1973–74 Virginia Squires season

The 1973–74 Virginia Squires season was the fourth season of the Squires in the American Basketball Association and the seventh season in the franchise's history when including the seasons played as the Oakland Oaks and Washington Caps. The team finished 6th in points scored at 106.3 points per game and 9th in points allowed at 111.3 points per game. The team was 15–27 midway through the season, but then went 13–29 in the second half of the season. Their biggest losing streak was 6 games, with their highest winning streak being 3 games, done twice. Despite these problems, they clinched the fourth and final playoff spot over the Memphis Tams by 7 games. The Squires lost to Julius Erving and the eventual champion New York Nets in the Semifinals in 5 games. The money troubles that had troubled the franchise throughout most of the franchise's existence (specifically ever since the period after the Oakland Oaks won the 1969 ABA Finals championship that saw them move to Washington, D.C. in the first place) meant that the Squires were forced to trade away pivotal players of the franchise in order to provide short-term stability through monetary means. The franchise's biggest star player, Julius Erving, was traded along with Willie Sojourner to the New York Nets for one-time former ABA All-Star George Carter and cash before the season started. Then during the season, rookie center Swen Nater was traded on November 21, 1973 to the San Antonio Spurs for $300,000 in cash. On the night of the 1974 ABA All-Star Game, it was announced that the Squires sold George Gervin to the San Antonio Spurs for $225,000 (though the agreement was planned a month or so after the deal involving Swen Nater in order to get people attending the ABA All-Star Game in Virginia that year).