Ziaire Williams was the 2021 No. 10 overall pick for the New Orleans Pelicans. Then the forward got traded to the Memphis Grizzlies. Thus, due to inconsistency in his performance, the Grizzlies desire to trade the 22-year-old forward. The Brooklyn Nets who are in their rebuilding stage could groom this youngster depending on how Williams performs at the Nets. According to Adrian Wojnarowski:
The Memphis Grizzlies are trading forward Ziaire Williams and a 2030 second-round pick via Dallas to the Brooklyn Nets for Mamadi Diakite, sources tell ESPN. Williams was the 10th pick in the 2021 draft
What Does This Mean For The Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies acquired Zach Edey in the 2024 NBA Draft pick event. Thus, due to the number of available contracts, the Grizzlies forward, Ziaire Williams, won’t have enough minutes on the team’s roster. The 22-year-old suffered a long-term injury at the beginning of his career and has been inconsistent on the court. Also, the Grizzlies are looking forward to becoming solid title contenders, as Ja Morant will be coming back healthy next season.
However, there’s still room for improvement for the young lad. In his last season (2023-24), the former Grizzlies forward averaged 8.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists, with a career-low of 39.7% in field goals. Williams declined in his offensive performance; however, his defensive skill is consistent. Moving to the Brooklyn Nets should give him a chance to develop his offensive as he could play more minutes on the team’s roster. To go into more detail about this trade, Adrian Wojnarowski adds:
The deal moves out the $6.1 million guaranteed on Williams’ contract for 2024-25 and creates some more salary cap flexibility as the Grizzlies work toward re-signing guard Luke Kennard
Mamadi Diakite’s Outlook with the Grizzlies
Diakite was undrafted in 2020; then, he got into a two-way contract with the Milwaukee Bucks where he won his first NBA Championship title as a rookie. After that season the Bucks waived him, and then the Oklahoma City Thunder signed Diakite on multiple 10-day contracts till the club released him for roster space.
The former Nets forward would add more depth to the Grizzlies’ defense on the court. With his four years of experience, he should guide Zach Edey as the rookie possesses the potential to grow in the NBA League. Now, Diakite averaged not more than five minutes per game despite playing in five different teams. He averaged 3.1 points and 2.3 rebounds in 55 regular season games.
While in the G League, the 27-year-old forward shined as a good defender on the court. Also, he was on the NBA G League All-Defensive team (2021). Further, in the same year, he won the All-NBA G League First Team. Thus, if he plays more minutes at the Grizzlies, he could unleash his full basketball potential.
What Does This Mean For The Brooklyn Nets
Before this announcement, the Brooklyn Nets were rumored to be interested in Ziaire Williams. The Nets traded their best player, Mikal Bridges, to the New York Knicks for multiple draft picks. Thus, is this a good move for the Nets?
Yes, It should be a good move because the Brooklyn Nets are in their rebuilding stage. This means they would welcome multiple draft pick deals and young basketball players to improve their cap size in the long run. Ziare Williams’ move to the Nets should help the forward player improve his game, as the Nets aren’t close to being NBA Championship contenders.
Final Thoughts
Both players have the potential to be their team’s sixth man. However, they have the competence to become better basketball players starting next season. Finally, the Memphis Grizzlies and Brooklyn Nets made moves that depict their goals for the 2024-25 season.
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