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CLEVELAND, Ohio — An NBA source has confirmed to the Plain Dealer that the Cavaliers are about to send guard Mo Williams and forward Jamario Moon to the Los Angeles Clippers for guard Baron Davis and a No. 1 draft pick in the 2011 draft. That likely will be a lottery selection, although this draft is not considered to be particularly strong.

Cavaliers officials will not comment, but the Los Angeles Times, NBA.com, Yahoo!Sports and ESPN all cited unnamed sources in reporting that the two teams have reached an agreement in principle.

The Cavs had inquired about Davis last summer. But an unnamed Cavs source told ESPN.com that the trade was made primarily for the draft pick.

"We know we're going to have to build this team through the lottery," ESPN reported the source said. "We hope Baron works out, but our primary focus was the pick. We really wanted two top-10 picks to infuse the team with young talent."

Neither Williams nor Davis played Wednesday night. Both were held out with what their coaches described as knee injuries. Moon had 11 points and eight rebounds in the Cavs' 124-119 loss to the Houston Rockets.

Williams, 28, who is averaging 13.3 points and 7.1 assists a game and has missed 21 games this season with a variety of groin and hip flexor injuries, will make $9.3 million this season and has two seasons and $17 million left on his contract. Moon, who often has been completely out of the Cavs' rotation and is averaging just 4.5 points a game, is making about $3 million this season and has a team option $3.2 million next season.

Davis, 31, who is averaging 12.8 points and seven assists per game, is making $13 million this season and has two years left on his contract, earning nearly $14 million next season and $14.8 million in the final year. The Cavs can use part of the $14.5 million exception they got from Miami in the LeBron James deal to make up the difference.

The deal would reunite Davis with coach Byron Scott. The two clashed when they were in New Orleans, and Davis was eventually traded to Golden State. But during the Clippers' visit to Cleveland two weeks ago, Davis spoke fondly of Scott and said he had reached out to apologize to the coach.

"I told him how much respect I had for him as a coach and how much I grew up," Davis said. "I was a young player, young star in this league. I probably wasn't handling the responsibility the way I should. He stuck to his guns. I probably needed that discipline. A couple of years later, I actually thanked him for being who he was. That ultimately was the lesson I learned.

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"A lot of times it takes you awhile to grow, especially in this league, because year to year is different. But sometimes you look back and say, 'Oh, OK. I understand that now, and it helps you understand a little bit more about yourself.' "

Davis said he was sure Scott will succeed in Cleveland, although at the time he had no idea he would be instrumental in that happening.

"Similar to New Orleans, he's going to weather the storm," Davis said. "He has thick skin. He's very confident. He's always proven himself. Getting a good year under his belt here, his influence and his overall confidence that he instills in the players and in the game ... it will eventually work out."

Williams, who played at Alabama and was drafted by Utah in the second round of the 2003 draft, was acquired by the Cavs from Milwaukee before the 2008 season in an effort to upgrade the players around James. While he played well during the regular season and was named an All-Star reserve by the coaches in 2009, he often struggled in the playoffs, especially defensively.

Moon was signed as a free agent two summers ago, again to bolster James" supporting cast. He actually earned the starting small forward spot vacated by James, but soon found himself on the bench. Scott said it was because of his poor defense. Another coach told Moon it was because he wasn't serious enough.

Davis also has had a rough go of things. A first-round draft choice of the Charlotte Hornets in 1999, the third pick overall, the former UCLA star played three seasons in Charlotte before the team relocated to New Orleans. After clashing with Scott and being traded to Golden State, he signed a five-year, $65 million contract with the Clippers in July 2008, intending to return to his hometown to play alongside Elton Brand.

But Brand signed with Philadelphia instead. Davis and the Clippers have struggled, with Clippers owner Donald Sterling famously heckling Davis from his courtside seat earlier this season. But the team has blossomed as rookie Blake Griffin has come on strong.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: mschmitt@plaind.com, 216-999-4668