Suns sign former Jazzman Dee Brown

PHOENIX (AP) — The Phoenix Suns signed Dee Brown on Wednesday, ending their search for another backup point guard.

After a successful career at Illinois, Brown was drafted by Utah in the second round in 2006. He appeared in 49 regular-season games as a rookie for the Jazz. He played the 2007-08 season with a team in Turkey.

Brown appeared in 17 games, the last 11 as a starter, with Washington before being released two weeks ago to make room on the roster for trade acquisitions Mike James and Javaris Crittendon.

Brown was one of several potential signees who worked out with the team Monday. He is not expected to play much for Phoenix. Coach Terry Porter plans to continue to use Leandro Barbosa as a backup to Steve Nash, with rookie Goran Dragic also seeing some time at the position.

ALSO: Oft-injured guard Steve Francis was traded from the Houston Rockets to the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday for a conditional second-round draft pick in 2011.

The Grizzlies also receive a second-round pick for 2009 and cash. That pick originally belonged to Memphis; it was acquired by the Rockets during last year's draft, part of the deal that brought forward Donte Greene to Houston.