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The 70s and early 80s were one of the most bizarre eras in basketball. A player once scored for both teams (not by accident), and all-star players were traded for marketing advice. But none of those can come close to the time two owners traded their franchise. In April 1972, film producer Irv Levin purchased an ownership stake in the Boston Celtics for $3.7 million. The Celtics were dominant in his era, making the playoffs five straight times, including two NBA championships. However, Levin wasn't satisfied with his team's success. As a guy who was born in Chicago and spent most of his time stationed in California during World War II, Levin wanted to bring the an NBA team to San Diego.
The only problem was, the Celtics were the most successful and had the biggest fanbase in the NBA. This meant there was no way the league would let Levin bring the Celtics any closer to their most prominent rivals.
This is where the Buffalo Braves enter the picture. At this time, Braves owner John Brown became impatient at the progress his team was making. They made the playoffs for three consecutive years but suddenly missed after going 30-52 in the 1976-1977 season.
In late June 1978, Levin met with Brown to see if he wanted to swap teams. Since teams aren't as valuable as they are today, both parties agreed and the league's board of directors signed off on the deal.
Once it was finalized, Levin immediately moved the Braves to San Diego where they officially became the Clippers. The swap even included both teams trading a majority of their rosters to make it look like they still owned the same team.
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However, there was one man Levin left out because he knew Red Auerbach would riot if he took him. It was Larry Bird, a player drafted a few days before the swap was finalized.
“I absolutely could've had Larry Bird if I wanted to, no questions asked,” said Levin. “But if I did, Red might find a way to make sure he never signed with me. It was too risky.”
In the end, Levin sold the Clippers to Donald Sterling in 1981 for $13.5M after failing to make the playoffs each year. Meanwhile, Brown had to sell the team a year later. Auerbach threatened to leave the franchise for the New York Knicks when Brown made a trade for Bob McAdoo without his consent.
The Clippers & Celtics Once SWAPPED Teams | Clutch #Shorts – YouTube
