Forty years ago, the Warriors made what many thought was a bold move on the eve of the NBA Draft: They acquired the No. 1 overall pick by trading away a talented-but-passive center with a reputation for not playing hard enough.
As it turned out, they got the same player in return. And they set up another team’s dynasty.
It didn’t take long for the Joe Barry Carroll trade – known in Boston simply as “The Trade” – to be deemed one of the most lopsided deals in basketball history. While the Warriors repeatedly missed the playoffs and Carroll earned the nickname “Joe Barely Cares,” the Celtics got two Hall of Fame frontcourt players who helped them to three championships in six seasons.