Cavaliers to trade Richard Jefferson, Kay Felder to Hawks
— -- The Cleveland Cavaliers have agreed in principle to send forward Richard Jefferson, guard Kay Felder, two second-round draft picks and $3 million to the Atlanta Hawks, league sources told ESPN.
Cleveland and Atlanta are planning a trade call to finalize the agreement with the league office Friday night or Saturday morning, league sources said.
Atlanta intends to waive Jefferson and Felder, sources said, and they would become free agents after clearing waivers. Jefferson was set to earn $2.5 million this season and Felder $1.3 million.
The Cavaliers will send the lesser of second-round picks owed to them from the Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves in 2019 and a 2020 second-round pick via Portland, league sources said.
The Hawks will send back the draft rights to Dimitrios Agravanis and Sergii Gladyr, according to a source.
Cleveland will create two trade exceptions ($2.6 million and $1.4 million) with the trade. The Cavaliers will have one year to use them.
The trade gets the Cavaliers' roster to 15 ahead of the start of the regular season. The Cavaliers will save $12.8 million in luxury tax by unloading the two contracts.
Jefferson, 37, averaged 5.7 points and 2.6 rebounds in 79 games last season for Cleveland, and Felder posted averages of 4.0 points and 1.4 assists in his rookie season.
Cavs general manager Koby Altman thanked Jefferson for being a part of the 2016 championship team in a conversation Friday evening explaining the trade, according to a source.
Jefferson acknowledged his precarious position on the Cavs' roster in an episode of his podcast with teammate Channing Frye, "Road Trippin'," that was released Friday morning.
"I'm sacrificing my way out of here," said Jefferson after Frye mentioned the sacrifices he and Jefferson made last season after being part of a championship team the previous season.
"Oh, god, come on," Frye replied. "Rich? Too soon. Too soon."
Cleveland coach Tyronn Lue didn't have much to say about the deal prior to Friday's preseason game against Orlando.
"It's a tough situation, and I haven't gotten everything figured out yet, but you know, these are the hard times of being a coach," Lue said. "It's definitely tough, and [I'm] just trying to figure it out."
After the Cavaliers' preseason win over the Orlando Magic on Friday, Lue declined to comment on the trade, and Jefferson and Felder left without talking to reporters.
Derrick Rose, who joined the team this offseason, said he was unaware Jefferson and Felder had been traded.
"Wow," Rose said upon hearing the deal. "My journey is different, but it's a business and I understand it. While they were here they were great guys."?
ESPN's Dave McMenamin and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
