The Cleveland Cavaliers have made the medically necessary release of Cavaliers guard and Canton-native Eric Snow, it was announced today by Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry.
Snow suffered, what ultimately became, a career-ending injury to his left knee immediately prior to the start of the 2007-08 NBA season. He has not practiced or played during the current 2008-09 NBA season.
“We appreciate all that Eric has done for the Cavaliers both on the basketball court and in the community. Eric is a tremendous competitor. He had a very successful playing career and I look forward to watching his broadcasting and coaching careers unfold,” said Ferry.
Snow enjoyed a long, successful and notable NBA career, the last several seasons of which were with the Cavaliers. During Eric’s final full season of play (2006-07) wearing the Wine and Gold, the Cavaliers won their first-ever Eastern Conference Championship and made their first-ever trip to the NBA Finals.
“It was a great privilege and dream come true, not just to play for my hometown team, but to finish my career in front of the fans who have given me so much support throughout my career. I loved the role offered to me of being a veteran the younger players could rely on, as the organization was rebuilding this franchise into a winner. The Cavaliers have done it the right way and I am proud to be a part of a new and re-energized winning tradition,” said Snow.
Snow, a second round pick (43rd overall) in the 1995 NBA draft by the Milwaukee Bucks, was acquired by the Cavaliers from the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Kedrick Brown and Kevin Ollie on July 20, 2004. In four seasons with the Cavaliers, Snow played in 267 games (147 starts) and averaged 4.0 points, 3.9 assists and 2.1 rebounds in 24.1 minutes per game. Snow played in all but one regular season game from the 2004-05 through the 2006-07 seasons.
The 2005 recipient of the J. Walker Kennedy Citizenship Award presented annually by the Professional Basketball Writers Association, Snow was a true champion in the community and worked hard to make a positive impact with local fathers and their children. His work included the popular Full Court Fathers program, which brought a father/child duo to every home game for a special pregame meeting with Snow, as well as his annual father/son basketball clinic.
Snow was also very active with a number of team and individual community programs, such as annual holiday toy drives and the construction of the Eric Snow Reading and Learning Center at the Ed “Peel” Coleman Community Center in Canton, Ohio. He hosted an annual fundraising golf tournament and summer basketball camps in support of his Shoot for the Moon Foundation. Snow made charitable donations to local non-profit agencies promoting positive father/child relationships for his steals and assists on the court. He also received the 2005 National Basketball Players Association Community Contribution Award at the 2005 NBA All-Star Game.
Ray Allen of the Boston Celtics has been suspended one game without pay for elbowing Cleveland Cavaliers forward Anderson Varejao in the groin, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed forward Jawad Williams to a contract, Cavaliers General Manager Danny Ferry announced today. Per team and league policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.