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MEMPHIS, Tenn–The Memphis Grizzlies today announced that the team has signed free agents Michael Beasley, Patrick Christopher,Earl Clark, Luke Hancock,Kalin Lucas and Hassan Whiteside. Per team policy, terms of the deals are not disclosed.
Beasley (6-9, 235) comes to Memphis after averaging 7.9 points and 3.1 rebounds in 15.1 minutes and shooting a career-high .499 from the field in 55 games (two starts) last season for the Miami Heat. The former No. 2 overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft owns career averages of 13.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 24.9 minutes in 409 games (199 starts) for the Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves and Phoenix Suns. The 25-year-old native of Prince George’s County, Md. earned 2007-08 consensus All-America First Team honors and led the NCAA in rebounds per game as a freshman at Kansas State University.
Christopher (6-5, 209) recorded 13.6 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 33.4 minutes in 50 games (47 starts) last season for the NBA Development League’s Iowa Energy, now the single-partner affiliate of the Grizzlies. While with the Energy, the 26-year-old earned D-League Performer of the Week honors after scoring a D-League career-high 47 points on April 4, 2014 vs. Maine. Undrafted in the 2010 NBA Draft, the Compton, Calif. native has played professionally in Turkey (2010-11, 2012-13) and France (2011-12) following a four-year career at the University of California (2006-10).
Clark (6-10, 225) split the 2013-14 season with the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks, averaging 4.8 points and 2.6 rebounds in 14.2 minutes in 54 games (17 starts). The 26-year-old owns NBA career averages of 4.4 points, 3.0 rebounds and 0.53 blocks in 14.1 minutes in 251 games (54 starts) over five seasons (2009-14) with the Phoenix Suns, Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, Cleveland and New York. The Plainfield, N.J. native was drafted by Phoenix in the first round (14thoverall) of the 2009 NBA Draft following a three-year collegiate career at the University of Louisville (2006-09).
Hancock (6-6, 200) joins the Grizzlies after playing the final two years of his collegiate career (2012-14) at the University of Louisville, where he won the Most Outstanding Player Award after leading the Cardinals to the 2013 NCAA Tournament Championship. Undrafted in the 2014 NBA Draft, the 24-year-old played in the 2014 Orlando Summer Pro League with the Orlando Magic and the 2014 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas with the Houston Rockets. The Roanoke, Va. native spent his first two collegiate seasons at George Mason University (2009-11).
Lucas (6-1, 186) posted 15.1 points, 2.9 rebounds and 5.0 assists in 29.0 minutes in 29 games (20 starts) last season with the D-League’s Energy and also competed for the Grizzlies in the 2014 Orlando Pro Summer League. The 25-year-old also has had professional stints in Turkey (2011-12, 2012-13) and Greece (2011-12). Undrafted in the 2011 NBA Draft, the Sterling Heights, Mich. native played four seasons at Michigan State University (2007-11), leading the Spartans to the 2009 NCAA National Championship Game and leaving the program as the career leader in free throws made (507) and attempted (637).
Whiteside (7-0, 235) started the 2013-14 season playing in Lebanon before moving onto his second tour of duty in China. The 25-year-old holds NBA career averages of 1.5 points, 2.1 rebounds and 0.79 blocks on .444 shooting in 5.8 minutes in 19 games (zero starts) over two seasons (2010-12) with the Sacramento Kings and owns NBA D-League career averages of 6.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.16 blocks on .545 shooting in 12.8 minutes in 61 games (11 starts) with the Reno Bighorns, Sioux Falls Skyforce and Rio Grande Valley Vipers. The Gastonia, N.C. native was drafted by Sacramento in the second round (33rd) of the 2010 NBA Draft following his freshman season at Marshall University.
The Grizzlies roster stands at 20 players entering training camp.
Fans who want to support the Memphis Grizzlies and purchase 2014-15 Season Tickets, or 22- and 12-Game Packs can do so by calling (901) 888-HOOP or going online to grizzlies.com. Season Tickets start at $7 per game. 22-Game Packs start at $12 per game, 12-Game Packs start as low as $15 per game. Preseason and Regular Season Single-Game tickets go on-sale Saturday, Sept. 27 at 10 a.m. For more information on the Grizzlies, visit grizzlies.com, ‘like’ Memphis Grizzlies on Facebook or follow on Twitter (@memgrizz).
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES 2014 PRESEASON ROSTER
No.
|
Player
|
Pos.
|
Ht.
|
Wt.
|
Birthdate
|
Prior to NBA/Home Country
|
NBA Yrs
|
3
|
Jordan Adams
|
G
|
6-5
|
209
|
7/8/1994
|
UCLA/USA
|
R
|
9
|
Tony Allen
|
G/F
|
6-4
|
213
|
1/11/1982
|
Oklahoma State/USA
|
10
|
6
|
Michael Beasley
|
F
|
6-9
|
235
|
1/9/1989
|
Kansas State/USA
|
6
|
12
|
Nick Calathes
|
G
|
6-6
|
213
|
2/7/1989
|
Florida/USA
|
1
|
15
|
Vince Carter
|
G/F
|
6-6
|
220
|
1/26/1977
|
North Carolina/USA
|
16
|
23
|
Patrick Christopher
|
G
|
6-5
|
209
|
6/3/1988
|
California/USA
|
R
|
2
|
Earl Clark
|
F
|
6-10
|
225
|
1/17/1988
|
Louisville/USA
|
5
|
11
|
Mike Conley
|
G
|
6-1
|
175
|
10/11/1987
|
Ohio State/USA
|
7
|
33
|
Marc Gasol
|
C
|
7-1
|
265
|
1/29/1985
|
Akasvayu Girona/Spain
|
6
|
14
|
Luke Hancock
|
G
|
6-6
|
200
|
1/30/1990
|
Louisville/USA
|
R
|
27
|
Kalin Lucas
|
G
|
6-1
|
186
|
5/24/1989
|
Michigan State/USA
|
R
|
41
|
Kosta Koufos
|
C
|
7-0
|
265
|
2/24/1989
|
Ohio State/USA
|
6
|
5
|
Courtney Lee
|
G
|
6-5
|
200
|
10/3/1985
|
Western Kentucky/USA
|
6
|
30
|
Jon Leuer
|
F
|
6-10
|
228
|
5/14/1989
|
Wisconsin/USA
|
3
|
8
|
Quincy Pondexter
|
G/F
|
6-6
|
225
|
3/10/1988
|
Washington/USA
|
4
|
21
|
Tayshaun Prince
|
F
|
6-9
|
215
|
2/28/1980
|
Kentucky/USA
|
12
|
50
|
Zach Randolph
|
F
|
6-9
|
260
|
7/16/1981
|
Michigan State/USA
|
13
|
1
|
Jarnell Stokes
|
F/C
|
6-9
|
263
|
1/7/1994
|
Tennessee/USA
|
R
|
19
|
Beno Udrih
|
G
|
6-3
|
205
|
7/5/1982
|
Breil Milano/Slovenia
|
10
|
10
|
Hassan Whiteside
|
C
|
7-0
|
235
|
6/13/1989
|
Marshall/USA
|
2
|
– Grizzlies.com –