Seattle traded Leonard Gray to Washington on December 13, 1976 for Nick Weatherspoon in a straight one-for-one forward swap. Weatherspoon gave the SuperSonics 51 games after the trade, scoring 652 points and grabbing 404 rebounds while averaging 12.8 points and 7.9 rebounds. Gray played 58 games for Washington, scoring 347 points and averaging 6.0 points and 3.2 rebounds, then appeared in eight playoff games as the Bullets reached the Eastern Conference semifinals. Gray missed the entire 1977-78 season with injury and never returned to an NBA regular-season game. Seattle waived Weatherspoon in September 1977, so neither side received a long-term franchise piece. The realized gap still favors Seattle because Weatherspoon supplied substantially more regular-season scoring and rebounding during the shared 1976-77 window.
Basketball-Reference's Seattle, Washington and league transaction pages all record the same December 13, 1976 deal. The SuperSonics sent Leonard Gray to the Bullets for Nick Weatherspoon. There were no draft picks or cash components in the recorded package, making this review a direct comparison of the two forwards' realized value after the exchange.
Weatherspoon had appeared in only 11 games for Washington before the trade. In Seattle he played 51 games, totaling 652 points and 404 rebounds. That works out to 12.8 points and 7.9 rebounds per game, and Basketball-Reference credits him with 2.8 win shares during the Seattle portion of the season. He was not a star, but he immediately became a meaningful rotation scorer and rebounder.
Gray played 58 regular-season games for the Bullets after arriving from Seattle. He totaled 347 points, 186 rebounds and 69 assists, averaging 6.0 points and 3.2 rebounds in 17.2 minutes per game. Washington went 48-34 and reached the Eastern Conference semifinals. Gray also appeared in eight playoff games, though his postseason role was limited to 6.5 minutes and 1.5 points per game.
Neither team turned the trade into a durable multi-season asset. Gray did not play in 1977-78 because of injury and never returned to an NBA regular-season game. Seattle kept Weatherspoon through the end of the 1976-77 season but waived him on September 28, 1977. He continued his career with Chicago and later San Diego, so those later seasons are not credited to the SuperSonics.
Seattle received fewer games than Washington, but Weatherspoon's 51-game stretch was much more productive. He more than doubled Gray's points per game and delivered over twice as many rebounds per game. Washington can still point to 58 regular-season appearances and a small playoff contribution, which keeps the trade from becoming a one-sided failure. The difference is mainly the quality of the one-season rotation value each club received.
Seattle Edge, B/C+. Seattle receives a B because Weatherspoon produced 51 solid games with 12.8 points and 7.9 rebounds per night before the relationship ended. Washington receives a C+ because Gray supplied 58 games and appeared in the playoffs, but his role was smaller and injury ended his NBA career after that season. With no picks or downstream assets attached, the comparison stays focused on those direct 1976-77 results. Confidence is high on the package and player outcomes.