EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The New Jersey Nets traded forward Yi
Jianlian to the Washington Wizards on Tuesday, creating even more
room under the salary cap as they head into free agency.
The Wizards dealt forward Quinton Ross to the Nets, who also sent
an undisclosed amount of cash to Washington.
The Nets freed up
another $3 million with the deal, leaving them about $30 million to
spend once free agency opens on July 1.
Yi was the No. 6 pick in
the 2007 draft by Milwaukee and has now been traded twice. He averaged
career highs of 12.0 points and 7.0 rebounds last season, but was
limited to 51 games because of injury.
The forward from China,
scheduled to earn $4.1 million next season, has averaged 9.6 points and
5.8 rebounds in his career.
“This trade is a good opportunity to
add a skilled 7-footer with significant NBA experience who was the sixth
overall pick in the draft just three years ago,” Wizards president Ernie
Grunfeld said in a statement. “Yi fits in very well with our
ongoing plan of building towards the future with a core of young,
talented players.”
New Jersey may have found Yi’s replacement
when it drafted Derrick Favors from Georgia Tech with the No. 3 pick, or
could target another power forward in free agency.
Ross spent
last season with Dallas and Washington, and also has played for the
Clippers and Memphis Grizzlies in his six-year career. He holds career
averages of 4.3 points and 2.2 rebounds.