Done Deal: Baron + 2011 1st for Mo Williams, Jamario Moon

[mattfish]

I just remember that game when the Cavs broke their losing streak, Mo played his first game back from his injury and looked pretty damned good and motivated that team to win. If he can bring that energy here, I'm really liking this trade.

[thanumba2clippersfan]

Straight from Clippers.com

The Los Angeles Clippers today acquired point guard Mo Williams and forward Jamario Moon from the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for point guard Baron Davis and a first round pick in the 2011 NBA Draft.

Williams, who has averaged 13.8 points, 5.0 assists and 3.1 rebounds over his eight-year NBA career, is currently averaging 13.3 points, 7.1 assists and 2.7 rebounds in 36 games played this season. He has notched 10 points-assist double-doubles on the year and has recorded eight games this season in which he has scored 20 or more points.

“Mo Williams is a 28 year old All Star whose skill set not only compliments our front court players but is an excellent running mate with Eric Gordon on both ends of the floor,” stated Clippers’ Vice President of Basketball Operations Neil Olshey. “Jamario is an elite athlete that can play multiple positions and will help us improve defensively.”

Williams turned in his most productive campaign in 2008-09 when he tallied 17.8 points and 4.1 assists while being named to the Eastern Conference All-Star Team. He helped propel the Cavaliers to the 2009 Eastern Conference Finals, scoring in double-figures in 13 of 14 playoff games played that season and tallying 20 or more points in four playoff games. In 30 career playoff games played, Williams has averaged 14.1 points and 4.2 assists per game.

Originally selected in the second round (47th overall) of the 2003 NBA Draft by the Utah Jazz, Williams spent four seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks before being traded to Cleveland on August 13, 2008.

In his fifth NBA season, Moon has averaged 6.7 points and 4.5 rebounds over his career. During the 2010-11 season, Moon has tallied 4.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 19.1 minutes in 40 games played.

Moon was signed by the Cavaliers as a free agent on July 24, 2009 after having spent the 2008-09 season with the Miami Heat and the Toronto Raptors. As an undrafted rookie with the Raptors in 2007, Moon turned in a productive rookie year, averaging 8.5 points and 6.2 rebounds.

“On a personal level this was a difficult decision and I will miss Baron but it was the right move for the organization now and for the future,” Olshey said.

Originally signed by the Clippers prior to the start of the 2008-09 season, Davis has averaged 16.5 points and 7.3 assists over his career. In 43 games played this season, Davis has tallied 12.8 points and 7.0 assists.

http://www.nba.com/clippers/news/breaki ... 10224.html

[thanumba2clippersfan]

More insight on the trade from Lisa Dillman

Spoke briefly with Davis on the phone and hope to have additional quotes from him later in the afternoon. He appeared stunned when I ran the bare bones of the trade framework past him late Wednesday night outside of the Clipper locker room here in New Orleans. In an e-mail today, Davis said he planned on going over to the Clippers' training facility to say goodbye to the staff at Playa Vista.

For the Clippers, salary-cap flexibility is the key here. The Clippers would have had $32 million on the books in 2012-13 and this deal enabled them to get down to $16 million. Additionally, Williams gave up his early termination option (ETO), which he could have used after this season for the final two years of his contract, said Clipper vice president of basketball operations, Neil Olshey.

"He’s a guy that is excited to be here," Olshey said. "Now you see a time in the organization where we have guys that are excited about playing here, so much so where they are willing to amend contracts in order to secure their positions.... We’ve got six guys under 22. We need guys that can help now. We have not given up any of the assets we’ll need if we want to go make another trade in June to upgrade another position."

For more click the link below
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_ ... liams.html

[thanumba2clippersfan]

Here's an interview with Olshey and Del Negro about the trade

http://www.nba.com/clippers/video/2011/ ... index.html

[Forte IV]

Olshey convinced me

[Roger Murdock]

I think this is a win-win-win. Its a win for LA and Cleveland because I think it helps both teams moving forward. Its a win for Mo Will because I think he will be a good fit for you guys and hes a class act so I am happy to see him move to a better team where I think he will be happier.

It was a big time loss for Baron Davis though.

I like the Clippers but unfortunately I am rooting against you guys for the rest of the year because the cavs need all the ping pong balls they can get. Good luck in the future though.

[HeyJoe]

was mo really injured recently? or was he just held out for the trade?

[jflipclip]

I feel like that pick can easily come back and bite us...

ughhhh i hope it doesn't.

[MaceCase]

Did Olshey say that Mo jumped on a plane the moment he heard about the trade?
After playing in Salt Lake City, Milwaukee and Cleveland I guess I would of done the same.
It's head scratching given the rapport that Baron was starting to form and the possibility of the pick becoming a number 1 but Mo is a much better 3rd scorer to put around EGor and Blake. He can run the offense well enough and really all he has to do is throw the ball up there for Blake and DJ to get it.
Has the added benefit of also allowing Blake to collect all of those triple doubles that he flirts around with having a knockdown shooter on the perimeter now and will go further towards solving the issues the team has against zone ds.

[Lifter]

It's sad you guys don't realize what a cancerous blight BD was on the team. Terrible play, terrible contract, but most importantly he's just a terrible leader. I would have been happy giving him away for a 2nd round pick.

[scoobs07]

Williams really helps with his perimeter shooting. He's good for 1.5 threes per game and hits 38% of them for his career. That is much much better then Davis being under 30%. He should have no problem getting his career average of 14 ppg as the Clippers third scorer. PLUS all the cap space benefits for the Clipps. Great trade for them. I imagine in the summer, Clipps will still try to get a Granger or Gallinari type small forward. Maybe even Batum or Iggy or somebody like that.

[Leor_77]

One thing I will say, though, is that I'm amazed at how good of a 3-point shooter Williams was from 2008-2010 (43%) when he was getting all of those open three's from Lebron. Hopefully, he gets closer to that number with us, as he will no doubt have a ton of open three's with Blake, and to some extent, EJ getting double teamed.

[mkwest]

Mo Williams: "I'm very excited to be with the Clippers."

Mo Williams: "I have a home in San Diego, my wife is very excited. I'd like to thank the Clippers for keeping my marriage together."

Mo Williams on being with Clips: "I believe my success with LeBron will help me with Blake Griffin."

Ben Maller via Twitter

[MaceCase]

Mo Williams: "I'm very excited to be with the Clippers."

Mo Williams: "I have a home in San Diego, my wife is very excited. I'd like to thank the Clippers for keeping my marriage together."

Mo Williams on being with Clips: "I believe my success with LeBron will help me with Blake Griffin."

Ben Maller via Twitter

I'm sure Cash Warren and Baron are saying the opposite.

[playaloc916]

edit

[playaloc916]

I'm pretty curious to see how Williams does actually. We all know BD was not a jumpshooter, so if Williams can nail his mid range shots, it should really open things up for us.

[thanumba2clippersfan]

From Ralph's twitter

Baron Davis on charter flight to Cleveland. If he passes physical tomorrow, Moon and Williams can play v Boston

http://twitter.com/#!/Ohmeomy/status/41377582326886400

Baron just taking his time getting to Cleveland

[thanumba2clippersfan]

Straight from the wiretap

The Clippers expect their acquisition of Maurice Williams and Jamario Moon from the Cavaliers for Baron Davis and a first-round pick to become official on Sunday.

There has been a delay in Davis taking and passing his physical.

The trade must be completed by 5 p.m. ET on Sunday. Williams and Moon have both passed their physicals, but they have been held out of games.

Davis didn't arrive in Cleveland until Saturday afternoon. He immediately took his physical and had an MRI on his troublesome knee.

"They're doing their due diligence on him from a physical standpoint, and we'll hear something [Sunday]," L.A. general manager Neil Olshey said.

"I'm not concerned because we had a goal and we met it, they had a goal and they met it, and they were well aware of the variables on Thursday when they made a decision to move Mo for Baron. None of that has changed."

Read more: http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/21 ... z1FBTKTVhe

I just hate that this is taking so long

[thanumba2clippersfan]

Too bad I didn't find this first

The Clippers and Cavaliers were spared additional complications when the Clippers were told by Cleveland this morning that Baron Davis passed his physical, the Clippers said in an e-mail Sunday.

This means the trade between the teams will be completed when the Clippers get the final word from the NBA. The Clippers sent Davis and a future first-round draft pick to Cleveland in exchange for guard Mo Williams and small forward Jamario Moon.

Williams and Moon had their physicals, and Davis got to Cleveland on Saturday and the teams were waiting on the results of his physical and MRI. Davis has had continuing issues with his left knee, keeping him out of the lineup almost all of November and the Clippers' final game before the trade deadline, at New Orleans on Wednesday.

The delay meant Williams and Moon were not able to take part in Saturday night's game against the Celtics.

The team does not practice Sunday, and the Clippers' next game is at Sacramento.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_ ... liers.html