76ers Send Cheeks to Spurs in 5-Man Deal

The Philadelphia 76ers traded guards Maurice Cheeks and David Wingate and center Christian Welp to the San Antonio Spurs Monday for guard Johnny Dawkins and forward Jay Vincent.

Cheeks is the all-time National Basketball Assn. leader in steals with 1,942 and is 11th in assists with 6,212. A four-time All-Star, Cheeks averaged 12.2 points in 11 seasons.

A first-round draft pick by the 76ers in 1987, Welp averaged 3.4 points in 72 games last season. Wingate, a second-round pick by Philadelphia in 1986, averaged 4.2 points last season and 8.0 in three years.

Dawkins averaged 17.7 points through the first 23 games last season before developing a nerve problem in his left leg and foot which caused him to miss 50 of the next 59 games. He wound up with a 14.2 scoring average for the season, 13 through three seasons.

Vincent, Dallas’ second pick in 1981, has averaged 15.9 points per game through eight seasons with several teams. The Spurs acquired him in a four-player deal with Denver last Jan. 26.

Meanwhile George Gervin, a former NBA scoring champion who quit the Spurs two years ago amid allegations of drug and alcohol abuse, said he wants to rejoin the team. “I’m very serious,” Gervin said. “I feel the timing is right. The team they have on paper looks great. But I think they’re missing a veteran. I think I can really help them. I think I can help motivate them.”

Spur Coach Larry Brown said he has been contacted by Gervin’s advisers, but said that they haven’t begun contract negotiations with Gervin.