Today in a predetermined bit of bookkeeping, the Memphis Grizzlies waived Jacob Gilyard. The news comes Sunday afternoon after Gilyard reached the limit of games available.
Or at least near reached the limit on his current NBA contract—a two-way.
Two-way contracts allow players to appear in 50 total games on the active roster. Due to the injuries/suspensions most of the Grizzlies point guards were experiencing… Well it forced Memphis to play ‘Gilly’ more often than most two-way guys.
Look, there’s no other way to put it: the news is a bummer.
Gilyard was everything you could ask for in an NBA point guard… Minus his height (5’8″). Which makes the news an even bigger bummer. Because everything else? That he did right.
On the season he was averaging 4.7 PTS and 3.5 AST in 17.7 minutes per game. He was also shooting the ball on 41.7/42.5/100.0% splits. Not too shabby. But at the end of the day… That 5’8″—5’9″ depending on where you look—was a real hinderance.
But as the saying goes—ahem—something about doors. Like closing them and new ones opening I don’t know.
And so the door will open with opportunities for one, Jordan Goodwin. The Grizzlies will be signing him to fill the open roster spot—the open two-way spot. That’s after appearing on the roster for two games pre-All-Star break.
In those two games, and that’s with one start to boot… Goodwin was averaging 10.5 PTS, 5 REB, 3 AST, and 1.5 STL. He was shooting the ball over a 40.0% clip from both the field and from deep as well. The long and short of it?
Goodwin is better suited to be a point guard in this league than Gilyard.
It won’t stop me from wishing the absolute best for the guy though. Whichever team choses to sign him next… They’ll have a heck of a hooper on their roster.
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