MEMPHIS, January 4, 2012 - – 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.