Detroit Pistons claim Beno Udrih off waivers

It turns out Beno Udrih will get the Pistons backup point guard job while starter Reggie Jackson recovers from knee tendonitis.

Udrih was traded to Miami from the Memphis Grizzlies as part of the Mario Chalmers trade that also involved Jarnell Stokes heading to Miami and James Ennis moving to Memphis.

He’ll be heading into his 13th year in the league and the Pistons will be his eighth team in the past seven years. Last season wasn’t a great one for Udrih, but he was a capable backup for Memphis the year prior when they won 55 games. His 3-point shot comes and goes, but he typically provides a reasonably efficient scoring option and can facilitate a bit. He has been a bit turnover prone though.

Udrih is especially effective in the mid-range. Here is his shot chart from two seasons ago in Memphis, where he played nearly 1,500 minutes of extremely effective ball.

If you’re getting some worried flashbacks to Steve Blake, don’t worry too much - he’s typically been a bit better of a player than Blake throughout his career.

It’s a tough blow for Ray McCallum, as the move comes just days after he beat out Lorenzo Brown for the final roster spot. He’s expected to be waived to make room for Udrih.

But neither McCallum or Brown played particularly well in the preseason, making the third string point guard a definite area of concern as the Pistons head into the season.