Atlanta Obtained Reggie Theus While Sacramento Added Draft Value
On June 27, 1988, the Kings traded veteran guard Reggie Theus to Atlanta for Randy Wittman, the No. 18 pick in that summer’s first round and a late draft selection. Sacramento used the first-round choice on Ricky Berry and also received additional consideration whose precise final terms remain unclear in the inherited transaction record. Atlanta was aiming to bolster its guard rotation with a proven scorer; Theus had averaged more than 21 points per game in his final Kings season. Sacramento used the move to secure a younger shooting guard and additional draft opportunities. The main player and first-round terms are corroborated in historical league transactions.
Theus Played All Eighty-Two Hawks Regular-Season Games
Theus started all 82 Atlanta games during 1988-89, recording 15.8 points and 4.7 assists per contest, and appeared in the team’s postseason games. That full season was the practical return that earns Atlanta its B grade. He no longer supplied the scoring volume he produced in Sacramento, and he joined Orlando after the season, so the Hawks did not receive a long-running veteran partnership. But he played a prominent offensive role without requiring Atlanta to wait for development of a draft choice. The club traded present draft value for one useful year of seasoned guard play and got what it expected in the short term.
Berry Was a Productive Kings Rookie Before His Career Ended
Ricky Berry appeared in 64 Kings games in 1988-89, starting 21, averaging 11.0 points and shooting 40.6 percent from three-point range. That was a very good rookie contribution from the No. 18 selection. Wittman also offered an experienced wing option in the broader package. Tragically, Berry died after that season, so his NBA career ended before Sacramento could gain more than one year of play from the pick. The Kings’ C+ grade therefore should not imply that the selection yielded no NBA value; it reflects the limited duration of that return and a longer-term comparison with Theus’s immediate full-season starting role. No further draft or future consideration is assigned unverified statistics.
Final Verdict
Hawks Win. Atlanta earns B for 82 starts, 15.8 points and 4.7 assists per game from Reggie Theus in 1988-89. Sacramento receives C+ after adding Randy Wittman and drafting Ricky Berry at No. 18, whose 11.0-point rookie season was promising but tragically his only NBA campaign.