It was the deal that was rumored as soon as the Wizards’ season showed the first sign of going south: let Antawn Jamison be LeBron James’ sidekick if he can’t win an NBA title in Washington.
And thus it was done.
In a three-team deal just announced, Jamison and Los Angeles Clippers guard Sebastian Telfair are headed to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Cleveland big man Zydrunas Ilgauskas, the Cavaliers’ first-round 2010 draft pick and the rights to Emir Preldzic are coming to Washington, and the Los Angeles Clippers got Drew Gooden from the Wizards in return for third-year forward Al Thornton.
Initial reports had Clippers forward Brian Skinner as part of the deal, but in the end that didn’t happen.
Reports and indications are also that neither Ilgauskas nor Gooden intend to play for their new teams, with Gooden expected to agree to a buyout and Ilgauskas either bought out or waived by the cost-cutting Wizards, who are trying to get themselves under the salary cap that they had blown out of the water at the beginning of the year.
Wizards head coach Flip Saunders was asked after Washington beat Minnesota, 108-99, thanks to a career-high 33 points from Andray Blatche and a season-high double-double from JaVale McGee (14 points, 11 rebounds) — no, really — about whether Jamison was emotional about the deal:
“I think what’s happened is that there’s been so many things going that if it happens, he’s going to be emotional,” said Saunders. “But like anything, I think that people, when your name’s mentioned so much you’re almost prepared.”
“[There were] no hugs,” said newly acquired Josh Howard, who had 14 points off the bench in his Wizards debut. “It kind of happened right before the meeting so I wish him the best, mim and Drew, and focus on us now.”
“He definitely was an unbelieveable basketball player, and he was an even better person,” said Randy Foye. “He took care of the younger guys. He always talked to guys. He made sure everythign was right in the locker room. It’s going to be tough without him and just not seeing him here, hearing him screaming before the game. But this is the NBA, and you give a guy like Dray the chance to play and get a career high.”
“It’s a whirlwind but everybody in America should know the key about basketball is it’s a business, and things happen,” said Howard. “Players leave teams, and it’s unfortunate we didn’t get to play with Twan, and what we got coming in, I don’t know but hoepfully they’ll come in and play as hard as him.”
Here’s the verbatim on the Wizards’ prizes from the team release: Thornton, in his third season out of Florida State, is averaging 10.7 points and 3.8 rebounds in 51 games (30 starts) for the Clippers this season, with a career-best .478 field goal percentage. Last season in Los Angeles, Thornton established career-highs in points per game (16.8), rebounds per game (5.2), assists per game (1.5), free throw percentage (.754) and games started (67). A First Team All-Rookie selection in 2007-08, Thornton was originally acquired by the Clippers in the first round (14th overall) of the 2007 Draft.
Ilgauskas, a 12th year pro from Lithuania, has appeared in 760 career games (all with Cleveland), with averages of 13.9 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. This season, the 7-3 center has averaged 7.5 points and 5.3 rebounds in 53 games for the Cavaliers. He was originally drafted by the Cavaliers in the first round (20th overall) of the 1996 NBA Draft.
Preldzic, a 6-9, 220 lb. forward from Slovenia, was initially drafted by the Phoenix Suns with the 57th overall pick in the second round of the 2009 NBA Draft, but was immediately sent to Cleveland for cash considerations. The 22 year-old Preldzic is currently playing for Fenerbahce Ulker in the Turkish League, where he is averaging 6.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and a team-high 2.3 assists per game through 10 games (one start).
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