Category: Memphis Grizzlies Blog

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Grizzlies get much-needed win, beat Lakers

The Grizzlies on Sunday outscored the Lakers by 11 points in the 4th quarter to leave Los Angeles with a 107-99 win. Rookie Jaren Jackson Jr. did big things in the win. Here’s the Los Angeles Times reporting:

Jackson finished with 27 points while Marc Gasol and Conley each scored 17 for the Grizzlies.

Lebron James led the Lakers with 22 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists. Ivica Zubac added 19 points and Brandon Ingram had 20.

Although center JaVale McGee was cleared to play, the Lakers held him out for one more game as he recovers from an illness that eventually became pneumonia. McGee played against the Charlotte Hornets on Dec. 15 after he began to feel ill, then missed the Lakers’ next three games.

The Lakers are now 19-14 this season, which puts them in a three-way tie for the 4th best record in the Western conference. The Grizzlies are now 17-16, which is the 10th best record in the West — yet they are just 5.5 games out of first place. Because that’s how close the West is this season.

Full article

Gone from Knicks, Joakim Noah signs with Grizzlies

The Memphis Grizzlies have signed center Joakim Noah for the remainder of the season.

The team is 13-9 so far this season. Noah will provide depth off the bench.

Noah (6-11, 230) was named the 2013-14 NBA Defensive Player of the Year, was selected to the 2013-14 All-NBA First Team and finished fourth in the Most Valuable Player voting after setting career highs with averages of 12.6 points, 11.3 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.24 steals for the Bulls that season. His career highlights also include two consecutive NBA All-Star appearances (2013, 2014), three NBA All-Defensive honors (Second Team in 2011, First Team in 2013 and 2014) and the 2015 J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award.

According to the Memphis Commercial Appeal, “Noah, a 33-year-old center, will sign a one-year, minimum salary contract worth $1.73 million after undergoing a team physical, a source confirmed.”

The 33-year-old has appeared in 625 games (511 starts) since he was selected ninth overall in the 2007 NBA Draft and has averaged 8.9 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.35 blocks in 28.6 minutes over 11 NBA seasons with the Chicago Bulls (2007-16) and New York Knicks (2016-18). He has recorded 192 double-doubles and seven triple-doubles in his regular season career. Noah also has started all 60 of his playoff games and has averaged 9.7 points, 11.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.77 blocks in 35.0 minutes.

More from the Commercial Appeal: “The Knicks waived Noah in October using the stretch provision to unload the remainder of a four-year, $72 million deal he signed with the team in the summer of 2016.”

Born in Manhattan, Noah played three seasons at the University of Florida (2004-07), where he was a member of two NCAA Championship teams (2006, 2007).

Noah will wear #55 for the Grizzlies.

Grizzlies 5-0 at home so far this season

Grizzlies 5-0 at home so far this season

The Grizzlies were not on on the national radar entering this season. Which was understandable. There was no reason for them to be. Mike Conley and Marc Gasol are both over 30 years old. The rest of the roster is filled with youth or role players. But they’ve earned some attention, thanks to a 5-0 home record, and a 7-4 overall record which ties them with the Spurs for the 6th best win-loss percentage in the league. The season is still young — it began four weeks from tomorrow — but for now, this squad deserves real respect. Here’s the Memphis Commercial Appeal reporting on that along with a look at home attendance:

Entering Monday night’s game against the Jazz in Memphis, the Grizzlies are 5-0 at FedExForum, making them the last team in the Western Conference undefeated at home…

The 5-0 home start is the second-best in franchise history, trailing only the 2014-15 team’s 8-0 home start. Memphis started 13-2 overall that year. Crowds of 17,000 or more packed FedExForum for six of the eight games that were part of the prolific beginning to a 55-27 season…

Just one crowd of 17,000 saw one of the team’s first five home games this year, and that was for the home-opener against Atlanta when Chandler Parsons purchased 1,000 tickets to give away for free…

The Grizzlies are averaging 88.1 percent of FedExForum’s 18,119 capacity.

— Full Article

Grizzlies waive Andrew Harrison

Grizzlies waive Andrew Harrison

The Memphis Grizzlies waived guard Andrew Harrison, according to Chris Wallace, the team’s General Manager.

Harrison (6-6, 213) appeared in 129 games (64 starts) over three seasons with the Grizzlies and averaged 7.4 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 21.7 minutes. The 24-year-old University of Kentucky product registered two points in five minutes in his lone appearance this season on Oct. 27 vs. Phoenix.

Grizzlies waive Brandon Goodwin, Markel Crawford and Doral Moore

The Memphis Grizzlies have waived guards Brandon Goodwin and Markel Crawford, and center Doral Moore.

The Grizzlies’ roster stands at 17 players, including two-way players D.J. Stephens and Yuta Watanabe, who will be eligible to play for both the Grizzlies and Memphis Hustle, the Grizzlies’ NBA G League affiliate.

Crawford (6-4, 210) competed in five preseason games and averaged 0.4 points and 0.8 rebounds in 5.8 minutes after he was signed by Memphis on August 15.

Goodwin (6-2, 180) appeared in four preseason games and averaged 3.3 points in 5.8 minutes after signing with the Grizzlies on September 4.

Moore (7-1, 280) saw action in three preseason games and averaged 3.0 points and 1.3 rebounds in 4.6 minutes after he was signed by Memphis on August 30.

Grizzlies sign D.J. Stephens, waive Ismaila Kane

Grizzlies sign D.J. Stephens, waive Ismaila Kane

The Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday signed guard/forward D.J. Stephens to a two-way contract and waived forward Ismaila Kane.

Stephens (6-5, 188) played professionally last season in France, where he competed in 46 games (nine starts) and averaged 9.2 points and 3.7 rebounds in 21.3 minutes to help guide Le Mans Sarthe Basket to the French LNB Pro A championship and earn the league’s Sixth Man of the Year Award. Most recently, he appeared in seven games for the Grizzlies during MGM Resorts NBA Summer League 2018 in Las Vegas, his second summer league stint with the Grizzlies.

The 27-year-old saw action in three NBA regular season games for the Milwaukee Bucks during the 2013-14 season and split the 2015-16 season with the NBA G League’s Canton Charge and Iowa Energy (now Wolves). He holds NBA G League career averages of 10.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.03 steals and 1.26 blocks in 24.0 minutes in 38 games (29 starts). Stephens was named the NBA G League Performer of the Week on March 28, 2016 and competed in the 2016 Slam Dunk Contest as part of 2016 NBA G League All-Star Weekend.

Stephens went unselected in the 2013 NBA Draft following a four-year collegiate career at the University of Memphis, where he was named the 2012-13 Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year as a senior. The Killeen, Texas native also has played professionally in Ukraine (2016-17), Puerto Rico (2016-17), Russia (2014-15), Greece (2013-14) and Turkey (2013-14).

Kane (6-9, 200) was signed by the Grizzlies on September 24 and made one preseason appearance, logging two minutes on October 5 vs. Atlanta. The Senegal native went unselected in the 2018 NBA Draft after playing 13 games last season for Atlanta Metropolitan of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).

Grizzlies sign Ismaila Kane

Grizzlies sign Ismaila Kane

The Memphis Grizzlies signed forward Ismaila Kane today.

The signing is probably a non-guaranteed deal that merely brings Kane to Grizzlies training camp.

Kane (6-9, 200) appeared in 13 games last season for Atlanta Metropolitan of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and averaged 14.3 points, 11.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.69 blocks. The Senegalese native went unselected in the 2018 NBA Draft.

Grizzlies making use of G League affiliate

Here’s the Memphis Commercial Appeal reporting on the Grizzlies and the advantages that come with having their own G League team. Of course, most NBA teams have this luxury now. But different teams are using their G League affiliates to different extents. As for the Grizzlies:

Additionally, the close-proximity model seen with the Grizzlies and the Hustle is becoming the norm. Grizzlies officials have lauded the geographical improvement. The Atlanta Hawks purchased the Erie BayHawks last year, and will move the team from Pennsylvania to College Park in Atlanta beginning next season. The Kings moved their affiliate to nearby Stockton, California, the Magic have a team in Lakeland, Florida, and the Clippers now have a G-League team in Ontario, less than an hour from Staples Center.

Amid a disappointing last season, the Grizzlies were able to make expedited use of two-way players Kobi Simmons and Myke Henry because of the Hustle’s location. Simmons ended up playing more games for the Grizzlies than the Hustle. All of this certainly bodes well for new two-way signing Yuta Watanabe, and it could potentially be helpful for other players.

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On Memphis Grizzlies training camp

The vast majority of NBA training camps have a similar structure. For a quick overview on Grizzlies camp, which like the rest of the league opens later this month, here’s the Memphis Commercial Appeal:

The Memphis Grizzlies will kick off training camp on Sept. 25 in Memphis.

Camp will be held inside FedExForum for the third straight year after being held away from Memphis from 2013-15.

The team’s annual media day is set for Sept. 24, and training camp will run until Sept. 28. On Sept. 29, the Grizzlies will hold an open practice and scrimmage at FedExForum, which will be free to the general public. Fans in attendance will receive vouchers for a Grizzlies preseason game and a Memphis Hustle regular-season game.

Full article

Grizzlies waive Dakari Johnson

Grizzlies waive Dakari Johnson

The Memphis Grizzlies waived center Dakari Johnson today.

Johnson (7-0, 255) appeared in 31 games (six starts) last season as a rookie for the Oklahoma City Thunder and averaged 1.8 points and 1.1 rebounds in 5.2 minutes. He was acquired by the Grizzlies from the Orlando Magic on July 23, 2018.

The 22-year-old New York native was selected the Thunder with the 48th overall pick in the second round of the 2015 NBA Draft following his sophomore season at the University of Kentucky. He has played three seasons in the NBA G League for the Oklahoma City Blue.