Grizzlies sign Damon Stoudamire and Brent Barry - "Big O" will replace waived Daugherty
The Vancouver Grizzlies continue to upgrade their roster. Free agent-guards Damon Stoudamire (25 years old) and Brent Barry (27) came to terms on multiple-million-deals with the Canadian franchise.
Stoudamire, 7th pick in 1995 Draft and Rookie of the year with the Raptors back then, signed a 3-year-contract, which will bring him 23 million dollar. The 5'10" small point guard averaged 19.9 points and 5.5 assists in 82 games for Portland last season, his 3rd consecutive season with at least 19ppg. His assists dropped 9 to 5 though, while his shooting (.395 FG) still has to be improved as well.. Stoudamire is expected to play as Vancouver's starting point guard, replacing sophomore-to-be Bobby Jackson.
Brent Barry was traded from Miami to Indiana during 1997/98 season, averaging 8.4 points in 79 games. Barry now enters his 4th season in NBA after spending two years with the Clippers, where he had his best season as a rookie 1995/96 (10.1ppg, 44 games as a starter). "We had to play small forward Sam Mack as shooting guard last year, and now we have Vince Carter and Barry, that's great", said Grizzlies' coach Brian Hill on this signing. Barry agreed on a 2-year-deal worth 11.40mm.
In other news, the Grizzlies waived injury-proned returnee Brad Daugherty (9.4ppg in 40 games with Vancouver last year) and signed Oliver "Big O" Miller as his replacement. Miller, who is known as "The Big O" because of his large size (6-foot-9, over 300 pounds), averaged 3.6 points in 72 games for Toronto and Phoenix last season, fighting with his weight problems (he was listed 280lbs as a rookie back in 1992, while now he's listed at 310). Anyway, he Grizzlies do hope that Miller can repeat the numbers he had with Toronto in 1995/96 (12.9ppg, 7.4rpg).