Dallas Mavericks acquire center Zaza Pachulia after DeAndre Jordan returns to Clippers

The most interesting development of the 2015 offseason was free agent center DeAndre Jordan's back-and-forth decision to remain with the Los Angeles Clippers after initially verbally committing to the Dallas Mavericks.

With Jordan's official return to the Clippers, and with the Lakers recent trade for Roy Hibbert, the  Mavs moved swiftly to secure another big man, announcing today that they acquired veteran center Zaza Pachulia from the Milwaukee Bucks for a future second round pick.

Pachulia fills a major hole in the middle, defensively at least, after the team lost free agent center Tyson Chandler to the Phoenix Suns this offseason.

Pachulia (6-11, 270) was originally drafted 42nd overall by the Orlando Magic in the 2003 NBA Draft.  The 12-year veteran has played a total of 815 games (317 starts) for three teams (Orlando, Milwaukee and Atlanta). He has career averages of 7.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 21.0 minutes.

In 2014-15, he averaged 8.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 23.7 minutes in 73 games (45 starts) in his second stint with Milwaukee.

A native of Tbilisi, Georgia, Pachulia has played with the Georgian National Team seven times. He left Georgia in 1998 for Turkey to pursue his basketball career when he was 15 years old.  He appeared in 73 games during parts of four seasons for Ulker of Istanbul, the top level of Turkey, and averaged 6.0 points and 3.8 rebounds per game (1999-2003).  He helped Ulker win the Turkish National Championship in 2001.

Mavericks sign guard Wesley Matthews

In other Mavs news, the team announced that they have signed free agent guard Wesley Matthews.  Other outlets have reported that he received a max deal due to the extra money made available after Jordan spurned the team.

The signing is risky considering that Matthews is coming off a major Achilles tendon injury.  If healthy, he is an excellent perimeter defender who can also score as well.

Matthews (6-5, 220) is a six-year veteran with career averages of 14.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.1 steals and 32.2 minutes in 441 games (381 starts) with Utah and Portland. He has shot 44.3 percent from the field, 39.3 percent from 3-point range and 82.5 percent from the line for his career. Matthews is the Trail Blazers’ career leader in 3-point field goals made with 826.

Last year, Matthews averaged 15.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.3 steals and 33.7 minutes in 60 games (all starts) with Portland before suffering a torn left Achilles tendon that caused him to miss the remainder of the season.

The San Antonio, Texas, native played four seasons at Marquette where, as a senior, he averaged 18.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.2 steals in 35 games (35 starts) en route to earning second-team All-Big East honors. He went undrafted in the 2009 NBA Draft and signed with Utah as a rookie free agent.

Matthews is the son of Wesley Matthews Sr., a former NBA guard and two-time NBA champion with 1987 and 1988 Los Angeles Lakers.

By Staff of TheDailySportsHerald.com and news services