The Mavericks have traded forward Josh Howard and Drew Gooden to the Washington Wizards in a seven-play deal that sends Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood to the Mavericks.
Howard was in his seventh season with Dallas, a span filled with promise and disappointment since being the 29th overall pick in 2003. Gooden, signed by Dallas last summer, will be going to his eighth team in eight NBA seasons.
It is a significant move for the Southwest Division-leading Mavericks (32-20), who lost five of their last seven games before the All-Star weekend in their city.
For the Wizards (17-33), the trade means more moves for the team that has already lost Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton after both were suspended last month by the NBA for the rest of the season after both admitted to bringing a gun into the locker room after a dispute stemming from a card game on a team flight.
