NOVEMBER 29: The signing is official, the Grizzlies announced in a press release. Tillman will receive $4.6MM in guaranteed money, tweets Bobby Marks of ESPN. That breaks down to $1.3MM for the upcoming season, $1.5MM in 2021/22, $1.8MM in 2022/23 and $1.9MM in 2023/24. Marks notes that it’s the second-largest amount of guaranteed money ever for a second-round pick who is headed to the NBA immediately after being drafted.
NOVEMBER 28: The Grizzlies have agreed to a four-year deal with their second-round pick Xavier Tillman, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports (Twitter link).
Memphis traded up in a deal with the Kings to get the 35th overall pick Tillman. The team will be able to give him a four-year contract using a portion of its mid-level exception.
Tillman, 21, was regarded as a solid player in the draft who could be a late first-rounder or an early second-round pick. It was with good reason as he posted outstanding numbers as a junior with Michigan State.
The 6’8″ forward averaged a double-double for the Spartans, posting 13.7 PPG and 10.3 RPG to go with 3.0 APG and 2.1 BPG across 31 games. Tillman was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.
IMO
He is 2nd round pick this year
He is better than any of the 4th to 7th pick last year
Hunter
Garland
Culver
White
Culver is a bust, Wolves were trying to trade 17th pick and Culver for a PF but failed
Definitely not better than White. Must not watch much basketball
It’s hard to compare a Tillman, a PF/C who is one of the best defenders in the draft, to a PG. Memphis got a real good player.
Tillman is a bigger Draymond with better scoring and rebounding
Perfect small ball center at 250 pound
thought same thing bout g.williams or a. schoefield out of tenn. last year. only time will tell.
Nice pickup for Grizz.
Tillman has some fine stats for a short, basic center. He averages 17-4-12 per 40′ in conference play per Bas.Ref; increased his A/T ration to 3.8/2.2; got 4.4 steals&blocks while cutting down his fouls to 3.0; and scored PERs of 26 & 28 the last two years.
It’s hard to believe he and PG Cassius Winston won’t find an NBA fit somehow, presumably backing up.