Memphis Acquires Yuta Watanabe, Chimezie Metu and Future First Round Pick Swap from Phoenix; Grizzlies Trade David Roddy to Suns, Waive Victor Oladipo
Memphis, Tenn. – The Memphis Grizzlies today announced the team acquired forwards Yuta Watanabe (YOU-tuh wah-tuh-NAH-bay) and Chimezie Metu (chi-MEH-zee meh-tu) and a future first round pick swap from the Phoenix Suns in a three-team trade also involving the Brooklyn Nets. As part of the deal, Brooklyn traded forward Royce O’Neale to Phoenix for forward Keita Bates-Diop, guard Jordan Goodwin and three future second round picks. In a related move, the Grizzlies waived guard Victor Oladipo.
Watanabe (6-9, 215) has competed in 208 games (nine starts) in six seasons with Memphis, Toronto, Brooklyn and Phoenix and has averaged 4.2 points and 2.3 rebounds in 13.3 minutes since going undrafted in the 2018 NBA Draft. The 29-year-old became the second Japanese-born player in NBA history as member of the Grizzlies, where he played the first two seasons (2018-20) of his NBA career following four collegiate years at George Washington. He shot a career-high 44.4 percent from 3-point range as a member of the Nets last season.
Metu (6-9, 225) has appeared in 246 games (31 starts) in six seasons with San Antonio, Sacramento and Phoenix and has averaged 5.6 points and 3.3 rebounds in 12.8 minutes since he was selected 49th overall in the 2018 NBA Draft out of USC. The 26-year-old Los Angeles native averaged 5.0 points in 12.1 minutes for the Suns this season.
Roddy (6-5, 255) has played 118 games (17 starts) in two seasons with Memphis and has averaged 7.4 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 20.1 minutes since he was selected by Philadelphia with the 23rd overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft out of Colorado State. The 22-year-old Minneapolis native averaged 8.4 points in 23.2 minutes in 48 appearances this season.
Oladipo (6-4, 213) was acquired by Memphis from the Houston Rockets on February 1. The 31-year-old has appeared in 504 games (397 starts) in 10 seasons.