Less than an hour before the Washington Wizards played their first game after the All-Star break on Wednesday, Antawn Jamison was in the middle of his normal pregame routine, bouncing through the locker room with his headphones on and clad in his team warmups.
But when the Wizards took the floor for layup lines ahead of facing the Minnesota Timberwolves, Jamison was headed to the parking garage, having just been informed that he was leaving Washington for the NBA title-contender Cleveland Cavaliers. Jamison is part of a reported three-team trade less than 24 hours before the league trade deadline. The transaction completed the dismantling of a Washington team whose season came unraveled with a combination of injuries, poor performances and off-court misbehavior.
Chased by reporters all the way to his Bentley, Jamison was asked for one final thought for the “D.C. fans who love you,” to which he responded, “I love them more than they love me,” before driving away.
According to reports, the deal sent Jamison and Los Angeles Clippers guard Sebastian Telfair to the Cavaliers. The Wizards acquired Zydrunas Ilgauskas and a 2010 first-round draft pick from Cleveland along with third-year forward Al Thornton and journeyman Brian Skinner from Los Angeles.
Drew Gooden, who was acquired by Washington as part of a trade last weekend with Dallas that sent Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood to the Mavericks, was sent to the Clippers and left Verizon Center with Jamison.
The Wizards (18-33) went on to beat Minnesota (13-42), 108-99, on the back of a career-high 33 points from Andray Blatche, but the night will be remembered for the departure of Jamison, who came to in Washington in 2004 and helped the Wizards to four playoff appearances and earned two All-Star selections over the next five and half years.
“I told [Jamison] he’s one of the most professional guys I’ve ever been around,” said Wizards head coach Flip Saunders immediately after the game, “and it’s unfortunate the way this season took a turn from the beginning.”
