Nets Trade Yi To Wizards; Dirk To Meet Mavs Execs

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) – The New Jersey Nets traded forward Yi Jianlian to the Washington Wizards on Tuesday, creating even more room under the salary cap as they head into free agency.

The Wizards dealt forward Quinton Ross to the Nets, who also sent an undisclosed amount of cash to Washington.

The Nets freed up another $3 million with the deal, leaving them about $30 million to spend once free agency opens on July 1.

It was the second time in less than a week the Wizards helped a team in the LeBron James chase. The Chicago Bulls added to their cap space on draft night when they traded guard Kirk Hinrich to Washington.

"I think we're concerned about our own situation, and this fits in with our plan of adding young players, players that can part of a core going forward," Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld said. "We've got a player who's had success in the NBA and at the same time is only 22 years old."

Yi was the No. 6 pick in the 2007 draft by Milwaukee and has now been traded twice. He averaged career highs of 12.0 points and 7.0 rebounds last season, but was limited to 51 games because of injury.

The forward from China, scheduled to earn $4.1 million next season, has averaged 9.6 points and 5.8 rebounds in his career. The

Wizards used a trade exception to complete the deal, again bringing in a player when many teams have preferred financial flexibility ahead of free agency.

"We made a decision that we're going to save some of our powder for the future and try to right now put a core of young players together that can grow and we can build with, and that is the reason that we do have those opportunities right now," Grunfeld said.

"Otherwise, they probably wouldn't be there for us."

New Jersey may have found Yi's replacement when it drafted Derrick Favors from Georgia Tech with the No. 3 pick, or could target another power forward in free agency.

Ross spent last season with Dallas and Washington, and also has played for the Clippers and Memphis Grizzlies in his six-year career. He holds career averages of 4.3 points and 2.2 rebounds.

Dirk coming to Dallas to talk contract with Mavs
DALLAS (AP) – Dirk Nowitzki is coming to Dallas to talk about a new contract with the Mavericks.

Mavericks president Donnie Nelson said Wednesday he got word from Nowitzki adviser Holger Geschwindner moments before Nelson was to board a plane for Germany.

Nelson said in a text message to The Associated Press that Nowitzki and Geschwindner were flying to Dallas and wanted to meet

Thursday. Nelson called it a "really good sign" in the team's bid to re-sign its all-time leading scorer and rebounder.

Nowitzki has decided to opt out of his contract and became a free agent, with negotiations beginning around the league on Thursday.