Author Topic: How did the Celtics get the 1st pick in the 1980 Draft?  (Read 8522 times)

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How did the Celtics get the 1st pick in the 1980 Draft?
« on: December 26, 2016, 07:50:50 PM »

Offline JSD

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The 1979-1980 Celtics finished with a record of 61-21, yet held the #1 pick in the 1980 draft.

Red traded that pick, along with another 1st round pick, to Golden State, for Robert Parish and the 3rd overall pick (Kevin Mchale).

My question is, how did Red get that 1st overall pick to use as a chip?
The only color that matters is GREEN

Re: How did the Celtics get the 1st pick in the 1980 Draft?
« Reply #1 on: December 26, 2016, 08:01:31 PM »

Offline Boris Badenov

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Red Auerbach laid the groundwork for this deal in September of 1979, when he sent power forward Bob McAdoo and got back M.L. Carr and the Pistons’ first-round pick in return.

http://boston.sportsthenandnow.com/2012/01/29/the-celtics-draft-day-trade-of-1980-a-train-robbery-revisited/


Re: How did the Celtics get the 1st pick in the 1980 Draft?
« Reply #2 on: December 26, 2016, 08:04:14 PM »

Offline Boris Badenov

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Oh, and I found this bit enjoyable:

Quote
Boston fans should all send special thanks to ESPN analyst Dick Vitale, who was the Pistons’ coach and general manager at the time.

Re: How did the Celtics get the 1st pick in the 1980 Draft?
« Reply #3 on: December 26, 2016, 08:06:03 PM »

Offline JSD

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Red Auerbach laid the groundwork for this deal in September of 1979, when he sent power forward Bob McAdoo and got back M.L. Carr and the Pistons’ first-round pick in return.

http://boston.sportsthenandnow.com/2012/01/29/the-celtics-draft-day-trade-of-1980-a-train-robbery-revisited/

Quote
How did such a trade come about? The Celtics had the first overall pick in the draft—it wasn’t of their own doing. Red Auerbach laid the groundwork for this deal in September of 1979, when he sent power forward Bob McAdoo and got back M.L. Carr and the Pistons’ first-round pick in return. Given how things unfolded, Boston fans should all send special thanks to ESPN analyst Dick Vitale, who was the Pistons’ coach and general manager at the time.


A younger, but still bald Dick Vitale, made the trade possible with a deal the prior September.
In fairness to Vitale, this wasn’t a bad trade and he’s obviously not responsible for what Auerbach did with the pick. McAdoo was a post man with a soft touch on the turnaround shot and dealing him away for a role-playing veteran guard and unknown rookie was a move fraught with risk for Auerbach. The risk was drastically minimized when the Pistons started slowly, fired Vitale and won only 16 games in the 1979-80 season. They, and the Utah Jazz were the candidates for the #1 pick. Prior to the institution of the draft lottery in 1985, the worst teams in each conference settled it with a coin flip. When Detroit won the flip, it gave the Celtics the first pick.

Good stuff. TP
The only color that matters is GREEN

Re: How did the Celtics get the 1st pick in the 1980 Draft?
« Reply #4 on: December 26, 2016, 08:10:21 PM »

Offline JSD

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I'm watching this Comcast special, The '86 Celtic, not sure if it just premiered the other night or whatever but it's pretty awesome. Anyway, they touched on the trade but didn't mention how the Celtics got the pick. I Googled for it. Most "Kevin Mchale" Googling is clouded by the Glee actor with the same name. So I came here with it.
The only color that matters is GREEN

Re: How did the Celtics get the 1st pick in the 1980 Draft?
« Reply #5 on: December 26, 2016, 08:14:42 PM »

Offline Boris Badenov

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I'm watching this Comcast special, The '86 Celtic, not sure if it just premiered the other night or whatever but it's pretty awesome. Anyway, they touched on the trade but didn't mention how the Celtics got the pick. I Googled for it. Most "Kevin Mchale" Googling is clouded by the Glee actor with the same name. So I came here with it.

I didn't know until I looked it up. So, TP for filling my brain with another bit of entirely useless Celtics trivia.


Re: How did the Celtics get the 1st pick in the 1980 Draft?
« Reply #6 on: December 26, 2016, 08:28:42 PM »

Offline Surferdad

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I'm watching this Comcast special, The '86 Celtic, not sure if it just premiered the other night or whatever but it's pretty awesome. Anyway, they touched on the trade but didn't mention how the Celtics got the pick. I Googled for it. Most "Kevin Mchale" Googling is clouded by the Glee actor with the same name. So I came here with it.
It's been on a few times. Great program.

Good question! I didn't know about the Pistons trade (or more likely forgot).

Re: How did the Celtics get the 1st pick in the 1980 Draft?
« Reply #7 on: December 26, 2016, 08:47:17 PM »

Offline Moranis

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This is the best site for these types of questions

http://www.prosportstransactions.com/

I have yet to find the site missing a transaction I was looking for. 
2023 Historical Draft - Brooklyn Nets - 9th pick

Bigs - Pau, Amar'e, Issel, McGinnis, Roundfield
Wings - Dantley, Bowen, J. Jackson
Guards - Cheeks, Petrovic, Buse, Rip

Re: How did the Celtics get the 1st pick in the 1980 Draft?
« Reply #8 on: December 26, 2016, 08:52:56 PM »

Offline JSD

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This is the best site for these types of questions

http://www.prosportstransactions.com/

I have yet to find the site missing a transaction I was looking for.

Well [dang], that's a bookmark, thanks!
The only color that matters is GREEN

Re: How did the Celtics get the 1st pick in the 1980 Draft?
« Reply #9 on: December 26, 2016, 09:01:44 PM »

Offline Moranis

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This is the best site for these types of questions

http://www.prosportstransactions.com/

I have yet to find the site missing a transaction I was looking for.

Well [dang], that's a bookmark, thanks!
Yeah I came across it awhile ago.  It is great. 

1979-09-06
Celtics
• 1980 first round pick (#1-Joe Barry Carroll)
• 1980 first round pick (#13-Rickey Brown)
• Bob McAdoo
compensation for Celtics signing of veteran free agent M.L. Carr from Pistons


Boston then traded both of those picks for Parish and #3 in the 1980 draft which was then used on McHale.
2023 Historical Draft - Brooklyn Nets - 9th pick

Bigs - Pau, Amar'e, Issel, McGinnis, Roundfield
Wings - Dantley, Bowen, J. Jackson
Guards - Cheeks, Petrovic, Buse, Rip

Re: How did the Celtics get the 1st pick in the 1980 Draft?
« Reply #10 on: December 26, 2016, 09:42:45 PM »

Offline JSD

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This is the best site for these types of questions

http://www.prosportstransactions.com/

I have yet to find the site missing a transaction I was looking for.

Well [dang], that's a bookmark, thanks!
Yeah I came across it awhile ago.  It is great. 

1979-09-06
Celtics
• 1980 first round pick (#1-Joe Barry Carroll)
• 1980 first round pick (#13-Rickey Brown)
• Bob McAdoo
compensation for Celtics signing of veteran free agent M.L. Carr from Pistons


Boston then traded both of those picks for Parish and #3 in the 1980 draft which was then used on McHale.

Amazing. Draft picks, even at the top of the draft, just didn't hold as much value to teams back in that day.
The only color that matters is GREEN

Re: How did the Celtics get the 1st pick in the 1980 Draft?
« Reply #11 on: December 26, 2016, 10:23:46 PM »

Offline slamtheking

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This is the best site for these types of questions

http://www.prosportstransactions.com/

I have yet to find the site missing a transaction I was looking for.

Well [dang], that's a bookmark, thanks!
Yeah I came across it awhile ago.  It is great. 

1979-09-06
Celtics
• 1980 first round pick (#1-Joe Barry Carroll)
• 1980 first round pick (#13-Rickey Brown)
• Bob McAdoo
compensation for Celtics signing of veteran free agent M.L. Carr from Pistons


Boston then traded both of those picks for Parish and #3 in the 1980 draft which was then used on McHale.

Amazing. Draft picks, even at the top of the draft, just didn't hold as much value to teams back in that day.
hence the Ted Stepien rule instituted shortly thereafter which is still in effect to this day

Re: How did the Celtics get the 1st pick in the 1980 Draft?
« Reply #12 on: December 26, 2016, 10:45:12 PM »

Offline Boris Badenov

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This is the best site for these types of questions

http://www.prosportstransactions.com/

I have yet to find the site missing a transaction I was looking for.

Well [dang], that's a bookmark, thanks!

What is really cool is that you can search, by player or GM or whomever. I've used it a few times to put together lists for a lengthy post about something like Danny's trade history. Or to trace out the whole history of a pick or player like here.

Re: How did the Celtics get the 1st pick in the 1980 Draft?
« Reply #13 on: December 26, 2016, 10:46:07 PM »

Offline Emmette Bryant

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The other layer to this is the guy that made the trade was for Detroit was Dick Vitale, who was way over his head in the pros.

Another example of Red taking advantage of somebody's stupidity.

Re: How did the Celtics get the 1st pick in the 1980 Draft?
« Reply #14 on: January 25, 2017, 12:08:07 PM »

Offline mef730

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As we sit here at this critical threshold in the history of the Celtics, I hope there’s one thing that stands out in this recap of the dynamics around the Carroll-Parish-McHale trade. Unless you’re doing a deal that’s a straight salary dump, things never look as obvious in the present as they do when we look back. Auerbach took two consecutive risks, both of which are the kind that get lesser general managers fired when they don’t work out. Now we’ll have to see what opportunities Ainge gets and what risks he’s willing to take.

I'm quoting this so that I'll have something rational to look back on if I freak out over whatever move DA makes with the draft picks,

Mike