<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>The Pistons didn't make the big splash division rival Cleveland did at the trade deadline Thursday, but they did make a small move that should lead to two more in the coming days. Advertisement Trading little-used center Primoz Brezec to the Toronto Raptors for combo guard Juan Dixon should lead to two things: buying out backup guard Flip Murray and signing a veteran big man, perhaps Dale Davis. Brezec, acquired Dec. 14 in the trade with Charlotte for Nazr Mohammed, said he hoped to retire a Piston at his introductory news conference, but he never made a dent in coach Flip Saunders' rotation. In 17 games for Detroit, he averaged 5.8 minutes, 1.6 points and 1.1 rebounds. "We are pleased to add Juan Dixon to our roster," president Joe Dumars said in a released statement. "We feel Juan will add quality depth at the guard position, both offensively and defensively. We also appreciate the hard work and professionalism that Primoz Brezec displayed during his time with our club." With Dixon in the mix, the team was in discussions Thursday to buy out the rest of Murray's $1.89-million contract, making him an unrestricted free agent. Murray hasn't played since Dec. 12 and was stuck behind starters Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton, as well as rookies Rodney Stuckey and Arron Afflalo and veteran Lindsey Hunter. The Pistons had hoped to trade Murray, but they never got close to finding the right partner. Where Dixon fits into the guard mix remains to be seen. The Pistons have mostly expressed contentment with the development of their rookies, and the plan all along ha s been to dust off Hunter for the playoffs. But Dixon is a veteran scorer who has been to the playoffs with Washington and Toronto. That's uncharted territory for Stuckey and Afflalo. Brezec's departure leaves the Pistons with a need for an insurance-type big man. After jettisoning Murray, the Pistons will try to fill their open roster spot by adding a center for the veteran's minimum salary. A likely candidate is the 6-foot-11 Davis, who hasn't played in the NBA this season but was a Piston in 2005-07. Davis visited with his former teammates and chatted with Dumars after the Pistons played in Atlanta on Feb. 12. The Pistons also will monitor the waiver wire, as other big men could be bought out and become free agents in the coming days. Dixon, 29, is in the final year of a contract that pays him $2.9 million. He will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. He reportedly had grown unhappy with his role in Toronto, where he appeared in 36 games this season and averaged 4.3 points, 1.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists. Dixon was the No. 17 pick by Washington in 2002, a few months after leading Maryland to an NCAA championship. He landed in Toronto in a trade-deadline deal for Fred Jones last season. Thursday's trade kept the Pistons under the dollar-for-dollar NBA luxury tax. Source</div> I can't say I really understand this trade. We have such a crowded backcourt already if Dixon is to get any significant playing time it will likely put a damper on the development of Stuckey and Afflalo. I remember reading something about how Dumars wanted to draft Dixon but couldn't pass up on Prince, so maybe Joe D just has a hard on for him. What I really don't understand is why we would give up a 7 footer for a point guard? Dixon is only 6'3 meaning he's undersized to play the 2, and Stuckey is a far better option if your looking past this season. The one up side is Dixon's contract is up after this year, but then again so was Brezecs.
