Davis Traded From Cavaliers to Celtics

Cleveland guard Ricky Davis was unable to work through his differences with Coach Paul Silas and was traded by the Cavaliers to the Boston Celtics in a six-player deal Monday.

The Cavaliers sent Davis, centers Chris Mihm and Michael Stewart and a draft pick to the Celtics for forward-center Tony Battie and forwards Eric Williams and Kedrick Brown.

The trade also includes Cleveland giving the Celtics back a second-round pick it received from Boston in a trade last summer.

“The new guys will help us win games, over the long term certainly,” said Silas, in his first season with Cleveland. “The atmosphere will change, and it had to.”

Davis, 24, averaging 15.3 points this season, had a breakout 2002-03 season, leading Cleveland in scoring (20.2 points), assists, steals, minutes and three-point percentage, but he has tangled with coaches and teammates often.

Mihm, 24, was just beginning to blossom into a solid player for Cleveland and Stewart, 29, was a little-used reserve.

Williams, 31, was averaging 11.6 points and 4.5 rebounds and was one of Boston’s top defenders. Battie, 27, has been hobbled by knee injuries this season and was averaging 5.9 points and 5.1 rebounds. Brown, 22, was the 11th pick in the 2001 draft and was a disappointment for the Celtics.

From Associated Press