CLEVELAND - The Cavaliers traded injured center Chris Andersen and cash to the Charlotte Hornets for a protected second-round draft pick.
The move made Monday opens a roster spot for Cleveland and gives the defending NBA champions another asset to use for future deals. The NBA trading deadline is Feb. 23.
Andersen, best known for his tattoos and hustle on the floor, suffered a season-ending injury to his right knee during practice on Dec. 16 and underwent surgery. The 38-year-old nicknamed Birdman has remained with the club during his rehab.
Cavs general manager David Griffin has been re-tooling his roster, dealing for shooting specialist Kyle Korver and signing forward Derrick Williams to a 10-day contract. It's a safe bet that Griffin will make additional moves as the Cavs try to defend their title.
Andersen was teammates with LeBron James for two seasons in Miami. He signed as a free agent with Cleveland in July.
Nuggets: Nurkic-Plumlee trade official
DENVER - The Denver Nuggets officially announced Monday that they have traded big man Jusuf Nurkic to the Portland Trail Blazers for center Mason Plumlee.
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Denver also receives a second-round pick and cash, while the Blazers get a first-rounder.
Nurkic is averaging eight points this season. The 7-footer known as the "Bosnian Beast" became somewhat expendable with the emergence of Nikola Jokic.
Plumlee was a first-round pick by Brooklyn in 2013, before being dealt to Portland two years later. The former Duke standout averaged 11.1 points this season for Portland, which sits a game behind Denver for the eighth playoff spot in the West.
