Detroit Pistons sign Ray McCallum to a one-year contract
By Duncan Smith
The Detroit Pistons have signed local favorite Ray McCallum to a one-year veteran minimum contract adding him to the growing number of guards on the roster.
The Detroit Pistons entered the offseason with three point guards on the roster, only one of which had any business seeing regular NBA action. Starting point guard Reggie Jackson leads one of the best starting units in the league, but his reserves were one of the biggest reasons the bench unit was among the NBA’s worst.
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Since that point the Pistons have waived Steve Blake and traded Spencer Dinwiddie to the Chicago Bulls, sending out last season’s backup point guards. They’ve been replaced by Lorenzo Brown (who was on the roster last year from late March on, but never saw action on the floor), Ish Smith, second round draft pick Michael Gbinije.
Now the swelling point guard ranks have added another name with the signing of Ray McCallum.
McCallum and the Pistons came to an agreement on a one-year deal for the veteran minimum on Monday, according to Michael Scotto of Sheridan Hoops.
Source: Detroit Pistons and free agent guard Ray McCallum have agreed to a one-year, minimum deal.
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) July 25, 2016
The competition for the third point guard and likely 15th-man role has heated up with McCallum’s addition. It’s not yet clear how much of McCallum’s contract is, but the Pistons are clearly going to be fine with eating some salary in order to heighten the intensity of the battle for that final roster spot.
The Pistons are over the salary cap now that they have officially signed Andre Drummond to his five-year $130 million contract, but according to Hoops Rumors, they still have some flexibility to add players before training camp begins.
The Pistons signed McCallum with their minimum salary exception, which leaves them with their $2.9 million room exception. Expect the Pistons to utilize that room exception sooner than later as training camp draws nigh.
McCallum has ties to the Detroit area, leading Birmingham Detroit Country Day to the 2010 Michigan High School Athletic Association Class B state title, and then attending Detroit Mercy.
Next: Does Lorenzo Brown have a case to make the Pistons' roster?
He was the Sacramento Kings’ second round draft pick in the 2013 NBA draft, and a season ago split time between the San Antonio Spurs and the Memphis Grizzlies where he played in 41 games and hit 37.7 percent from the floor and 35.7 percent from three-point range. He played 11.6 minutes per game last season.