Dogged by three incidents involving police in the past 13 months, the Indiana Pacers have traded Shawne Williams to Dallas for 14-year veteran Eddie Jones, two future draft picks and cash.
Williams will be reunited with new Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle, who coached the Pacers when Indiana drafted him out of Memphis in the first round in 2006.
Williams started six games in two seasons with Indiana, averaging 5.6 points and 2.3 rebounds. The 6-foot-6 Jones averaged 3.7 points last season in 47 games with the Mavericks. He previously played with the Lakers, Hornets, Heat and Grizzlies and has averaged 14.8 points in his career.
Indiana will get two second-round draft picks as part of the trade.
Williams was arrested in September 2007 after a traffic stop when an officer found marijuana in the SUV he was driving. He pleaded guilty to driving without ever having received a license, and a drug charge was filed against a passenger. The Pacers suspended Williams for three games.
Last February, a murder suspect in Tennessee was arrested shortly after leaving Williams’ suburban Indianapolis home, then in July, police arrested a passenger in Williams’ car for marijuana possession. Williams was not arrested but was written up for window tint and seat belt violations.
Earlier this week, Williams said the publicity surrounding his run-ins with the law painted a false picture of him.
Information from the Associated Press contributed to this report.
