Memphis, Tenn. – The Memphis Grizzlies today announced the team signed guard Zhaire Smith (zhi-EAR) and forward Bennie Boatwright. Per team policy, terms of the deals were not disclosed. In addition, the Grizzlies waived guards Jahlil Tripp and Marko Guduric.
Smith (6-3, 205) has appeared in 13 games (two starts) over two seasons (2018-20) with the Philadelphia 76ers and has averaged 3.7 points and 1.2 rebounds in 11.0 minutes. He also has competed in 39 games (30 starts) with the NBA G League’s Delaware Blue Coats and has averaged 11.7 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 28.2 minutes while shooting 50.1 percent from the field. The 21-year-old was traded by the 76ers to the Detroit Pistons on Nov. 23 and waived by the Pistons on Dec. 2.
A native of Garland, Texas, Smith was named to the Big 12 All-Defensive Team and received All-Big 12 Honorable Mention honors following his freshman year at Texas Tech University and was drafted by the Phoenix Suns with the 16th overall pick in the first round of the 2018 NBA Draft.
Boatwright (6-10, 235) spent the 2019-20 season with the Memphis Hustle but did not play due to injury. The 24-year-old played four seasons at the University of Southern California, where he was selected 2018-19 All-Pac 12 First Team after appearing in 31 games (28 starts) and averaging 18.2 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 33.5 minutes while shooting 47.4 percent from the field and 42.9 percent from 3-point range (90-210 3P) during his senior year.
A native of California, Boatwright went unselected in the 2019 NBA Draft.
Tripp (6-5, 215) appeared in two preseason games and averaged 3.0 points in 3.6 minutes after signing with the Grizzlies on Nov. 28. Undrafted in the 2020 NBA Draft, the 23-year-old Brooklyn native was named the 2019-20 West Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year and selected All-WCC First Team as a senior at University of the Pacific.
Guduric (6-6, 201) appeared in 44 games as a rookie last season and averaged 3.9 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 11.0 minutes. The 25-year-old Serbia native played for KK Crvena Zvezda before going unselected in the 2017 NBA Draft and competed with Fenerbahce in Turkey before joining the NBA.
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