CHICAGO, April 2 -- The defending champion Chicago Bulls, hurting in the frontcourt, Wednesday signed free agent center-forward Brian Williams. The Bulls signed the enigmatic Williams for the remainder of the regular season at a pro-rated NBA minimum of roughly $30,000 for the next 10 games. Now recovered from off-season knee surgery, Williams is eligible for the playoffs as long as he plays in one game. 'The addition of Brian Williams gives us a proven NBA rebounder, scorer and defender to help us on our quest for another championship,' Bulls vice president of basketball operations Jerry Krause said. Initially, Williams will fortify a frontcourt that is weakened by injuries to NBA rebounding leader Dennis Rodman and reserve center Bill Wennington. When Rodman and Wennington return, he will provide depth at power forward and the pivot. 'I'm very happy to be joining the Chicago Bulls organization,' Williams said. 'I'll do all I can to help the team win another world championship. I haven't played competitively since last season, but the urge to compete and win is stronger than ever.' Wennington was placed on the injured list Wednesday to make roster room for the 6-foot-11 Williams, who last season averaged career highs in points (15.8) and rebounds (7.6) in 65 games for the Clippers. He became a free agent when he opted out of his contract and turned down lucrative offers from the Seattle SuperSonics and Clippers before undergoing knee surgery. The Dallas Mavericks expressed some interest in January but chose not to sign him, reportedly after Williams, 27, failed a physical examination.
'He's quick, he's got a good shot, he's got a nice body, he can rebound and he can help us out on the court,' Bulls coach Phil Jackson said. Williams, the 10th selection overall by Orlando in the 1991 draft, also has played for the Denver Nuggets and has career averages of 9.7 points and 5.6 rebounds in 277 games.
