J.J. Hickson Wanted to Stay with Cavaliers
“I’m not having the year I wanted to have, not just personally but we’re not winning,” said (J.J.) Hickson, an unrestricted free agent as season’s end. “But after going through the season [the Cavs] went through last year, I didn’t want to come to a situation like this. I wanted to rebuild here, but I got traded and things happen.”
The Cavaliers shipped Hickson to the Kings for Omri Casspi and a much-protected, first-round draft choice on June 30, 2011. They no longer needed to worry about whether to commit long-term to Hickson, who averaged 13.8 points and 8.7 rebounds last season, but irritated coaches with his mental lapses and inconsistency.
Hickson said he was surprised by the trade, even though the Cavaliers selected power forward Tristan Thompson with the No. 4 overall pick a week earlier.
“No, even with that pick you can still trade him or do other things with that pick,” Hickson said. “I didn’t see that coming at all. Unfortunately it happened and I’m a Sacramento King now.”
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