The Chicago Bulls announced today that the team has signed free agent forward Joe Smith to a contract. Per team policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.

?We are pleased to have signed Joe Smith.  He is a proven veteran, whose style of play matches ours,? said Bulls Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations John Paxson.  ?We look for him to come in and play his game, and at the same time, help our team improve upon last season.?

Smith (6-10, 225), 31, is a 12-year NBA veteran and has played in Golden State, Philadelphia (twice), Minnesota (twice), Detroit, Milwaukee and Denver.  The overall No. 1 pick out of Maryland in the 1995 NBA Draft, he has played in 816 regular season contests (576 starts) and posted career averages of 12.1 ppg, 7.0 rpg and 1.1 apg in 28.8 mpg.  For his career, he has shot .454 from the field and .794 from the line.