NBA Free Agents 2011: David West Agrees to 2-Year Deal with Indiana Pacers
One of the most coveted free agents of the offseason, power forward David West has signed a two-year contract with the Indiana Pacers, according to Adrian Wojnarowski. West was previously linked with a sign-and-trade involving the Boston Celtics.
The former first-round pick averaged 19 points and eight rebounds for the New Orleans Hornets last season. He's developed into one of the most consistent big men in the NBA over the past six years, with at least 17 points and seven rebounds every season.
West joins a young Pacers squad that features Danny Granger. Indiana has been looking for a veteran presence at a reasonable cost while Tyler Hansbrough and Roy Hibbert continue their development, and West will fill that role.
His health has been the biggest concern after undergoing knee surgery, but he's made good progress and should be ready to contribute right away. Indiana took the risk with hopes of West staying healthy and turning into a bargain. He'll immediately step into the starting lineup at the power forward slot for the Pacers.
West should be the second option on the offensive end behind Granger, which should allow his statistics to remain relatively constant with recent production.
West will continue to stretch defenses with his range, which should open up more space underneath for the sneaky-quick Darren Collison. The point guard's development will have a huge effect on how competitive the Pacers will be this season.
Signing West is a sign the Pacers think they can be competitive with in what's usually the weaker Eastern Conference. They finished in as the eighth seed last season before losing to the Chicago Bulls in the first round.
