Pistons pick up former No. 1 Brown

0 Comments | Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Aug 5, 2008 | by Associated Press

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- The Detroit Pistons have signed free agent center Kwame Brown, the overall No. 1 pick in the 2001 draft, the team announced Monday.

Team president for basketball operations Joe Dumars told The Associated Press last week that Brown will be paid $4 million next season. Brown has an option for a second season for another $4 million.

The 26-year-old has career averages of 7.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 23.7 minutes in 404 NBA games. He averaged a career- high 10.9 points and 7.4 rebounds during the 2003-04 season as a member of the Washington Wizards, who drafted him No. 1 overall out of high school.

Brown also has played for the Los Angeles Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies.

76ERS RE-SIGN FREE AGENT GUARD: The 76ers re-signed guard Louis Williams on Monday, keeping a key member of Philadelphia's first playoff team in three years. The deal was reportedly worth more than $25 million over five years.

Williams, who was a restricted free agent, averaged 11.5 points in 23 minutes per game last season.

The 21-year-old Williams was selected out of high school with the No. 45 overall pick in the second round of the 2005 NBA draft. He's averaged 7.2 points, 2.2 assists and 1.5 rebounds in his first three seasons.

ARROYO SIGNS WITH ISRAELI TEAM: Former Utah point guard Carlos Arroyo, who spent the last two seasons with the Orlando Magic, has become the latest NBA player to bolt overseas, signing with an Israeli team.

The 29-year-old Arroyo signed a one-year deal with Maccabi Tel Aviv.

"I'm very happy we've completed this signing," Maccabi coach Effi Birnboim said Monday on the club's Web site. "Arroyo is a player of the highest standard and has been our top priority for a while.

Arroyo has averaged 7 points and 3.3 assists per game during his seven-year career that included previous stops in Toronto, Denver, Utah and Detroit. He averaged 6.9 points and 3.5 assists last season, primarily off the bench.

Josh Childress announced last month that he was leaving the Atlanta Hawks for Greek club Olympiakos, reversing the course of the many international stars who have signed with the NBA. Agent Jim Tanner said Childress was guaranteed about $20 million after taxes, and that Childress could opt out of the contract after each year.

Nenad Kerstic left the New Jersey Nets and Carlos Delfino and Jorge Garbajosa left the Toronto Raptors to sign with a Russian team.

PIERCE CUFFED, RELEASED AFTER VEGAS TRAFFIC STOP: Police detained NBA star Paul Pierce in handcuffs during a weekend traffic stop on the Las Vegas Strip but released him without issuing a summons.

Las Vegas police Officer Bill Cassell said Monday that Pierce was handcuffed briefly after emerging "a little agitated" from a vehicle he was driving around 3 a.m. Sunday.

Pierce led the Boston Celtics to the championship this year and was MVP of the finals.

The 6-foot-7, 235-pound Pierce was given field sobriety tests and a Breathalyzer, which registered below the legal limit. Cassell said Pierce was not arrested.

A valet was called to drive Pierce's car, and Pierce took a cab back to where he was staying.

A spokeswoman for the Celtics said Monday the team and Pierce had no comment.