Pistons Get Coleman From 76ers

The Detroit Pistons acquired Derrick Coleman and Amal McCaskill from the Philadelphia 76ers in a trade Wednesday for Corliss Williamson.

The 76ers made it clear they wanted to deal Coleman, who has two years and $9.5 million remaining on his contract. If the Pistons want to release him after one season, they will owe him $2 million.

By moving Williamson, with $18 million and three guaranteed years left on his deal, the Pistons will have more money to make moves in a year or two. McCaskill was a free agent who signed a new contract before being traded.

Even though Coleman was vilified by Philadelphia fans and former team president Pat Croce, he became a favorite of Larry Brown, who now coaches the Pistons.

The 37-year-old Coleman played in 34 games last season while he struggled to stay sound. The 6-foot-10 center averaged 8.0 points and 5.6 rebounds.

In 14 years, the Detroit native has averaged 16.8 points and 9.3 rebounds but has scored in double figures in only one of the last four seasons.

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The Dallas Mavericks traded Antoine Walker and Tony Delk to the Atlanta Hawks for Jason Terry, Alan Henderson and a first-round draft pick.

Terry, the Hawks’ first-round pick in 1999, averaged 16.8 points and 5.4 assists last season but is more of a combo guard than a pure point guard. The Mavericks needed a point guard after losing Steve Nash to free agency. The 6-9 Walker can play either forward position. Walker has averaged 19.9 points in his career, including 14 points with 8.3 rebounds last season.

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Wednesday was a typical summer day in L.A. The skies were blue, sailboats glided lazily through the calm waters off Marina del Rey and, nearby on shore, Clipper General Manager Elgin Baylor introduced the newest Clipper in the ballroom of a Marina hotel.

For two decades, this has been a summer ritual. The methods vary, from the draft to trades to free agency. The faces change. But the routine is the same. The newest Clipper arrives with a smile on his face, dismisses the team’s dismal past and offers unbridled promises about the future.

So it was with Kerry Kittles, a 30-year-old guard obtained last week from the New Jersey Nets for a second-round choice in next year’s draft.

Kittles was supposed to be on vacation, celebrating his second wedding anniversary with his wife, Adria. Instead, he put those plans on hold in order to fly to Los Angeles to undergo a physical.

“This is more important,” he said.

After losing out in the Kobe Bryant sweepstakes to the Lakers, the Clippers decided against matching a six-year, $42-million offer to 24-year-old guard Quentin Richardson by the Phoenix Suns. Instead, the Clippers went for Kittles, whose Clipper uniform number will match his age.

“I was excited,” said Kittles of the trade. “I had eight good years [with the Nets], but it was a good time to move on. This is a perfect fit for me.”

He stuck to that theme even when he was reminded that others before him had sometimes equated being sent to the Clippers with being sent to basketball’s minor leagues.

“That doesn’t worry me,” Kittles said. “Most people didn’t want to go to New Jersey for the longest time. Once guys are committed, the stigma of being a Clipper [will pass]. “We have a great group of guys who have a chance to be successful.”

Kittles has talent in several areas, said Baylor, pointing to the defensive skills of the 6-5, 195-pounder, his ability to play either guard position and his outside shooting.

Baylor also likes the fact Kittles is an eight-year veteran whose team reached the postseason in four of those seasons.

“If the young guys are willing to listen and ask questions,” Kittle said, “I’ll be there.”

But will he be there after this season? He’ll be an unrestricted free agent at season’s end.

“We’ll deal with that down the line,” Kittles said.

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Trenton Hassell will remain with Minnesota after the Timberwolves matched the Portland Trail Blazers’ offer for the restricted free agent. Hassell’s agent, Mark Bartelstein, has said the Trail Blazers’ offer to the guard was worth $27 million over six years.... The Washington Wizards signed free-agent forward Samaki Walker.... The San Antonio Spurs signed veteran forward Tony Massenburg and re-signed forward Sean Marks.