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Atkins Joins Memphis

After losing their starting point guard Damon Stoudamire for the rest of the season, the Grizzlies were looking to add a veteran point guard. Yesterday, their search came to an end after the team signed free agent Chucky Atkins. Last season with the Lakers, Atkins played and started in a career-high 82 games and posted career-high averages of 13.6 points, 2.4 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 35.4 minutes.

The 5-11, 185-pound guard holds career averages of 10.4 points, 1.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 481 games (252 starts). Atkins originally entered the league as a free agent with the Orlando Magic during the 1999-00 season and has also spent time with the Detroit Pistons (2000-04), Boston Celtics (2003-04) and the Los Angeles Lakers (2004-05).

He was also one of only five players in the NBA ranked in the top 35 in both assists per game and three-point field goal percentage. Atkins, now in his seventh NBA season, joins the Grizzlies after spending the first part of 2005-06 with the Washington Wizards. In 28 games with the Wizards, Atkins averaged 6.7 points and 2.5 assists in 19.7 minutes before Washington agreed to buyout the remainder of his contract on January 18.