MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Memphis Grizzlies added their second-round draft pick to the roster Saturday, signing Richie Saunders to a two-way contract and waiving Carson Cooper to make room, the team announced.
Saunders, a 6-foot-5 wing from BYU, went 32nd overall in the summer draft. He is still working back from a knee injury, a torn ACL from February, and he was recently cleared to ramp up his work on the court. The new deal lets him start practicing with the Grizzlies.
The path to this point was unusual. Before the season, the 25-year-old went to camp with the Memphis Hustle, the club’s G League team, while Memphis kept his NBA draft rights. Picks taken that high usually land multiyear NBA contracts, but the knee injury changed the timeline.
At BYU, Saunders played four seasons and earned All-Big 12 honors as a junior and again as a senior. He played 25 games last season, averaging 18.0 points and 5.8 rebounds to go with 2.1 assists and 1.7 steals. He arrives with a reputation as a 3-point shooter who plays with high energy.
Memphis now uses its two-way slots on Saunders, Javon Small and Jahmai Mashack. Cooper, who went undrafted out of Michigan State, joined Memphis in late September on a two-way pact covering two seasons.
A two-way contract can later be turned into a standard deal, and the Grizzlies have room under the luxury tax to do it if they open a roster spot. The club is carrying a large amount of dead money this season but still sits well below the tax line, which gives the front office flexibility if Saunders proves ready once his knee is fully healthy.
For now, the rookie’s focus is getting back on the floor. Fans at FedExForum will have to wait to see when he is cleared for game action, but the signing puts the shooting guard inside the Grizzlies’ daily practice routine for the first time.
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