Dorsey’s 3-point skills attracted Grizzlies
The attraction is clear with secondyear guard Tyler Dorsey, who the Grizzlies acquired from the Hawks in the team’s flurry of action on last week’s trade deadline.
A 6-foot-5 shooting guard, Dorsey hit 41.6 percent of his 3pointers in two seasons at Oregon and shot 43 percent from beyond the arc in 10 G-league games last season.
Now, the Grizzlies will try their hand at getting those prolific shooting numbers to translate at the NBA level.
Dorsey, 22, shot 34.5 percent from 3-point range in 83 career games over two seasons with the Hawks.
Notable: Dorsey played with second-year Grizzlies wing Dillon Brooks at Oregon. With Brooks as a junior and Dorsey a sophomore, the two led the Ducks to the 2017 Final Four. Both declared for the NBA draft after the season. Dorsey was selected 41st overall and Brooks was taken 45th overall.
What general manager Chris Wallace sees: “He’s a player we liked when
we were scouting Dillon at Oregon. He’s a young guy. We’ll get a free look at him. He’ll obviously play some with the Hustle down in Southaven.”
What he’s making: Dorsey is making $1.4 million with a $1.82 million qualifying offer for next season. If the Grizzlies like what they see from Dorsey down the stretch this season, they will make the qualifying offer and maintain the ability to match what any other team might offer him in restricted free agency this summer.
Quotable: “I’m excited to see my boy, even though he’s going to be hurt the rest of the season,” Dorsey said of reuniting with Brooks. “I don’t get a chance to really play with him, but just to be around him every day when we’re at home and seeing him is great, because he’s pretty much one of my best friends with college.”
Analysis: Why not give it a shot? Clearly, the Hawks did not have a promising view of Dorsey, as they traded him for Shelvin Mack, who they promptly cut. But with another backup point guard in Delon Wright coming to Memphis in the Marc Gasol trade, the Grizzlies did not need Mack any longer. So they traded him for Dorsey.
There is little risk involved in the move and at least a sliver of hope that Dorsey will become a reliable 3-point specialist.
Reach Grizzlies beat writer David Cobb at david.cobb@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @Davidwcobb.