Memphis Grizzlies President of Basketball Operations Jerry West announced today the team has signed free agent guard Chucky Atkins to a contract.  Per team policy, terms of the deal were not released. He will join the team today in Miami.  

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.

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.  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.

?Chucky is a veteran point guard, and he fills our need [with Damon?s injury] for an added leader in the backcourt,? said West.  ?He will be a great addition to our team, and we are happy he was available and eager  to come to Memphis.?