Lester Quinones, the former Memphis basketball player who had his period Thursday, has agreed to a reciprocal deal with the NBA champion Golden State Warriorsaccording to NBA insider Shams Charania.
Quinones, the 6-foot-5, 208-pound guard, of Brentwood, New York, followed former Tigers Jalen Duren and Josh Minott at the start of their professional career. Duren was the 13th overall pick, eventually landing with the Detroit pistons† Minott was the 45th overall selection by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
In three seasons with Memphis, Quinones averaged 10.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists. Last season, he helped Memphis to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2014. Quinones was also part of a roster that helped the Tigers win the National Invitation Tournament in 2021.
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the pluses
Quinones possesses a range of qualities that make him an attractive prospect.
Neck-and-neck for first on the list is his perimeter shooting and solid defense. Quinones shot 40% of 3-point land as a sophomore in 2020-21, followed by a 39% clip past the arc last season.
On the defensive side, Quinones routinely faced the opponent’s best player. He collected 82 steals in 87 games in his career and averaged 3.3 defensive rebounds per game over the past two seasons.
the worries
The explosiveness and overall athleticism Quinones displayed in Memphis left a little to be desired. Quinones was an above average 3-point shooter with a solid mid-range game. Most of Quinones’ scoring opportunities around the basket came on second chance runs.
Quinones also struggled to create his own shot and struggled with turnover (career 1.1 assist-to-turnover ratio).
Final Thoughts
In the right situation and with enough time to develop, Quinones has a chance to become a useful contributor.
His 3-point marksmanship alone is enough to give him a shot in the modern NBA.
Reach sportswriter Jason Munz at [email protected] or on Twitter @munzly.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Golden State Warriors Sign Lester Quinones of Memphis: Report