delonte west

Two prolonged contract holdouts early last season hurt the Cleveland Cavaliers, damaging their chances of getting back to the NBA finals.

They made sure it wouldn't happen again. The club signed restricted free agent guard Delonte West to a two-year contract Friday, a deal that includes a third-year club option for 2011-12.

Guard Delonte West signed a multiyear deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday, ending concerns the restricted free agent would hold out at training camp.

General Manager Danny Ferry didn't disclose terms of the deal Friday. The Cavaliers acquired West from the Seattle SuperSonics on Feb. 21 as part of a three-team, 11-player trade.

West played in 61 games for Seattle and Cleveland and averaged 8.3 points. He filled a need for a starting point guard.

LeBron James danced in his seat. Guess he likes the trades. James, who had been hoping the Cavaliers would pull the trigger on a deal prior to Thursday's trading deadline, gave his stamp of approval to the club's acquisition of Ben Wallace, Wally Szczerbiak, Joe Smith and Delonte West - four players the Cavs feel can get them an NBA title.

"I'm excited," he said. Jason Kidd may have been James' No. 1 choice, but he wasn't complaining about Cleveland's new quartet.