Cavaliers Trade Price To Washington Bullets For 1996 Draft Pick

Mark Price, a four-time All-Star point guard and the NBA’s career leader in free-throw accuracy, was traded to the Washington Bullets on Wednesday for a first-round draft pick in 1996.

The Bullets, who had the worst record in the Eastern Conference last season, had been seeking a high-profile, veteran point guard to work with their talented young frontcourt, which includes rookie Rasheed Wallace, second-year player Juwan Howard and third-year pro Chris Webber.

“I was like, ‘Wow!’ I told my wife and we kind of sat there and like: ‘Well, now what do we do?”’ Price told WUAB-TV in Cleveland. “There are so many mixed emotions. We really loved our time here in Cleveland.”

Facing at least half a season without starting center Brad Daugherty and a need to add some youth to an aging roster, the Cavaliers felt they had to deal Price, general manager Wayne Embry said.

The Bullets, meanwhile, signed Wallace, the No. 4 overall pick in the draft, to a three-year, $6.18 million contract. The 6-foot-10 center/forward spent just two years at North Carolina.

Jerry Stackhouse, the third pick in last June’s NBA draft, signed with the Philadelphia 76ers, becoming the highest selection so far to join his new team.

Under the league’s new rookie salary scale, Stackhouse will receive approximately $6.855 million over three years after leaving North Carolina as a sophomore.

Shawn Respert, the eighth overall pick in the NBA draft, signed a three-year deal with the Bucks.

Terms of the contract weren’t released.

The Charlotte Hornets signed 6-foot-8 Rafael Addison, who played for Detroit last season, as a likely starter at small forward while Scott Burrell continues his rehabilitation from an Achilles injury.

Burrell is not expected back in the Hornets’ lineup until Christmas.

Addison, 31, said he signed a guaranteed two-year contract with Charlotte. Neither he nor the Hornets revealed the financial terms.

Frankie King, the only selection of the Los Angeles Lakers in the draft, signed with the team.

The Denver Nuggets re-signed forward Tom Hammonds, according to a published report. The Nuggets gave the 6-8 Hammonds a three-year contract that could be worth $4 million, the Rocky Mountain News said today.

The Houston Rockets signed forward Pete Chilcutt to a multiyear contract.