2021 NBA Draft

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Memphis Grizzlies

Memphis, Tenn. – The Memphis Grizzlies today announced that the team signed 2021 first round draft picks Ziaire Williams and Santi Aldama to multi-year contracts. Per team policy, terms of the deals were not disclosed.

Williams (6-8 ¼, 185) was acquired by the Grizzlies using the 10th overall pick pursuant to a three-team trade with the New Orleans Pelicans and Charlotte Hornets completed on Aug. 7. The 19-year-old California native was named a top-10 finalist for the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award last season as a freshman at Stanford, where he averaged 10.7 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 27.8 minutes in 20 appearances.

Aldama (6-11, 224) was acquired by the Grizzlies using the 30th overall pick pursuant to a trade with the Utah Jazz, also completed on Aug. 7. The 20-year-old native of Spain was named to the 2020-21 All-Patriot League First Team after averaging 21.2 points, 10.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.00 steals and 1.71 blocks in 35.0 minutes in 17 games during his sophomore year at Loyola Maryland.

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Grizzlies sign 2021 first round draft picks Ziaire Williams and Santi Aldama

Memphis, Tenn. – The Memphis Grizzlies today announced the team acquired the draft rights to forward Santi Aldama (the 30th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft) from the Utah Jazz in exchange for the draft rights to guard Jared Butler (the 40th overall pick) and two future second round draft picks.

Aldama (6-11, 224) was selected to the 2020-21 All-Patriot League First Team after averaging 21.2 points, 10.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.00 steals and 1.71 blocks in 35.0 minutes in 17 games during his sophomore year at Loyola Maryland. A native of Spain, the 20-year-old appeared in 27 games (26 starts) during his two-year collegiate career and averaged 19.0 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.70 blocks in 33.3 minutes for the Greyhounds.

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Grizzlies acquire draft rights to Santi Aldama from Jazz

Memphis, Tenn. – The Memphis Grizzlies today announced the team acquired center Steven Adams, guard Eric Bledsoe, the draft rights to wing Ziaire Williams (the 10th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft) and a protected 2022 first round draft pick (via Los Angeles Lakers) from the New Orleans Pelicans as part of a three-team trade also involving the Charlotte Hornets. Memphis also received from New Orleans the draft rights to guard Jared Butler (the 40th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft) for his inclusion in a trade agreed to in principle and to be completed later.

In exchange, the Grizzlies traded center Jonas Valančiūnas, the draft rights to forward Trey Murphy (the 17th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft) and the draft rights to guard Brandon Boston (the 51st overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft) to the Pelicans and traded the draft rights to Tyler Harvey (the 51st overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft) to the Hornets.

In addition, the Hornets traded guard Devonte’ Graham to the Pelicans. The Pelicans traded wing Wesley Iwundu and a protected 2022 first round pick to the Hornets.

Adams (6-11, 265) has competed in 588 games (524 starts) and holds career averages of 9.6 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 26.9 minutes in his eight-year NBA career with the Pelicans and Oklahoma City Thunder. The New Zealand native started all 58 appearances for New Orleans last season and averaged 7.6 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 27.7 minutes. Selected 12th overall in the 2013 NBA Draft out of the University of Pittsburgh, the 28-year-old ranks seventh in NBA history in field goal percentage (.591).

Bledsoe (6-1, 214) has appeared in 702 games (539 starts) and owns career averages of 14.0 points, 3.9 rebounds and 4.7 assists in 28.0 minutes in his 11-year NBA career with the Pelicans, Milwaukee Bucks, Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Clippers. Selected 18th overall in the 2010 NBA Draft out of the University of Kentucky, the 31-year-old averaged 12.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 29.7 minutes in 71 games (70 starts) for New Orleans last season.

Williams (6-8 ¼, 185) was named a top-10 finalist for the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award last season as a freshman at Stanford University, where he averaged 10.7 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 27.8 minutes in 20 games. The 19-year-old California native recorded the second triple-double in program history with 12 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists on Jan. 7 vs. Washington and earned Naismith Trophy Player of the Week honors on Jan. 11.

Valančiūnas (6-11 ¼, 265) has competed in 621 games (592 starts) and holds career averages of 12.9 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 25.6 minutes in his nine-year NBA career with the Grizzlies and Toronto Raptors. Selected with the fifth overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, the 29-year-old Lithuania native averaged 16.4 points, 11.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 27.3 minutes in 151 games (148 starts) over two-plus seasons in Memphis.

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Grizzlies acquire Steven Adams, Eric Bledsoe, draft rights to Ziaire Williams and two draft picks in three-team trade with Pelicans and Hornets

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Memphis, Tenn. – The Memphis Grizzlies will introduce Ziaire Williams, the No. 10 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, at a press conference at 3 p.m. CT on Friday, July 30, in the Don Poier Media Center Press Conference Room inside FedExForum. The Grizzlies agreed in principle to acquire Williams’ draft rights from the New Orleans Pelicans as part of a trade to be finalized later.

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2021 Grizzlies Draft Pick Press Conference

Memphis, Tenn. – As part of a trade to be finalized later, the Memphis Grizzlies have agreed in principle to acquire the draft rights to forward Santi Aldama (sahn-tee all-dah-mah), the No. 30 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, from the Utah Jazz.

Aldama (6-11, 224) was a 2020-21 All-Patriot First Team after averaging 21.2 points, 10.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.00 steals and 1.71 blocks in 35.0 minutes in 17 games during his sophomore year at Loyola Maryland. The 20-year-old was one of two players in NCAA Division I to average at least 20.0 points and 10.0 rebounds.

A native of Las Palmas, Spain, Aldama was named MVP of the 2019 FIBA U18 European Championship for gold medalist Spain.

2021 NBA Draft

Grizzlies sign 2021 first round draft picks Ziaire Williams and Santi Aldama

Grizzlies acquire draft rights to Santi Aldama from Jazz

Grizzlies acquire Steven Adams, Eric Bledsoe, draft rights to Ziaire Williams and two draft picks in three-team trade with Pelicans and Hornets

2021 Grizzlies Draft Pick Press Conference

Memphis Grizzlies agree in principle to acquire draft rights to Santi Aldama from Utah Jazz