The Los Angeles Clippers today signed free agent forward Josh Powell, Vice President of Basketball Operations Elgin Baylor announced. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not released.
Entering his third season in the NBA, Powell played in a total of 37 games for the Indiana Pacers and Golden State Warriors in 2006-07, finishing the season with the Warriors and appearing in four playoff games. Powell averaged 3.1 points and 2.4 rebounds per game last season, establishing new career-highs in both categories.
Powell also tallied 10.8 points and 9.8 rebounds in five games played for the Warriors entry in the 2007 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.
The Clippers will be Powells fourth NBA team, as he started his career with the Dallas Mavericks in 2005-06, averaging 3.0 points and 2.2 rebounds in 37 games. Not drafted following two years at North Carolina State, Powell played in two games for Russian club Lokomotiv-Rostov in 2003-04 before finishing the season with Euroride Scafati of the Italian Lega 2. In 2004-05, Powell averaged 16.6 points and 11.9 rebounds for Italys Pepsi Caserta.
The 6-9, 235 pound forward joined the Mavericks prior to the 2005-06 season, making two starts and appearing in six playoff games while also playing three times for Fort Worth in the NBA Development League. Powell was traded to the Pacers on July 24, 2006 and appeared in seven games for Indiana in 2006-07, averaging 1.7 points and 2.7 rebounds before joining the Warriors on January 17, 2007 in a blockbuster eight-player trade that included Clippers head coach Mike Dunleavys son, Mike Dunleavy Jr. The Warriors made Powell an unrestricted free agent on July 20.
Powell enjoyed exceptional success at North Carolina State, earning ACC All-Rookie Team honors in 2001-02, leading the Wolfpack in blocked shots (30) and field goal percentage and averaging 7.2 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. As a sophomore, Powell received the N.C. State Tom Gugliotta Award given to the teams Most Improved Player while averaging 12.4 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.