Utah Jazz notebook: Jazz reportedly add Jamaal Tinsley, Earl Watson still in play

SALT LAKE CITY — It won't rock the basketball world like Chris Paul's stunning on-and-off trade to the Los Angeles Lakers.

But free agent Jamaal Tinsley has emerged as a potential backup point guard for the Utah Jazz.

Tinsley "agreed to terms" with Utah on Thursday, according to TNT/NBA.com reporter David Aldridge.

However, the Jazz, who've traditionally carried three point guards, could still bring back veteran playmaker Earl Watson for a second season in Utah.

The Jazz and Watson "are talking seriously" and will continue to do so Friday when a decision on his future team is expected to be finalized, a source told the Deseret News.

Watson was reported Wednesday to be leaning toward signing with Atlanta, but he later denied that he'd made a decision yet.

Adding more intrigue to the search for Devin Harris' backup(s), the Jazz have reportedly invited a former Utah player, Keith McLeod, to participate in fall camp, according to HoopsHype.com.

The 6-foot-2 McLeod played for the Jazz from 2004-06, but hasn't been in the NBA since 2006-07 when he split time between Golden State and Indiana.

Tinsley is a 33-year-old point guard who most recently played with Memphis in 2009-10.

The 6-foot-3 playmaker averaged 9.8 points, 6.6 assists and 39.5 percent shooting from the field in eight NBA seasons with Indiana and Memphis.

Hoping to work his way back into the NBA, Tinsley was this year's No. 1 pick of the D-League Draft by the Los Angeles D-Fenders. In nine games, he averaged 9.9 points, 7.6 assists and 31.4 percent shooting.

Jazz power forward Paul Millsap's brother, Elijah, was his teammate in L.A.

Tinsley made the news for several off-the-court incidents with Indiana.

One time, he was shot at with an automatic weapon. Another time, he was with Stephen Jackson when he fired a gun outside of a strip club. And Tinsley avoided going to trial but was put on probation after charges were dropped over his involvement in a 2007 bar fight.

Counting their two rookies, the Jazz currently have 11 players on their roster — two shy of minimum required. Free agents can sign beginning at noon and can attend the camps that start Friday.

Veteran Ronnie Price, who played in Utah the past four years, also remains available.

NEW HIRE: The Utah Jazz have officially hired Mike Sanders as the team's manager of player development.

The 11-year NBA swing player logged stints as an assistant and scout with three different teams in the league. A 6-foot-6 guard-forward, Sanders will help tutor the Jazz bigs, including EnesKanter and Derrick Favors.

Sanders most recently worked for the D-League's Fort Wayne Mad Ants as an assistant coach in 2010-11.

Sanders has ties to the Jazz organization. He was on the 1980 UCLA NCAA runner-up team, which general manager Kevin O'Connor helped coach as an assistant.

Six years later, Sanders became current Jazz assistant Jeff Hornacek's teammate with the Suns. They played together from 1986-88 until Sanders and Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin swapped teams (Cleveland and Phoenix) in a trade.

The 51-year-old began his coaching career in 1998 as an assistant with the Wisconsin Blast of the International Basketball Association. He's also coached for the IBA's Black Hills Gold, the United StatesBasketball League's Washington Congressionals, the D-League's AshevilleAltitude, USBL's Adirondack Wildcats along with the Pistons, Bucks and Bobcats in the NBA.

UNIFORM UNVEILING: The Jazz will display their alternate third uniform Friday at an EnergySolutions Arena open house from noon-2 p.m. Fans who attend the event will receive a free T-shirt, hot dog and drink.

Email: jody@desnews.com

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