Grizzlies waive Dieng, who hasn’t played since Feb. 28
Gorgui Dieng wasn’t moved at the NBA trade deadline but now he’ll have the chance to find his next team.
The Grizzlies announced on Friday that they had waived the eight-year veteran center, an expected move because he had fallen out of the rotation for almost a month.
If no team makes a claim on Dieng by Sunday, he becomes an unrestricted free agent.
Dieng, 31, is in the last year of a fouryear contract and scheduled to make $17.3 million this season. He played in 22 games this season but hasn’t played since Feb. 28.
The Grizzlies acquired him at last year’s deadline from the Minnesota Timberwolves in a three-team trade. The trade also brought Justise Winslow and Jordan Bell to Memphis and sent Andre Iguodala, Jae Crowder and Solomon Hill to the Miami Heat.
For awhile, Dieng was the only productive acquisition from the trade. Bell was eventually waived and Winslow’s debut was delayed a full year due to injuries.
Dieng averaged 7.9 points and 4.5 rebounds while shooting a career-high 47.9% on 3-pointers.
But after starting on Feb. 6, his playing time decreased as the Grizzlies prioritized developing rookie Xavier Tillman Sr.
As the team’s oldest player, he didn’t fit with the team’s longterm focus on its youth movement. Even in a limited role, Dieng focused on staying ready instead of expressing his displeasure over how he was used.
“I have to stay ready no matter what happens,” Dieng said on Feb. 1. “It’s a long season and I cannot be here crying about minutes or anything. I’m a pro and I will do anything I can to help this basketball team.”
The Grizzlies have an extra roster spot available but also have both Killian Tillie and Sean Mcdermott on two-way contracts.