DETROIT – April 3, 2022 – The Detroit Pistons announced today that the club has signed forward Braxton Key to a two-way contract. In a related move, the team waived forward Chris Smith.
Key, 6-8, 225, signed a 10-day contract with Detroit on March 24. In five games with the Pistons this season, he’s averaging 6.8 points and 5.2 rebounds in 20.4 minutes per game.
Prior to Detroit, Key averaged 18.9 points (48% FG, 39% 3FG), 7.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.1 steals and 1.5 blocks in 28.2 minutes per game with the Delaware Blue Coats, the NBA G League affiliate of the Philadelphia 76ers, this season. In 43 career NBA G League games, he averaged 14.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.3 blocks in 23.7 minutes, all with the Blue Coats. Key also appeared in two games with the 76ers this season.
A native of Charlotte, N.C., Key began his collegiate career at the University of Alabama where he played two seasons and was named to the 2016-17 SEC All-Freshman team. He played his final two seasons at the University of Virginia where he was a member of the 2019 NCAA Championship team. In 125 career games, he averaged 8.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 26.6 minutes per game.
Smith signed a two-way contract with Detroit on August 16, 2021. In 18 games with the Motor City Cruise, the G League affiliate of the Pistons, he averaged 8.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.1 assists.
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