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The Golden State Warriors have signed free agent center Jermaine O’Neal to a contract, the team announced today.
Although 34 years old and clearly past his prime, O’Neal did nice things for the Phoenix Suns in very limited minutes last season. He appeared in 55 games (four starts), averaging 8.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.42 blocks in 18.7 minutes per contest, marking his highest scoring and rebounding averages since 2009-10. The 6’11” center recorded multiple blocked shots 24 times, including a season-high seven blocks on April 10 at Dallas, and his 1.42 blocks per game average would have ranked 15th in the NBA had he played in enough games to qualify. In 23 games when playing 20-or-more minutes last season, O’Neal averaged 11.9 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.91 blocks.
Originally selected out of high school at the age of 18 by the Portland Trail Blazers with the 17th overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft, O’Neal owns career averages of 13.4 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.84 blocks in 967 regular-season games (684 starts) over 17 seasons with the Blazers (1996-00), Indiana Pacers (2000-08), Toronto Raptors (2008-09), Miami Heat (2008-10), Boston Celtics (2010-12) and Phoenix Suns (2012-13). A six-time NBA All-Star (all with Indiana in six consecutive seasons from 2002-07), the Columbia, SC, native was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player in 2001-02 and is a three-time All-NBA selection, having earned Second Team honors in 2003-04 and Third Team recognition in 2001-02 and 2002-03. O’Neal, who currently ranks fifth among active NBA players in blocked shots (1,780), has appeared in the playoffs in 13 of his 17 NBA seasons, posting career playoff averages of 12.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.82 blocks in 90 postseason contests.
He will wear uniform #7.
