Ziaire Williams Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Ziaire Williams Talks Trade, Joining Nets, More

August 26th, 2024 at 2:45pm CST by Rory Maher

Speaking to Cyro Asseo de Choch of HoopsHype, former lottery pick Ziaire Williams said he wasn’t surprised to be traded from Memphis to Brooklyn last month. It was a salary-dump move for the Grizzlies, who were focused on staying out of the luxury tax and re-signing Luke Kennard.

“It didn’t catch me off guard. The GM [Zach Kleiman] was kind of letting me know a little bit, just so I wouldn’t be completely shocked,” Williams said. “But when it happens, it’s always like, ‘Damn, it’s real now.’ Like I said, man, I’m happy for the opportunity, and I’m grateful for what I experienced in Memphis, and I’m just looking forward to this next chapter in my life.”

Williams’ interview with HoopsHype covers several topics, including his excitement about joining the Nets and playing for Jordi Fernandez, dealing with injuries the past two seasons, and what skills he brings to a team. Here are a couple more highlights.

On adjusting to Brooklyn:

“It’s been crazy, man. I can’t lie. There’s been a lot, but I got a great supporting cast with me – my mom, my dad, and a bunch of others on my team that are making it a lot easier. Finding new places, meeting new people, learning new plays – everything is super new. It almost feels like I’m a rookie again. To be honest with you, I love it, man. I love this opportunity, and I think it’s really a blessing in disguise for me.”

On what he’s been working to improve this summer:

“Definitely, first and foremost, my body. They say availability is the best ability. I had a nasty little back injury last year, so I’ve been really just every day in the weight room, treatment, just really trying to prioritize my body. And then on the court, just doing all the simple things, man – fine-tuning my shot, reading off closeouts, trying to be great at two or three things rather than trying to be good at a bunch of different things. We, me and the rest of my team, came up with a great plan this summer, and I’ve definitely gotten a lot better. I can’t wait to go out on the main stage and showcase the work I’ve put in the dark.”

A 6’9″ wing who turns 23 years old in a few weeks, Williams is eligible for a rookie scale extension until October 21, the day before the 2024/25 regular season begins.

Nets Notes: Bridges Trade, Wilson, Whitehead, Z. Williams

July 20th, 2024 at 8:44pm CST by Arthur Hill

Nets general manager Sean Marks said the trade that sent Mikal Bridges to the Knicks came together quickly, but an unidentified source tells Brian Lewis of The New York Post that the framework was actually set at the trade deadline. Although Bojan Bogdanovic and Shake Milton may not have been mentioned in the original discussions, it appears the idea of five first-round picks and a swap was discussed in February.

“We were always prepared for a rebuild. It wasn’t like, oh, let’s wait to be lucky to find the star that’s coming into free agency. We were always prepared to pivot in the other direction if we could see the right opportunity to do that,” the source said. “And who would’ve thought we could trade Mikal Bridges for five first-round draft picks? And who would’ve thought we were able to find that window of opportunity to get Houston to agree to get our picks back?

“It was eye-opening to see the Knicks offer these kinds of assets for Mikal. If you look at our ability to reload our assets, particularly in the draft year of 2025, we have one pick that’s our own that could be very. very good. … We’ve got three more first-round picks that probably will be in the 20s but it’s a very deep draft. Plus, we have our own second-round pick. That’s a class we can get very excited about.”

Lewis adds that the Nets began to strongly consider a Bridges trade after he openly criticized the team’s direction following a lopsided loss to Boston on February 14. Up to that point, the focus had been on finding an All-Star to pair with him.

There’s more on the Nets:

Jalen Wilson is a leading contender for Summer League MVP honors, Lewis states in a subscriber-only story. Through four games, Wilson is averaging 24.3 PPG with 46.3/55.6/88.2 shooting figures. His three-point shooting is especially significant because he only connected at 31.6% from beyond the arc in college, 27.5% last season in the G League and 32.4% in 43 NBA games. Concerns about Wilson’s shooting caused him to fall to the 51st pick in the 2023 draft, but he becomes much more valuable if he can maintain anything close to his Summer League pace. “Shooting helps everything at any level of basketball because it provides space on the floor for his teammates,” said Nets Summer League coach Steve Hetzel.
It’s been a difficult Summer League for Dariq Whitehead, who’s trying to return to the court after three surgeries severely limited his playing time in college and during his rookie season, Lewis adds. Whitehead shot 4-of-34 from the field and 2-of-21 from three-point range in his first three games before being held out of Thursday’s contest against Orlando for “rest.” “I’d just like for him to step on the court and play as hard as he can and don’t worry about the makes or misses,” Hetzel said. “That’s been our message from Day 1. … He’s had a tough journey being out as long as he has, and I don’t think any of us can know what he’s going through. It’s our job to just keep encouraging him, put him back out there and have him play as hard as he can the next year.”
Lewis suggests more trades could be in the works after Friday’s deal to acquire Ziaire Williams from Memphis. The Nets are determined to stay under the luxury tax, and their cushion dropped from $8.2MM to $4.3MM by adding Williams. League sources told Lewis “there are still moving pieces,” possibly involving Dorian Finney-Smith and Cameron Johnson.

Grizzlies Trade Ziaire Williams, Second-Rounder To Nets For Diakite

July 19th, 2024 at 1:54pm CST by Rory Maher

1:54pm: The trade is now official, the Grizzlies announced in a press release (Twitter link).

12:25pm: The Grizzlies have agreed to a trade that will send Ziaire Williams and a 2030 second-round pick (via Dallas) to the Nets for Mamadi Diakite and the draft rights to Nemanja Dangubic, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

It’s essentially a salary dump for Memphis, which had been looking to move Williams due to the team’s financial situation. The 22-year-old will earn $6.13MM in 2024/25, which is the final season of his rookie scale contract. The Grizzlies will generate a trade exception worth that amount.

After the transaction is complete, the Grizzlies project to be about $10MM below the luxury tax line and $14MM beneath the first apron, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks. The Nets will acquire Williams using one of their outstanding trade exceptions, Marks notes. It’ll likely be the one worth $9.5MM from sending Royce O’Neale to Phoenix in February.

According to Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal (Twitter link), the Grizzlies are likely to use their new cap flexibility to re-sign veteran sharpshooter Luke Kennard, who remains an unrestricted free agent. Wojnarowski confirms Memphis is working to bring back Kennard.

As for the rebuilding Nets, they’ll be taking a low-risk flyer on a former top prospect in Williams, who was selected 10th overall in the 2021 draft. And as a sweetener for taking on his salary, they’ll also add a future second-round pick.

Williams has averaged 7.5 points and 2.6 rebounds per game on .426/.301/.803 shooting over the past three seasons with Memphis (150 games; 20.4 minutes per contest). He’s eligible for a rookie scale extension until the day before the 2024/25 season begins; if no deal is reached, he’ll be eligible for restricted free agency in 2025.

Diakite, a forward/center who was sent from New York to Brooklyn in the Mikal Bridges trade and is now being re-routed to Memphis, could be waived. His salary for next season is only partially guaranteed for $1.39MM, and Cole recently reported that the Grizzlies want to keep an open roster spot entering the regular season; re-adding Kennard and retaining Diakite would push their standard roster count up to 15 players.

Diakite, 27, has bounced around the NBA over the course of his four seasons, suiting up for the Bucks, Thunder, Cavs, Spurs and Knicks. Overall, the Guinea native has appeared in 55 regular season games, with career averages of 3.1 points and 2.3 rebounds in 9.6 minutes.

Southwest Notes: Kennard, Pelicans, Murphy, Whitmore

July 18th, 2024 at 6:56pm CST by Luke Adams

Checking in on where things stand between the Grizzlies and Luke Kennard, Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal writes that the sharpshooter’s return to Memphis “still feels inevitable” even though it’s taking longer than expected.

The Grizzlies declined Kennard’s $14.8MM team option at the end of June, but the expectation has always been that he would return on a more team-friendly cap number. He hasn’t been linked to any other suitors since free agency began.

Sources tell Cole that the Grizzlies would like to keep their 15th roster spot for the sake of flexibility entering the regular season. Since the team currently has 14 players on guaranteed standard contracts, re-signing Kennard may mean trading someone else — Ziaire Williams is rumored to be on the block.

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

While head of basketball operations David Griffin said on an ESPN broadcast this week that the Pelicans are “really excited” about what they have at center and are looking forward to playing “small and fast,” it’s fair to wonder if one more move is coming to shore up the position, writes Christian Clark of NOLA.com. Veteran Daniel Theis currently sits atop New Orleans’ depth chart at the five, with rookies Yves Missi and Karlo Matkovic behind him and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl potentially in the mix as well.
Within the same story, Clark reports that the Pelicans and fourth-year wing Trey Murphy have opened discussions about a rookie scale extension. The two sides have “differing viewpoints” on Murphy’s value for now, but there’s optimism they’ll find a middle ground and make a deal before the October 21 deadline, Clark writes.
Rockets forward Cam Whitmore has been shut down for the rest of Summer League, but rookie guard Reed Sheppard will continue playing in Las Vegas, reports Kelly Iko of The Athletic (Twitter link). Last year’s Summer League MVP, Whitmore has struggled with his shooting efficiency this time around, making just 38.3% of his shot attempts, including 1-of-14 three-pointers, but Houston knows what he’s capable of offensively and he impressed in other areas (7.0 RPG, 4.3 APG, 3.3 SPG).

Charania’s Latest: Markkanen, Warriors, Ingram, Bucks, Trent, Westbrook, More

July 15th, 2024 at 10:59am CST by Luke Adams

The Warriors have been the “most engaged” trade suitor for Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen this offseason, but the two teams are divided on what a potential Golden State package would look like, writes Shams Charania of The Athletic.

According to Charania, the Warriors have discussed an offer that would center around Moses Moody and a number of draft assets, including multiple first-round picks, multiple second-rounders, and multiple pick swaps. However, Utah has sought “the bulk of young talent and capital” Golden State controls, including Brandin Podziemski and Jonathan Kuminga in addition to Moody and draft assets. Sources tell Charania that idea has been a “non-starter” for the Warriors.

Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram is another notable name still on the trade market, but teams around the league believe his market is limited, according to Charania, since some potential suitors (including the Kings and Spurs) made moves for other forwards and most other teams aren’t looking to make a major trade at this point in the offseason. If the market for Ingram remains quiet, New Orleans could assess its current group to open the regular season before deciding whether a trade is necessary, Charania suggests.

With most of the NBA’s other teams focused on tweaking their rosters around the edges, one high-ranking team official told Charania, “It might be one of the more quiet summers.”

Here’s more from Charania:

The Bucks are in the market for help at shooting guard and are among the contending teams pursuing Gary Trent Jr., sources tell The Athletic. However, due to its proximity to the second tax apron, Milwaukee is limited to a minimum-salary offer, and one recent report suggested that Trent isn’t interested in accepting a minimum deal. The Bucks are hosting a free agent workout this week in Las Vegas, Charania notes, with Will Barton expected to be among the participants.
While there has been no action on the Russell Westbrook front as of late, the Clippers and the former MVP still plan to part ways this offseason, says Charania. The Nuggets are considered the favorites to sign Westbrook if he reaches free agency, Charania adds, but Los Angeles is still discussing possible trades.
The Grizzlies are exploring trade possibilities involving former lottery pick Ziaire Williams, sources tell Charania. The Grizzlies aren’t far from the luxury tax line and will likely have to shed some salary if they want to use their full mid-level exception or re-sign Luke Kennard while staying out of tax territory.

Morant Showing Good Progress From Shoulder Surgery

May 21st, 2024 at 5:49pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Ja Morant appears to be ahead of schedule in his recovery from shoulder surgery, Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal reports.

According to Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins, Morant and several other players who suffered significant injuries are making good progress. Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr., Ziaire Williams, Vince Williams and Marcus Smart were among the other Grizzlies players who missed chunks of time due to injury this season.

“Everything is going well,” Jenkins said on Tuesday. “Ja is the only one when June rolls around, he’s going to be pretty close to full go on the court. Everything that everyone was dealing with towards the end of the season is in a good place right now.”

Morant’s season was essentially a washout. He missed the first 25 games of the season due to an NBA suspension, then averaged 25.1 points, 8.1 assists and 5.6 rebounds in nine games after the suspension, including a game-winning shot against New Orleans on Dec. 19 in his return to action.

Morant was then diagnosed with a labral tear in his right shoulder after a training session. At the time of his January surgery, the recovery process was outlined as a six-month process.

Grizzlies head of basketball operations Zach Kleiman said in April that there wasn’t a timeline on Morant’s full availability, but that he was “expected to be fully cleared for basketball activities maybe halfway through the offseason.”

Morant will be entering the second year of his five-year, max contract.

Grizzlies’ Derrick Rose, Ziaire Williams Unlikely To Return This Season

March 29th, 2024 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Injured Grizzlies point guard Derrick Rose and forward Ziaire Williams aren’t expected to return to action this season, according to Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal.

Rose, who last played on February 28, has been sidelined due to right groin issue and lower back recovery. Williams hasn’t suited up since March 2 due to a lower back injury of his own, as well as a hip flexor strain.

“They’re doing well,” head coach Taylor Jenkins said on Friday. “Most likely they’re not going to be coming back by the end of the season. We’re just kind of taking it day to day.”

As Cole notes, Ja Morant is the only Grizzlies player who has officially been ruled out for the rest of the season. There also has been no indication that Marcus Smart (finger) is on track to play again this spring. However, the team isn’t simply shutting down all of its injured players despite its 24-49 record.

Brandon Clarke made his season debut on Wednesday after spending more than a year recovering from an Achilles tear. Memphis also remains hopeful that Vince Williams (knee) and John Konchar (heel) will play again before the regular season concludes on April 14, says Cole.

The banged-up Grizzlies have qualified for multiple hardship exceptions in recent weeks due to all their injuries. If Morant, Rose, Williams, and Smart are the only four players they don’t expect back in the season’s final two weeks, they’ll only qualify for a single hardship exception going forward, giving them the ability to carry one extra player rather than two.

Grizzlies’ Ziaire Williams, Derrick Rose To Miss Multiple Weeks

March 5th, 2024 at 1:51pm CST by Luke Adams

Grizzlies wing Ziaire Williams and point guard Derrick Rose will be sidelined for the next several weeks due to injuries, the team announced today in a press release (Twitter link).

Williams, who suffered his injury on Saturday vs. Portland, has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 strain of hip flexor and low back muscles. According to the team, he’ll be reevaluated in four weeks.

Rose, meanwhile, exited last Wednesday’s game in Minnesota early due to low back and groin soreness. He has been diagnosed with right osteitis pubis (joint inflammation) and will be reevaluated in three weeks, per the Grizzlies.

Williams and Rose are two of the many Grizzlies players who have been hampered by health issues this season. Williams has averaged 8.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 20.5 minutes per game across 51 contests, while Rose has been limited to just 24 appearances. He has averaged 8.0 PPG, 3.3 APG, and 1.9 RPG in 16.6 MPG in those games.

While neither player has been ruled out for the season, there are less than six weeks left to play, so it wouldn’t be shocking if either one is shut down. Their multi-week absences could open the door for the Grizzlies to sign more players to 10-day hardship contracts for depth purposes. Currently, Matthew Hurt is on a 10-day hardship deal.

Looking beyond this season, Williams is under contract for $6.13MM in 2024/25 and will be extension-eligible as of July 1, while Rose holds a $3.36MM player option for ’24/25, which he’ll likely exercise. However, neither player is a lock to be on Memphis’ roster next year, given their relatively modest contributions in ’23/24 and the fact that they’ll be on expiring deals.

Grizzlies Notes: Deadline Moves, Bane, Smart, Clarke, Jackson

February 9th, 2024 at 1:58pm CST by Luke Adams

Victor Oladipo and Chimezie Metu have already been waived, but the two other players acquired by the Grizzlies in their recent series of trades – Lamar Stevens and Yuta Watanabe – are expected to get an opportunity to play over the next couple months, writes Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Stevens is on an expiring deal, while Watanabe holds a minimum-salary player option for 2024/25.

The Grizzlies also hope to get a longer look down the stretch at Ziaire Williams and Jake LaRavia, two former first-round picks who are currently sidelined due to injuries. As Cole writes, head of basketball operations Zach Kleiman showed by trading David Roddy on Thursday that he’s willing to move on from recent first-rounders who haven’t established themselves as consistent, productive rotation contributors, but that doesn’t mean he’s ready to give up on players like Williams or LaRavia.

“We’re in a spot where we have a lot of young players,” Kleiman said. “Nothing has been ruled out. Let me say that. I think that everyone at the very least has shown that in stretches, there’s a lot to be encouraged by. What we’re focused on right now is giving those guys opportunity. Wouldn’t surprise me if some guys emerge and maybe surprise people.”

Here’s more on the Grizzlies:

Having traded away Steven Adams and Xavier Tillman, the Grizzlies’ plans at center going forward are unclear. Their 2024 first-round pick, which projects to be a top-10 selection, may factor into that equation, Cole notes, since it could serve as a valuable trade asset or an opportunity to add a young blue-chipper to the roster. “Wherever that pick might be, we want to be in a position where we’re able to kind of navigate and steer that in different directions,” Kleiman said.
The Grizzlies project to be a luxury tax team next season based on their current commitments. Kleiman told reporters, including Cole, that’s not something the club is actively working to avoid. “There’s not a budget that we have to operate from,” Kleiman said. “There’s not a place that we need to be relative to any marker or luxury tax. . . . Those are all things we’ll have to weigh from a team-building standpoint.”
There’s still no timeline for the returns of Desmond Bane (left ankle), Marcus Smart (right ring finger), or Brandon Clarke (left Achilles), according to Kleiman. He indicate that Bane and Smart are expected to be out at least through the All-Star break and expressed optimism Clarke can return this season. “Brandon’s doing really well in his recovery,” Kleiman said, per Cole. “We’ll make a determination when we get a little bit closer. . . . Regardless of record, a little cameo at the end of the season just to build momentum going into next season, I think that’s something that’s potentially still on the table.”
As Jonah Dylan of The Memphis Commercial Appeal details, the Grizzlies players who remained on the roster through Thursday’s trade deadline were sorry to see Tillman and Roddy go. “I’m obviously upset and gutted and I feel bad,” said Jaren Jackson Jr., who played with Tillman at Michigan State before spending the past four seasons with him in Memphis. “It’s just part of the business. I’ve been here a long time. But it doesn’t get easier, for sure.”
GG Jackson‘s new four-year deal with the Grizzlies will be worth $8.5MM over four seasons, with $6.1MM in guaranteed money, tweets Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. A minimum-salary deal would be worth in the range of $7MM, so it sounds like Jackson will receive significantly more than the prorated rookie minimum for the rest of the 2023/24 season.

Western Rumors: Suns, Rockets, O’Neale, Tate, Jazz, Grizzlies

February 8th, 2024 at 8:43am CST by Luke Adams

The Suns continue to keep an eye on Nets forward Royce O’Neale and Rockets wing Jae’Sean Tate, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who hears from league sources that Phoenix has discussed a package of Nassir Little and second-round picks for one of those two players.

As Scotto details, the Suns are hoping to find a wing and/or a frontcourt piece on the trade market and will likely be aggressive on the buyout market looking for that sort of player if they’re unable to make a deal. Phoenix will be prohibited from signing a player whose pre-waiver salary exceeds $12.4MM, but not every player on the buyout market will fit that bill.

The Rockets, who are among the other teams with interest in O’Neale, have sought either a late first-round pick or multiple second-rounders to part with Tate, league sources tell Scotto. Aaron Holiday is another Houston player who has generated trade interest.

If the Rockets were to acquire draft assets for a player like Tate or Holiday, they could ultimately flip those picks for another rotation player, Scotto writes.

Here’s more from around the Western Conference in advance of today’s trade deadline:

Scotto hears from multiple executives who have explored trading for Kelly Olynyk that the Jazz are seeking draft compensation — ideally a first-round pick. Another potential Utah trade candidate, Kris Dunn, appears likely to stick with the team through the deadline unless the team gets an “unexpected” offer it can’t refuse, a league source tells HoopsHype.
The Jazz have had some talks with the Hornets about forward P.J. Washington, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv, who says John Collins came up in those discussions.
Rival executives believe that some of the Grizzlies‘ recent first-round picks – Ziaire Williams, David Roddy, and Jake LaRavia – could be trade candidates, given the emergence of cheaper youngsters like Vince Williams and GG Jackson, says Scotto. Memphis is facing a bit of a roster and cap crunch for 2024/25, so creating a bit more flexibility in both areas would help.
Suns head coach Frank Vogel said on Wednesday won’t mind if his front office decides to stand pat at the deadline, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. “I’m very in the loop with all of those conversations, but as I said (Tuesday), we love where we’re at as a team,” Vogel said. “If we don’t do anything, I’ll be really happy with the group we have, but obviously, you always look at ways to improve your team.”