Trade - SAC: J.J. Hickson / CLE: Omri Casspi and 1st rounder

[benji]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=6722764

The Cleveland Cavaliers have traded power forward J.J. Hickson to the Sacramento Kings for swingman Omri Casspi and Sacramento's protected first-round pick in the 2012 NBA draft.

The teams apparently sought to complete the deal Thursday before midnight to ensure its completion

...

The Cavaliers have been shopping Hickson for some time and have decided to part with the young power forward in exchange for Casspi, who has been coveted for his combination of defense, energy and underrated perimeter shooting by numerous teams after two solid seasons with the Kings.

The deal, though, also illustrates the decline in Hickson's stature within the Cavaliers' organization. As recently as the 2010 trade deadline, Cleveland's talks with Phoenix on a trade for Amare Stoudemire stalled in part because of the Cavs' reported reluctance to include Hickson in the deal -- although sources with knowledge of those talks insisted Thursday that the Cavs were prepared to go through with the deal and that the Suns were the team that backed away.

Hickson, 22, became a focal point of Cleveland's offense last season after the free-agent defection of LeBron James, but he clashed at times with Cavs coach Byron Scott despite averaging 13.8 points and 8.7 rebounds in 28.2 minutes per game.

Sources say Sacramento, meanwhile, thinks it can make room for Hickson by shifting prized second-year forward DeMarcus Cousins to center on occasion. The Kings also still have Jason Thompson as another trade asset with Cousins and Hickson ahead of him.

[x-uNdErRaTeD-z]

Seems to me that Cleveland is all up for Tristan Thompson's development more than just Hickson's clash with Scott. Sacramento looks to replace a piece they lost in Carl Landry, and to get some help upfront with Dalembert gone. Good deal for SAC. Decent for Cavs, considering they could've have gotten a better player but Casspi is good enough for them.

[Andrew]

As recently as the 2010 trade deadline, Cleveland's talks with Phoenix on a trade for Amare Stoudemire stalled in part because of the Cavs' reported reluctance to include Hickson in the deal -- although sources with knowledge of those talks insisted Thursday that the Cavs were prepared to go through with the deal and that the Suns were the team that backed away.

I'd believe it, though obviously they ultimately lost Amar'e anyway.

In any event, not a bad swap for both teams.

[Sideshow Bob]

The Cavs keep making bad decisions why trade your main offensive player for Omir Casspi?...I wouldnt make that trade in 2K..

[rise]

Main offensive player? With Thompson and irving there?

Besides, hickson wasn't even a top option on offense last season. Jamison and baron Davis were the best options last season. Hickson was far too inconsistent.

[x-uNdErRaTeD-z]

:facepalm2: The Cavs keep making bad decisions why trade your main offensive player for Omir Casspi?...I wouldnt make that trade in 2K..

Because they just drafted a power foward who in fact plays the same position as him, and is similar to him?

I do agree they could've gotten a better player but Casspi fits the bill at the 3. Better than having Gee at the 3 at best.

[rise]

I was kind of hoping the cavs could get five lottery picks and then draft their entire starting line up, bit whatever. This works too, bit they will need more than just casspi to even partially fill a Lebron James sized hole.

[Lamrock]

Hickson was awful last year, but not being the main option on offense and having a season without LeBron making him look good under his belt, the Kings should have a good get. Meanwhile, the Cavs clear up one of their logjams (without losing a player that's really important) and get a couple okay assets.

How good of a trade this is will hinge on whether Hickson can not suck without LeBron.

[Andrew]

Hickson was awful last season? That's not to say he was brilliant, but awful's a strong word that gets thrown around way too easily.

[Alpha_]

I'm kinda surprised with the decision of the Cavs on trading Hickson. I would really love to see Kyrie Irving throwing some alley-oop passes to Hickson but ohh that's not gonna happen. Oh well, that's basketball.

[rise]

Kyrie might have flopejao to throw alleyoops to next year lol.

In all seriousness though, hickson wasn't awful, but he wasn't very good either. I doubt he'll score much with Tyreke, Thornton, Jimmer, and Thompson on the roster. JJ will be lucky to be a fourth or fifth option on offense.

[Alpha_]

z02, No doubt, Hickson's point production will decrease but he will dominate the boards though. I'm expecting that Sacramento will suck again this season. Anyways, Can Tyreke start as a SF?

[Lamrock]

Hickson was awful last season? That's not to say he was brilliant, but awful's a strong word that gets thrown around way too easily.

He did work on the boards and was innocuous in the team's (nonexistent) defense but offensively he went from being a great role player to a shitty third option going to the perimeter and basically floundering without LeBron.

[Jhiane]

I think Cleveland hopes for a number 1 pick (again) next season for this trade

[The X]

Great trade for the Cavs. You pick up Casspi who's better than Hickson & you get a future lottery protected 1st. How is this not a good deal for the Cavs? Cavs seem to be starting to make some smart moves (the Mo Williams for B-Diddy & No. 1 pick being another one).

[Sideshow Bob]

IMO Casspi is not better than Hickson..

[Alpha_]

LOL Hickson is much better than Casspi.

[The X]

Hickson is obviously potentially better than Casspi. If I had to have one on my team right now, it would be Casspi. In the right situation Hickson should do well. When I watched the Cavs this season I was shocked at how his game had not improved from the previous season, it had seemed to digress slightly.

[rise]

z02, No doubt, Hickson's point production will decrease but he will dominate the boards though. I'm expecting that Sacramento will suck again this season. Anyways, Can Tyreke start as a SF?

He probably could, but he'd be undersized. I would suggest a starting lineup of Cousins/Thompson/Evans/Thornton/Fredette. Nice solid front court, and nice, but undersized, back court. Salmons would be a great sixth man, Hickson would be a pretty good 7th man. I don't think the team will complete suck, but it could be a 10th/11th seed in the West.

[Its_asdf]

I remember realGM compared the guy to Amare Stoudemire last year lol

[x-uNdErRaTeD-z]

IMO Casspi is not better than Hickson..

That's not the point. Here's the point:
The Cavs are trading for a need, not by better player. They have two options.
A) Keep Hickson and have a long jam at the 4 spot with Thompson and Jamison.
B) Trade Hickson for a 3 that can help instead of having Gee and Eyenga there. They also get rid of their logjam at the 4 spot.

[rise]

I remember realGM compared the guy to Amare Stoudemire last year lol

That's an insult to Amar'e. JJ is basically useless when he's more than ten feet from the basket.

You guys are forgetting that a future lottery-protected first round pick is involved. This means that the next time the Kings make the playoffs, the Cavs get their first round pick. The Cavs played this one pretty well. The Kings will likely grab a low playoff spot in the next two or three years and the Cavs will likely receive a 15th-20th pick that year.

[Sideshow Bob]

IMO Casspi is not better than Hickson..

That's not the point. Here's the point:
The Cavs are trading for a need, not by better player. They have two options.
A) Keep Hickson and have a long jam at the 4 spot with Thompson and Jamison.
B) Trade Hickson for a 3 that can help instead of having Gee and Eyenga there. They also get rid of their logjam at the 4 spot.

My Thoughts on what they should've done...
#1: Trade Jamison to prevent this "long jam at the 4 spot"
#2: Trade Parker & Davis or Sessions & Parker...free up some cap space maybe get a couple picks..

[Houndy]

Davis has a horrid contract though... and with the lockout in now, no team would want to absorb that contract

[Mavs4Life]

A good trade, freeing up space at the 4, & bringing in a 3 that is a decent player.