DALLAS -- The Dallas Mavericks claimed veteran center Eddy Curry off of waivers.
"We are excited to bring Eddy Curry to Dallas," president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson said in a release. "He has worked extremely hard this offseason and can provide our front line with much needed depth."
The move gives the Mavericks 16 players on the active roster, one over the limit. A source said that guard Delonte West, who was suspended indefinitely Thursday for conduct detrimental to the team, will not return to the team.
The 7-foot, 295-pound Curry, 29, who was recently released by the San Antonio Spurs, was the fourth overall pick in the 2001 draft. He has career averages of 13.0 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. However, Curry's career has been derailed by weight issues, as he has played only 24 games since the beginning of the 2008-09 season.
Later Thursday, the Mavs also agreed to terms on non-guaranteed deals with a pair of veterans, swingman Chris Douglas-Roberts and center/forward Melvin Ely. They will evaluate Curry, Douglas-Roberts and Ely this weekend and will make a decision by Monday's deadline to trim the roster, with the resolution of their divorce with West also a factor.
The Mavs have a need for big men because the only two 7-footers on the roster are dealing with injury issues. Power forward Dirk Nowitzki will be sidelined for at least the first couple of weeks of the season while recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery. Center Chris Kaman has a strained right calf that puts his status for Tuesday's season opener in doubt.
