Over the coming weeks, 'Runnin' The Point' will be taking a look at every team's PG situation based on this year and offering an assessment, starting with non-playoff teams.
KEY NUMBER: 43 – The number of games Jamaal Tinsley will end up missing for the year if he sits out the remainder of the Pacers’ season (two games).
THE GOOD STUFF: 12 points and 8 assists a game for your starting PG is good, but not great. Over December and January, Tinsley averaged 13.5 points and 8.7 assists – who wouldn’t take that? Seriously, I’m having trouble writing three “good” sentences without having the temptation to use the words “gun possession” or “off-court incident” or “indiscretion.” Believe me, I tried.
THE BAD STUFF: I’ll focus on the court here. 52 games or less played in three of the past four seasons. Punch the numbers 38% FG, 28% 3-PT, and 72% FT into the computer and you get: Bad Shooter.
THE BACK-UP: Travis Diener, a poor man’s Steve Blake, emerged as the Pacers’ back-up PG and basically full-time starter (late-January to mid-March) in Tinsley’s absence. He’s played more games this year than he did in two years in Orlando, and he’s done a decent job. His stats (7 points, 3.8 assists) won’t make you rush to the computer to trade for him in your fantasy league, but he takes care of the ball, knows his limitations, and at the bargain basement price of $1.5 mill (seriously, that’s bargain basement) he’s a good guy to have around if others get hurt.
EVALUATION: OK, when healthy and (perhaps?) sane, Tinsley is a more-than-serviceable PG. Eight assists a game? Yeah, that’ll work. But here’s the thing: His attitude, off-court stuff, and general unpredictability in his seven NBA seasons makes him very hard to rely on for a full season. Sure, the talent is there, but like a lot of NBA guys “with talent,” sometimes the other stuff gets in the way and just flat-out doesn’t make it worthwhile. Tinsley is Exhibit A.
ALSO SEE: PG Evaluation Index
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