Memphis, Tenn. – The Memphis Grizzlies today announced the team converted forward Yves Pons to a two-way contract and signed guard Shaq Buchanan and wing Sean McDermott. Per team policy, terms of the deals were not disclosed. In addition, the Grizzlies waived guard Carsen Edwards and center Daniel Oturu.
Pons (6-5 ½, 206) was signed by the Grizzlies on Aug. 10 after he went unselected in the 2021 NBA Draft. The 22-year-old spent his four-year collegiate career at the University of Tennessee, where he named the 2019-20 SEC Defensive Player of the Year as a junior and selected to the SEC All-Defensive Team twice (2020, 2021). Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, the French native appeared in 116 games (70 starts) and averaged 5.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.18 blocks in 20.1 minutes for the Volunteers.
Buchanan (6-3, 190) has competed in 48 games (20 starts) and has averaged 11.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.15 steals in 24.8 minutes over the last two seasons for the NBA G League’s Memphis Hustle. Unselected in the 2019 NBA Draft, the 24-year-old Mississippi native was named the 2018-19 OVC Defensive Player of the Year and selected to the 2018-19 All-OVC First Team as a senior at Murray State University.
McDermott (6-6, 195) appeared in 18 games as a reserve for the Grizzlies last season and averaged 2.2 points and 1.1 rebounds in 8.8 minutes. He also started six games for the Hustle and averaged 17.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 30.8 minutes. The 24-year-old Indiana native went unselected in the 2020 NBA Draft following a four-year collegiate career at Butler University, where he shot 40.3 percent from 3-point range.
Edwards (5-11, 200) was acquired by the Grizzlies from the Boston Celtics via trade on Sept. 15. Selected with the 33rd overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft out of Purdue University, the 23-year-old has appeared in 68 games (one start) in two seasons with the Celtics and has averaged 3.6 points and 1.1 rebounds in 9.2 minutes while also playing 13 NBA G League games for the Maine Red Claws.
Oturu (6-10, 240) was acquired by Memphis from the Los Angeles Clippers via trade on Aug. 16. Selected with the 33rd overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft out of the University of Minnesota, the 22-year-old competed in 30 games as a reserve last season with the Clippers and averaged 1.8 points and 1.6 rebounds in 5.4 minutes. He also appeared in eight postseason contests.
A full preseason roster is attached and copied below.
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES 2021 TRAINING CAMP ROSTER
No.
Player
Pos.
Ht.
(w/o shoes)
Wt.
Birthdate
Prior to NBA/Home Country
NBA Yrs
4
Steven Adams
C
6-11
265
7/20/1993
Pittsburgh/New Zealand
8
7
Santi Aldama
F
6-11
224
1/10/2001
Loyola (MD)/Spain
R
1
Kyle Anderson
F
6-8 ¼
230
9/20/1993
UCLA/USA
7
22
Desmond Bane
G/F
6-6
215
6/25/1998
TCU/USA
1
24
Dillon Brooks
G/F
6-6 ½
220
1/22/1996
Oregon/Canada
4
6
Shaq Buchanan
G
6-3
190
1/30/1997
Murray State/USA
R
15
Brandon Clarke
F
6-7 ¾
210
9/19/1996
Gonzaga/Canada
2
23
Jarrett Culver
G
6-6
195
2/20/1999
Texas Tech/USA
2
3
Kris Dunn
G
6-3
205
3/18/1994
Providence/USA
5
13
Jaren Jackson Jr.
F/C
6-11
242
9/15/1999
Michigan State/USA
3
21
Tyus Jones
G
6-0 ¼
196
5/10/1996
Duke/USA
6
46
John Konchar
G/F
6-4 ¾
210
3/22/1996
Fort Wayne/USA
2
25
Sam Merrill
G
6-4
197
5/15/1996
Utah State/USA
1
0
De’Anthony Melton
G
6-2 ¼
200
5/28/1998
USC/USA
3
12
Ja Morant
G
6-2 ½
175
8/10/1999
Murray State/USA
2
30
Sean McDermott
G/F
6-6
195
11/3/1996
Butler/USA
1
5
Yves Pons 2W
G/F
6-5 ½
206
5/7/1999
Tennessee/France
R
35
Killian Tillie 2W
F/C
6-10
220
3/5/1998
Gonzaga/France
1
2
Xavier Tillman Sr.
F
6-8
245
1/12/1999
Michigan State/USA
1
8
Ziaire Williams
G/F
6-8 ¼
185
9/12/2001
Stanford/USA
R
* - 2W indicates a Two-Way Player who will be eligible to play for the Memphis Grizzlies and the NBA G League’s Memphis Hustle.
