Thursday, July 14, 2005

NBA: Wizards trade Kwame Brown to Lakers

After much speculation, the Wizards wasted no time in the sign-and-trade period in getting rid of F/C Kwame Brown.

The top pick in the 2001 draft had fallen out of favor with coach Eddie Jordan and Washington fans, culminating in a suspension from the team after missing a practice and game four of the Wizards' first round playoff series against the Bulls.

Brown averaged 7 points and 4.9 rebounds in 21.6 minutes per game in the 2004-2005 season.

In return, the Wizards received SF Caron Butler and PG Chucky Atkins.

Butler, who the Wizards had been known to covet, averaged 15.5 points and just under 6 rebounds in 35.7 minutes per game last year for the Lakers.

Atkins (13.6 points, 4.4 assists in 35.4 minutes last season) fills somewhat of a hole for the Wizards, who have lost starting guard Larry Hughes to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Wizards reportedly offered a very similar deal to the one Hughes accepted from Cleveland.

The Wizards had been pursuing SG Cuttino Mobley to replace Hughes, but they couldn't match the offer that the Clippers gave.

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