Detroit Pistons Trade for Point Guard Derek Harper
On September 21st, 1999, the Detroit Pistons traded the draft rights of Melvin Levett to the Los Angeles Lakers for guard Derek Harper.
Heading into the 1999 NBA Draft, the Detroit Pistons did not own any of their original picks. However, they did have a second round pick in the 54th spot of the draft thanks to a transaction that took some time to play out.
In 1988, the Indiana Pacers fired head coach Jack Ramsey after an 0-7 start. Assistant coach Mel Daniels was interim coach for two games before vice president of basketball operations George Irvine took over on an interim basis for 20 games.
The Pacers found a fourth and final coach for the 1988-89 season in Dick Versace. A Detroit Pistons assistant coach at the time, Versace joined the Pacers on a permanent basis. To hire Versace, Indiana sent compensation to the Pistons which turned out to be a second round pick 10 years later.
There was a very simple reason according to Pacers general manager Donnie Walsh (via Indy Star):
“When I did it, I didn’t think there would be a second round in 1999.”
The Pistons ended up using the selection in 1999 on Melvin Levett. A 6-foot-3 high-flying guard from the University of Cincinnati, Levett evolved from an afterthought with the Bearcats to a two-time All-Conference USA second team member in his junior and senior years.
After the Los Angeles Lakers traded All-Star point guard Nick Van Exel to the Denver Nuggets, the team was thin at point guard. With just third year guard Derek Fisher and rookie Tyronn Lue at the position, the team looked for a veteran after the 1998 NBA lockout that bled into 1999.
With a truncated season, the team had to act fast and signed veteran point guard Derek Harper to a two-year deal for $2.1 million.
The 1998-99 Los Angeles Lakers were good but had a shaky year. The franchise began the year 6-6 when head coach Del Harris was fired. Assistant coach Bill Bertka coached one game before assistant Kurt Rambis took over for the rest of the season.
Around this time, the team also signed former All-Star and five-time NBA champion Dennis Rodman. Rodman was a colorful character and he lasted only 23 games and seven weeks before he was waived due to various infractions such as showing up late and asking for time off.
The Lakers also shook up their roster after 20 games, dealing starters Eddie Jones and Elden Campbell to the Charlotte Hornets for sharp shooter Glen Rice and forward J.R. Reid.
After the 6-6 start, the Lakers ran off 10 consecutive wins. Though the streak helped, the Lakers had an inconsistent year. With the team at 27-19 after 46 games, it won its final four contests to finish 31-19.
The record tied the Lakers for the fourth best record with the Houston Rockets. The Lakers had a 2-1 head-to-head tiebreaker during the regular season, allowing them to take the fourth seed and homecourt advantage in the first round.
A 15-year veteran, Harper initially came off the bench during the 1998-99 season but ended up starting 29 of 30 games. The younger Fisher was moved ahead of Harper late in the year as coach Rambis tried to give the veteran guard rest ahead of the playoffs.
Harper was a steady veteran presence, appearing in 45 games and amassing 6.9 PPG, 1.5 RPG, 4.2 APG and 1.0 SPG in 24.9 MPG.
In the postseason, the Lakers faced the Rockets in the opening round. The series opener was close as both teams traded leads. The game was tied at 92 with 3:48 after a Charles Barkley and-1 score.
Houston took a 97-94 lead with 1:40 left after three free-throws from Sam Mack and Barkley. Lakers guards Fisher and Kobe Bryant converted on four consecutive free-throws as the Lakers took a 98-97 lead with 1:17 left. Hakeem Olajuwon scored on a layup and made a free-throw to give the Rockets a 100-98 edge.
After Shaquille O’Neal split two free-throws with 28 seconds left, the Rockets had the ball with a 100-99 advantage. Houston had the ball but Rockets forward Scottie Pippen had the ball stolen by Fisher. After the Lakers called timeout, Bryant was fouled with five seconds left by a stumbling Mack. He nailed both foul shots, giving the Lakers a 101-100 lead.
On the final possession, Rockets rookie Cuttino Mobley was blocked on a layup as time expired and Los Angeles took the first game.
Los Angeles jumped out to a 31-12 lead after the first quarter in Game Two. The Rockets would never get closer than nine points in a 110-98 Lakers victory. Facing a sweep at home, Houston’s stars Scottie Pippen and Charles Barkley teamed up for 67 points, 36 rebounds and nine assists to help Houston win 102-88 in Game Three.
The Lakers took a 17-point lead in the second quarter of Game Four. Houston closed the gap, but Los Angeles took a double digit lead early in the fourth quarter and held on for a 98-88 victory and a 3-1 series win. O’Neal led the way with 37 points and 11 rebounds.
During the first round, Harper averaged 7.0 PPG on 48% shooting, 1.8 RPG and 3.3 APG in 18.0 MPG.
Los Angeles advanced to a second round matchup with the San Antonio Spurs. In the first game, Tim Duncan had 25 points and six blocks, and San Antonio used a 34-17 first half run to take control in an 87-81 win.
San Antonio built a 14-point lead early in Game Two, but the Lakers managed to make a comeback. Bryant nailed a three-pointer with 36 seconds left in Game Two to give the Lakers a 76-75 advantage. Spurs forward Sean Elliott air-balled a three and Bryant was intentionally fouled with 18 seconds remaining.
Bryant missed both foul shots. Duncan hit a turnaround hook with eight seconds left to give the Spurs a one-point lead. Spurs guard Avery Johnson deflected a pass from Bryant to Derek Fisher and Mario Elie stole the ball.
Elliott made two free-throws giving the Spurs a three-point edge. The Lakers had a chance to tie at the buzzer but Bryant missed a desperation three.
The third game in Los Angeles was close throughout. The Lakers held a 91-90 advantage with 1:50 remaining, but the Spurs scored 13 unanswered to win 103-91 and take a 3-0 series lead.
In the fourth game, Duncan had 33 points and 14 rebounds. San Antonio never trailed and led by double figures for most of the game and held on for a 118-107 win and a 4-0 series win.
Harper had a rough second round performance. He appeared in three games and averaged 0.7 PPG on 1-for-6 shooting and 1.0 RPG in 13.4 MPG. Harper was benched in Game Four in favor of rookie point guard Tyronn Lue.
After another playoff setback, the Lakers made the decision to hire championship head coach Phil Jackson.
Jackson had always liked having tall guards in his rotation. The team was interested in signing 6-foot-6 guard Ron Harper who flourished with Jackson as part of the three-peat champion Bulls from 1996-1998 and was more familiar with Jackson’s triangle offense.
That left Derek Harper as the odd man out. With one year left on his contract, the Lakers traded Harper to the Detroit Pistons to free up a roster spot.
Levett requested his release from the Lakers during training camp and it was granted by the club. After not receiving any offers to join an NBA team, Levett joined the Cincinnati Stuff of the International Basketball Association.
The Pistons brought in Harper with the hope that the 37-year old would be a backup to starter Lindsey Hunter.
Harper was dismayed with the surprise of being traded from a contender in the Lakers to a middle of the pack team in Detroit.
He did not want to play with the Pistons and never joined the team for training camp. A few months after the trade, Harper decided to retire and take on a vice president of business relations role with the team that drafted him, the Dallas Mavericks.
Detroit Pistons general manager Rick Sund on his previous relationship with Derek Harper and wanting Harper to play for the Pistons (via Detroit Free Press):
“We had a very good relationship in Dallas. I asked him not to make a decision until he comes here and meets the players and coaches, and then decide. If he makes the decision after that to retire, then I can respect that.”
On what Harper brings:
“He has been in the league for 16 seasons and has played at a high level his entire career. He was brought to LA last season primarily as a backup, and he ended up starting more than half their games. Derek has been honored several times in his career for his defense and can contribute to this team.”
How the Harper trade was not risky (via LA Times):
“Derek said he had mixed emotions about the trade. But he never said he was going to retire. There are no guarantees, but the thing is, we’ve got a no-lose situation, anyway. If he comes, great, we’ve got the player we wanted. If he doesn’t come, all we gave up is a player who probably would not have made our team.”
Pistons head coach Alvin Gentry on adding Harper (via Detroit Free Press):
“Obviously after losing Joe (Dumars), he’s irreplaceable, but to have Derek come aboard will help us. He’s a winner and he has won in a lot of different places. He’s a great three-point shooter, he can defend and he gives us additional leadership in the locker room.
“Now when Lindsey (Hunter) is out of the game we have someone else other than Grant (Hill) to handle the ball. I think he’ll also be a big help to Jerry (Stackhouse) because he can run the team. He might have preferred to stay with the Lakers because they’re close to winning a championship, but he sees us as an up-and-coming team and he understands we can use his leadership.”
Thoughts about Harper showing up to Pistons training camp instead of retiring (via Detroit Free Press):
“I think he’ll end up coming in, I really do. I think (it was) the initial shock of getting traded from a team that you thought definitely had a chance of winning the NBA championship, and I’m sure he’s a little bitter, about getting traded.
“I think once he gets here and looks at our team and looks at the situation and sees that we can be very successful then I think he’ll be here. I’ll sit down with Derek and explain to him where I see him fitting in with our team, and I’m sure Grant [Hill] and those guys would like to sit down and talk to him.”
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