Nick Calathes reportedly agrees to 2-year deal with Grizzlies
By Brad Rowland
Sometimes, story “breaking” in sports can be overrated, and former University of Florida guard Nick Calathes proved that on Friday afternoon… by doing it himself.
Subsequently, ESPN’s Marc Stein took over, reporting that his sources have locked Calathes into a 2-year deal:
Earlier in the summer, the Dallas Mavericks (who have held the guard’s rights for 4 years) traded him to Memphis, which apparently paved the way for a deal. Calathes was selected in the 2nd round of the 2009 draft by Minnesota despite having already signed a contract abroad, and his skills are in high demand.
He is a “pure” point guard at 6-foot-6, which makes NBA scouts drool, and he was an across-the-board contributor at Florida, averaging over 5 rebounds and 6 assists per game to go along with 15+ points for his career. He has continued to show that kind of versatility professionally, and for the cash-strapped Grizzlies, this is a perfect “flier” move (especially with a 2nd-year team option) for the future with a very talented player.
It remains to be seen whether Calathes can contribute on an NBA court, but I love his game, and at age 24, this is a very low-risk, high-upside move.