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Pistons trade Arron Afflalo, Walter Sharpe to Nuggets for draft pick
by A. Sherrod Blakely
Monday July 13, 2009, 1:25 PM
AUBURN HILLS--The Detroit Pistons gained more flexibility to add another big man via free agency after trading Arron Afflalo and Walter Sharpe and cash to Denver for a future second-round pick.
Afflalo, a first-round pick of the Pistons in 2007, appeared to be the odd man out as Detroit looks to reshape its backcourt this season.
Richard Hamilton, the team's top scorer each year since 2003, and newly signed Ben Gordon will log most of the minutes at shooting guard this season.
Afflalo also played some at small forward, but the Pistons loaded up at that position by drafting three players last month who are all small forwards.
Afflalo and Sharpe will join Chauncey Billups, who was traded to Denver in November for Allen Iverson. In two seasons with Detroit, Afflalo averaged 4.3 points and 1.8 rebounds per game.
As for Sharpe, a second-round pick acquired by Detroit on a draft night trade in 2008, he, too, appeared to not figure into Detroit's plans moving forward.
The seldom-used forward appeared in just eight games with Detroit.
By making the trade, the Pistons have an additional $1.8 million in salary-cap space, which gives them about $3.5 million to use toward adding another player.
After missing out on Brandon Bass (he came to terms with Orlando), the Pistons might set their sights on Boston's Glen Davis. However, Davis is a restricted free agent.
Others Detroit might consider include Chris Wilcox, Drew Gooden and former Piston Joe Smith.
From Pistons.com:
Trade Clears Approximately $1.8 Million In Additional Salary Cap Space For Pistons
Pistons Acquire Second Round Draft Choice from Denver in Exchange for Arron Afflalo, Walter Sharpe and Cash Considerations
Monday, July 13, 2009
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - Detroit Pistons President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars announced today that the club has acquired a future second round draft choice from the Denver Nuggets in exchange for guard Arron Afflalo, forward Walter Sharpe and cash considerations. The move clears approximately $1.8 million in additional salary cap space for the Pistons.
Afflalo appeared in 74 games (eight starts) last season, averaging 4.9 points, 1.8 rebounds and 0.6 assists in 16.7 minutes per game. In eight starts he averaged 10.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 33.1 minutes per game. The former UCLA product scored 10-plus points 12 times and led the team in scoring once, recording a career-high 24 points (7-13 FG, 4-6 3FG, 6-6 FT) in 45 minutes at Houston (3/18). He averaged 6.7 points in 13 games during the month of March, his best scoring month of the season, and won the Haier Shooting Stars competition at NBA All-Star 2009 while teaming with Bill Laimbeer and Katie Smith from the Detroit Shock.
Sharpe appeared in nine games a year ago, averaging 1.0 points and 0.4 rebounds in 2.4 minutes per game. He made one NBA Development League assignment with the Ft. Wayne Mad Ants from 1/2-1/7, averaging 10.8 points and 3.5 rebounds in four games. The 6-foot-9 forward was on the inactive list 48 times during last season and did not player - coaches decision 23 times.
