The Exchange
Basketball-Reference's Chicago transaction log identifies this as veteran free-agent compensation rather than a conventional player trade. Chicago signed Kyle Macy on October 4, 1985 and sent Phoenix second-round picks in 1986 and 1990. The Phoenix record describes the Suns' side as agreeing not to exercise their right of first refusal on Macy. The picks later became No. 39 Rafael Addison in 1986 and No. 50 Milos Babic in 1990. That structure means the hindsight comparison is one Chicago season of Macy against the direct and downstream value Phoenix created from two second-round assets.
Chicago Return
Macy became the Bulls' primary point guard immediately. He played all 82 games in 1985-86 and started 79, averaging 29.6 minutes, 8.6 points and 5.4 assists while shooting 48.3 percent from the field and 41.1 percent from three. Chicago's season was disrupted by Michael Jordan's foot injury and ended at 30-52, so Macy did not transform the team's record, but he supplied stable full-season guard play when the roster needed it. He left for Indiana after the season, making the Bulls return useful but short-lived.
Phoenix Return
The 1986 second-rounder became Rafael Addison at No. 39. Addison played 62 games with 12 starts as a Phoenix rookie, averaging 5.8 points in 11.5 minutes. He then spent four seasons outside the NBA before returning with New Jersey, so Phoenix received only that one season of his eventual six-year NBA career. The 1990 second-rounder became Milos Babic at No. 50. Phoenix did not retain Babic's rights: on draft night the Suns traded him to Cleveland for the rights to Stefano Rusconi, selected two spots later. Rusconi did not join Phoenix immediately and eventually appeared in only seven Suns games in 1995-96, totaling 30 minutes. The two picks therefore produced one modest Addison season and a rights chain that yielded almost no NBA court value.
Final Verdict
Chicago has the better realized return, but the margin is not large enough for an extreme grade. Macy gave the Bulls one full season as a starting point guard and played every game. Phoenix received two legitimate draft assets, one of which produced a 62-game rookie season from Addison and the other of which remained movable until it became Rusconi's rights. The Suns did not receive nothing; they simply failed to turn either second-round opportunity into durable rotation value. A B for Chicago reflects the immediate 82-game starting return from a free-agent signing. A C+ for Phoenix recognizes that the compensation was reasonable in form and produced some NBA value, but less than Macy gave Chicago directly. Final verdict: Chicago Bulls Win.