The Detroit Pistons are working on improving their roster after a couple tough years in the bottom of the Eastern conference and after signing free agent Josh Smith they are on their way and now they have added more depth with Italian star Luigi Datome.
According to ESPN.com, Datome comes over from the Italian League after winning the MVP award last season while playing with Roma. The team agreed with the shooter to a two year, $3.75 million contract and the deal will become official on Wednesday when the moratorium on signing contracts is lifted. The 25-year-old scored 16.6 points and grabbed 5.8 rebounds per game last season while shooting over 45 percent from the field and adds another solid shooter to the roster.
Smith was the first big signing for the team this offseason and the Pistons also brought back point guard Will Bynum to play off the bench again. Datome is a solid three-point shooter as well and hit over 90 percent from the free throw line. The forward posted the news to his Facebook page about the Pistons, although the team did not officially announce anything. Last season he averaged over 30 minutes per game and along with Smith, the Pistons now have a solid core with Greg Monroe and Brandon Knight to build with.
Datome had a number of suitors, including the Houston Rockets, Memphis Grizzlies, San Antonio Spurs, Phoenix Suns, Milwaukee Bucks and the Boston Celtics. The Pistons went just 29-53 last season and were one of the most inconsistent teams in the league, but after signing Smith, Bynum and Datome, the team is looking much more talented than when the year ended. The Pistons ranked 22nd in points per game last season and 13th in rebounding with help from Monroe and after ranking 18th in points allowed per game they will try and improve down low with Smith.
