Washington sends Crawford to Celtics
The Associated Press
| Friday, February 22, 2013, 10:05 a.m.
WASHINGTON — Jordan Crawford got so disgruntled that the Washington Wizards traded him away for a pair of expiring contracts.
The Wizards sent Crawford, who has led the team in scoring 17 times this season, to Boston Celtics for center Jason Collins and injured guard Leandro Barbosa at Thursday’s trade deadline.
A streaky scorer, Crawford carried much of the offensive load in November and December, but he has been unhappy with his role since John Wall returned from a knee injury last month. Crawford started taking rash jumpers outside of the offensive game plan, and his playing time dwindled to zero. He unhappily flung his jersey into the stands after failing to play for the fourth straight game as he walked off the court following Tuesday’s loss to the Toronto Raptors.
Crawford, a 2010 first-round draft pick, was acquired two years ago from the Atlanta Hawks at the trade deadline. His average of 13.2 points is still third on this season’s Wizards despite his recent dip in playing time. Only rookie Bradley Beal has scored more total points, but Washington was only 1-11 with Crawford as a starter.
In exchange, the Wizards get two players who will be free agents this summer — and one of them is already out for the season. Barbosa tore the ACL in his left knee in a loss to the Charlotte Bobcats earlier this month.
A free agent who was the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year in 2006-07, Barbosa signed by the Celtics as a free agent last summer to backup Rajon Rondo while Avery Bradley recovered from shoulder surgery. Bradley has returned, but both Rondo and Barbosa are out with torn ACLs.
Barbosa averaged 5.2 points in 41 games in Boston.
Collins, an 11-year veteran, is known more for making contact than making baskets. Since the start of the 2006-07 season, he has 776 fouls and 554 points, including 74 fouls and 37 points this season.
Magic trades Redick, two others to Milwaukee
ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando Magic traded veteran shooting guard J.J. Redick, center Gustavo Ayon and reserve point guard Ish Smith to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for guards Doron Lamb and Beno Udrih, as well as forward Tobias Harris.
The Magic officially announced the deal on Thursday night. In a separate trade, Orlando also acquired forward Hakim Warrick and cash considerations from the Charlotte Bobcats in exchange for forward Josh McRoberts. The team said it intends to waive Warrick.
Redick, a former first-round pick in his seventh season, was a coveted name on the trade market. A 2006 Orlando draft selection, he is averaging career highs in points (15.1) and field goal percentage (45.0).
Redick is in the final year of a three-year contract. Ayon was acquired this summer in a sign-and-trade deal and Smith was a preseason free-agent signing.
Knicks trade Brewer, to sign Kenyon Martin
NEW YORK — The New York Knicks traded swingman Ronnie Brewer to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday, opening up a roster spot that will be used to sign veteran forward Kenyon Martin.
Team president Glen Grunwald said Martin will be signed to a 10-day contract with the hopes that he could stay with the team for the remainder of the season.
Grunwald said Martin will be insurance for injured big men Rasheed Wallace and Marcus Camby, a pair of 38-year-old backup forwards who have both been battling foot injuries.
Martin played with Carmelo Anthony, J.R. Smith and Camby in Denver before spending last season with the Los Angeles Clippers, averaging 5.2 points in 42 games.
Martin also teamed with Jason Kidd in New Jersey on teams that reached the NBA Finals in 2002 and 2003.
Brewer appeared in 46 games, making 34 starts, and averaged 3.6 points and 2.2 rebounds. Signed by New York last summer, he has also played for Utah, Chicago and Memphis.
Suns trade G Telfair to Raptors for Haddadi, pick
PHOENIX — The Phoenix Suns have traded point guard Sebastian Telfair to the Toronto Raptors for center Hamed Haddadi and a 2014 second-round draft pick.
The pick will be the later of either the Sacramento or Toronto selections.
Telfair lost his job as backup to Goran Dragic when the Suns parted ways with coach Alvin Gentry, and interim coach Lindsey Hunter opted for rookie Kendall Marshall. It will be the seventh team for Telfair since he came to the NBA directly out of high school in 2004.
Haddadi is a 7-foot-2 Iranian who was dealt to Toronto by Memphis as part of the trade that sent Rudy Gay to the Raptors. Haddadi has played in just 13 games this season, all for Memphis, averaging 1.2 points and 1.8 rebounds.
Thunder deal backup point guard Maynor to Portland
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma City Thunder unloaded free-agent-to-be Eric Maynor in a trade deadline deal with Portland on Thursday, picking up a trade exception and the rights to Greek forward Georgios Printezis.
Maynor had been a reliable backup for All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook over his first two seasons in Oklahoma City, ranking among the top 10 in the league in assist-to-turnover ratio. He missed almost all of last season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, but regained his spot in the Thunder rotation during training camp before getting replaced by second-year guard Reggie Jackson in mid-December.
Maynor has played sparingly since, mostly in mop-up duty. He will be a restricted free agent at the end of the season.
Printezis is playing overseas with Olympiacos.
Mavericks trade Jones to Atlanta for Morrow
DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks have tried to bolster their perimeter shooting in a deadline deal of guards with limited roles this season.
Dallas traded Dahntay Jones to Atlanta for Anthony Morrow on Thursday, giving up a solid defender in hopes that Morrow can be a 3-point threat alongside O.J. Mayo and Vince Carter.
Morrow has averaged 5.2 points in just 24 games while battling right hip and back injuries. The fifth-year player was acquired by the Hawks when they sent Joe Johnson to Brooklyn. Morrow has played just two of the past 25 games.
Morrow shot better than 45 percent his first two seasons, both with Golden State. He averaged a career-high 13.2 points per game two seasons ago with the Nets.
Heat send Pittman, second-round pick to Grizzlies
MIAMI — The Miami Heat now have an open roster spot, just in case someone comes along and intrigues the reigning NBA champions before the season enters the home stretch.
And in return, the Memphis Grizzlies got a big man.
The Heat sent backup center Dexter Pittman and a second-round pick in this year’s draft to the Grizzlies on Thursday for the rights to center Ricky Sanchez. The teams struck the deal not long before the NBA’s 3 p.m. trading deadline, with the Grizzlies using a trade exception to make the deal a reality.
Miami now has 14 players on its roster, one under the league minimum. Sanchez, who is playing in Argentina, will not count against the team’s roster unless the Heat bring him to the team— which is not expected to happen.
Pittman appeared in only four games this season for Miami, where he was often either on the inactive list or playing for the team’s Sioux Falls affiliate in the NBA Development League.
AP Source: Warriors deal Tyler, Jenkins
OAKLAND, Calif. — A person familiar with the decision says the Golden State Warriors have agreed to separate trades that will send Jeremy Tyler to Atlanta and Charles Jenkins to Philadelphia.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press because the teams were still waiting for the NBA to approve the deals.
A Warriors spokesman confirmed only that the team made some minor moves before Thursday’s trade deadline and expected to make an announcement later in the day.
The salary-shedding deals allow Golden State to get under the luxury tax. Both players were drafted in the second round by the Warriors in 2011 and have played sparingly this season.