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The injury-hit Washington Wizards have turned to Earl Boykins to bolster their depleted backcourt, signing the veteran guard on Wednesday.
Washington targeted Boykins to help them survive an injury crisis that has felled Randy Foye, Javaris Crittenton and Mike James in the backcourt alone.
Starting forward Antawn Jamison and swingman Mike Miller are also out with shoulder injuries.
And star guard Gilbert Arenas -- still recovering from three surgeries on the same knee that have wiped out most of his past two seasons -- strongly considered skipping Washington's loss Tuesday in Miami because of recent calf soreness before deciding to play at the last minute.
Boykins, 33, has been eager to return to the NBA after the 5-foot-5 speedster spent last season in Europe playing for Virtus Bologna in Italy's top division.
He averaged nearly 15 points per game last season in Italy and will be joining his ninth NBA team. He's the second-shortest player in NBA history, behind only 5-foor-3 Muggsy Bogues, who was drafted by Washington in 1987 and played one season for the then-Bullets in a 14-year career.
Boykins was one of 11 established NBA players to sign with European teams in summer 2008 and one of the most successful from that group in his Bologna stay. He last appeared in an NBA game with Charlotte, playing the second half of the 2007-08 season, averaging just 5.1 points in 36 games and shooting less than 40 percent from the floor.
He first established himself as a full-time NBA player with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2001-02. His best offensive year was in 2006-07, when he was with Denver and Milwaukee and averaged nearly 15 points a game.
In a related move, the Wizards waived center Paul Davis. He averaged 2.5 points and 1.5 assists in two appearances for Washington this season.
Washington targeted Boykins to help them survive an injury crisis that has felled Randy Foye, Javaris Crittenton and Mike James in the backcourt alone.
Starting forward Antawn Jamison and swingman Mike Miller are also out with shoulder injuries.
And star guard Gilbert Arenas -- still recovering from three surgeries on the same knee that have wiped out most of his past two seasons -- strongly considered skipping Washington's loss Tuesday in Miami because of recent calf soreness before deciding to play at the last minute.
Boykins, 33, has been eager to return to the NBA after the 5-foot-5 speedster spent last season in Europe playing for Virtus Bologna in Italy's top division.
He averaged nearly 15 points per game last season in Italy and will be joining his ninth NBA team. He's the second-shortest player in NBA history, behind only 5-foor-3 Muggsy Bogues, who was drafted by Washington in 1987 and played one season for the then-Bullets in a 14-year career.
Boykins was one of 11 established NBA players to sign with European teams in summer 2008 and one of the most successful from that group in his Bologna stay. He last appeared in an NBA game with Charlotte, playing the second half of the 2007-08 season, averaging just 5.1 points in 36 games and shooting less than 40 percent from the floor.
He first established himself as a full-time NBA player with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2001-02. His best offensive year was in 2006-07, when he was with Denver and Milwaukee and averaged nearly 15 points a game.
In a related move, the Wizards waived center Paul Davis. He averaged 2.5 points and 1.5 assists in two appearances for Washington this season.
