87ers sign former NBA all-star Baron Davis

The Delaware 87ers are taking a look at Baron Davis.

The former NBA all-star point guard signed and practiced with the 76ers' NBA Development League affiliate on Wednesday. Davis, 36, is scheduled to play for the Sevens on Friday in a home game against Iowa.

Davis has not played since he tore the anterior cruciate ligament, medial collateral ligament, and patellar tendon in his right knee as a New York Knick in 2012. The two-time NBA all-star, who signed with the D-League in January, has been working on his fitness in an attempt to make a comeback.

The Charlotte Hornets selected Davis out of UCLA with third overall pick in the 1999 NBA draft. He has averaged 16.1 points, 7.2 assists, and 3.8 rebounds over a 13-year career with Charlotte, New Orleans, Golden State, the Los Angeles Clippers, Cleveland, and the Knicks.

"When he reached out, I thought this is a good opportunity to see what he's got," said Brandon Williams, the Sixers chief of staff and Sevens general manager. "I know a lot of people are scared to experiment the way that we are. It's low-risk.

"There's a lot of value with Baron being next to a [Sevens point guard] Russ Smith, next to coach [Kevin] Young, [assistant] John Bryant.  A lot of those guys never been able to play or coach that level of talent. So it's really and win-win."

The Sixers still plan to be cautious not to rush him back or have unrealistic expectations due to his layoff.

During training camp in September, coach Brett Brown said he felt stronger about the Sixers' talent compared with his his first two seasons.

He was asked Wednesday if he would still say that.

"No, I wouldn't," said Brown, a former longtime assistant with the San Antonio Spurs. "I think the youthful side of it caught [him off guard]. This is my 15th year doing this. It even caught me off guard - the magnitude of the young players that we have and how long it's taken to educate."

He added that the pairing of twin towers Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor has been far more difficult and far more of a challenge than he anticipated.

Brown also mentioned having to start the season with Isaiah Canaan as his starting point guard when he's more of an undersize shooting guard. He also had to rely heavily on point guard T.J. McConnell, an undrafted rookie, early on while waiting for Tony Wroten and Kendall Marshall to return from right knee injuries.

"We didn't understand the ramifications of those things," Brown said, "and it did catch us off guard. We lost some close games. All those things I think is how I see it equaling where we are now."