The Kings & Cavaliers make a deal.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have traded power forward J.J. Hickson to the Sacramento Kings for swingman Omri Casspi and Sacramento’s protected first-round pick in the 2012 NBA draft.

The teams apparently sought to complete the deal Thursday before midnight to ensure its completion, with a lockout widely expected at 12:01 a.m. ET Friday, barring unforeseen progress in labor talks between the league and the NBA Players Association.

The Cavaliers have been shopping Hickson for some time and have decided to part with the young power forward in exchange for Casspi, who has been coveted for his combination of defense, energy and underrated perimeter shooting by numerous teams after two solid seasons with the Kings.

Omri Casspi is a baaaad man

via 24seconds

Dwight Howard, Omri Casspi, and Jason Thompson do their best to recreate the famous sculpture Laocoön and His Sons.

Noteworthy stats: 30 pts, 16 rebs, 5 assists, 3 steals, 3 blocks for Dwight

(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Tyreke Evans and Omri Casspi with a premature bodybump during Saturday’s game vs. the Lakers. Epic effort from the Kings who managed to push the game to double OT but ultimately losing by way of erratic threes and a couple Kobe daggers. Great game though. Hope to see more like it from this Kings squad.

Oh and special shoutouts to the crowd at ARCO, who apparently still keep their “BEAT LA” signs from 2002. Bitter much, Sac Town?

via bballrumor

Bros: Omri Casspi & Hamed Haddad

The first-ever Israeli and Iranian to play in the NBA.