Cavs send West to Minnesota in 4-player deal

The Cleveland Cavaliers completed their first post-LeBron James personnel move last night, trading troubled guard Delonte West and point guard Sebastian Telfair to the Minnesota Timberwolves for point guard Ramon Sessions, 7-footer Ryan Hollins and a future second-round pick.

After James dumped them on national television and fled to Miami, the Cavaliers tried to start the roster makeover by signing restricted free agent point guard Kyle Lowry to an offer sheet, but the Houston Rockets matched it. So they settled on Sessions as their new point guard.

Sessions averaged 8.2 points on 45.6 percent shooting with 3.1 assists in a career-low 21.1 minutes per game last season. He signed a 4-year, $16 million deal to join the Wolves before last season.

The 25-year-old Hollins is a super-athletic, but very raw, forward/center who averaged 6.1 points and 2.8 rebounds last year.

They also have to be relieved to rid themselves of West, the former Saint Joe's star who was the Cavs' second-best performer next to James in the playoffs in 2008 and 2009 before his play suffered thanks to several off-the-court issues last year.

West pleaded guilty in Maryland earlier this month to weapons charges. He was sentenced to 8 months of home detention with electronic monitoring, 2 years of unsupervised probation, 40 hours of community service and psychological counseling. Prosecutors said that the sentence would allow West to attend practices and travel to NBA games as his team's schedule requires, but NBA officials are reviewing the case for possible further discipline.

The Cavaliers did all they could to work with West, who averaged 8.8 points and 3.3 assists in 25 minutes per game. He also dealt with a host of personal problems that, coupled with his September gun arrest, served as major distractions to the team.

West's $4.6 million contract will only cost the Wolves $500,000 if West is waived by Aug. 5, and that's what the Wolves plan to do. Telfair also likely will be traded or bought out.

* New Orleans Hornets star guard Chris Paul did not request a trade in his meeting with new coach Monty Williams and top team officials, general manager Dell Demps said.

Demps, essentially in his first day on the job since his hiring last week, added that he was confident Paul would still be with New Orleans when the coming season opens.

* Toronto has signed free agent Linas Kleiza to a multiyear contract. The Raptors acquired the rights to Kleiza 9 days ago when the Denver Nuggets opted not to match Toronto's offer sheet.

* Seven-time All-Star Tracy McGrady worked out for the Chicago Bulls with hopes of landing with the team he turned down a decade earlier. McGrady could be a low-risk addition for a reconfigured team coming off back-to-back first-round playoff exits.

* The New Jersey Nets have promoted Bobby Marks to assistant general manager. Marks will work with new general manager Billy King on salary-cap management, scouting, player personnel and daily basketball operations.

* The Boston Celtics have re-signed swingman Marquis Daniels, despite his disappointing first season with the club.

* Josh Powell has signed with the Atlanta Hawks as a free agent after spending the last two seasons as a backup with the Los Angeles Lakers.

* The Phoenix Suns have waived forward Taylor Griffin, who played sparingly as a rookie last season.