Report: Grizzlies sign Tyrus Thomas to 10-day contract

Nearly two years since he lasted tasted NBA action, Tyrus Thomas is back.

The Memphis Grizzlies signed the former No. 4 pick to a 10-day contract on Tuesday, according to multiple reports. 

Thomas had been playing for the Iowa Stampede of the D-League in hopes of making a return to the NBA after not playing professionally last season. In two games with Idaho, Thomas scored 28 points with 15 rebounds and four blocks in 54 minutes.

That was obviously enough to intrigue the Grizzlies, who will now get a longer, relatively risk-free look at the 2013 amnesty clause casualty. Prior to being waived so the Charlotte Hornets nee-Bobcats could clear him from their books, Thomas' production has fallen off a great deal from its 2008-11 peak. Over those three seasons, Thomas averaged 10.3 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.7 blocks, providing serious energy at the power forward position.

Still just 28, Thomas told Marc Spears of Yahoo Sports at the D-League Showcase over the weekend that his return isn't about anything other than missing basketball:

The last two years I've just been miserable. I hate when people say, 'You're getting paid, so it's cool.' No, it's not (expletive) cool. I'm (expletive) miserable sitting at home.

I'm not broke. I'm not desperate for money. When playing basketball is what you love to do and you physically can't do it and you still have that urge to do it, it's tough.

Thomas also cited a confusing health issue that hurt his production late in his career, one that was ultimately diagnosed as a cyst on his spinal cord that needed to be surgically removed.

Should he able to make it back as an NBA regular, Thomas' would be another to add to the list of players aided in a comeback by the D-League, like Mike James, James Johnson and others before him.