DETROIT — The Detroit Pistons acquired point guard Carlos Arroyo from Utah on Friday in a trade that sent center Elden Campbell and a first-round pick after 2006 to the Jazz.
The 6-foot-2 Arroyo will provide depth behind Chauncey Billups and will allow Lindsey Hunter — in his 12th NBA season — to play fewer minutes. Arroyo started 71 games and averaged 12.6 points and 5.0 assists last season for the Jazz, but his role diminished this season despite signing a new contract on July 14. He started 16 of 30 games and averaged 8.2 points and 5.1 rebounds.
"We're excited to add him to our team, because we think Carlos adds great flexibility to our backcourt," said Joe Dumars, Detroit's president of basketball operations.
Though Arroyo has three years and about $12 million left on his contract after this season, Dumars said his deal will not play a factor in the Pistons' hopes of re-signing Ben Wallace and Tayshaun Prince in the future.
Campbell, 36, helped the Pistons win the NBA title over the Los Angeles Lakers last season by slowing down Shaquille O'Neal. But he played in just 21 games this season because of Detroit's three-player frontcourt rotation of Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace and Antonio McDyess.
One beneficiary of the trade could be Darko Milicic, who moves up in the big-man rotation with Campbell departing. Milicic, who was drafted second overall in 2003, spent most of his rookie season watching from the bench and had been doing the same this season.
By acquiring Campbell, the Jazz will clear salary-cap space this summer. He signed a two-year, $8.4 million contract with the Pistons before the 2003-04 season.
The 7-footer has averaged 10.5 points and 5.9 rebounds in his career, which started with the Lakers in 1990.
Arroyo, who was not drafted, began his career in Toronto and Denver during the 2001-02 season. The Puerto Rico native's career averages are 7.6 points and 3.5 assists.