Category: Memphis Grizzlies Blog

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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.

Celtics squeeze out close win vs. Grizzlies

Per the Boston Herald:

As chaos hit its climax in the final seconds, Kristaps Porzingis kept his cool. With the Celtics leading the Grizzlies by two during a wild sequence, the ball found Ziaire Williams, whose desperation game-tying shot found Porzingis’ hand.

Porzingis stood in satisfaction of the moment and seemed to send some trash talk in Williams’ direction as he lay on the court. His Celtics teammates swarmed him. And they all stood there for a moment to ensure the victory was secured.

Somehow, the Celtics survived.

For a second consecutive game, the Celtics were not at their best. Against an inferior Grizzlies team missing eight players, they were caught in another rockfight. It was emotional, physical, frustrating and sloppy, a game deserving of Marcus Smart, who was sitting on the Memphis bench all night due to an injury. But once again, the C’s found a way. Porzingis’ sixth block of the game clinched a gutsy 102-100 victory in Memphis.

FULL ARTICLE

Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart injured, out 3-5 weeks

Per the Memphis Commercial Appeal:

Marcus Smart’s first mini-homecoming with the Boston Celtics won’t come on Sunday. The Memphis Grizzlies guard is expected to miss three to five weeks because of a left foot sprain, the team announced Friday.

Smart suffered the injury in the first quarter of the 134-107 loss to the Lakers on Tuesday in Los Angeles. He has played in all 11 games this season, but he also dealt with abdominal soreness in the preseason.

FULL ARTICLE

Grizzlies sign Adonis Arms and David Johnson, waive Jason Preston and Timmy Allen

The Memphis Grizzlies have signed wing Adonis Arms and guard David Johnson.

In addition, the Grizzlies waived guard Jason Preston and wing Timmy Allen.

Arms (6-6, 205) competed in 46 games (28 starts) for the Memphis Hustle and Grand Rapids Gold during the 2022-23 NBA G League Showcase and regular season and averaged 12.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.2 steals in 25.1 minutes. The 25-year-old Milwaukee native went unselected in the 2022 NBA Draft following his senior year at Texas Tech, where he was named 2021-22 All-Big 12 Honorable Mention.

Johnson (6-4, 205) appeared in 41 games (17 starts) for Raptors 905 during the 2022-23 NBA G League Showcase and regular season and averaged 9.5 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 20.1 minutes. The 22-year-old also played 32 games for Raptors 905 and two games for the Toronto Raptors during the 2021-22 season. A native of Louisville, Johnson played two years collegiately with the Cardinals before going unselected in the 2021 NBA Draft.

Preston (6-3, 181), who signed with Memphis on Oct. 16, appeared in 37 NBA G League games for the Ontario Clippers and 14 NBA games for the Los Angeles Clippers last season. The 24-year-old Orlando native was selected 33rd overall in the 2021 NBA Draft following his junior year at Ohio.

Allen (6-6, 210), who also signed with Memphis on Oct. 16, started all of his 35 appearances last season as a redshirt senior at Texas. The 23-year-old Arizona native, who was a member of the Grizzlies’ 2023 summer league team, went unselected in the 2023 NBA Draft.

Grizzlies sign Jason Preston and Timmy Allen, waive Matthew Hurt and Mychal Mulder

The Memphis Grizzlies have signed guard Jason Preston and wing Timmy Allen.

In addition, the Grizzlies waived forward Matthew Hurt and guard Mychal Mulder.

Preston (6-3, 181) appeared in 37 games (33 starts) for the Ontario Clippers last season during the NBA G League Showcase and regular season and averaged 15.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 7.1 assists in 32.8 minutes. The Orlando native also saw action in 14 games during his NBA rookie campaign with the Los Angeles Clippers and averaged 2.9 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 8.8 minutes. Selected with the 33rd overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the 24-year-old was named to the 2020-21 All-MAC First Team as a junior at Ohio.

Allen (6-6, 210) started all 35 games and averaged 10.5 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 28.4 minutes last season as a redshirt senior at Texas. The Arizona native was named to the 2021-22 All-Big 12 Second Team and Big 12 All-Newcomer Team the previous season with the Longhorns following three years at Utah, where he was selected to the 2020-21 All-Pac 12 First Team. Undrafted in the 2023 NBA Draft, the 23-year-old competed for the Grizzlies during the 2023 Salt Lake Summer League and NBA Summer League 2023 in Las Vegas.

Hurt (6-9, 235), who signed with Memphis on Sept. 30, appeared in two preseason games and totaled three points, three rebounds and one assist. The 23-year-old Minnesota native appeared in 45 games (13 starts) for the Memphis Hustle last season and averaged 13.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 23.0 minutes during the NBA G League Showcase and regular season.

Mulder (6-3, 184), who also signed with Memphis on Sept. 30, competed in two preseason games and recorded three points and two rebounds. The 29-year-old native of Canada has played three NBA seasons with the Golden State Warriors, Orlando Magic and Miami Heat and five NBA G League seasons with the Windy City Bulls and Sioux Falls Skyforce.

Grizzlies sign Shaquille Harrison

The Memphis Grizzlies have signed guard Shaquille Harrison.

Harrison (6-4, 195), who signed a 10-day contract with the Grizzlies during the 2021-22 season, has competed in 180 regular season games (23 starts) over six NBA seasons with the Phoenix Suns, Chicago Bulls, Utah Jazz, Denver Nuggets, Brooklyn Nets and Portland Trail Blazers and has averaged 5.3 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 15.4 minutes. Last season, he averaged 8.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 6.0 assists in 24.0 minutes in five regular season games for the Trail Blazers before appearing in eight playoff games for the Los Angeles Lakers.

The 29-year-old Kansas City, Mo., native also started all 50 of his NBA G League appearances with the South Bay Lakers during the 2022-23 regular season and G League Showcase and averaged 12.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 7.7 assists, 2.2 steals and 1.1 blocks in 33.1 minutes. He was named the 2021-22 NBA G League Defensive Player of the Year as a member of the Delaware Blue Coats.

Harrison went undrafted in the 2016 NBA Draft following a four-year collegiate career at the University of Tulsa.