Former NBA big man Al Jefferson has agreed to join the Xinjiang Flying Tigers of the Chinese basketball league, according to Zhang Duo. Jefferson spent last season with the last few seasons with the Indiana Pacers. The 33-year old big man spent 14 seasons in the NBA on five different teams.
Jefferson did not have a carved out role with the Pacers last season, averaging only seven points and four rebounds per game. His role diminished from backup center to unplayable veteran very quickly, with Myles Turner and Domontas Sabonis taking the primary time at the five.
Indiana will wind up eating $4 million of his $10 million salary next season. The Pacers handed Jefferson a three-year contract back in 2016, a year in which many bad contracts were being handed out.
If this is the end of the line for Jefferson in the NBA, his career would be categorized as underrated. He averaged double-digit points from 2006-2014 and a double-double in four different seasons. He spent time with Boston, Minnesota, Utah, Charlotte, and Indiana. Despite some solid numbers, Jefferson never made an All-Star team.
