National Basketball Association

Cavs get Carolina center Zeller in trade with Mavs

Published Jun. 28, 2012 10:48 p.m. ET

foxsports

The Cleveland Cavaliers have acquired the rights to center Tyler Zeller from the Dallas Mavericks for the Nos. 24, 33 and 34 picks in the NBA draft.

The Mavericks selected the 7-foot Zeller from North Carolina with the 17th overall pick before shipping him to the Cavs. The deal must still be approved by the league before it's official.

Zeller averaged 16.3 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks a game last season as a senior for the Tar Heels. He was the fourth North Carolina player selected in the first 17 picks on Thursday night.

The Cavs were desperate for some size up front, and needed someone to play in the middle after Anderson Varejao struggled guarding bigger players last season.