Memphis Grizzlies Blog – Page 53 – NBA Blog

Grizzlies assign guard Josh Selby to D-League

Josh Selby

Can dominate summer games during lockouts

The Memphis Grizzlies assigned guard Josh Selby to the Reno Bighorns, the team’s NBA Development League affiliate, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today.

Selby (6-2, 183) has averaged 2.9 points and 1.4 assists on .389 shooting in 10.3 minutes in 18 games during his rookie season with the Grizzlies. The 20-year-old was selected by Memphis in the second round (49th overall) of the 2011 NBA Draft.

The Baltimore native posted 7.9 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 26 appearances last year as a freshman at Kansas.

The Grizzlies will complete their season-long five-game home stand tomorrow night when the team hosts the Houston Rockets at 7 p.m. at FedExForum.

Grizzlies waive forward Josh Davis

The Memphis Grizzlies waived forward Josh Davis, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today.

Davis (6-8, 235) averaged 1.9 points and 1.8 rebounds on .370 shooting in 8.7 minutes in 15 games for Memphis this season. The 31-year-old holds NBA career averages of 2.3 points and 1.7 rebounds on .373 shooting in 7.4 minutes in 67 games over four seasons with the Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, Milwaukee Bucks, Houston Rockets, Phoenix Suns and Memphis Grizzlies.

A native of Salem, Ore., Davis was originally signed by Memphis as a free agent on Dec. 10, 2011.

The Grizzlies’ roster now stands at 14 players.

Grizzlies exercise option on Quincy Pondexter

The Memphis Grizzlies exercised the third-year contract option on guard/forward Quincy Pondexter, guaranteeing his contract through the 2012-13 season, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced Tuesday.

Pondexter (6-6, 225) has averaged 4.4 points and 2.1 rebounds on .469 shooting in 14.9 minutes in 16 games this season after being acquired by Memphis from New Orleans on Dec. 24 for Greivis Vasquez. The 23-year-old scored a career-high tying 14 points on Jan. 8 at LA Lakers, sinking a career-best seven field goals.

The all-time leader in games played (136) at the University of Washington, Pondexter holds NBA career averages of 3.2 points and 1.5 rebounds on .422 shooting in 82 games (six starts) for the Grizzlies and Hornets, who drafted the Fresno, Calif. native in the first round (26th overall) of the 2010 NBA Draft.

Winners of their last seven games, Memphis (10-6) will look to tie a franchise record with an eighth consecutive victory tonight when they visit the Portland Trail Blazers at 9 p.m. CST at the Rose Garden. The game will be televised regionally on SportSouth HD.

Grizzlies may keep O.J. Mayo for now

Truth is, Griz management isn’t seriously thinking of dealing Mayo nor is his possible, restricted free-agent status this summer a major concern. Mayo likely will remain with the Griz this season because of his productivity and the Grizzlies’ ability to control his future with the right of first refusal on contract offers.

Although Mayo is eligible to negotiate a long-term contact extension with Memphis by Wednesday, the Griz aren’t compelled to agree to a deal or trade him at the moment.

“It remains to be seen whether something happens or not,” Griz general manager Chris Wallace said about a Mayo contract extension. “If it doesn’t happen I wouldn’t read much into it. We didn’t extend Rudy and resigned him. It’s a floating situation. I wouldn’t say (Mayo) is a lock to be with us after this year and I wouldn’t say he isn’t. There’s so much ground to be covered between now and July.”

Meanwhile, Mayo keeps paving the wave for a productive season.

“I’m happy in Memphis. Don’t get it twisted,” Mayo said. “I love the foundation we’ve built. This is my comfort. I’m good.”

— Reported by Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal

Grizzlies guard Josh Selby faces marijuana charge

Grizzlies rookie guard Josh Selby is facing a misdemeanor marijuana possession charge after police found probable cause during an Oct. 5 incident at the University of Maryland.

The 20-year-old Selby has been summoned to appear in a Maryland district court Jan. 25.

“I have no comment about it,” Selby said. “It is what it is.”

Maryland makes a distinction between marijuana and all other illegal drugs. Possessing or using marijuana is punishable by up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine

— Reported by Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal

Sixers trade Marreese Speights to Grizzlies in 3-team deal

The Memphis Grizzlies acquired forward/center Marreese Speights from the Philadelphia 76ers as part of a three-team trade also including the New Orleans Hornets, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today.

As part of the deal, Memphis traded guard Xavier Henry to New Orleans and a 2012 second round draft pick to Philadelphia. The Hornets also sent a future second round pick to the 76ers.

Speights (6-11, 245) comes to the Grizzlies with career averages of 7.2 points, 3.7 rebounds and 0.53 blocks on .492 shooting in 14.7 minutes in 205 games (four starts) over his first three seasons in Philadelphia (2007-10). He has not appeared in Philadelphia’s first four games of the 2011-12 season.

The 24-year-old averaged career highs in scoring (8.6 points) and rebounding (4.1) in 16.4 minutes during the 2009-10 season.

A native of St. Petersburg, Fla., Speights was a member of the Florida Gators’ 2007 NCAA Championship Team, setting a school freshman record by shooting .671 from the field that season. He averaged 14.5 points and 8.1 rebounds on .624 shooting as a sophomore before being selected in the first round (16th overall) of the 2008 NBA Draft.

Henry (6-6, 220) averaged 4.3 points and 1.0 rebounds on .406 shooting in 38 games (16 starts) for the Grizzlies as a rookie last season. The 20-year-old Kansas product has not appeared through Memphis’ first five games this season due to a right ankle sprain.

Grizzlies trade Xavier Henry to Hornets

The New Orleans Hornets announced today that they have acquired guard Xavier Henry from the Memphis Grizzlies for a 2013 second round pick.

“We are delighted to welcome Xavier to our team and the New Orleans community,” said Hornets General Manager Dell Demps. “We hope Xavier will develop into a good basketball player that will contribute to the success of the New Orleans Hornets this season and into the future.”

Henry (6-6, 220), is in his second NBA season after being selected 12th overall by the Grizzlies in the 2010 NBA Draft out of the University of Kansas. Last year, in 38 games (16 starts) for Memphis, Henry averaged 4.3 points and 1.0 rebounds in 13.9 minutes of action.

The 20-year-old from Oklahoma City played just one collegiate season at Kansas, becoming the first player in KU history to leave for the NBA after his freshman campaign, posting averages of 13.4 points and 4.4 rebounds in 36 games. Henry was named to the 2010 All Big 12 Rookie Team and was a 2010 All-Big 12 Honorable Mention. Henry joins San Antonio Spurs’ point guard Tony Parker as the only current Belgium-born players in the NBA.

The Hornets roster now stands at 15.

Grizzlies bring back center Hamed Haddadi

The Memphis Grizzlies signed center Hamed Haddadi, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The first Iranian ever to play in the NBA, Haddadi (7-2, 265) averaged 2.4 points, 2.2 rebounds and 0.42 blocks in 5.4 minutes in 31 games last season with the Grizzlies. The 26-year-old Ahvaz native holds NBA career averages of 2.2 points, 2.2 rebounds and 0.45 blocks in 6.1 minutes in 86 contests over three seasons in Memphis.

A longtime member of the Iranian National Team, Haddadi led Iran to an 8-1 record at the 2011 FIBA Asian Championship in Wuhan, China, averaging 15.4 points, 11.4 rebounds and 2.89 blocks in 26.3 minutes with six double-doubles in nine games during the 2011 tournament.

Memphis Grizzlies waive Brian Skinner

The Memphis Grizzlies waived forward/center Brian Skinner, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today.

Skinner (6-9, 255), who originally signed with Memphis on Dec. 10, appeared in one regular season game with the Grizzlies, logging four minutes on Dec. 26 at San Antonio.

The 35-year-old Baylor product holds career averages of 4.7 points and 4.7 rebounds in 608 games (197 starts) over 14 NBA seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Philadelphia 76ers, Milwaukee Bucks, Sacramento Kings, Portland Trail Blazers, Phoenix Suns and Memphis Grizzlies.

Kevin Durant wanted Shane Battier to sign with Thunder

In his first game back in Memphis since Game 6 of the second round of the playoffs, Durant admitted that his lobbying last month for former Grizzlies forward Shane Battier was real.

“I was dead serious,” said Durant, who used Twitter in late November to attempt to recruit Battier. “I wanted him since last year, after we beat them in the playoffs. I was telling a few of the guys, ‘Shane would be a good fit here for us.’ He was a guy I was looking forward to playing with, but Miami jumped in and took him.”

Durant said he understood why Battier chose to sign with the Heat.

“Let’s be real,” Durant said. “Guys like LeBron (James) and D-Wade and (Chris) Bosh, they’re lobbying for you as well. And it was me and Nazr Mohammed and Nick Collison lobbying for him. And you look at the names there, you look at Miami, the weather and just that whole aura around those guys and of course he’s going to pick them. But it’s a decision that he made for him and his family. You can’t really be upset about it.

“Shane’s an unbelievable player, a great teammate from what I’ve heard. I wish him the best. If he would have come here it would have been perfect for us.”

— Via Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman