Matthew Dellavedova Traded Back To Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavaliers have agreed to a trade.


Article heading image for Matthew Dellavedova Traded Back To Cleveland Cavaliers

Image: AAP

The Cavaliers have agreed to a trade with the Milwaukee Bucks that will return popular Australian guard Matthew Dellavedova to Cleveland along with forward John Henson and a pair of NBA draft picks in 2021.

The Bucks will get veteran point guard George Hill and forward Sam Dekker from the Cavs, a person familiar with the deal has told the Associated Press.

The swap is pending league approval and could be finalised on Friday night, says the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the teams haven't yet had the mandatory conference call with NBA officials.

The first-round pick in 2021 is protected, the person says.

There's been an urgency to get the deal because only players on rosters by then can be repackaged in other trades before February's deadline.

Hill recently returned after missing 11 games with a shoulder injury and the Cavs have been shopping him around for a deal.

Dekker, who has also been sidelined with a severely sprained left ankle, is returning to his native Wisconsin where he played in college.

Both players were at Quicken Loans Arena preparing for a game against Sacramento before learning they were heading to Milwaukee.

Dellavedova's scrappiness endeared him to Cleveland fans during his three seasons with the Cavs, who didn't re-sign him after winning the 2016 title.

The Cavs are 5-19 and in transition after LeBron James left them as a free agent this summer, in effect ending Cleveland's run as an Eastern Conference power.

But the Cavs are thinking about the future and by moving Hill and Dekker, they've picked up more assets.

Cleveland recently traded sharpshooter Kyle Korver to Utah for two picks in 2020 and 2021.

The Cavs are targeting 2020 to land a big-name free agent.

Dellavedova will get a chance restart his career with the Cavs. The Australian had been buried on Milwaukee's bench and is averaging just 1.7 points and 2.4 assists in 12 games.

- AAP

8 December 2018




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