Pistons sign Nazr Mohammad to replace Ben Wallace
The Dirt:
Free agent center Nazr Mohammed of the Spurs has agreed to a five-year, $30 million deal with the Detroit Pistons, ESPN The Magazine’s Ric Bucher is reporting.
Mohammed started 30 games last season for the Spurs, averaging 6.2 points and 5.2 rebounds. The 6-foot-10, 250-pound center most likely will replace Wallace in the starting lineup, allowing Rasheed Wallace to remain a power forward.
The Spin: Make no mistake - Nazr Mohammad is no Ben Wallace and this will significantly change this team and not really for the better. However, he is a decent defender (and is coming from one of the best defensive teams in the league - San Antonio) and will save Detroit around $9 million in cap space. It was the best that team President Joe Dumars could make of a bad situation, thankfully avoiding having to bring in Joel Przybilla, and the signing gives Detroit room to go after two of their most rumored free agents - Bonzi Wells and Speedy Claxton.
July 5th, 2006 at 5:03 pm
Detroit has no money (except a 1.75 bi-annual exception) to pursue anybody, especially Wells. Besides that, Claxton is headed elsewhere. Detroit is in bad shape…
July 5th, 2006 at 6:00 pm
Yep. And there’s no way Mr. D will pay a luxury tax for Bonzi Wells. Their only hope is to trade Dale Davis since he has a year left on his contract that will pay somewhere around $3.5 mill.