The Grizzlies made their first player transaction of the season today, and what a strange one it was. The team decided to waive second-year guard Tarence Kinsey, who seldom saw the court this year after being one of the bright spots of last year’s miserable season.
The team is expected to announce the signing of a bigger, stronger guard/small forward later today. For a team that continues to struggle on defense and has no solid individual defensive players, it was odd that Kinsey, who was lauded for being the closest thing the team had to a defensive stopper last season, was never really given a chance to show the new coaching staff what he could do in game action.
Kinsey appeared in just 11 games this season, averaging 3.6 points and 1.1 rebound in 14 minutes. Last year, the undrafted rookie out of South Carolina exploded on the scene when interim coach Tony Barone, Sr. took over. In March, when Mike Miller became injured, Kinsey was inserted in the starting lineup. In 12 starts, he averaged 18.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.4 steals a game.
Kinsey scored 20 or more points in eight of those games and led the Grizzlies in steals 16 times last season. For whatever reason, coach Marc Iavaroni insisted on playing Casey Jacobsen over Kinsey. Jacobsen, who was brought in for his outside shooting, is shooting less than 30 percent from 3-point range (.285) and 36.4 percent from the field (20 for 55).
Meanwhile, Kinsey made 4 of his 7 3-point attempts (42.9 percent) and in 182 less minutes than Jacobsen, he made 16 of 38 shots (42.1 percent) from the floor.
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Responses to “Tarence Kinsey waived”
December 18th, 2007 at 6:42 pm
odd move indeed. Is Jacobsen’s contract guaranteed? That is the only way I can see letting Kinsey go over someone else. they wouldn’t just let him go so he can sign on with someone else and make the court would they?
I like Ivaroni, but his insistence on playing Jacobsen is disappointing.
December 18th, 2007 at 9:08 pm
I’m on the fense as far as Ivaroni coaching decisions. He states that Kinsey, who can play defense, is too small (it’s good Detroit didn’t feel this way about Tayshaun Prince). He has also gone on record that Hak, who’s a great offensive player inside of 15 feet, (which the team needs)can’t play defense. Casey Jacobsen can’t do neither, but plays regularly. Could it be a “personal” decision rather than professional?
December 19th, 2007 at 12:52 pm
ITS A PERSONAL DECISION THAT GOING ON WITH THIS COACH HE’S BLIND TO SEE THE FACTS IF HE IS A NBA COACH SHOULD HE KNOW HIS TEAM THE PLAYER BETTER NO MATTER WHAT A PLAYER CHECK AMOUNT IS HE IS STILL A ROLE PLAYER NOT A TEAM CARRYIN STAR UG UMM(MIKE MILLER) CASEY HASENT PLAYED BBALL IN THE STATES FOR A REASON HE SUCKS!! DUH!! AND YOU PUT HIM OVER THE TEAMS BEST YEA ONE OF THE KEYS TO SUCCES T.KINSEY OH FOR EVERYONE INFO JERRY WEST WANTED HIM ON THE TEAM HE SIGNED HIM I BET 50 BUCKS HES GOING NUTS HEY MARC COULD YOU MAKE TO CHRISTMAS CUZ YOUR FIRED IN MY BOOK!!!!
December 31st, 2007 at 11:29 am
Tarence Kinsey
As good as Rudy Gay was, I’m not sure he was the most impressive Grizzlies player in the game. Instead, that might have been Tarence Kinsey, who scored 20 points on 7-10 shooting.
I’ve heard more than one local media person suggest in recent weeks that Kinsey’s play late last season might have been a mirage. Certainly, the per-game numbers Kinsey was putting up down the stretch last season shouldn’t be expected: It was partly the result of playing heavy minutes on a bad team with key players on the bench.
But, the panoply of skills Kinsey flashed was no fluke; it was the same skill set he’d displayed in the preseason, but with more confidence. Put simply, Kinsey just knows how to play. He’s got tremendous court sense — very good at getting his long arms and quick hands on the ball defensively and very good at finding space to get off shots on the offensive end. And though his shooting form isn’t exactly textbook, he’s got a soft touch.
Kinsey picked up right where he left off against China: knocking down catch-and-shoot threes, darting around picks with his dribble and pulling up to drain jumpers, pulling up for jumpers in transition, kissing a runner off the glass.
Defensively, the box score claims Kinsey only had two steals, but he must have deflected at least 10 balls: Hubie Brown would have adored this kid.
If Kinsey keeps his focus at this level, I don’t see how he doesn’t get major minutes next season.
Kinsey’s line: 20 points on 7-10 shooting. 2 boards, 1 assist, 2 steals. 31 minutes.
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