Grizzlies battle roster woes, extending Tyler Burton and DeJon Jarreau. See how these G League call-ups are providing crucial depth.
The Memphis Grizzlies announced signing Tyler Burton and DeJon Jarreau to second 10-day contracts. Both deals were signed using the NBA's hardship exception as the team continues to navigate an injury-plagued season.
The Grizzlies have often played without Ja Morant, Zach Edey, Scotty Pippen Jr., Jaylen Wells, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Santi Aldama and Brandon Clarke in the lineup lately. The circumstances have left ample room for more unproven players to step in and fill roles.
Burton, 26, has shown impressive flashes during his short tenure with the Grizzlies. He went undrafted out of Villanova in 2024 and initially joined the team on March 12. He has played six games, averaging 8.8 points and 4.3 rebounds in 25.3 minutes.
Before his NBA opportunity, Burton spent most of the season with the Memphis Hustle in the G League, where he averaged over 20 points per game. Given his familiarity with the Grizzlies' system, it was an easy decision to call him up to fill a role on short notice.
Jarreau, 28, signed shortly after Burton and appeared in five games, averaging 6.4 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.8 assists in just over 21 minutes per contest. Unlike Burton, Jarreau has prior NBA experience, including earlier appearances with Memphis and a brief stint with the Indiana Pacers.
Both players filled roles in the Grizzlies' recent loss to the Atlanta Hawks, where the team struggled to defend and lacked consistent scoring. The injury situation is not going to change this season. Memphis is in a position to have to get through the 82-game marathon and reset for the 2026-27 season. Burton received 28 minutes off the bench, while Jurreau logged 26.
These second 10-day contracts will keep Burton and Jarreau on the team through April 1, allowing them to appear in up to six more games. Following that point, Memphis must decide whether to convert either player to a standard contract or to look elsewhere to get through the remaining few games on the schedule.