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Detroit Pistons claim ex-Philadelphia 76ers C Paul Reed off waivers

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Detroit Pistons claim ex-Philadelphia 76ers C Paul Reed off waivers

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The Detroit Pistons hit the waiver wire for more depth in the frontcourt.

The Pistons announced Tuesday they claimed former Philadelphia 76ers center Paul Reed — aka “BBall Paul” — off waivers. Paul, 25, was waived by the 76ers earlier this week to clear cap space for other free agent signings. Reed was one year into a three-year, $24 million contract he signed with Philadelphia. After starting out on a two-way contract, he earned the backup center position behind Joel Embiid but lost his spot this offseason free agent Andre Drummond, a former Pistons.

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Reed, listed at 6 feet 9 and 210 pounds, played in all 82 games for Philadelphia last season, including 24 starts while Embiid was out with an injury. He averaged 7.3 points, 6 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1 block per game. He ranked 19th in blocks per 36 minutes (1.9) and 26th in steals per 36 minutes (1.5), showing a level of defensive playmaking despite limited opportunity.

Reed is a four-year NBA veteran and Florida native who was the 58th overall pick in the 2020 draft out of DePaul. He played sparingly in his first two seasons before becoming a regular rotation member in 2022-23, with his playing time reaching nearly 20 minutes a night in 2023-24. He slots into a center room that saw James Wiseman leave in free agency but still features Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart.

The Pistons will be on the hook for the final two seasons of Reed’s deal, bringing their approximately $20 million in cap space entering Tuesday down to about $12 million, with a potential room exception of $8 million once they’ve spent to the cap.

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