Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has acquired Josh Howard, Drew Gooden, James Singleton and Quinton Ross from the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson.
"This trade gave us a good opportunity to change our short-term future and improve our long-term future," said Grunfeld. "It accomplished two goals by giving us financial flexibility and bringing a new look and energy to the roster."
Howard has averaged 12.5 points and 3.6 rebounds in 31 games for the Mavericks this season. He has missed a total of 21 games due to injury ( five due to left wrist surgery, 14 due to left ankle surgery and one each due to a left thigh contusion and stomach illness). The seventh-year swingman holds career averages of 15.3 points and 6.0 rebounds in 431 games (all with Dallas) and was named to the 2007 All-Star Team. He was originally acquired by the Mavericks in the first round (29th pick) of the 2003 Draft.
Gooden, in his eighth season, has averaged 8.9 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 46 games with Dallas this season. The 6-10 forward/center has career averages of 11.8 points and 7.8 rebounds over 556 games in stints with Orlando (twice), Memphis, Cleveland (twice), Chicago (twice), San Antonio, Sacramento and Dallas. He was signed as a free agent by Dallas prior to this season and was originally a first round draft pick (fourth overall) by Memphis in 2002.
Ross, a 6-6 swingman, has averaged 2.0 points and 1.0 rebounds in 27 games with the Mavericks this season. He is in his sixth season overall and holds career averages of 4.5 points and 2.3 rebounds in 397 career games with the L.A. Clippers, Memphis and Dallas. Ross, who was undrafted out of SMU, was signed as a free agent by Dallas prior to this season. Singleton, a 6-8 forward, has averaged 2.4 points and 2.2 rebounds in 25 games this season. He holds career averages of 3.3 points and 3.1 rebounds over four NBA seasons (two each with the Clippers and Mavericks). Singleton, who was undrafted out of Murray State, has played overseas in Spain and Italy and was originally acquired by Dallas as a free agent prior to the 2008-09 season.
"Our four new players bring versatility and the experience of playing in a winning situation," said Grunfeld. "Josh and Quinton can each play both the shooting guard and small forward positions while providing athleticism and outside shooting. Drew can play both the power forward and center positions and he and James give us an inside presence that combines skill and toughness."
Butler departs after spending four-and-a-half seasons with the Wizards, during which he compiled averages of 19.0 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 310 games. He was originally acquired by the team along with Chucky Atkins from the L.A. Lakers in exchange for Kwame Brown and LaRon Profit prior to the 2005-06 season. Haywood was the longest-tenured player on the Wizards roster prior to the trade, spending eight-and-a-half seasons with the team, and leaves with averages of 7.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 579 games while ranking third all-time in franchise history in field goal percentage (.561), fourth all-time in blocked shots and sixth all-time in rebounds and games played. He was originally acquired from the Orlando Magic in exchange for LaRon Profit and a first-round pick prior to the 2001-02 season. Stevenson spent three-and-a-half seasons with the Wizards, compiling averages of 9.0 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 236 games. He was originally signed by the Wizards as a free agent prior to the 2006-07 season.
"Caron, Brendan and DeShawn all made significant contributions to this franchise and this community, but we felt this opportunity was too good to pass up," said Grunfeld. "We wish all three players the best and thank them for what they helped us accomplish during their tenures with the Wizards."