Free agent Jeff Teague says he will prioritize winning in choosing team

For the first nine seasons he was in the NBA, Jeff Teague went to the playoffs. In Atlanta, Indiana, and Minnesota, Teague’s teams made the postseason. The last two years — in Minnesota then Atlanta — he did not see the playoffs.

Teague is a free agent and told Michael Scotto of Hoopshype getting back on a winning team is his priority.

Honestly, I just want to go to a team where we’re playing to win. I want to win. Like you’ve said, I’ve been to the playoffs for the first nine years of my career. That’s all I know is winning, competing, and trying to get to that ultimate goal of a championship. That’s what I want to play for is to win. If that’s starting or coming off the bench, I just want to play a significant role in winning. That’s really it for me. I know if I get a chance to play and compete, I’m going to play well. I’m not really worried about an exact situation, or I need to be able to start or whatever. I just know if I can get on a team and we’re going to win, I’m going to help in any way, and I’ll affect us winning.

Teague is in the second tier of point guards available in free agency. Fred VanVleet and Goran Dragic are the big names on top of the board, but after that teams find a tier of potential backup point guards such as Teague, D.J. Augustin, Reggie Jackson, Shabazz Napier, or Cameron Payne. At age 32, Teague will not get a long or big contract, but there will be interest.

What Jeff Teague brings is veteran professionalism — he’s going to work hard, he’s going to be good in the locker room, he’s not going to be a headache for the coaches. He can shoot the three, and he can play off the ball (he did it a lot in Atlanta next to Trae Young). Teague averaged 10.9 points and 5.2 assists per game last season, and was solid overall. He’s going to compete. He is a quality backup point guard choice that should have his pick of a few destinations.

He says he’ll choose the destination where he thinks he can win.