Los Angeles Clippers: 25 Best Players To Play For The Clippers
By Phil Watson
Bob Kauffman. 14. player. 77. <strong>How acquired:</strong> Trade, Philadelphia 76ers, May 11, 1970.. PF-SF. 1970-74
Bob Kauffman was traded twice in one day in May 1970. The second of those deals landed him with the expansion Buffalo Braves, who acquired him with a second-round pick in 1971 from the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Bailey Howell.
Kauffman became the Braves’ first All-Star, earning three trips.
But his effectiveness waned to the point that he was left unprotected and was chosen by the New Orleans Jazz in the May 1974 expansion draft.
In four seasons in Buffalo, Kauffman averaged 15.8 points, 9.2 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 33.8 minutes per game, shooting 48.7 percent from the floor and 76.4 percent at the line.
Kauffman was the third overall pick out of NAIA Guilford College by the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1968 NBA Draft.
In September 1969, he was traded to the Chicago Bulls and in May 1970, he was sent to the 76ers as a player to be named later in an earlier deal.
After being taken by New Orleans in the expansion draft, he was traded later the same day to the Atlanta Hawks.
He retired after the 1974-75 season.
Kauffman was general manager of the Detroit Pistons from May 1977-July 1978 and served as their interim coach to finish out the 1977-78 season, going 29-29 after firing Herb Brown. He was fired as GM in July 1978.
He died July 25, 2015, at his home in Lilburn, Ga., at the age of 69 after a history of heart trouble.
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