An NBA executive said the Cavaliers, in a trade expected to be completed later today, finally have acquired a top-level point guard in executing a six-player, three-team deal.
The Milwaukee Bucks traded point guard Mo Williams to the Cavs in exchange for the expiring contracts of guard Damon Jones and forward Joe Smith. As part of the deal, the Bucks will receive Jones and Oklahoma City point guard Luke Ridnour. Oklahoma City acquires Smith and Bucks forward Desmond Mason. Oklahoma City also will send swingman Adrian Griffin to the Bucks.
Williams scored 17.2 points per game with the Bucks last season. He averaged 6.3 assists in 66 games, shooting 48 percent from the field, 86 percent from the free-throw line. He was drafted out of the University of Alabama by the Utah Jazz in the second round of the 2003 NBA Draft.
Williams is coming off three strong seasons with the Bucks, where he established himself as one of the league's better offensive point guards. He is known for his ability to break down defenses off the dribble. The Cavs are taking on significant salary with this move.
Williams has five years and $43 million left on a contract that he signed last summer. He'll make $8.5 million this season and owns a player option for 2012-13 at $8.5 million. The Cavs showed interest in him last year, but he resigned with the Bucks.
Williams will likely be the starting point guard, which leaves restricted free agent Delonte West without much bargaining power in his protracted contract negotiations with the team.
Sources said the Cavs still want to bring West back but this increases the chances that he will take the qualifying offer of $2.8 million for one season.
The loss of Smith is expected to be made up by rookie forward J.J. Hickson, the Cavs' first-round draft choice. He impressed the Cavs during summer-league play last month.
Jones played in 67 games for the Cavs last season, averaging 19 minutes and 6.5 points. He played three years for the Cavs and likely will be remembered most for his game-winning shot against the Washington Wizards in the 2006 playoffs.
Smith, who was acquired in the blockbuster deal last February from the Chicago Bulls, averaged 8.1 points, five rebounds and 21.5 minutes in 27 games for the Cavs. _________________
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ok i wasn't ready for Cavs trade news yet. lol i'm still getting over all the Tribe's trades. and i'm still sad about losing Larry last season... now Jones and Smith? =( so what's the general consensus: do we think this will help our Cavs? _________________
ALWAYS be proud of who you are and what you love and NEVER change that for someone else!
I was just reading about this, and although I was a huge Joe Smith I think this trade is awesome. Joe Smith was an awesome, low-key contributer to the team last year, so I'm sad to see him go but he was getting older. Damon Jones... if he focused on basketball as much as he did on himself, he would have been a better player. We don't need someone that every 5 games or so we play him for 2 minutes hoping he'll make a 3-pointer or two. Yeah he had a couple huge plays for us in the playoffs, but we need someone that can play like that all the time, not just a couple minutes here and there. Mo Williams is a 5 year veteran, not too old, not too young and inexperienced. I think this was a good move. _________________ ~*Michele*~
Yeah well put Michele, I do agree that it's going to help our team because our main problem for so long was we don't have a true reliable point guard, because let's face Eric Snow isn't really the guy we can rely on anymore, Dan's never been a point guard, they forced him in the position, Larry didn't really play the point, I mean he did alright for us there, but that's not what he was for...so I agree that this is going to work for us.
Now my only question is...are we going to keep Anderson? Because in December we can trade him or whatever because that's when the Bobcats offered him the deal and we matched it...like who's going to be our starting power forward? I actually have a lot of questions about who's starting, who's staying and all that...so I guess we'll see how this summer plays our and see who's there opening day. _________________
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ok i had to re-comment on this. i can't believe how much Mo Williams has helped the Cavs become one of the best teams in the NBA this year. and i feel like a dumbass for being sad about losing Damon Jones. lmao what was i thinking? musta just been initial trade shock. and how awesome is it that we got Joe Smith back? funny how that worked out...i mean, this was a monster trade for us. thank god for Maurice Williams. love that Mo-Flo. and i can't help but smile every time he guarantees that we're winning the championship this year. i feel it too. GO CAVS!!! =D _________________
ALWAYS be proud of who you are and what you love and NEVER change that for someone else!
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