Memphis Grizzlies Blog – Page 2 – NBA Blog

Grizzlies sign Colin Castleton to two-way contract

The Memphis Grizzlies have signed center Colin Castleton to a two-way contract.

Castleton (6-11, 250) spent his rookie 2023-24 campaign as a two-way player for the Los Angeles Lakers after going unselected in the 2023 NBA Draft. He competed in 24 games (23 starts) for the South Bay Lakers during the NBA G League Showcase Cup and regular season and averaged 16.4 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.5 blocks in 28.8 minutes while shooting 57.4 percent from the field. He posted 14 double-doubles.

The 24-year-old also made 16 appearances during the NBA regular season and averaged 1.5 points in 3.7 minutes. He was waived by the Lakers on October 19.

Castleton earned 2022-23 All-SEC First Team and 2022-23 All-SEC Defensive Team honors during his final year at Florida, where he led the conference and ranked third in the NCAA with 3.0 blocks.

Grizzlies sign Jay Huff to a multi-year contract

The Memphis Grizzlies recently signed center Jay Huff to a multi-year contract.

Huff (7-1, 240) has appeared in three games as a reserve this season and has averaged 13.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in 19.0 minutes while shooting 63.6 percent overall and 57.1 percent from 3-point range after signing a two-way contract with the Grizzlies on July 24.

Unselected in the 2021 NBA Draft, Huff has competed in 34 games off the bench and has averaged 3.3 points and 1.4 rebounds in 6.5 minutes for the Grizzlies, Denver Nuggets, Washington Wizards and Los Angeles Lakers following a four-year collegiate career at Virginia, where he was a member of the Cavaliers’ 2019 NCAA championship team.

The 27-year-old also has played 100 NBA G League Showcase Cup and regular season games for the Grand Rapids Gold, Capital City Go-Go and South Bay Lakers. During the 2022-23 season, he was named the NBA G League Defensive Player of the Year and was selected to the All-NBA G League First Team and NBA G League All-Defensive First Team with Capital City.

Grizzlies convert contract of Yuki Kawamura to a two-way contract

The Memphis Grizzlies yesterday promoted the contract of guard Yuki Kawamura to a two-way contract.

Kawamura (5-8, 159) appeared in all five preseason games as a reserve for the Grizzlies and averaged 3.4 points and 4.2 assists in 15.1 minutes after initially signing with Memphis on September 6.

Unselected in the 2023 NBA Draft, Kawamura has competed the past five seasons (2019-24) in the Japanese B.League, where he was named the 2022-23 Most Valuable Player with the Yokohama B-Corsairs. The 23-year-old started all 56 games for Yokohama last season and averaged 20.9 points and 8.0 assists in 30.6 minutes to earn a second straight selection to the B.League’s Best Five team.

Kawamura has represented Japan at the 2023 FIBA World Cup and 2024 Paris Olympics, where he totaled 29 points, seven rebounds and six assists to help Japan take France to overtime on July 30.

Grizzlies sign Miles Norris, waive David Johnson

The Memphis Grizzlies recently signed forward Miles Norris.

In a related move, the Grizzlies waived guard David Johnson.

Norris (6-10, 220) appeared in 45 showcase and regular season games (43 starts) last season for the NBA G League’s College Park Skyhawks and averaged 11.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.0 steals in 29.2 minutes. Undrafted in the 2023 NBA Draft, the 24-year-old played his final three collegiate seasons at UC Santa Barbara, where he was selected to the 2022-23 All-Big West Second Team as a senior.

Johnson (6-4, 203), who signed with the Grizzlies earlier today, appeared in 24 showcase and regular season games (nine starts) last season for the Grizzlies’ NBA G League affiliate, the Memphis Hustle, and averaged 17.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.0 steals in 26.6 minutes. The 23-year-old Louisville product also has competed for the Toronto Raptors and Raptors 905 since he was selected 47th overall in the 2021 NBA Draft.

Grizzlies sign David Johnson

The Memphis Grizzlies recently signed guard David Johnson.

Johnson (6-4, 203) appeared in 24 showcase and regular season games (nine starts) last season for the Grizzlies’ NBA G League affiliate, the Memphis Hustle, and averaged 17.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.0 steals in 26.6 minutes.

The 23-year-old competed in two NBA regular season games for the Toronto Raptors during the 2021-22 season and has made 97 NBA G League appearances over three seasons with the Hustle and Raptors 905 since he was selected by Toronto 47th overall in the 2021 NBA Draft out of Louisville.

Grizzlies sign Scotty Pippen Jr.

The Memphis Grizzlies recently signed guard Scotty Pippen Jr. to a multi-year contract.

Pippen Jr. (6-1 ½, 190) appeared in 21 games (16 starts) and averaged 12.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.7 steals in 25.1 minutes while shooting 49.3 percent from the field and 41.7 percent from 3-point range with the Grizzlies last season after he was signed to a two-way contract on January 16, 2024. He was named to the 2024 NBA2K All-Summer League First Team in July.

The 23-year-old, who made six appearances for the Los Angeles Lakers as a rookie during the 2022-23 season, competed in 24 regular season games (seven starts) over two seasons with the NBA G League’s South Bay Lakers and averaged 20.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 1.8 steals in 28.5 minutes. He was selected to participate in the 2023 Jordan Rising Stars Game as part of NBA All-Star Weekend.

Unselected in the 2022 NBA Draft, Pippen Jr. played three years at Vanderbilt, where he was named All-SEC First Team following his sophomore and junior campaigns.

Grizzlies to retire No. 9 jersey of Tony Allen

The Memphis Grizzlies will retire Tony Allen’s No. 9 on Saturday, March 15, at FedExForum following the game against the Miami Heat.

Allen will become the third player in franchise history to have his jersey number retired, joining Zach Randolph, whose No. 50 was retired on December 11, 2021, and Marc Gasol, whose No. 33 was retired on April 6, 2024.

After signing as a free agent in 2010, Allen helped guide the Grizzlies to the NBA Playoffs in all seven of his seasons in Memphis (2010-17) and factored into the club’s first postseason victory in 2011 and the team’s trip to the 2013 Western Conference Finals. The Chicago native ranks second in franchise history in steals (762) and ranks in the top 10 in games played (462; 6th), offensive rebounds (741; 9th), blocks (217; 10th) and minutes (11,588; 10th).

Allen was named to the NBA All-Defensive team six times during his seven years with the Grizzlies, receiving three First Team accolades (2011-12, 2012-13, 2014-15) and three Second Team honors (2010-11, 2015-16, 2016-17). With Allen defending the perimeter, the Grizzlies ranked in the NBA’s top 10 in points allowed six times in seven seasons, surrendering a league-best 89.3 points in the 2012-13 season during a franchise-record 56-26 campaign.

Grizzlies waive Mamadi Diakite

The Memphis Grizzlies have waived forward Mamadi Diakite.

Diakite (6-9, 228) has appeared in 55 games (six starts) and has averaged 3.1 points and 2.3 rebounds in 9.6 minutes for the Milwaukee Bucks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Cleveland Cavaliers, San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks since he went unselected in the 2020 NBA Draft out of Virginia.

Grizzlies re-sign Luke Kennard

The Memphis Grizzlies recently re-signed wing Luke Kennard.

Kennard (6-5, 206) has appeared in 63 games (25 starts) and has averaged 11.1 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 25.2 minutes while shooting 47.5 percent from the field, 48.3 percent from 3-point range and 90.6 percent from the free throw line since he was acquired by the Grizzlies from the LA Clippers on Feb. 9, 2023.

The 28-year-old has shot 43.9 percent from 3-point range over his seven-year career, which leads all active NBA players and ranks third in NBA history among qualifiers. He led the NBA in 3-point percentage during the 2021-22 season (44.9) and 2022-23 season (49.4), becoming the second player ever to lead the league in consecutive seasons, and ranked second in the category during the 2023-24 season (45.0).

Selected by Detroit with the 12th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft following his sophomore year at Duke, Kennard has appeared in 395 games (110 starts) and has averaged 10.0 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 23.5 minutes for the Grizzlies, Clippers and Pistons. The Ohio native also has competed in 24 playoff games (two starts) and has averaged 7.5 points and 2.1 rebounds in 19.1 minutes while shooting 46.3 percent from long range.

Grizzlies sign Jay Huff to two-way contract

The Memphis Grizzlies recently signed center Jay Huff to a two-way contract.

In a related move, the Grizzlies waived center Trey Jemison.

Huff (7-1, 240) has competed in 31 games as a reserve over three seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, Washington Wizards and Denver Nuggets and has averaged 2.4 points and 1.2 rebounds in 5.3 minutes while shooting 55.8 percent from the field. The 25-year-old started all 18 Showcase Cup and regular season appearances with the NBA G League’s Grand Rapids Gold last season and averaged 19.1 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 3.6 blocks while shooting 57.3 percent from the field and 39.0 percent from 3-point range.

A native of Durham, North Carolina, Huff went unselected in the 2021 NBA Draft following a four-year collegiate career at Virginia, where he was a member of the Cavaliers’ 2019 NCAA championship team.