Finally, LeBron James has a supporting cast.
In an 11 player three-team blockbuster trade, the Cavaliers acquired Chicago’s Ben Wallace and Joe Smith, Seattle’s Wally Szczerbiak and Delonte West before the trade deadline closed on Thursday, two league sources confirmed.
The Cavaliers sent Larry Hughes, Drew Gooden, Shannon Brown and Cedric Simmons to the Bulls, and Donyell Marshall to the Sonics. Seattle also gets the expiring contracts of Chicago’s Adrian Griffin and Cleveland’s Ira Newble.
The trade marks the end of the Wallace experiment in Chicago, where the $60 million signing two years ago never fulfilled expectations. He’ll try to revive his career alongside James, who has been desperate for an improved supporting cast. Smith, a 6-foot-10 forward, has been one of the Bulls’ most consistent players, and Szczerbiak gives the Cavs a consistent outside shooting threat to go with Daniel Gibson.