Royals Trade Robertson to Bullets for Gus Johnson
Baltimore, May 21 (UPI) —Oscar Robertson of the Cincinnati Royals was traded to day to the Baltimore Bullets, where he'll join another league MVP - Wes Unseld in the line‐up.
The 31‐year‐old Robertson, who played his collegiate basketball and 10 years of pro ball in Cincinnati, had become a bit disenchanted with the Royals in recent months and the trade was no surprise.
To get him, the Bullets gave up Gus Johnson one of the league's best Power forwards who is an 3 time All-Star and will fit with the new fast paced offence that the Royals want to implement.
The Baltimore coach, Gene Shue, was extremely pleased with the acquisition, saying, “Robertson will fit in just perfectly with the team . He's going to take some of the pressure sure off from Wes and Earl.”
Shue said, “We think we're improving our team and that's what we're out to do. Oscar has always been a leader and we expect him to be a leader on our team.”
Choice of Four Clubs
The Bullets confirmed that Robertson got a three‐year contract but did, not reveal other details. Some estimates put his salary at $200,000 a year — about $75,000 more than he had been receiving at Cincinnati.
Robertson had his choice of four clubs, it was reported, and he chose Baltimore. The terms of his contract with the Royals gave him veto rights over any trade.
Robertson said sometime ago he had been approached by the Royals' management and told he would be traded because Cincinnati could not afford to pay him what it was expected he would be asking after the current season. He denied that he had actively sought a trade.
There were differences be tween the star guard and the new coach, Bob Cousy, in recent months. Some grew out of a difference of opinion over style of play.
Robertson sat out 12 games of the season because of a reported groin injury. There were reports at the time that Cousy felt the injury was not so serious as it was made out to be.
A 25.3‐Point Average
Robertson averaged 25.3 points a game, hitting 51.1 per cent from the field and 80.9 per cent from the free‐throw line during the season that just ended.
Johnson who is already 32 has played his entire career in Baltimore and in the 69/70 season has averaged 17 and 13 however his playoff numbers are not as good with him averaging only 13 and 10 in this postseason.
I knew something was going to happen when I heard those rumors about Oscar coming here,” Johnson said. “I don't feel bad about it. People here have been good to me and I tried to do my best under the circumstances.
“I have some offers from the A.B.A. and I wouldn't mind going to the Coast,” he said.
May 22nd 1970 New York Times
Oscar was traded to Baltimore as without Kareem there is no way that he would go to Milwaukee, Phoenix offered Jim Fox, Art Harris and A First Round Pick for Robertson and as the Lakers werent trading Wilt Chamberlain and there was no chance that Walt Frasier was leaving New York after his Game 7 heroics it appeared as though the Suns would get the Big O until Baltimore offered Gus Johnson in a straight up swap, Oscar had a no trade clause and threatened to use it unless Baltimore could give him a 3 year/600k a year contract which he accepted so Oscar joined a team with Wes Unseld and Earl Monroe as its two biggest stars along with Kevin Loughery and Jack Marin as solid support players. There was two potential Questions though would Monroe and Unseld be able to play together and how would Oscar be able to adjust to the Bullets style of play which was built on Wes Unseld's unique outlet passes and the easy fast break baskets that resulted from them.
The 1970 NBA Draft had only one change of any note as to fill their vacant centre position Milwaukee had to talk Sam Lacey who would end up being a 1 time all star but was not someone who would guarantee you an NBA title as their 1st round pick from 1969 was winning titles in the ABA. This also means that Cincinnati sinks to the 10th pick as there were 3 expansion teams added that year and they picked 7th-9th in the 1970 draft. Also taking place was that due to the expansion the league realigned into the Eastern and Western Conference instead of Divisions and some teams shifted conferences due to this.
Round | Pick | Player | Pos. | Nationality | Team | School/Club Team |
---|
1 | 5 | Sam Lacey | C |
United States | Milwaukee Bucks | New Mexico State |
Unlike in our timeline where in this season the Bucks dominated all before on their way to their first NBA title it was a more even season with the Knicks once again getting the best record in the league with 53 wins with the Bullets and 76ers just behind with 48 wins apiece in the East . Meanwhile in the west the Bucks wouldn't even make the playoffs as without both Abdul Jabbar and Robertson their record would sink to 38-44. Teams that benefited from the Bucks misfortune were the Lakers and Bulls with 52 wins and the Suns who won 51 games taking the top 3 seeds in the conference with the Warriors on 44 wins in the 4th seed,
The MVP for this season went to Jerry West as he led the Lakers to 52 wins which was the best record in the West and without a 7 foot 2 centre in Milwaukee was the best player in the league and after being robbed of it in 1970 he finally won the MVP. Baltimore would have some initial problems in the backcourt after the Big O trade as Robertson would take some time to adjust to the Bullets system while he and Monroe would have to work out their chemistry in the backcourt but eventually the Bullets would get back on track and be primed for a post season run that they would never forget,
In the East it was still the Bullets who made it to the NBA Finals as they would beat the Knicks in 7 games getting their revenge for losing to the Knicks in the past 2 seasons meanwhile in the West the Lakers would beat the Bulls and the Suns would beat the Warriors to set up an unlikely conference finals matchup which went to the Lakers in 6 games setting up the experience and veteran laden Lakers against the young Bullets for whom it was their first NBA finals Appearance and with the addition of the Big O and with Elgin Baylor having missed the whole season due to injuries the Lakers had only West and Chamberlain as major stars. This finals was billed as the Oscar vs West duel to see who was the best point guard in the league in a matchup which West would win as he would average 31 points and 8 assists however the Lakers lose in the NBA Finals for the 4th year in succession as Earl Monroe would outplay Gail Goodrich substantially in the backcourt while the forwards would match each other which meant that the key matchup would be between Wes Unseld and Wilt Chamberlain and with most of the Lakers offense still going to Wilt the Bullets were able to outrun their veteran laden opponents and beat the Lakers in 7 games with Wes Unseld being named as the Finals MVP to go along with his Regular season MVP from 1969.
1971 NBA All Star Game Rosters
West
Starters
PG Dave Bing (Detroit Pistons)
SG Jerry West (Los Angeles Lakers)
SF Connie Hawkins (Phoenix Suns)
PF Jerry Lucas ( San Francisco Warriors)
C Wilt Chamberlain ( Los Angeles Lakers)
Reserves
PG Lenny Wilkens ( Seattle SuperSonics) MVP
SG Geoff Petrie ( Portland Trail Blazers)
SG Jeff Mullins ( San Francisco Warriors)
SF Dick Van Arsdale (Phoenix Suns
SF Chet Walker (Chicago Bulls)
PF Bob Love (Chicago Bulls)
C Nate Thurmond (San Francisco Warriors)
East
Starters
PG Walt Frazier ( New York Knicks)
SG Earl Monroe ( Baltimore Bullets)
SF John Havlicek ( Boston Celtics)
PF Billy Cunningham ( Philadelphia 76ers)
C Willis Reed ( New York Knicks)
Reserves
PG Jo Jo White ( Boston Celtics)
PG Oscar Robertson ( Baltimore Bullets)
SF Lou Hudson ( Atlanta Hawks)
SF John Johnson ( Cleveland Cavaliers)
PF Dave DeBusschere ( New York Knicks)
PF Gus Johnson ( Cincinnati Royals )
C Wes Unseld ( Baltimore Bullets)
Western Conference
Champion:
Los Angeles Lakers
Western Conference Semifinals
(1)
Los Angeles Lakers vs. (3) Chicago Bulls: Lakers
win series 4-3
- Game 1 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 114, Chicago 98
- Game 2 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 106, Chicago 104
- Game 3 @ Chicago: Chicago 91, Memphis 90
- Game 4 @ Chicago: Chicago 102, Memphis 101
- Game 5 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 115, Chicago 89
- Game 6 @ Chicago: Chicago 113, Los Angeles 99
- Game 7 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 109, Chicago 98
(2) Phoenix Suns vs. (4) San Francisco Warriors:
Suns win series 4-1
- Game 1 @ Phoenix: Phoenix 125, San Francisco115
- Game 2 @ Phoenix: Phoenix 137, San Francisco 107
- Game 3 @ San Francisco: Phoenix 113, San Francisco 101
- Game 4 @ San Francisco: San Francisco 128, Phoenix 107
- Game 5 @ Phoenix: Phoenix 108, San Francisco 86
Western Conference Finals
(1)
Los Angeles Lakers vs. (2) Phoenix Suns: Lakers
win series 4-2
- Game 1 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 120, Phoenix 118
- Game 2 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 120, Phoenix 107
- Game 3 @ Phoenix: Phoenix 121, Los Angeles 108
- Game 4 @ Phoenix: Los Angeles 126, Phoenix 99
- Game 5 @ Los Angeles: Phoenix 127, Los Angeles 109
- Game 6 @ Phoenix: Los Angeles 105, Phoenix 102
Eastern Conference
Champion:
Baltimore Bullets
Eastern Conference Semifinals
(1)
New York Knicks vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers : Knicks
win series 4-2
- Game 1 @ New York : New York 113, Philadelphia 105
- Game 2 @ New York: Philadelphia 114, New York 108
- Game 3 @ Philadelphia: New York 135, Philadelphia 131
- Game 4 @ Philadelphia : New York 130, Philadelphia 127
- Game 5 @ New York: Philadelphia 127, New York 124
- Game 6 @ Philadelphia: New York 118, Philadelphia 114
(2)
Baltimore Bullets vs. (4) Atlanta Hawks : Bullets
win series 4-0
- Game 1 @ Baltimore : Baltimore 116, Atlanta 112
- Game 2 @ Baltimore: Baltimore 120, Atlanta 110
- Game 3 @ Atlanta: Baltimore 120, Atlanta 102
- Game 4 @ Atlanta: Baltimore 129, Atlanta 117
Eastern Conference Finals
(1) New York Knicks vs. (2)
Baltimore Bullets : Bullets
win series 4-3
- Game 1 @ New York: New York 112, Baltimore 111
- Game 2 @ New York: New York 142, Baltimore 88
- Game 3 @ Baltimore: Baltimore 114, New York 88
- Game 4 @ Baltimore: Baltimore 101, New York 80
- Game 5 @ New York: New York 89, Baltimore 84
- Game 6 @ Baltimore: Baltimore 113, New York 96
- Game 7 @ New York: Baltimore 93, New York 91
NBA Finals
(1) Los Angeles Lakers VS. (2)
Baltimore Bullets : Bullets
win series 4-3
- Game 1 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 136, Baltimore 117
- Game 2 @ Baltimore: Baltimore 138, Los Angeles 125
- Game 3 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 116,Baltimore 110
- Game 4 @ Baltimore : Baltimore 129, Los Angeles 125
- Game 5 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 137, Baltimore 127
- Game 6 @ Baltimore: Baltimore 105, Los Angeles 102
- Game 7 @ Los Angeles: Baltimore 131, Los Angeles127