On this day: Boston trades Davis, Wafer for Bass; deals Kappen for Becker
On this day in Boston Celtics history, the storied franchise traded champion big man Glen Davis and small forward Von Wafer to the Orlando Magic for power forward Brandon Bass in 2011.
Davis had been picked up by the Seattle Supersonics with the 35th overall pick of the 2007 NBA draft before being dealt to the Celtics with Ray Allen for Jeff Green, Wally Szczerbiak, Delonte West, and draft assets that same night, winning a title in his first season in the league. Wafer signed with the team as a free agent after having been drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 39th pick of the 2005 draft.
By the time of the trade, Wafer had already played for a number of teams around the league, including the Clippers, Denver Nuggets, Portland Trail Blazers, and Houston Rockets.
Wafer put up 3.2 points per game in the single season he played for Boston, and Bass — an alum of LSU — would also play four seasons with the Celtics, recording 10.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game.
Davis averaged 7.6 points and 4.1 rebounds per game with the team over four seasons.
Happy birthday in heaven Moe Becker. #Celtics pic.twitter.com/PWysw6K36F
— Honest☘️Larry (@HonestLarry1) February 24, 2021
Another trade occurred on this date as well, that which sent Celtic guard Tony Kappen to the (now defunct) Pittsburgh Ironmen for wing Moe Becker in Boston’s inaugural season of 1946-47 in the newly-formed Basketball Association of America (BAA — a precursor league to the NBA).
Kappen had come to the Celtics a free agent as there hadn’t yet been a draft and played just 18 games for the franchise in which he averaged 4.1 points per game.
Becker would play even fewer — just six games — over which he logged 2.2 points per contest.
Finally, it is also the date that former Celtics shooting guard Jerome Anderson made his debut for Boston in 1975.
A former West Virginia Mountaineer, Anderson had been taken by the Celtics with the 53rd pick of the 1975 NBA draft and played his first minutes with the team in a 130-108 blowout of the (then) Washington Bullets (now, Wizards).
The Mullens, West Virginia native scored 6 points in as many minutes, hitting both of his field goal attempts and two free throws for a solid inaugural outing.
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