Cavs get Mo Williams from Bucks in three-team deal

[BillD1984]

HD MM,

Congrats, great trade for your Cavs!! Looks like the Cavs are going for it all in 08-09!!
Bucks send Williams to Cavaliers in three-team deal

By Chris Broussard
ESPN The Magazine




Cleveland, Milwaukee and Oklahoma City have agreed in principle to a six-player trade that could add a much-needed second scorer to LeBron James' Cavaliers.

Williams


Mo Williams, the high-scoring point guard from Milwaukee, will go to Cleveland in the deal, which should be announced later Wednesday.
The 6-foot-1 Williams averaged 17.2 points and a team-high 6.3 assists for the Bucks last season.
Cleveland will send shooting guard Damon Jones to Milwaukee and forward Joe Smith to Oklahoma City.
Milwaukee also will get point guard Luke Ridnour and forward Adrian Griffin from Oklahoma City.
Oklahoma City, formerly known as the Seattle SuperSonics, also gets Desmond Mason, the athletic small forward, from the Bucks.
Since joining the Cavaliers in 2003-04, James has not had a teammate who averaged as much as 17 points per game. But Williams has done so the past two seasons, averaging a career-high 17.3 points in his breakout season of 2006-2007.
The acquisition of Williams may spell the end of Delonte West's brief tenure in Cleveland. The Cavaliers have been embroiled in contract talks with West, a free agent who became their starting point guard after being traded from Seattle last February.
While Williams, 25, will definitely be Cleveland's starting point guard, a person close to the situation said the Cavaliers still will look to re-sign West, a 6-4 combo guard who could start beside Williams in the backcourt. Milwaukee and Oklahoma City view the trade largely as a salary dump.
The Bucks, who traded former lottery pick Yi Jianlian to New Jersey for Richard Jefferson earlier this summer, get rid of the five years, $43 million left on Williams' contract while taking on Jones and Griffin, both of whom are in the last year of their deals. Ridnour has just two years, $13 million remaining on his contract.
As for Oklahoma City's acquisitions, Smith and Mason also are in the final year of their deals.

 

[satjay]

Damon jones has sure moved around alot.

 

[Paul Wozniak]

That sure beats the Pistons latest pickup. Kwame Brown couldn't play dead.

 

[SabresRule]

Kwame Brown couldn't play dead.

That's putting it kindly.

 

[HD MM]

Yeah this trade has been in the works for a few weeks now. As the article suggest though, this isn't a good sign that we're going to resign Delonte West. D-West plays better defense than Mo Williams, which is this teams strongest asset. Plus, I don't like giving up Joe Smith. He was a solid defender to come off the bench and he also was able to hit a consistent outside shot. Sad to see him go. As far as Damon Jones goes, he must've fell out of graces with the coaching staff a few years ago, because for whatever reason he didn't get any playing time whatsoever. Hopefully Mo will bring some offensive relief to LeBron and Company.

 

[HD MM]

Sources out of Cleveland are saying the Cavs still intend on signing D-West!

If this is the case, I like this trade for Mo a whole lot more! D-West can be moved to the SG position. He excelled in that role at St. Joes in college when Jameer Nelson was at PG. If not, he can be relegated to the PG coming off the bench. Suddenly we have depth!

Either way, it's good to see the Cav's finally able to get a big play making PG who can also create his own shot. I've been wanting this type of player since LeBron was drafted here.

 

[BillD1984]

Sources out of Cleveland are saying the Cavs still intend on signing D-West!

If this is the case, I like this trade for Mo a whole lot more! D-West can be moved to the SG position. He excelled in that role at St. Joes in college when Jameer Nelson was at PG. If not, he can be relegated to the PG coming off the bench. Suddenly we have depth!

Either way, it's good to see the Cav's finally able to get a big play making PG who can also create his own shot. I've been wanting this type of player since LeBron was drafted here.

I love this trade from the Cavs perspective! I agree, Joe Smith will be missed, but you're pretty stacked in the frontcourt. LeBron, Varejao, Z, Wallace, plus swingmen Pavlovic and Szerbiak is a formidable frontcourt, not to mention adding rookies J.J. Hickson (who I hear is a stud) and Sasha Kahn (probably a project, but he's another BIG body). Your backcourt was thin before you added Mo Williams, plus he's a much needed scorer added to a roster that's already loaded with good defensive players. With all that said, I agree with you HD MM, you NEED Delonte back. He's a physical presence in the backcourt, and a Williams/West/Gibson/Wally backcourt is pretty good...both offensively and defensively. You're already a tough matchup for my Celtics, but by adding Williams and resigning Delonte, IMO your the team to beat in the East.

 

[salsadancer7]

That sure beats the Pistons latest pickup. Kwame Brown couldn't play dead.

ROFLMAO!!!!:haha:river:haha:river:haha:river:haha:river:haha

 

[HD MM]

Ok, now that this trade is almost 20 hours old, I've had time to analyze the impact...

Cav's Gave up:

PG- Damon Jones- 31 yrs-old, playing time was non-existent for the Cavs. (seriously, he never played). Salary= $4.2 million/yr.

PF- Joe Smith- 33 yrs-old, solid veteran who's best days are behind him. Was a bench role player with the Cavs. Salary= $5.2 million/yr.

Cav's Got:

PG- Mo Williams- 25 yrs-old, entering the prime of his career. Instantly takes over the starting PG position. He is a solid scorer, passer and ball handler. The Cav's biggest need was another scorer. Since LeBron was drafted, the Cav's haven't had another player on the team to avg. 17ppg. Mo Williams has averaged over 17 ppg in each of the last two seasons. Salary= $7.7 million/yr.

Interesting Stat: Only 6 players (LeBron, Baron Davis, Chris Paul, Andre Miller, Dwyane Wade, and Mo) averaged 17 points, 6 assists, and 3.5 rebounds per game last year. 2 of those guys now play together in Cleveland, which should help open up the offense and create a more potent attack.

Future Impact: This frees up apx. $2 million under the cap. Also, keep in mind that Wally Szczerbiak has an expiring contract at the end of this year. Those players are always in high demand before the trade deadline. I fully expect us to get another impact player sometime this year for Wally.

Bottom Line: Good move Danny Ferry!

 

[Paul Wozniak]

Yeah, that trade should be enough to keep LeBron in Cleveland.

 

[HD MM]

Yeah, that trade should be enough to keep LeBron in Cleveland.

Paul, if LeBron brings a Championship to Cleveland in these next 2 years, I will personally pay for his flight to Europe if he really wants to leave. I just want to live to see the day this city get's a Championship just once in my lifetime.

 

[Paul Wozniak]

LeBron isn't going to Europe. He may leave Cleveland (personally I hope he doesn't, unless it's DETROIT!), but he won't leave the USA. See my comments yesterday in the other LeBron thread.