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Crafty veteran point guard Jamaal Tinsley is back in the NBA.
The Utah Jazz announced today that the team has signed Tinsley, who we assume will be making the league minimum.
Tinsley (6-3, 188, Iowa State) has appeared in 539 games (399 starts) over 10 NBA seasons with Indiana, Memphis and Utah and owns career averages of 8.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.4 steals. The Brooklyn, N.Y., native re-joins Utah after having spent each of the last two seasons in a Jazz uniform, playing in a total of 103 games (33 starts) and averaging 3.6 points, 4.0 assists and 1.6 rebounds in 16.8 minutes per game during that span. Tinsley saw action in 66 games (32 starts) for the Jazz during the 2012-13 season, averaging 3.5 points, 4.4 assists, 1.7 rebounds and 1.0 steal in 18.5 minutes, his highest totals in every category (other than scoring) since 2007-08. He also ranked 18th (tied) in the NBA in assists-per-turnover rate at 2.74. As a starter, Tinsley posted a 20-12 record while averaging 4.8 points, 5.4 assists, 2.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 23.8 minutes.
The former Iowa State product was originally selected by the Vancouver Grizzlies in the first round (27th overall) of the 2001 NBA Draft. He has twice ranked in the NBA’s Top 10 in assists (2001-02, 2002-03) and steals (2002-03, 2006-07) and was a 2002 NBA All-Rookie Second Team selection. Tinsley was also the top overall pick in the 2011 NBA Development League Draft by the Los Angeles D-Fenders and appeared in eight games before signing with the Jazz prior to the 2011-12 season.
