Boris Diaw, Spurs reportedly agree on contract

Veteran forward Boris Diaw and the San Antonio Spurs have agreed on a deal, according to Yahoo! Sports.

The Spurs coveted Diaw, bought out earlier this month by the Charlotte Bobcats, because he can play several positions and should be able to provide some frontcourt depth. He is also close friends with point guard Tony Parker, as the two have played together on the French national team. Parker had lobbied the Spurs to sign Diaw, according to the San Antonio Express-News.

Diaw started a franchise-record 258 games for the Bobcats but fell out of favor with coach Paul Silas this season and was benched before his departure. Diaw also struggled with fitness issues and played in just two of his final nine games as a Bobcat.

“I like a player who is really committed to not only the team but to himself and then doing the best he can as a player,’’ Silas said before Charlotte’s March 7 home loss to the Utah Jazz. “Some of the things that would go on, like not shooting the ball, passing all of the time (were unacceptable). ...

“I needed hoops and he could put the ball in the hoop. When that wouldn’t happen it was very disturbing. I think if he had played all out, the way he should have, it would have been a much, much better club.”

This is Diaw’s 10th season in the NBA, and he has career averages of 9.6 points and 4.9 rebounds per game.

San Antonio is 30-14, trailing Oklahoma City by 3½ games for top seed in the Western Conference. The Spurs have already added forward Stephen Jackson and point guard Patty Mills for the stretch run.