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A.J. Price: 'I Could See The Backup Guard Position Was In Need'

Early Tuesday afternoon, the Washington Wizards announced that they had signed free agent point guard A.J. Price. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Price played three years with the Indiana Pacers, who drafted him out of the University of Connecticut with the 52nd overall pick of the 2009 NBA Draft and renounced their rights to him earlier this month.

I was not devastated or down by any means," Price said on a media conference call Tuesday afternoon. "I felt comfortable with my performance [and] that some teams would be interested enough to make offers which they did.

"Looking at [Washington's] roster, I could see the backup point guard position was in need," Price went on. "I think I have an opportunity to come in and play, contribute right away. I know my role as a player in this league."

"A.J. is an experienced and dependable player who fits in well with the mix of proven veterans and young players we have on our roster," Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld said in a statement released by the team. "Adding him will help to bring depth to our backcourt rotation."

It is likely that Price will replace Shelvin Mack as the backup point guard to John Wall. Mack noticeably struggled while on the Wizards' summer league team earlier this month in Las Vegas.

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