Sioux Falls Skyforce Make Move With Maine Red Claws Before Deadline

The Sioux Falls Skyforce made one final move Friday before the NBA Development League trade deadline passed. The team acquired guard Curtis Jerrells and promptly traded him to the Maine Red Claws in exchange for center Chris Ayer.

Jerrells was in the San Antonio Spurs camp in 2009 before being allocated to the Austin Toros.  While with Austin, Jerrells averaged 20.7 points and 5.6 assists per game.  During the end of the 09-10 season, the San Antonio Spurs signed Jerrells for the last two months of the season, but did not officially appear in a game with the Spurs.  The New Orleans Hornets traded for the guard from Baylor before the start of the 2010 season, then released him near the end of training camp.  Jerrells has been playing in Europe for the past two and a half years.

Ayer averaged 6.8 points and 3.2 rebounds in 37 games with Maine this season after being acquired in a trade with the Reno Bighorns on Nov. 2. He holds NBA Development League career averages of 7.5 points and 3.9 rebounds in 119 games (35 starts) with five teams. His best season came in 2010-11 when he averaged 12.3 points and 5.8 rebounds in 20 games (six starts) with the Dakota Wizards. He averaged 5.7 points and 4.3 rebounds in four seasons (114 games) at Loyola Marymount University.  The 6-10, 250-pound center has been placed on the inactive list while the team is out west preparing to play Santa Cruz Friday night and Reno on Saturday.