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Grizzlies acquire Courtney Lee and 2016 second round Draft pick in three team trade

MEMPHIS, January 7, 2014– The Memphis Grizzlies acquired guard Courtney Lee and a 2016 second round draft pick from the Boston Celtics in a three-team trade also involving the Oklahoma City Thunder, the team announced today.

As part of the deal, Memphis traded guard Jerryd Bayless to Boston and traded the Philadelphia 76ers’ 2014 second round draft pick (acquired from Philadelphia on Aug. 22, 2013) and a conditional 2017 second round draft pick to Oklahoma City.  Oklahoma City also traded forward Ryan Gomes to Boston.

Lee (6-5, 200) joins the Grizzlies with career averages of 9.4 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists on .446 shooting (.387 3FG shooting) in 25.9 minutes in 395 games (174 starts) with the Orlando Magic, New Jersey Nets, Houston Rockets and Boston Celtics.  The 28-year-old has averaged 7.4 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 16.8 minutes in 30 games (zero starts) with Boston this season, recording career-high shooting percentages both from three-point range (.442) and overall (.492).

The Indianapolis, Ind. native scored a career-high 30 points on March 8, 2010 at Memphis as a member of the New Jersey Nets.

The six-year veteran was drafted by Orlando in the first round (22nd overall) of the 2008 NBA Draft following a successful four-year collegiate career at Western Kentucky University.  Lee was named 2007-08 Sun Belt Player of the Year and earned First Team All-Sun Belt honors for three consecutive seasons (2005-08), starting in every game he played with the Hilltoppers.

Bayless (6-3, 200) holds career averages of 8.3 points, 1.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists on .410 shooting (.345 3FG shooting) in 19.3 minutes in 340 games (45 starts) with the Portland Trail Blazers, New Orleans Hornets, Toronto Raptors and Memphis Grizzlies.  The 25-year-old has averaged 8.0 points, 1.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists on .377 shooting (.301 3FG shooting) in 21.0 minutes in 31 games (five starts) with Memphis this season.

The six-year veteran was drafted by the Indiana Pacers in the first round (11th overall) of the 2008 NBA Draft after his freshman season at the University of Arizona.  The Phoenix native originally signed with Memphis as a free agent on July 13, 2012.