Sixers ship unhappy Dalembert to Kings

PHILADELPHIA (AP)

Samuel Dalembert got his wish.

The Philadelphia 76ers traded Dalembert to the Sacramento Kings on Thursday for Andres Nocioni and Spencer Hawes.

Dalembert asked for a trade last year because he was unhappy with his role. Now, he got it.

"We are excited to add two players in Spencer Hawes and Andres Nocioni who will help us immediately and provide us with additional frontcourt depth," Sixers general manager Ed Stefanski said in a statement. "Spencer is a young seven-footer who will provide us with versatility at the center position, while Andres will provide us with a tough veteran presence."

Dalembert was Philadelphia's longest-tenured player, but he played for seven different coaches and never developed into a dominant force after being drafted in the first round in 2001. The 6-foot-11 center averaged 8.1 points and 8.3 rebounds over eight seasons, and often was mentioned in trade rumors.

He joins a team that was 25-57 and had the second-worst record in the Western Conference.

"He will certainly bring a defensive presence and increase our ability to defend around the basket with his rebounding, shot-blocking and athleticism," Kings president Geoff Petrie said. "I think he'll add a very different look to our team defensively and we're really excited about having him."

Nocioni, a 6-foot-7 forward, averaged 8.5 points for the Kings last season. He was suspended two games in March after pleading no contest in California to drunken driving.

Hawes, a 7-foot-1 center, averaged 10 points and 6.1 rebounds last season. He was Sacramento's first-round draft pick in 2007.

Nocioni and Hawes join a rebuilding team that missed the playoffs last season and has the No. 2 overall pick in next week's draft.

The Sixers have a new coach in Doug Collins, some talented players already on the roster and expect to improve significantly after an awful 27-win season.

Dalembert, the NBA's only Haitian-born player, went to Haiti in January with the aid group Project MediShare to assist with the earthquake relief effort.

The 29-year-old Dalembert was scheduled to earn nearly $13 million in the final year of his contract. He has a 15 percent trade kicker in his deal. That clause made it difficult for the Sixers to trade him sooner.

Nocioni began his NBA career with the Chicago Bulls in 2004 and was traded to the Kings during the 2008-09 season. He's averaged 11.3 points and 4.7 rebounds over his career. The 30-year-old Nocioni is a rugged player who adds toughness at the small forward position.

Nocioni helped Argentina win the gold medal in the 2004 Summer Olympics and the bronze in '08.

Hawes, the 10th overall pick three years ago, has averaged 8.8 points and 5.5 rebounds in his career. He's not as effective as Dalembert at blocking shots, but fits in better at center.

Stefanski may not be done dealing. The addition of Nocioni gives Philadelphia three players — Andre Iguodala and Thaddeus Young are the others — whose best position is small forward. Iguodala has been Philadelphia's shooting guard, but Ohio State star Evan Turner can play that spot if the Sixers take him with the No. 2 pick.