MEMPHIS, Tenn — The Memphis Grizzlies today announced the team acquired guard Sam Merrill and two future second round draft picks from the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for guard Grayson Allen.
Merrill (6-4, 197) appeared in 30 games (two starts) and averaged 3.0 points and 1.0 rebounds in 7.8 minutes while shooting 44.7 percent from 3-point range during his rookie season with the Milwaukee Bucks. He competed in eight postseason games as a reserve in helping the Bucks capture the 2021 NBA championship. The 24-year-old also started five NBA G League games for the Memphis Hustle and averaged 11.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.80 steals in 28.9 minutes.
The Utah native was selected by the New Orleans Pelicans with the 60th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft following a four-year collegiate career at Utah State University, where he was named the Mountain West Player of the Year in 2019 and a two-time All-Mountain West First Team selection (2019, 2020).
Allen (6-3 ¾, 198) has appeared in 126 games (40 starts) in three NBA seasons and has averaged 8.5 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 19.0 minutes with the Grizzlies and Utah Jazz. Selected with the 21st overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft out of Duke University, the 25-year-old averaged 9.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 88 games (38 starts) with the Grizzlies.
Earlier release:
The Memphis Grizzlies today announced the team acquired the draft rights to forward Santi Aldama (the 30th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft) from the Utah Jazz in exchange for the draft rights to guard Jared Butler (the 40th overall pick) and two future second round draft picks.
Aldama (6-11, 224) was selected to the 2020-21 All-Patriot League First Team after averaging 21.2 points, 10.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.00 steals and 1.71 blocks in 35.0 minutes in 17 games during his sophomore year at Loyola Maryland.
A native of Spain, the 20-year-old appeared in 27 games (26 starts) during his two-year collegiate career and averaged 19.0 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.70 blocks in 33.3 minutes for the Greyhounds.
Earlier release:
The Memphis Grizzlies today announced the team acquired center Steven Adams, guard Eric Bledsoe, the draft rights to wing Ziaire Williams (the 10th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft) and a protected 2022 first round draft pick (via Los Angeles Lakers) from the New Orleans Pelicans as part of a three-team trade also involving the Charlotte Hornets. Memphis also received from New Orleans the draft rights to guard Jared Butler (the 40th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft) for his inclusion in a trade agreed to in principle and to be completed later.
In exchange, the Grizzlies traded center Jonas Valančiūnas, the draft rights to forward Trey Murphy (the 17th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft) and the draft rights to guard Brandon Boston (the 51st overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft) to the Pelicans and traded the draft rights to Tyler Harvey (the 51st overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft) to the Hornets.
In addition, the Hornets traded guard Devonte’ Graham to the Pelicans. The Pelicans traded wing Wesley Iwundu and a protected 2022 first round pick to the Hornets.
Adams (6-11, 265) has competed in 588 games (524 starts) and holds career averages of 9.6 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 26.9 minutes in his eight-year NBA career with the Pelicans and Oklahoma City Thunder. The New Zealand native started all 58 appearances for New Orleans last season and averaged 7.6 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 27.7 minutes. Selected 12th overall in the 2013 NBA Draft out of the University of Pittsburgh, the 28-year-old ranks seventh in NBA history in field goal percentage (.591).
Bledsoe (6-1, 214) has appeared in 702 games (539 starts) and owns career averages of 14.0 points, 3.9 rebounds and 4.7 assists in 28.0 minutes in his 11-year NBA career with the Pelicans, Milwaukee Bucks, Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Clippers. Selected 18th overall in the 2010 NBA Draft out of the University of Kentucky, the 31-year-old averaged 12.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 29.7 minutes in 71 games (70 starts) for New Orleans last season.
Williams (6-8 ¼, 185) was named a top-10 finalist for the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award last season as a freshman at Stanford University, where he averaged 10.7 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 27.8 minutes in 20 games. The 19-year-old California native recorded the second triple-double in program history with 12 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists on Jan. 7 vs. Washington and earned Naismith Trophy Player of the Week honors on Jan. 11.
Valančiūnas (6-11 ¼, 265) has competed in 621 games (592 starts) and holds career averages of 12.9 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 25.6 minutes in his nine-year NBA career with the Grizzlies and Toronto Raptors. Selected with the fifth overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, the 29-year-old Lithuania native averaged 16.4 points, 11.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 27.3 minutes in 151 games (148 starts) over two-plus seasons in Memphis.
