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Thought this news would come earlier in the day, but I’m glad he’s inked.

Detroit News: AUBURN HILLS — As expected, veteran center Theo Ratliff cleared waivers at 2 p.m. and has signed a prorated $1.3 million contract to finish the season with the Pistons.

The only thing pending were the results of his physical, which he took at 3:30 p.m.

Ratliff will travel with the team to Boston, but won’t dress. He won’t be activated until Friday night when the Pistons play at New York. Most likely, he would replace Walter Herrmann on the active roster.

Depending on his health, the Pistons will consider bringing Ratliff back as their fifth big man next season.

Ratliff, 34, was drafted by the Pistons in 1995. He has only played 12 games the last two years because of knee and back injuries. By all accounts, he is healthy again. He played in nine games last month for the Timberwolves, averaging 6.3 points and 3.9 rebounds.

The Pistons (43-16) will be hosting the Supersonics (16-43) Tip off is 7:30 pm est from the Palace of Auburn Hills and will be televised locally on TV20 Detroit

Sonics’ Snapshot
Road record: 6-22
Vs. East: 9-14
Last game: 3/02 (Sat) W 111-108 @ Wolves
Last 10: 3-7
Last meeting: Nov 11th Pistons (107) @ Sonics (103)

The Sonics aren’t that good and no one is pretending that they are. They’re rebuilding with youth and they picked up two great prospects in June’s draft in Kevin Durant and Jeff Green. To the Sonics favor they do play hard (*cough* Miami Heat) and are capable of giving our guys a game and like Pistons.com warns with big match up with the Celtics around the corner the Pistons can’t sleep on Seattle (meaning they have to be Sleepless on Seattle? Hhaha) :

the first one back from a weeklong Western road swing with a nationally anticipated showdown at Boston looming 24 hours later. It adds up to the kind of game where Flip Saunders will use his bench liberally if the warning signs are there early.

The Pistons will have the services of All-Star PG Chauncey Billups who has taken care of the personal business that kept him out of the Clipper game. Theo Ratliff could join the Pistons today after clearing waivers.

ALSO SEE:

• mLive: Overlooking Seattle? Pistons must deal with Sonics before facing Celtics
• ESPN: Voters to decide on $121 million proposal to lure NBA to Oklahoma City
• Sonics.com: New flash-driven layout is mad noooiice. Step it up Pistons!


  Seattle PI: They may be heading out of town. And they may have one of the worst records in the NBA. But at least the Seattle Supersonics have a cool, new Web site. Today, the Sonics are introducing a new Flash-based Web site — developed in part by Cypress Consulting of Seattle — that features high resolution photos and video highlights of the team, the Sonics dancers and, of course, Squatch. Developed over the past nine months for more than $100,000, Supersonics.com offers a streamlined design that contrasts with text-heavy format of the old Web site. Gone are the heavy ticket promotions, box scores and news headlines, replaced by visually stimulating images of Kevin Durant and Nick Collison.