Wizards sign F DerMarr Johnson

Sep 22, 2008 - 8:39 PM WASHINGTON (Ticker) - The Washington Wizards on Monday signed free-agent forward DerMarr Johnson.

Terms of the contracts were not released.

The 6-9, 210-pound Johnson is a seven-year veteran who has averaged 6.2 points and 2.2 rebounds in 136 games with Atlanta, New York, Denver and San Antonio.

Johnson was selected by Atlanta with the sixth overall pick in the 2000 draft. He averaged 8.4 points and 3.4 rebounds for the Hawks in 2001-02, but missed the entire 2002-03 season after suffering four cracked vertebra in his neck following a car accident.

The Wizards also signed forwards Linton Johnson and Taj McCullough on Monday.

Linton Johnson has career averages of 4.1 points and 3.4 rebounds in 141 games. The 6-8, 205-pounder averaged 2.6 points and 1.8 rebounds last season in eight games between Toronto and Phoenix.

The 6-7, 227-pound McCullough averaged 2.2 points and 2.0 rebounds in five games with the Wizards' entry in the 2008 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

"DerMarr's experience and versatility, Linton's athleticism and defensive ability and Taj's play with our summer league team gives them a chance to compete for a roster spot," Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld said.