http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/13981783p-14815453c.html
Kings notes: Things have worked out nicely for former King
By Sam Amick -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Thursday, December 15, 2005
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - Maurice Evans knew he was in the right place when his phone rang Nov. 5.
Coincidentally, he was in Sacramento for a rematch against his old squad, but the call was coming from Detroit.
It was Pistons president Joe Dumars, wishing him well on his 27th birthday.
Evans has felt nothing but welcome and well-used since leaving the Kings and joining the Pistons in the offseason, his Plan B turning out A-OK. The player who made stops in Italy, Greece, Russia, Minnesota and Sacramento before coming to the Motor City is averaging 16.4 minutes, 5.7 points and three rebounds per game in his reserve role.
"I love this team, the swagger that it has, and playing for a guy like Joe Dumars, who's won championships," said Evans, who went scoreless and missed all seven of his shots in the Pistons' 109-98 win at the Palace of Auburn Hills. "I'm real happy."
The situation fits him well enough to quell the disappointment of playing for less than he'd hoped, as he signed a three-year, $4.5 million deal when the Kings decided not to bring him back.
When free agency began, Evans and his agent, Roger Montgomery, foresaw most of some team's $5 million midlevel exception coming their way. But the Kings used their exception on power forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim, and the Pistons gave him everything they had left of theirs. Now the strategy has become a prolonged one, with Evans hoping to play his way into a bigger contract come 2008.
"The money that these guys gave me, Sacramento still didn't even try to match," Evans said. "For (the Pistons), that was all they had to give. So that's what we've talked about, (that) if I do what I'm supposed to do, and we win, then on the back end, they'll do what they're supposed to do on the back end."
His own departure aside, Evans said he was no fan of moves made by Kings president of basketball operations Geoff Petrie in the offseason.
"I just really didn't understand why they'd dismantle the type of team that we had," he said. "We had the makings of a 50-win team. You don't, in my opinion, throw that away."
Nice to Big Nasty - Corliss Williamson made the rounds, greeting security guards, fans, local media members with his typically gracious smile and personable way.
Then they gave the love right back. The former Piston, who won the league's Sixth Man of the Year with Detroit in 2001-02 and a championship two seasons later, was received with plenty of applause when he entered play late in the first quarter. He played a season-high 19 minutes, then gave a hearty laugh when told of that reality. His 11 points were also a season high, as were his six rebounds. But still, no win in his old haunt.
"I've got a lot of good memories here, but I still haven't won a game here since I left," said Williamson, who is 0-4 in returns to the Palace.
About the writer: The Bee's Sam Amick can be reached at (916) 326-5582 or samick@sacbee.com.
Kings notes: Things have worked out nicely for former King
By Sam Amick -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Thursday, December 15, 2005
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - Maurice Evans knew he was in the right place when his phone rang Nov. 5.
Coincidentally, he was in Sacramento for a rematch against his old squad, but the call was coming from Detroit.
It was Pistons president Joe Dumars, wishing him well on his 27th birthday.
Evans has felt nothing but welcome and well-used since leaving the Kings and joining the Pistons in the offseason, his Plan B turning out A-OK. The player who made stops in Italy, Greece, Russia, Minnesota and Sacramento before coming to the Motor City is averaging 16.4 minutes, 5.7 points and three rebounds per game in his reserve role.
"I love this team, the swagger that it has, and playing for a guy like Joe Dumars, who's won championships," said Evans, who went scoreless and missed all seven of his shots in the Pistons' 109-98 win at the Palace of Auburn Hills. "I'm real happy."
The situation fits him well enough to quell the disappointment of playing for less than he'd hoped, as he signed a three-year, $4.5 million deal when the Kings decided not to bring him back.
When free agency began, Evans and his agent, Roger Montgomery, foresaw most of some team's $5 million midlevel exception coming their way. But the Kings used their exception on power forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim, and the Pistons gave him everything they had left of theirs. Now the strategy has become a prolonged one, with Evans hoping to play his way into a bigger contract come 2008.
"The money that these guys gave me, Sacramento still didn't even try to match," Evans said. "For (the Pistons), that was all they had to give. So that's what we've talked about, (that) if I do what I'm supposed to do, and we win, then on the back end, they'll do what they're supposed to do on the back end."
His own departure aside, Evans said he was no fan of moves made by Kings president of basketball operations Geoff Petrie in the offseason.
"I just really didn't understand why they'd dismantle the type of team that we had," he said. "We had the makings of a 50-win team. You don't, in my opinion, throw that away."
Nice to Big Nasty - Corliss Williamson made the rounds, greeting security guards, fans, local media members with his typically gracious smile and personable way.
Then they gave the love right back. The former Piston, who won the league's Sixth Man of the Year with Detroit in 2001-02 and a championship two seasons later, was received with plenty of applause when he entered play late in the first quarter. He played a season-high 19 minutes, then gave a hearty laugh when told of that reality. His 11 points were also a season high, as were his six rebounds. But still, no win in his old haunt.
"I've got a lot of good memories here, but I still haven't won a game here since I left," said Williamson, who is 0-4 in returns to the Palace.
About the writer: The Bee's Sam Amick can be reached at (916) 326-5582 or samick@sacbee.com.
