In a minor trade, GM Larry Bird sent Shawne Williams to the Dallas Mavericks for Eddie Jones and two second round draft picks.
Bird, the Pacers’ president, has made it clear he plans to repair the team’s image after several negative off-the-court issues in recent years. Williams, Indiana’s first-round draft pick in 2006, was dogged by three incidents involving police in the past 13 months.
“He’s got a lot of potential,” Bird told the Associated Press. “You hate to give up on those type of players, but with what we’re trying to do here, we felt it was best to move Shawne. This trade wasn’t made because he wasn’t talented enough, it was because of the other things.”
The Pacers already have traded Ron Artest and Stephen Jackson in the past three years for damaging the team’s reputation, and the Pacers have told Jamaal Tinsley not to show up to training camp after several scrapes with the law.
Williams will be reunited with new Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle, who coached the Pacers when Indiana drafted him out of Memphis in the first round in 2006.
“There’s no question Rick wanted him,” Bird said. “He was there when we drafted him. He knew the talent, he knew the kid.”
The writing was on the wall for Williams. It was just a matter of time before Bird sent him packing. He has talent, but needs a fresh start. Maybe he’ll get it with Carlisle and the Mavs.
