MEMPHIS, December 24, 2011 – The Memphis Grizzlies signed forward Dante Cunningham after the Charlotte Bobcats declined to match Memphis’ offer sheet for the restricted free agent, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Memphis tendered an offer sheet to Cunningham on Tuesday, Dec. 20, which Charlotte then had three days to match under the terms of the NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement.
Cunningham (6-8, 230) averaged 9.0 points and 4.0 rebounds on .508 shooting in 24.0 minutes in 22 games for the Bobcats last season after a midseason trade from the Portland Trail Blazers on Feb. 24, 2011. The 24-year-old posted 12.6 points and 5.8 rebounds on .482 shooting in 31.7 minutes over nine starts with Charlotte, recording a career-high 21 points on April 1 at Orlando and April 11 at New Jersey.
Overall, the Villanova product registered 6.2 points and 3.6 rebounds on .462 shooting in 78 appearances (18 starts) last season.
A native of Clinton, Md., Cunningham owns career averages of 5.1 points and 3.1 rebounds on .472 shooting in 16.6 minutes in 141 games (20 starts) over his first two NBA seasons with the Bobcats and Trail Blazers, who originally selected him in the second round (33rd overall) in the 2009 NBA Draft.