Correcting the Date and Package
Portland's legacy archive entry used September 15, 1974, but the stronger transaction record points to September 16. Basketball-Reference's Portland, New Orleans and NBA league ledgers all use September 16, and the Trail Blazers' official historical media guide does the same. The official Portland guide also preserves a cash component omitted from Basketball-Reference: New Orleans sent Barry Clemens, Kansas City-Omaha's 1976 second-round pick and cash for Rick Roberson. Pro Sports Transactions independently traces the pick to No. 20 Major Jones. The canonical date is therefore corrected to September 16 while retaining cash as an officially documented part of the package.
Clemens Gives Portland Two Seasons
Barry Clemens became the most durable realized asset in the transaction. He appeared in 77 games for Portland in 1974-75, averaging 12.4 minutes, 4.9 points and 2.1 rebounds. He returned for 49 more games in 1975-76, giving the Trail Blazers 126 regular-season appearances across two seasons. His role was reserve-level rather than central, but availability across two full roster cycles has genuine value, especially compared with an outgoing player whose tenure with New Orleans lasted only a fraction of one season. Portland waived Clemens in September 1976, ending his direct asset chain.
The Draft Pick Became Major Jones
The future consideration was not generic forever. New Orleans' obligation became Kansas City-Omaha's 1976 second-round pick, which Portland used at No. 20 on Major Jones. NBA.com and Basketball-Reference both preserve Jones as Portland's second-round selection. The pick did not create regular-season Trail Blazers production: Portland signed Jones in 1976 and waived him before the season. He eventually reached the NBA with Houston in 1979 and played six seasons, but those later games do not belong to Portland's realized return because the Trail Blazers had already released him. The pick still had option value at the draft, but its on-court Portland value was zero.
Roberson's New Orleans Return Was Brief
Rick Roberson had just averaged 13.5 points and 10.2 rebounds in 69 games for Portland in 1973-74, so New Orleans was acquiring a center with recent starting-level production. The outcome changed quickly. Roberson played only 16 games for the Jazz in 1974-75, averaging 7.4 points and 7.4 rebounds in 21.2 minutes. New Orleans' roster and depth chart place him behind a crowded center group, and the Jazz eventually waived him on October 22, 1975. His next NBA season came with Kansas City, so New Orleans did not recover a later trade asset when the relationship ended.
Cash Adds Value Without Creating False Precision
The Portland media guide explicitly lists cash in the return. The amount is not stated, so it should not be converted into an invented dollar value or a grade bump large enough to dominate the trade. It is still legitimate consideration. In this case Portland does not need the cash to establish a directional advantage because Clemens' 126 games already exceed Roberson's 16-game New Orleans tenure. The payment simply reinforces that Portland received more than one usable asset for a player who did not remain with the Jazz long.
Final Verdict
Blazers Win, B+/C. Portland receives a B+ because Clemens supplied 126 games over two seasons, the club also received the No. 20 pick used on Major Jones, and official team history confirms additional cash. The grade stops below the top tier because Jones never played for Portland and Clemens was a reserve rather than a major starter. New Orleans receives a C because Roberson produced 16 games before his Jazz tenure ended without a downstream return. Confidence is high on the September 16 date, the player movement, the Major Jones pick chain and the cash component documented by Portland. The verdict reflects only verified transaction terms and realized team value.