Former Tar Heel and current Detroit Piston Jerry Stackhouse was traded to the Washington Wizards in a six-player deal Wednesday. Another UNC grad was also involved, as Hubert Davis, was dealt to Detroit.
Stackhouse, who was entering the final year in his contract, was not planning on re-signing with Detroit.
"I am happy that (the Pistons) had enough respect for me and for what I've done that they sent me to a situation where I will be comfortable," Stackhouse told the Detroit News. "They did not send me to a bad situation, and I appreciate that."
LINK: The Jerry Stackhouse era is over
LINK: Wizards Acquire Jerry Stackhouse
But in Stackhouse, the club picks up a veteran (he'll turn 28 in November) who has proven he can score 30 points if necessary, and who for the first time last season, in Rick Carlisle's defense-first system in Detroit, finally demonstrated he can play a team-oriented brand of ball and be a better-than-average defensive player.
LINK: A Deal That Could Make A Break With the Past