Detroit Pistons Will Target Brandon Bass

Detroit Pistons will target Brandon Bass
by A. Sherrod Blakely
Wednesday July 08, 2009, 9:05 PM



AUBURN HILLS -- With Antonio McDyess coming to terms with the San Antonio Spurs, Detroit will shift its free agent focus toward Dallas Mavericks forward Brandon Bass.

"They (Pistons) are definitely on the short list," said his agent Tony Dutt.

In addition to Detroit, Dutt said Bass is also looking at Portland and Orlando.

"We're at a point where we feel good about all those teams," Dutt said.

But Detroit, which signed Ben Gordon (five years, $50 million) and Charlie Villanueva (five years, $35 million) on Wednesday, will need to clear more salary cap space in order to have a serious shot at landing the 24-year-old power forward.

That means the Pistons will probably have to make another trade, with shooting guard/small forward Arron Afflalo the most likely player to be moved.

Afflalo won't play much at shooting guard this season behind Richard Hamilton and Gordon. And while he has played some at small forward, Detroit drafted a trio of small forwards in June who, along with Hamilton at times, will play behind Tayshaun Prince.

As for Bass, he has been a solid player during the regular season who has become even more effective in the playoffs.

Bass has averaged 6.9 points and 3.9 rebounds per game during his four NBA seasons. But in the playoffs, he has averaged 10.1 points and five rebounds per game while shooting 52 percent from the field.

"You don't see a lot of young power forwards today," Dutt said. "Detroit would be a great fit for Brandon. We'll see how it goes."