Tayshaun Prince to be hired to front office role with Memphis Grizzlies
By Duncan Smith
Tayshaun Prince is finally getting back into the league. The former NBA champion with the Detroit Pistons will reportedly be hired by the Memphis Grizzlies.
Tayshaun Prince has been wanting to get back into the NBA since his contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves expired at the end of the 2015-16 season. The former Detroit Pistons’ champion had been holding out hope that his return could be as a player, but thanks to the Memphis Grizzlies he’s reportedly getting the next best thing.
According to the Commercial Appeal, the Grizzlies will be hiring him as a special assistant to general manager Chris Wallace. He’ll be returning to the team he spent parts of three seasons with. As for his new role, specific duties that come with this position are yet unknown.
Prince played the first 10 years of his career with the Pistons, and was traded to the Grizzlies (along with Austin Daye) in his 11th season in 2012-13 as part of a three-team deal that brought Jose Calderon to Detroit.
He was in Memphis until 2015, when he was trade to Boston, and then quickly trade again to the Pistons, who didn’t re-sign him when his contract expired at the end of 2014-15.
His former Memphis Grizzlies spoke about their time together:
"“He’s a good friend and a great locker room guy,” swingman Tony Allen said. “He’s a class A-1 guy. He knows how things are supposed to be run. He’s a champion.”Said Quincy Pondexter, who replaced Prince as the starter at small forward during the 2014-15 season: “He’s being a great veteran, teaching and trying to feel things out like the rest of us.”"
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Prince played 792 games for the Detroit Pistons over the course of his career. He averaged 12.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists.