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if smith is involved then wilcox will be let go
Williams trade being explored
Ridnour would land here in 3-way swap
By CHARLES F. GARDNER
Posted: Aug. 12, 2008
Milwaukee Bucks guard Mo Williams could be headed to Cleveland as part of a three-team trade, with the Bucks targeting point guard Luke Ridnour of the Oklahoma City franchise, formerly the Seattle SuperSonics.
NBA sources confirmed that there had been discussions involving the three teams. Cleveland is searching for backcourt help to complement LeBron James, and Williams could fit the bill.
But Williams carries a hefty price tag with five years and $43 million left on the $51 million contract the point guard signed with the Bucks before last season, when he was an unrestricted free agent.
Cleveland had some interest in Williams last summer, and the Miami Heat made him an offer, but he chose to stay with the Bucks.
The Cavaliers have been unable to come to a contract agreement with point guard Delonte West, who is a restricted free agent this summer, and he could be part of the deal in a sign-and-trade, according to reports.
Or Oklahoma City could receive former Bucks forward Joe Smith, who has an expiring contract and will be paid $4.8 million next season, as part of its compensation in the deal.
The Bucks are interested in Ridnour, according to league sources. The 6-foot-2 guard from Oregon has played five seasons for the SuperSonics since being selected 14th overall in the 2003 draft.
Oklahoma City suddenly has a surplus of point guards with Ridnour, Earl Watson and Russell Westbrook, the fourth overall pick in the June draft.
The 27-year-old Ridnour has two years and $13 million left on his contract, and his acquisition would allow the Bucks to unload Williams' contract, negotiated by former Bucks general manager Larry Harris.
Ridnour will make $6.5 million in each of the next two seasons. Williams will be paid $8.4 million next season and is under contract through the 2012-'13 season, when he has a player option. In order to make the salaries match, other considerations might be part of the deal.
Ridnour made only five starts in 61 games with Seattle last season and averaged 6.4 points, the lowest total since his rookie season. During the previous three seasons, Ridnour started a total of 217 games and averaged in double figures each year, including a career-best 11.5 points and 7.0 assists during the 2005-'06 season.
Williams averaged 17.2 points and 6.3 assists and shot 48% for the Bucks last season.
He played in 66 games but was bothered by a sore right thumb for much of the season. After the season, Williams underwent surgery to repair ligament damage in the thumb.
The surgery was performed at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York by hand specialist Mic e Carlson.
New Bucks general manager John Hammond has reshaped the team this summer with a trade that sent Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons to the New Jersey Nets in exchange for veteran small forward Richard Jefferson, and the drafting of forwards Joe Alexander and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute.
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=782633
if smith is involved then wilcox will be let go
cavs will be a scary team if this happens
The deal is done.
http://www.ohio.com/news/top_stories/26919019.html
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.
! now my Damon Jones jersey isn't worth anything
better offseason move:
Cavs getting Mo Williams for Damon Jones and a guy w/ bad knees
or
Pistons signing Kwame Brown
Cavs will love Mo Williams. A 25 year old PG, who will give you 17/6 a game. At least he is in the East.
DMase going to OKC will be huge. Nice talent and a very big local draw.
Are you a Oklahoma City fan now? bailing on the Spurs?
Cleveland just got considerably scarier.
because wilcox has been one of OKC's big targets to get rid of and now that smith is there that makes him more likely to go
I could understand getting traded, but just letting Wilcox go doesn't make sense.
DMase is an OSU grad and I follow him wherever he goes. And yes I will cheer for the Thunder/Bison/Assscratchers/Herd/whatever unless they are playing the Spurs, as I will be at those games wearing TD21.
By Darnell Mayberry
Staff Writer
Desmond Mason is coming back to Oklahoma City.
In a three-team trade expected to be announced later tonight, Oklahoma City will acquire Mason from the Milwaukee Bucks and veteran forward Joe Smith from the Cleveland Cavaliers, according to NBA sources. Oklahoma City will send point guard Luke Ridnour and Adrian Griffin to Milwaukee.
To complete the deal, Milwaukee will send point guard Mo Williams to Cleveland. The Cavs are also sending Damon Jones to the Bucks.
Mason, the former Oklahoma State standout who played in Oklahoma City from 2005-07 as a member of the temporarily-displaced New Orleans Hornets from 2005-07, has career averages of 12.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists. Mason, who will turn 31 in October, averaged 9.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 59 games last year with the Bucks.
Smith, the No. 1 overall pick in 1995, is entering his 14 NBA season. He has career averages of 11.9 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 0.9 blocked shots. He averaged 10.1 points and 5.2 rebounds last year in Cleveland and Chicago, where he played 50 games before his mid-season trade to the Cavs.
Both Smith and Mason have expiring contracts, which will give Oklahoma City more salary cap space next summer.
Mason would have been a part of a logjam at forward in Milwaukee after the Bucks traded for Richard Jefferson this summer and drafted West Virginia’s Joe Alexander in June.
Ridnour faced the same playing time quandary with Oklahoma City after it drafted Russell Westbrook and returnd veteran Earl Watson. Ridnour has two years remaining on his contract at $13 million.
The deal will free up more minutes for Westbrook, who showed flashes of his potential as the franchise’s point guard of the future in the Orlando Pro Summer League.
Darn good trade by the OKC Bison
Hmm, the LeBrons needed point guard help almost as much as Orlando still does, and yet, I am not sure they didn't give up too many of the wrong pieces, nor was Mo was the right guy to solve the Cavs PG woes. Mo is a capable scorer, and an adiquate playmaker (an upgrade over almost every other point guard the Cavs have had since Andrei Miller last dawned a Cavs jersy). However, I don't feel he is worth his contract, nor is he that much better than West. I a don't trust Mo's defense, but in the Cav's system, he should have enough people to cover for him to make it at least be a functional defense at the 1.
The Bucks obviously feel Sessions is the guy, with his explosive emergence last season, and they have made some positive moves this season. I agree with most of what they have done, including the Jefferson trade.
It never was my friend, it never wasssssssss
The Bucks will be crap again this year. 3 legit superstars (or at least one and a 2 killer 2nd tier guys) and they suck.
The Cavaliers just secured the second seed in the East. And we already know they're capable of beating Boston.
Scary.
they are ?
boston got better as they played together
if cavs faced boston in finals
cavs would have been swepted
I really think that the play of Ramon Sessions last year at the end of the season made this trade possible.
BS, you just want to find a way to discredit LeBron James because you hate him.They are?
Boston got better as they played together. If the Cavs had faced Boston in the finals, they would have been swepted.
I fixed your grammar for you.
You probably think Tony Parker is Better than LeBron.
BTW, the Celtics lost James Posey, that's gonna hurt them down the road.
Done deal, I guess.
Cleveland makes a definite upgrade at point guard without giving up anything significant.
Oklahoma City dumps Ridnour's contract for expirings and brings back college son, Desmond Mason to possibly help sell some tickets.
And, Milwaukee dumps Mo Williams' contract for garbage.
I kinda see what Milwaukee is trying to do, but still don't think it was smart, especially considering they made a divisional rival much stronger at a position they needed help at.
Good job for The Cavs that makes them better for sure not as good as Boston but better.
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