the more productive player return and cash, while New York's player contribution ended after eight games.
The legacy review treated the transaction as broadly balanced, likely because both players were modest historical contributors and the cash figure was unclear. Completed franchise-specific production creates a wider gap. Williams produced nearly six times as many games for Atlanta as Macklin did for New York and added 21 starts, with cash on top.
Hawks Win, B+/D. Atlanta receives a B+ because Williams provided 47 games and 21 starts across two seasons and the Hawks also received cash. New York receives a D because Macklin played only eight games, never started and did not appear in the NBA again after 1983-84.