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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Wheelin’ and dealin’ add verve to lackluster draft

No.1 pick Kyrie Irving played only 11 games last season for Duke because of a toe injury. (Associated Press)
Brian Mahoney Associated Press

NEWARK, N.J. – Kyrie Irving headed to Cleveland as the No. 1 pick minutes after the NBA draft started.

Jimmer Fredette had to wait hours to officially become a member of the Sacramento Kings.

Plenty other players, from veterans to picks, were on the move Thursday night in a draft that some considered a dud but certainly wasn’t dull.

There was no chance the Cavs would deal Irving, confident his foot is healthy enough to lead the rebuilding effort that follows LeBron James’ departure.

Loudly cheered by family and friends not far from where he starred at St. Patrick’s High School in Elizabeth, the Duke point guard showed no signs of the toe injury on his right foot that limited him to 11 games last season as he walked up the stairs to shake hands with Commissioner David Stern.

After grabbing Irving with their first No. 1 pick since taking James in 2003, the Cavs used the No. 4 selection on Texas forward Tristan Thompson.

They were the first team since the 1983 Houston Rockets with two top-four picks.

The Minnesota Timberwolves took Arizona forward Derrick Williams with the No. 2 pick. The Utah Jazz then took Turkish big man Enes Kanter third with their first of two lottery selections.

A three-team trade that included Charlotte, Milwaukee and Sacramento that had been agreed to earlier in the day wasn’t approved until midway through the second round, forcing Fredette to wait about 21/2 hours for his NBA destination to be determined after he was taken with the No. 10 pick by the Bucks.

In that deal, guard John Salmons went from Milwaukee to Sacramento, which also got the rights to Fredette.

The Bobcats traded leading scorer Stephen Jackson, the rights to No. 19 pick Tobias Harris of Tennessee and backup point guard Shaun Livingston to the Bucks, who will also receive guard Beno Udrih from the Kings.

Charlotte got the right to No. 7 overall pick Bismack Biyombo of Congo – who was taken by the Kings – and forward Corey Maggette from Milwaukee.

In other trades:

• Portland acquired guard Raymond Felton from Denver for veteran guard Andre Miller.

• The Blazers traded swingman Rudy Fernandez to Dallas for picks.

• A source said Houston traded the rights to No. 23 pick Nikola Mirotic of Serbia and No. 38 choice Chandler Parsons of Florida, a future first-round pick and center Brad Miller to Minnesota for point guard Jonny Flynn and the rights to 7-foot Lithuanian Donatas Motiejunas, the 20th overall pick.

• Indiana traded the rights to No. 15 pick Kawhi Leonard of San Diego State, No. 42 pick Davis Bertrans of Latvia and 2005 No. 46 pick Erazem Lorbek of Slovenia to San Antonio for George Hill.

• Boston traded the rights to No. 25 pick MarShon Brooks of Providence to New Jersey for the rights to No. 27 pick JaJuan Johnson of Purdue and a 2014 second-round pick.

• Also, Cleveland traded the rights to No. 32 pick Justin Harper of Richmond to Orlando for two future second-round picks; Charlotte sent the rights to No. 39 pick Jeremy Tyler to Golden State for cash; New Orleans traded the rights to No. 45 pick Josh Harrellson of Kentucky to the New York Knicks for cash.