In the latest Cavs trade news, the reigning champions parted ways with Chris Andersen after almost seven months. The veteran center was shipped to the Charlotte Hornets to free a roster slot which can be used in potential deals, especially with the February 23 trade deadline just around the corner.
As ESPN reported, the Cleveland Cavaliers also sent cash to the Hornets. Aside from having the ability to add a player, the trade gave the Cavs a protected 2017 second-round pick. The deal was made official Monday following an announcement from the team’s general manager, David Griffin.
BREAKING: #Cavs complete trade with @hornets . [DETAILS]: https://t.co/dFCtuPEgL3
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) February 13, 2017
Andersen joined the Cavs in July when they signed him following his good run with the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2015-16 season. As a center, he was behind starter Tristan Thompson and fellow veteran Channing Frye on Cleveland’s depth chart. Unfortunately, this led to the 38-year-old seeing action in only 12 outings. In his limited appearances, he just averaged 2.3 points and 2.6 rebounds, in 9.5 minutes per game. Despite this, the Cavs held on to him although the end of his stint became inevitable when he suffered a season-ending right ACL tear.
Sadly, besides being dealt while injured, another bad news came Andersen’s way as Charlotte waived him after the trade was made official. According to The Charlotte Observer , instead of keeping him, they opted to re-sign rookie center Mike Tobey to his second 10-day contract.
Ahead of Andersen’s time with the Cavs, he played for several other organizations in the NBA. He started his career as an undrafted player for the Denver Nuggets during the 2001-2002 season. He spent three years with them before suiting up for the then-New Orleans Hornets. After three years in New Orleans, he headed back to the Mile High City. In 2012, he joined the Miami Heat which at that time were led by LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh. Miami won an NBA championship in his second season with the franchise.
Last season, Andersen was involved in a trade that sent him to Grizzlies. In Memphis, he had a significant role once again. But, they did not reward him a new contract when their campaign ended in the first round of the 2016 playoffs. This led to him being available on the market, and the Cavs took the opportunity to sign him.
The Cavs are active ahead of the deadline later this month. The latest trade follows the notable roster moves already accomplished this year.
In January, the Cavs completed a blockbuster trade when they acquired guard Kyle Korver from the Atlanta Hawks. This was among the biggest sports news in the new year since Korver is one of the best shooters in the league today. The players sacrificed for this to happen were Mike Dunleavy Jr. and Mo Williams. A future first-round pick was given up as well.
Again, the Cavs made it to the news a few days ago when they signed forward Derrick Williams to a 10-day deal. Williams, a former No. 2 pick (2011 NBA Draft), was released by Miami earlier this month. The 25-year-old fit greatly with the champs and is performing well. In a previous report by ESPN , James even said he is hoping they will keep him.
Trade deals and changes will probably continue for the Cavs since they aim to address the current problems they have. Amico Hoops suggested that they are going to “explore more” with the deadline fast approaching.
The Cavs, despite all the trade news and rumors, are still leading the Eastern Conference with a 37-16 record. However, the Boston Celtics (36-19) and the Washington Wizards (33-21) are closing in on the No. 1 spot in the standings.
[Featured Image by Brandon Dill/AP Images]
