Kwame Brown Making 4th NBA Stop

Make the Detroit Pistons another in a growing list of teams to take a chance on the first pick of the 2001 NBA Draft. On Monday, Pistons President Joe Dumars took a risk and signed the 6'11" forward/center to a two year contract worth $8 million.

The Pistons have been searching for some help on the front court and hope that Brown, 26, can fulfill his potential here after disappointing stints in Washington, Los Angeles, and Memphis. His agent, Mark Bartelstein, sees an opportunity for a fresh start.

"He is a tremendous talent, and we think this can be a kind of rebirth for his career," Bartelstein told the Detroit Free Press.

In seven seasons, Brown's averaged 7.5 points and 5.7 rebounds per game in 404 contests (186 starts). Last season, Brown posted averages of 4.8 points and 4.9 rebounds in 38 games, starting 15 times. He's also appeared in 15 playoff games, averaging 9.9 points and 5.9 rebounds. He began the season with the Los Angeles Lakers before being traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in February for Pau Gasol.

The addition of Brown gives the Pistons some experience off the bench. Brown has played more games than young reserves Jason Maxiell (175) and Amir Johnson (73) combined. The deal puts the Pistons over the salary cap for the upcoming season so it appears likely no more big moves will be made.

Brown has only been on one team that's advanced beyond the first round of the playoffs (Washington in 2005), but he joins a Detroit Pistons team that has been to the Eastern Conference Finals six straight seasons, appearing in the NBA Finals twice, and winning a title in 2004. However, since losing game 7 of the 2005 NBA Finals to the Spurs, the Pistons have not gone past the Eastern Conference Finals the last three years. The core of a team that won 59 games last season (2nd in the NBA) looks to be returning, and they hope first year head coach Michael Curry, the development of their young bench players, and the addition of Brown can rectify that.