DETROIT — When former University of Tennessee basketball player Jordan McRae was dealt to the Denver Nuggets at the NBA trade deadline, he was supposed to provide the Nuggets with depth and another shooter.
McRae, who was having a solid season with the Washington Wizards at the time of the trade, didn’t find much joy with the Nuggets, who are in a battle with the Los Angeles Lakers for the top playoff seed in the Western Conference.
He played just four games for the Nuggets and was placed on waivers.
But it didn’t take McRae long to find a new home as the Detroit Pistons claimed him off the waiver wire.
Like the Wizards, the Pistons are not in a playoff chase in the Eastern Conference, but McRae was impressive in his debut in the Motor City.
During warm-ups Wednesday night, his jersey was still being prepared and he was familiarizing himself with Little Caesars Arena.
But when he took the floor, he scored 15 points, dished out three assists and grabbed two rebounds in Detroit’s 114-107 loss to Oklahoma City.
The Pistons host Utah Saturday at 7 p.m.