The Detroit Pistons will not be signing free agent center Jason Collins to a contract after giving it some consideration last week, leaving the veteran on the market still months after he revealed in a sports Illustrated cover story that he was gay.
According to ESPN.com, Sports Illustrated reported that the Pistons decided to pass on signing Collins after giving him a workout. Reports came out last week that the Pistons were interested in signing Collins and that was the first significant interest for the free agent center since he came out in the essay in April. ESPN.com reported the news first about the Detroit interest and the fact that they are passing now means that the first openlay gay player in a major sport in North America is still without a team.
Collins is 34-years-old and likely would get a minimum contract as an end of the bench veteran. Last season Collins played for the Boston Celtics after signing a one year deal and ended up playing 32 games for the team before moving to the Washington Wizards where he played in six games. Last season he averaged 1.1 points and 1.6 rebounds and that came after spending the past three seasons with the Atlanta Hawks, playing in 30 games in 2011-12 and 49 games the season before.
The Pistons have been one of the most active teams in the NBA this offseason and have signed Josh Smith while also trading for Brandon Jennings from the Bucks and the team feels it is ready to contend for a playoff spot again. Joe Dumars is building the team around Andre Drummond and Greg Monroe and the team remains just one player why of the league minimum at 15.
The Pelicans are still looking to fill out their roster and one name that has come up as an option is Josh Childress, as he is working out for the team this week. According to Pro Basketball Talk, Childress could be the latest player to join the Pelicans after the team traded for Jrue Holiday and Tyreke Evans and with young players already on the team in Austin Rivers and Anthony Davis and the team also has Al-Farouq Aminu and Anthony Morrow.
Childress played 14 games last season with the Brooklyn Nets and he also spent time overseas in recent years and now he could be the next addition for the Pelicans. The report says that at one point the Sacramento Kings and Philadelphia Sixers, but right now it appears the Pelicans are the best shot for Childress to get back on an NBA roster.
