Weird scene at Verizon Center earlier tonight. Before Flip Saunders talked to the media, Wizards PR took him aside for a few minutes. He later returned, but that had never happened before.
Maybe it's because the Wizards are closing in on a deal to trade Antawn Jamison to the Cavaliers, according to Michael Lee. Lee reports that Washington's getting at least Zydrunas Ilgauskas and a first-round pick back. He also reports that Drew Gooden is headed to some Western Conference team, which explains why he isn't even in the building right now.
Scroll down for the game thread if you wish. Discuss the trade here. I'm personally relieved that we can now begin the rebuilding process.
UPDATE: Adrian Wojnarowski tweets that the Clippers are the Western Conferece team. I wonder if this means we're getting Sebastian Telfiar/Al Thornton. Hmm...
UPDATE 2: The trade, according to Wojnarowski, is Jamison and Sebastian Telfair to Cleveland, Drew Gooden to the Clippers and Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Al Thornton, Brian Skinner and Cleveland's first-round pick here. Actually, that's not so terrible, even though I'm not a fan of Thornton.
UPDATE 3: BIG NEWS FOLKS! WE ALSO GET THE RIGHTS TO SOME DUDE NAMED EMIL PRELDZIC!!
The Wizards also get the rights to former Cavs pick, Emil Preldzic, a source said.
UPDATE 4: Actually, it's Emir Preldzic, and here's his Draft Express page.
Also, I missed this, but apparently reporters tried chasing Antawn Jamison down. He didn't want to talk, and got in a car with Drew Gooden in the passenger seat. Weird.
UPDATE 5: According to Ric Bucher, Brian Skinner is not in the deal. This means that, if my calculations are correct...
(Wait for it)
(Wait for it)
(Wait for it)
WE'RE UNDER THE LUXURY TAX!!!
UPDATE 6: The trade is official. The Wizards sent out a press release that didn't include Brian Skinner's name in it. First two paragraphs of the release below the jump. Also, Ilgauskas apparently has a trade kicker, so we might not totally be under the tax after all. The Cleveland Plain Dealer's Brian Windhorst talked to Ilgauskas' agent, who said he's going to try to work out a buyout.
WASHINGTON, DC - Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has completed a three-team deal in which they acquired Al Thornton from the Los Angeles Clippers and Zydrunas Ilgauskas, a 2010 first round pick and the rights to Emir Preldzic from the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Wizards sent Antawn Jamison to Cleveland and Drew Gooden to Los Angeles while the Clippers sent Sebastian Telfair to Cleveland to complete the trade.
"Antawn Jamison has been the embodiment of leadership on and off the court for this franchise for five-and-a-half seasons and we thank him for all he has done for the Wizards and the city of Washington," said Grunfeld. "Unfortunately, our on-court results have not met our expectations and we felt it was necessary to make changes to improve our future and our financial flexibility. This trade accomplished both of those objectives."