The Memphis Grizzlies have been dealt with some of the most rotten injury luck of any NBA franchise this season. The league has granted some (minor) mercy on them. First, the NBA is allowing the club to re-sign guard DeJon Jarreau on his second 10-day hardship contract, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski:
The Memphis Grizzlies are signing guard DeJon Jarreau on a second 10-day hardship contract, sources tell ESPN. Jarreau has averaged 5.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists in five games with the Grizzlies since his call up from the G League Memphis Hustle.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 20, 2024
The combo guard went undrafted out of the University of Houston in 2021. After he enjoyed a solid Summer League showing for the Miami Heat, the former All-AAC Second Teamer and AAC Defensive Player of the Year latched on with the Indiana Pacers on a two-way contract. He only appeared in one game, for one minute, without attempting a single shot, before Indiana cut him in December. Jarreau’s G League rights were flipped to the Dallas Mavericks’ G League affiliate, the Texas Legends, by Indiana’s, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants.
He was eventually inked to a 10-day hardship exception deal with the Houston Rockets, who at the time were dealing with severe COVID-19-related absences (as were most NBA squads). Unfortunately, Jarreau himself was struck down by the league’s health and safety protocols, and never played a proper game for Houston. His G League rights were flipped to the Capital City Go-Go during the 2022-23 season. He was flipped to the Memphis Hustle earlier this season.
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Jarreau has finally received his most major NBA run so far this season. Across five contests with the Grizzlies, he’s averaging 5.4 points on a mediocre .333/.375/.667 slash line. But he’s also submitting 5.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists and one steal — all pretty solid numbers in just 17.6 minutes per. Jarreau is not the Grizzlies’ only new player, however.
Memphis will be adding another new player on a 10-day hardship deal, too. Woj reveals that forward Maozinha Pereira, most recently with the Capitanes de Ciudad de México of the NBA G League, is also joining the team.
The NBA granted the injury-riddled Grizzlies another hardship roster spot and franchise plans to sign Brazilian F Maozinha Pereira on a 10-day contract, sources tell ESPN. Pereira has averaged 10.8 points and 8.8 rebounds for Mexico City of the G League.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 20, 2024
In 24 contests for Mexico City, including six starts, Pereira is averaging 8.8 points on 61.4% shooting from the field, 7.1 rebounds, 1.1 steals and one block a night. Memphis is missing a litany of players. That tally includes All-Star point guard Ja Morant, former Defensive Player of the Year wing Marcus Smart, power forward/center Brandon Clarke, guards Scotty Pippen Jr. and Derrick Rose, wings Yuta Watanabe, Vince Williams Jr. and Ziaire Williams, and forward Lamar Stevens.
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