He spent four-and-a-half seasons with the Lakers before he was traded along with a 1980 first round draft pick to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Butch Lee and a 1982 first round draft pick, which ultimately became first overall pick James Worthy.
Mediada la temporada 1979-80 fue traspasado junto con una primera ronda del draft del 80 a Cleveland Cavaliers, a cambio de Butch Lee y una primera ronda del draft del 82, que acabó siendo el número 1 del mismo, James Worthy.