Memphis Grizzlies Blog – Page 3 – NBA Blog

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.

Grizzlies sign forward Timmy Allen to 10-day contract

The Memphis Grizzlies have signed forward Timmy Allen to a 10-day contract.

Allen (6-6, 210) appeared in 46 games (18 starts) for the Memphis Hustle during the NBA G League Showcase Cup and regular season and averaged 9.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.0 steals in 26.4 minutes.

Unselected in the 2023 NBA Draft, the 24-year-old Arizona native was named to the 2021-22 All-Big 12 Second Team as a senior at Texas.

Allen will wear jersey #0 for the Grizzlies.

Grizzlies sign Wenyen Gabriel to 10-day contract

The Memphis Grizzlies have signed forward Wenyen Gabriel to a 10-day contract as a Call-Up from the NBA G League’s Wisconsin Herd.

Gabriel (6-9, 205) has started all 40 of his NBA G League showcase and regular season appearances for the Herd this season and has averaged 14.9 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.5 blocks in 31.3 minutes. The 26-year-old has averaged 16.6 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.8 blocks in 33.3 minutes while shooting 52.7 percent from the field and 45.6 percent from 3-point range in 24 games during the regular season.

A native of South Sudan, Gabriel went unselected in the 2018 NBA Draft following his sophomore year at Kentucky. He holds NBA career averages of 4.5 points and 3.4 rebounds in 12.8 minutes in 145 games (eight starts) over four seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, New Orleans Pelicans, Brooklyn Nets, LA Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers. He has competed in 14 NBA playoff games (two starts) for the Trail Blazers and Lakers and has appeared in 110 NBA G League showcase and regular season games with the Herd and Stockton Kings.

Grizzlies sign Jordan Goodwin, waive Jacob Gilyard

The Memphis Grizzlies have signed guard Jordan Goodwin to a two-way contract.

And in a related move, the Grizzlies waived guard Jacob Gilyard.

Goodwin (6-3, 200) has competed in 42 games (one start) and has averaged 5.2 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 14.5 minutes with the Grizzlies and Phoenix Suns this season. The 25-year-old has averaged 10.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.5 steals in 26.5 minutes in two appearances (one start) with Memphis after signing a 10-day contract on Feb. 13.

A native of Centreville, Illinois, Goodwin has played 106 games (eight starts) and has averaged 5.9 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 16.3 minutes in three seasons with the Washington Wizards, Suns and Grizzlies since going undrafted in the 2021 NBA Draft out of Saint Louis. He also has seen action in 49 showcase and regular season games for the NBA G League’s Capital City Go-Go.

Gilyard (5-9, 160) appeared in 38 games (14 starts) in two seasons with the Grizzlies and averaged 4.6 points, 1.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 18.3 minutes. Unselected in the 2022 NBA Draft following his collegiate career at Richmond, the 25-year-old Kansas City native signed a two-way contract with the Grizzlies on April 8, 2023. He competed in 55 showcase and regular season games with the NBA G League’s Memphis Hustle, where he led the G League in assists per game last season and became the Hustle’s all-time leader in assists this season.

Grizzlies sign Trey Jemison to two-way contract

The Memphis Grizzlies have signed center Trey Jemison to a two-way contract.

Jemison (6-10, 260) has competed in six games (two starts) during his rookie season and has averaged 3.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 14.3 minutes with the Grizzlies and Washington Wizards this season. Undrafted in the 2023 NBA Draft out of UAB, the 24-year-old has averaged 5.8 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 21.1 minutes after signing a 10-day contract with the Grizzlies on January 30. He previously signed a 10-day contract with Washington on January 20 and made two appearances for the Wizards.

A native of Birmingham, Alabama, Jemison started all of his 25 NBA G League Showcase Cup and regular season appearances for the Birmingham Squadron and averaged 10.9 points, 11.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.6 blocks in 31.6 minutes while shooting 56.8 percent from the field. His 12.3 rebounds over nine regular season contests led the NBA G League at the time of his NBA Call-Up.

Grizzlies sign GG Jackson II to multi-year contract, waive Chimezie Metu

The Memphis Grizzlies have signed forward GG Jackson II to a multi-year contract.

And in a related move, the Grizzlies waived forward Chimezie Metu.

Jackson II (6-9, 215) has appeared in 20 games (one start) as a rookie for the Grizzlies this season and has averaged 9.9 points and 3.5 rebounds in 18.3 minutes since he was selected by Memphis with the 45th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft and signed a two-way contract with the team on August 31.

The NBA’s youngest player this season, the 19-year-old became the youngest player in franchise history to appear in a game when he made his NBA debut (at 18 years, 317 days) on October 30. The South Carolina native, who scored a career-high 27 points on February 8 vs. Chicago, has averaged 16.8 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.0 blocks while shooting 46.0 percent from the field and 39.7 percent from 3-point range in 10 games this season where he has played at least 20 minutes.

Metu (6-9, 225) was acquired by Memphis from the Phoenix Suns in a three-team trade also involving the Brooklyn Nets on February 8. The 26-year-old has appeared in 246 games (31 starts) in six seasons with the San Antonio Spurs, Sacramento Kings and Suns since he was selected 49th overall in the 2018 NBA Draft.