Grizzlies Sign Free Agent Forward Brian Cardinal
Brian Cardinal.
Rocky Widner/NBAE/Getty Images
Memphis, Tennessee, July 14, 2004 — Grizzlies President of Basketball Operations Jerry West announced that the team has signed free agent forward Brian Cardinal. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not released.
Cardinal, 6-8, 245 pounds, joins the Grizzlies after a career-best season with the Golden State Warriors during the 2003-04 campaign. In 76 games with the Warriors, he averaged career-highs in points (9.6 ppg), rebounds (4.2 rpg) and minutes (21.5 mpg). In addition, he also ranked third among NBA leaders in three-point field goal percentage (.444) and sixth in free-throw percentage (.878). Cardinal also set single-game career-highs in every statistical category during the 2003-04 campaign and his season totals eclipsed his career totals entering the 2003-04 season in almost every statistical category.
“Brian is an excellent all-around player,” said Grizzlies President of Basketball Operations Jerry West. “He will provide additional shooting in an area that we felt we need help. In addition, he has a very high basketball IQ that we obviously covet in all of our players. Brian will be an extremely valuable member of our future.”
Cardinal was originally selected by Detroit as the 44th pick in the 2000 NBA Draft. He spent two seasons (2000-01, 2001-02) with the Pistons before being traded to the Washington Wizards on September 11, 2002. Prior to joining the Warriors as a free agent training camp invitee in 2003, he averaged 1.9 points, 1.2 rebounds and 6.6 minutes in 28 games in three seasons with Detroit and Washington. Over his four-year career, Cardinal has appeared in 104 games, averaging 7.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 17.5 minutes per game.
“I am very excited to work with Hubie Brown and Jerry West,” said Cardinal. “What they have started in Memphis is fantastic. This is a great opportunity to build upon what they have accomplished and I look forward to playing for a winning, successful team.”
The Tolono, Ill. native played four seasons at Purdue, averaging 12.0 points and 5.7 rebounds in 132 career games. He finished his career as the school’s all-time leader in steals (259), games started (125) and co-leader in games played. He left Purdue ranking fifth in school history in three-point field goals made (130) and rebounds (737).
A press conference date and time to introduce Cardinal will be announced at a later date.