http://www.jsonline.com/sports/buck/aug05/349352.asp Bucks acquire former Michigan State guard Bell He spent last season in top Spanish league Posted: Aug. 18, 2005 Another piece in the Milwaukee Bucks backcourt was put in place Thursday as the team signed 26-year-old free agent guard Charlie Bell to a two-year contract. The former Michigan State star was added to provide insurance at both guard positions, according to Bucks general manager Larry Harris. Bell, 6-foot-3, 203-pounds, averaged 27 points per game last season for Rio Leche in the top Spanish league, leading the league in scoring. Bell is expected to be used primarily at the point guard spot, along with T.J. Ford and Mo Williams. Ford, the eighth overall pick in the 2003 NBA draft, is returning from a spinal cord injury that kept him out all of last season. The 22-year-old Williams is entering his third professional season and second with the Bucks. Bell also could help if needed at the shooting guard position behind Michael Redd, Desmond Mason and Jiri Welsch. "You need three ball-handling guards," Harris said Thursday. "You surely have to make sure you're covered if something were to happen. And we think we could play Jiri at the one (point guard spot) against some lineups." Bell signed a two-year deal worth $1.4 million, according to his agent, Mark Bartelstein. "We're excited about it. It's a great opportunity for him," Bartelstein said. "The Bucks have done some terrific things this summer." Bartelstein also represents guard-forward Bobby Simmons, who signed a five-year , $47 million deal with Milwaukee on Aug. 8. Bell is playing for the U.S. men's World Championship qualifying team. In five international games played in Brazil this month, Bell averaged a team-high 17.4 points while adding 2.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists. He will play for the U.S. team in the FIBA Americas World Championship qualifying tournament, scheduled Wednesday through Sept. 4 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Bell was impressive when he participated in the Bucks' free-agent camp in June. "We like his toughness and his ability to defend," Harris said. "He's a little bigger guard than we have at the point guard position, and he has that defensive mentality." Bell went undrafted out of Michigan State in 2001, and he played in seven games with the Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks during the 2001-'02 season before heading to Europe. He played three years in Italy and was the top scorer in the Italian league in 2003-'04, averaging 25.5 points for Livorno. "He's a guy who definitely has gotten better since he left college," Harris said. If Ford is able to continue his steady comeback and stay healthy this season, Harris believes the team will have a much improved point guard rotation. "Every team needs depth at the point guard position," Harris said. "Mike James played well for us until he was traded (in February). And Mo's development is nothing but a bonus for us at this point. He established himself as a guy who can start at that position. "If anything with T.J. took him a while, we would not hesitate to use Mo as the starter." Harris indicated he hoped to sign second-round draft pick Ersan Ilyasova in the next four or five days and a reserve center sometime next week. After waiving Calvin Booth under the league's amnesty provision this week, the Bucks are seeking a center to back up No. 1 draft pick Andrew Bogut and 6-11 veteran Dan Gadzuric, who recently signed a six-year, $36 million deal. --

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