MEMPHIS – The Grizzlies acquired the draft rights to guard O.J. Mayo, the third overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, in an eight-player trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced Thursday night.
Memphis also received guard Marko Jaric, forward Antoine Walker and guard Greg Buckner in exchange for the draft rights to forward Kevin Love (fifth overall), guard/forward Mike Miller, forward Brian Cardinal and center Jason Collins.
Mayo, a Naismith and Wooden Award finalist, led USC in scoring (20.7 points, second in the conference), assists (3.3) and steals (1.6), while ranking third in rebounding (4.5). A First Team Pac-10 and All-Freshman Team selection, the 20-year-old set school freshman single-season records for scoring average, points scored (684) and three-point field goals made (88).
A 6-4, 200-pound early entry candidate, Mayo averaged 28.2 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds, leading Huntington High School to the 2007 Class AAA state championship and earning West Virginia Player of the Year honors.
Jaric, a six-year veteran, owns career averages of 7.8 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 394 career games (221 starts) with the Los Angeles Clippers and Minnesota. The Serbian native averaged 8.3 points, 3.0 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 75 games (56 starts) for the Timberwolves last season.
Press Conference Audio: Chris Wallace
Walker, a 12-year veteran, holds career averages of 17.5 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 893 games (707 starts) with the Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks, Atlanta Hawks, Miami Heat and Minnesota. A former three-time All-Star and member of the 2005-06 NBA Champion Heat, Walker averaged 8.0 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 46 games (one start) for the Timberwolves last season.
Buckner, a nine-year veteran, has career averages of 5.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 507 games (117 starts) with the Dallas Mavericks, Philadelphia 76ers, Denver Nuggets and Minnesota. Buckner averaged 4.0 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 34 games (one start) with the Timberwolves last season.
Miller, the 2000-01 Rookie of the Year and 2005-06 Sixth Man of the Year, averaged 14.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 371 games (277 starts) in five-plus seasons with Memphis. He leaves the Grizzlies as the franchise’s all-time leader in three-point field goals made (737), three-point field goals attempted (1,778) and three-point field goal percentage (.415). Miller owns the Grizzlies’ record for threes in a single season (202 in 2006-07) and a single game (nine, twice) and ranks third on the team’s all-time scoring list (5,403 points).
Acquired by Memphis on Feb. 19, 2003 from the Orlando Magic in exchange for Drew Gooden and Gordan Giricek, Miller set a franchise single-game record with 45 points on Feb. 21, 2007 at Golden State.
Cardinal, an eight-year veteran, averaged 5.6 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 263 games (29 starts) in four seasons with the Grizzlies. Acquired July 14, 2004 as a free agent, Cardinal averaged 3.4 points and 2.6 rebounds in 37 games (one start) last season.
Collins, a seven-year veteran, was acquired by Memphis on Feb. 4, 2008 along with cash considerations from New Jersey in exchange for Stromile Swift. Collins averaged 2.6 points and 2.9 rebounds in 31 games (three starts) after the trade to the Grizzlies.