Memphis Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today the team has signed free agent forward/center Darko Milicic to a contract.  Per team policy, financial terms of the deal are not disclosed.

Milicic, a four-year NBA veteran, joins the Grizzlies after playing for the Orlando Magic for the past season and a half where he averaged 7.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.84 blocks in 23.1 minutes per game in 110 total games (17 starts).  Last season with the Magic (2006-07), he averaged career bests in almost every statistical category including  points (8.0),  rebounds (5.5),  assists (1.1) and  blocks (1.75) in 23.9 minutes per game. In Orlando's first round playoff series against Detroit, Milicic averaged 12.3 points and 4.5 rebounds in 28.8 minutes per game (four games).

"We are pleased that Darko Milicic has become a Grizzly," said Wallace. "Darko is just 22 years old but already has been in the NBA for four seasons. He has been blessed with tremendous basketball skills, excellent size and impressive athletic ability. In Detroit he was exposed to a championship organization, and in Orlando he practiced alongside a great big man in Dwight Howard and received significant playing time as well as playoff experience. In Memphis, he will play for Marc Iavaroni who is recognized as one of the premier teachers of big men in the game. Darko is poised to take a major step in his career and Memphis is the perfect place for him to blossom."