The Charlotte Bobcats will select Utah Jazz rookie Aleksandar Pavlovic in tonight's expansion draft and trade him on to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Charlotte Observer has learned.
In return, the Bobcats will receive a future first-round pick from the Cavaliers. It possibly could be a lottery-protected pick that the Toronto Raptors owe the Cavaliers.
Pavlovic, a 6-foot-7 forward, was a somewhat surprising inclusion on the unprotected list, since the Jazz took him in the first round a year ago. Though he struggled defensively, he showed a fine shooting touch.
That would be a big attraction to Cleveland; the Cavaliers best jump-shooter, Jason Kapono, might be coming to Charlotte tonight in the expansion draft. In Kapono's absence, the Cavaliers look like the worst jump-shooting team in the NBA.
The Bobcats are also expected to pick up a future first-round pick from the Phoenix Suns, in return for taking center Jahidi White tonight. Dropping White off the payroll saves the Suns about $5.9 million in salary-cap room next season.
There was a rumor floating around NBA circles Monday that San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks were talking about a deal that would have to be facilitated through Charlotte.
It would go something like this: The Spurs would give the Bobcats the 28th pick in Thursday's draft, in return for the Bobcats selecting Malik Rose in the expansion draft. Then the Bobcats would trade Rose to New York for center Dikembe Mutombo and other considerations.
Though such a deal could work under the salary cap, the Observer couldn't independently confirm whether such a configuration had been discussed.
Credit: Charlotte Observer via Philadelphia Inquirer