Grizzlies waive 2016 first-round pick Wade Baldwin, Mario Chalmers makes roster
In a surprising move necessitated by the franchise’s preseason roster crunch, the Memphis Grizzlies waived 2016 first-round pick Wade Baldwin before Monday’s roster cutdown deadline.
The 21-year-old point guard, drafted 17th overall out of Vanderbilt, played only 33 games in a Grizzlies uniform.
The move clears the path for veteran guard Mario Chalmers, who worked his way back from tearing his Achilles in a Grizzlies uniform towards the end of the 2015-16 season, to make the team.
A 6-foot-4, athletic option out of college, Baldwin was expected to serve as star point guard Mike Conley’s apprentice. After flashes of potential at the start of the season, Baldwin settled into a routine of shuttling back and forth between the G-League and the Grizzlies’ bench. He played just 12 minutes total in Memphis’ playoff series against the San Antonio Spurs.
Baldwin ended his rookie campaign averaging 3.2 points and 1.8 assists per game and grading out as a negative in the efficiency department. Still, at 21 years old and just one season under his belt, the roster crunch clearly pushed the Grizzlies into a difficult decision — throwing in the cards this early on a first-round pick is never ideal, especially for an organization in desperate need of young talent.
The Grizzlies also waived 2016 second-round pick Rade Zagorac, a 6-foot-9 forward out of Serbia, on Monday after signing him to a multi-year contract in early July.
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Chalmers’ inclusion means he will see his first regular-season minutes in an NBA game since March 9, 2016. The 31-year-old made the most of his time for an injury-depleted Memphis roster two years ago after being traded from the Miami Heat, averaging 10.8 points and 3.8 assists per game before suffering the injury.
Following a solid preseason, he’s back on an official NBA roster.
The franchise rounded out its finalized roster with Kobi Simmons and Vince Hunter on two-way contracts, making them eligible to play for both the Grizzlies and the Memphis Hustle, the organization's G-League affiliate, this season.
