AUBURN HILLS, Mich.– The Detroit Pistons announced today that the team has signed center Aron Baynes to a multi-year contract. Per team policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.
Baynes, appeared in 70 games (17 starts) with San Antonio last season averaging career highs in points (6.6 ppg), rebounds (4.5 rpg) and minutes (16.0 mpg). He recorded more points, rebounds, assists and blocks last season than in his previous two NBA seasons combined. Baynes recorded his first career double-double with 12 points and a career-high 12 rebounds at Houston (11/6). He also recorded back-to-back double-figure scoring games for the first time in his career with 12 points in 21 minutes vs. Minnesota (11/21) and 10 points in 21 minutes vs. Brooklyn (11/22). Baynes appeared in 22 career playoff games with the Spurs, averaging 2.2 points and 2.1 rebounds in 7.5 minutes per game.
The 6-10, 255-pound center has tallied career NBA averages of 4.8 points, 3.6 rebounds and 12.6 minutes in 139 games – all with San Antonio. Baynes began his professional career in 2009-10 playing for Lietuvos Rytas of the Lithuanian Basketball League, a squad that went on to win the Lithuanian National Championship. He went on to play in Germany for EWE Baskets Oldenburg in 2010-11 before joining Ikaros Kallitheas in Greece the following season. Baynes has been a member of the Australian National Team, most recently competing at the 2014 FIBA World Championship in Turkey where he averaged 16.8 points, 7.0 rebounds and 27.0 minutes in five games. Representing Australia in the 2012 Olympic Games in London, he averaged 7.5 points and 3.3 rebounds while shooting 66% (21-32 FG) from the field.
The 28-year old New Zealand native was undrafted out of Washington State. He appeared in 122 games (86 starts), averaging 8.7 points and 5.4 rebounds while shooting 54.6% from the field and led WSU to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament in 2008. Baynes ranks eighth on Cougars’ all-time field goal percentage list and became the first player in school history to shoot 100% from the field in a game with at least 10 field goal attempts (10-10 FG and a career-high 25 points vs. USC).
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