PORTLAND, Ore., Aug. 13 -- The Portland Trail Blazers, looking to upgrade their size in the backcourt, have signed veteran guard Jeff McInnis to a three-year contract.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The signing of the 27-year-old McInnis comes on the heels of last week's acquisition of 6-4 guard Antonio Daniels in a five-player deal with the San Antonio Spurs. Portland also has veteran Damon Stoudamire in its backcourt.
"We are very pleased to announce the signing of Jeff McInnis," said Portland General Manager Bob Whitsitt. "Since the beginning of the offseason, we have said we wanted to address our size and depth in the backcourt. Jeff and Antonio Daniels, who we acquired last week, give us two players who fulfill that need. We believe we have definitely upgraded this area for next season."
The 6-4, 180-pound McInnis, who was also being pursued by the Minnesota Timberwolves, started 80 games last season for the Los Angeles Clippers and averaged 14.6 points and 6.2 assists per game. He ranked seventh in the NBA in assist-to-turnover ratio.
"I am very excited to have Jeff join our team," said Blazers Coach Maurice Cheeks. "Jeff and Antonio give us two big bodies in our backcourt that make us that much tougher in this area. Jeff is a a big guard who can defend and run a basketball team."
The former University of North Carolina star, who has started 177 of 235 games in the NBA, has career averages of 11.1 points and 4.8 assists per contest. He spent the 1996-97 season with the Denver Nuggets and was with Washington in the 1998-99 season before joining the Clippers for the 1999-2000 campaign.
Whitsitt told the Oregonian that the signing of McInnis does not mean Stoudamire is on the trading block.
"It doesn't say anything," Whitsitt told the paper. "All it says is that Erick Barkley and Ricky Brunson are gone, and Jeff McInnis and Antonio Daniels are in. We have increased our depth, created competition and we've increased our size back there, which is something we wanted. In terms of our depth, point guard was one of our weakest areas last season. Now we think it is one of our stronger areas."
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