Atlanta Hawks: Zaza Pachulia joined the Hawks
on Monday after the Milwaukee Bucks declined to match a four-year,
$16 million offer sheet.
The 21-year-old Pachulia, a 6-foot-11 center from Tbilisi,
Georgia, was a restricted free agent. He averaged 6.2 points and
5.1 rebounds for the Bucks as a backup last season.
He spent his 2003-04 rookie season with Orlando, where he
averaged 11 minutes, 3.3 points and 2.9 rebounds. He was drafted by
the Magic in the second round in 2003.
After his rookie season, Pachulia was selected by Charlotte in
the 2004 expansion draft and then was acquired by the Bucks for a
2004 second-round draft choice.
Milwaukee Bucks: Free agent forward Bobby Simmons
officially signed with the Bucks on Monday.
The team did not disclose terms, but the deal was widely reported as a five-year contract with $47 million.
Simmons was voted the NBA's Most Improved
Player after last season, when averaged 16.4 points per game for the Los Angeles Clippers.
Simmons, 24, is part of a rebuilding project in Milwaukee that
includes the hiring of new coach Terry Stotts, the re-signing of
star shooting guard Michael Redd, the selection of center
Andrew Bogut with the top overall pick in the draft and the
return of injured point guard T.J. Ford, who missed all of last
season recovering from a spinal cord injury.
Bucks general manager Larry Harris cleared salary cap room at
the trading deadline last season by shipping forward Keith Van
Horn to Dallas and guard Mike James to Houston.
Information from The Associated Press and SportsTicker was used in this report.