Report: F McDyess to return to Pistons next month

Nov 24, 2008 - 3:25 AM BRISTOL, Connecticut (Ticker) -- Veteran forward Antonio McDyess will return to the Detroit Pistons, according to an ESPN.com report on Sunday.

After spending the last four-plus seasons with the Pistons, McDyess was dealt to the Denver Nuggets in the November 3 trade that brought Allen Iverson to Motown and sent Chauncey Billups to the Rocky Mountains.

But McDyess was not interested in playing for the Nuggets and quickly negotiated a $6 million buyout with the team, sacrificing the other $7 million still remaining on his contract. While it has been widely speculated that the former second overall pick would return to the Pistons, league rules require a 30-day waiting period before he is able to do so.

McDyess reportedly drew interest from such contenders as the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers, among others - and there was a report last week that Larry Brown and the Charlotte Bobcats were in hot pursuit - but McDyess has apparently confirmed that he's going back to Detroit.

"It was a very difficult decision for him," McDyess' agent, Andy Miller, told ESPN.com. "He was weighing good offers financially, along with other variables he thought were important. But going into the year, he had a team goal set, and to not finish up with it, he didn't want to do that. He wants to finish the year, finish what he started in Detroit, then re-evaluate after the season is over."

Because of the Pistons' salary-cap situation, all they can offer is their bi-annual $1.9 million salary-cap exception.

McDyess was averaging 7.0 points and 4.0 rebounds per game in two games this season. The 6-9, 245-pound big man was originally drafted by the Nuggets in the first round out of Alabama. He spent six seasons in Denver - in two separate stints - and has also played for the Phoenix Suns and New York Knicks.

He has been one of Detroit's primary contributors off the bench, providing a rebounding and defensive presence inside as well as veteran leadership. Last season, he contributed 8.8 points and 8.5 rebounds in 29 minutes per contest.

He has also been exceedingly durable after being injury-plagued throughout the first several years of his career. Over the last four seasons, he has missed just nine games.

His best seasons were 1997-98 with Phoenix - when he averaged 21.2 points and 10.7 boards - and 2001-01 with Denver, when he posted 20.8 and 12.1.