The Memphis Grizzlies appear to have made a very exciting addition in the undrafted free-agent market.
The Memphis Grizzlies appear to have made a very exciting addition in the undrafted free-agent market.
According to talent agency ProMondo Sports, the Grizzlies are signing Liberty University product Zach Cleveland, a development that the 22-year-old has seemingly confirmed on his personal social media accounts.
ClutchPoints currently has the deal listed as an Exhibit 10 contract. It's unclear if that is confirmed.
Regardless, the addition is very intriguing for Memphis. Cleveland was a four-year player at Liberty and showed off an incredibly diverse skill set, which led to him landing Player of the Year honors in Conference USA this past season.
In his Player of the Year campaign, the 6-foot-7 forward averaged 11.9 points, 7.6 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game while shooting 60.7 percent from the field.
Essentially a point forward, he is a triple-double threat who can also bring value to the table defensively. While he isn't a threat as a shooter -- he never took more than 16 shots from beyond the arc in any of his seasons with Liberty -- there is still a ton to like about his game.
If he can add a more reliable jumper to his arsenal, he may be able to raise his ceiling significantly.
The Grizzlies just keep making moves. Aside from the addition of Cleveland, they are also reportedly signing undrafted center Carson Cooper from Michigan State University.
That's in addition to the handful of picks they made in the draft and their deal for established NBA big man Isaiah Stewart. All in all, a plethora of new talent appears to heading to Memphis, and now, it will just be a question of which players stick.
When it comes to the addition of Cleveland in particular, he will have work to do if he wants to secure a roster spot this coming season. Assuming his agreement is indeed of the Exhibit 10 variety, he will need to prove his worth to the Grizzlies.
But they likely recognize his unique profile as a prospect and clearly want to give him a look. He could have been selected in the second round of the draft but wound up going unpicked. Now, he will get his opportunity a different way.
The Grizzlies, one way or another, are hoping to get themselves going on a more promising trajectory after missing the playoffs this past season for the second time in three years. Perhaps some of their new additions will help them turn the page.
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