Category: Memphis Grizzlies Blog

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Three-team trade sends Yuta Watanabe to Grizzlies, Royce O’Neale to Suns

In a three-team trade today, the Memphis Grizzlies acquired forwards Yuta Watanabe and Chimezie Metu and a future first round pick swap from the Phoenix Suns in a three-team trade also involving the Brooklyn Nets.

As part of the deal, Memphis traded forward David Roddy to Phoenix, and Brooklyn traded forward Royce O’Neale to Phoenix for forward Keita Bates-Diop, guard Jordan Goodwin and three future second round picks.

In a related move, the Grizzlies waived guard Victor Oladipo.

Watanabe (6-9, 215) has competed in 208 games (nine starts) in six seasons with Memphis, Toronto, Brooklyn and Phoenix and has averaged 4.2 points and 2.3 rebounds in 13.3 minutes since going undrafted in the 2018 NBA Draft. The 29-year-old became the second Japanese-born player in NBA history as member of the Grizzlies, where he played the first two seasons (2018-20) of his NBA career following four collegiate years at George Washington. He shot a career-high 44.4 percent from 3-point range as a member of the Nets last season.

Metu (6-9, 225) has appeared in 246 games (31 starts) in six seasons with San Antonio, Sacramento and Phoenix and has averaged 5.6 points and 3.3 rebounds in 12.8 minutes since he was selected 49th overall in the 2018 NBA Draft out of USC. The 26-year-old Los Angeles native averaged 5.0 points in 12.1 minutes for the Suns this season.

Roddy (6-5, 255) has played 118 games (17 starts) in two seasons with Memphis and has averaged 7.4 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 20.1 minutes since he was selected by Philadelphia with the 23rd overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft out of Colorado State. The 22-year-old Minneapolis native averaged 8.4 points in 23.2 minutes in 48 appearances this season.

Oladipo (6-4, 213) was acquired by Memphis from the Houston Rockets on February 1. The 31-year-old has appeared in 504 games (397 starts) in 10 seasons.

Grizzlies, Celtics trade Xavier Tillman, Lamar Stevens

The Boston Celtics have acquired forward/center Xavier Tillman in a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies for forward Lamar Stevens and two future second-round draft picks.

Tillman (6-8, 245) has appeared in 34 games (13 starts) with the Grizzlies this season and is averaging 6.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, and a career-high 1.7 assists while shooting 40.8 percent from the field. The four-year big is also averaging career highs of 1.2 steals and 1.0 blocks, standing as one of just 14 players in the league with at least one block and one steal per game this year and the only player to do so in less than 25 minutes per game.

Tillman has registered two of his six career double-doubles this season, including in the Grizzlies’ regular season opener, when he scored 17 points and grabbed a season-high 12 rebounds. This season, Tillman posted a career-high five blocks on December 26 at New Orleans, and a career-best six steals on January 13 versus New York. In 184 career games with Memphis, he owns career averages of 5.0 points and 2.7 rebounds in 15.0 minutes per game.

The Grand Rapids, Michigan native was selected with 35th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft after playing three seasons at Michigan State. During his collegiate career, Tillman was honored as the 2020 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and received the 2019 Big Ten Conference Sixth Man of the Year award.

Stevens appeared in 19 games for the Celtics this season and averaged 2.8 points and 1.6 rebounds in 6.4 minutes per game while shooting 46.7 percent from the floor.

Grizzlies trade Steven Adams to Rockets

The Houston Rockets yesterday acquired center Steven Adams in a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies for guard Victor Oladipo and three future second round draft picks.

Adams (6-11, 265) was originally the 12th overall pick by Oklahoma City in the 2013 NBA Draft and is in his 11th season. In 706 career games with 641 starts, he is averaging 9.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 0.96 blocks in 26.8 minutes per game while shooting 59.7% from the floor. Adams has also appeared in 66 career playoff games.

Last season for Memphis, Adams averaged 8.6 ppg, a career-high 11.5 rpg, 2.3 apg and 1.10 bpg in 27.0 mpg. He became the second player in NBA history (Andre Drummond in 2020-21) to have averaged at least 8.0 ppg, 11.0 rpg and 2.0 apg while playing fewer than 28.0 mpg in a single season.

The New Zealand native led the NBA in offensive rebounding in each of the past two seasons (5.1 per in 2022-23 and 4.6 in 2021-22) and is averaging a league-best 4.5 orpg going back to 2017-18. He has the third-most offensive boards (2,599) among active players and ranks ninth in NBA history in offensive rebounds per 36 minutes played (4.9 per) among players with at least 350 games played.

Oladipo (6-4, 213) has competed in 504 games (397 starts) over 10 seasons and has averaged 16.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.6 steals in 32.2 minutes for Orlando, Indiana, Houston and Miami since he was selected with the second overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft.

Grizzlies guard Ja Morant to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery

The Memphis Grizzlies yesterday announced the following medical update for guard Ja Morant:

At Saturday’s training session, Morant suffered a subluxation of his right shoulder. Following ongoing soreness and instability, Morant underwent an MRI that revealed an underlying labral tear.

Morant will undergo season-ending surgery and is expected to make a full recovery ahead of the 2024-25 season.

Grizzlies waive Kenneth Lofton Jr.

The Memphis Grizzlies yesterday (Monday) waived forward/center Kenneth Lofton Jr.

Lofton Jr. (6-8, 275) appeared in 39 games (one start) and averaged 4.1 points and 1.7 rebounds in 7.1 minutes in two seasons with the Grizzlies. The 21-year-old averaged 2.6 points in 6.6 minutes in 15 games as a reserve this season.

Unselected in the 2022 NBA Draft out of Louisiana Tech, Lofton Jr. initially signed a two-way contract with the Grizzlies on July 1, 2022, before signing a standard NBA contract on April 8, 2023. The Port Arthur, Texas, native also played 32 Showcase Cup and regular season games with the Memphis Hustle, where he was named the 2022-23 NBA G League Rookie of the Year.

Grizzlies sign Jaylen Nowell to second 10-day contract

The Memphis Grizzlies have signed guard Jaylen Nowell to a second 10-day contract.

Nowell (6-4, 201) has appeared in five games (one start) since initially signing a 10-day contract with the Grizzlies on Nov. 24 and has averaged 6.2 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 18.8 minutes. The 24-year-old scored a season-high 19 points off the bench in a road win over the Dallas Mavericks on Dec. 1.

A native of Seattle who played collegiately at Washington, Nowell has appeared in 189 regular season games (four starts) in five NBA seasons with the Grizzlies and Minnesota Timberwolves since he was selected 43rd overall in the 2019 NBA Draft. He has played 29 career NBA G League games for the Iowa Wolves (2019-20) and Stockton Kings (2023-24).

Derrick Rose speaks out about Grizzlies defensive struggles

Per the Memphis Commercial Appeal:

Derrick Rose was less than an hour removed from one of his strongest performances of the season, but the frustration on his face told a different story.

He was challenged when he joined the Memphis Grizzlies to use his 16 years of NBA experience to be more of a vocal leader. That is a role that didn’t come naturally to Rose when he was younger, but he accepted it with the Grizzlies.

That’s why when he described their struggles Friday after a 110-89 loss to the Phoenix Suns at FedExForum, he questioned when his message on the importance of communication would resonate with his teammates.

“If we’re not going to talk on the defensive end, there’s no way in hell we’re going to win these games,” Rose said. “That’s just honestly speaking.”

FULL ARTICLE

More from Derrick Rose:

Grizzlies sign Jaylen Nowell and Shaquille Harrison to 10-day contracts

The Memphis Grizzlies have signed guards Jaylen Nowell and Shaquille Harrison to 10-day contracts.

Nowell (6-4, 201) has appeared in 184 regular season games (three starts) in four NBA seasons and has averaged 9.1 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 17.0 minutes for the Minnesota Timberwolves since he was selected 43rd overall in the 2019 NBA Draft. This season, the 24-year-old has started three games for the Stockton Kings during the NBA G League Showcase Cup and has averaged 13.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 3.3 steals in 24.3 minutes.

A native of Seattle, Nowell played collegiately at Washington, where he was named the 2018-19 Pac-12 Player of the Year.

Harrison (6-4, 195), a member of the Grizzlies’ 2023 training camp roster, has appeared in 180 regular season games (23 starts) in six NBA seasons and has averaged 5.3 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 15.4 minutes for the Phoenix Suns, Chicago Bulls, Utah Jazz, Denver Nuggets, Brooklyn Nets and Portland Trail Blazers since he went unselected in the 2016 NBA Draft. The 29-year-old also competed in eight postseason games with the Los Angeles Lakers last season and signed a 10-day contract with the Grizzlies during the 2021-22 season.

The Kansas City, Mo. native, who played collegiately at Tulsa, also has appeared in 143 games for four NBA G League teams. He was named the 2021-22 NBA G League Defensive Player of the Year as a member of the Delaware Blue Coats.