The Memphis Grizzlies will reportedly sign free agent center Charles Bassey through the hardship exception, a source close to the team told ESPN’s Shams Charania on Sunday night.
Grizzlies add Charles Bassey, four players out
The hardship exception allows teams to temporarily add a 16th player if at least four players on the roster miss three or more consecutive games and are expected to be out for at least two weeks.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, multiple teams have used hardship exceptions.
The Grizzlies’ long-term absences of Ty Jerome (calf strain), Scottie Pippen Jr. (big toe surgery), Brandon Clarke (knee surgery) and Zach Eddy (offseason ankle surgery) pave the way for tough signings.
The Memphis Grizzlies plan to sign center Charles Bassey through the hardship exception, sources told ESPN. The Grizzlies currently have Ty Jerome, Scottie Pippen Jr., Brandon Clarke and Zach Eady on the long-term sidelines, clearing the way for a tough 10-day signing.
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Difficult transactions are covered for 10 days at a time. If the Grizzlies still meet the hardship criteria when Bassey’s first 10-day contract expires, he may sign a second 10-day contract.
With four players expected to miss several weeks, the Grizzlies became the first team to receive a 10-day hardship exception after their third game of the season, ESPN’s Bobby Marks reported.
Brazil enters fifth NBA season
Bassey, who turns 25 on Tuesday, was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 53rd overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft out of Western Kentucky. The 6-foot-10 big man appeared in 23 games off the bench for the Sixers during his rookie season before being waived in October 2022.
Days after being waived, Brazil signed a two-way contract with the San Antonio Spurs. His contract was later converted to a standard contract in February 2023 after scoring in double digits on multiple occasions.
On February 23, the Spurs lost to the Dallas Mavericks 142-116. He scored a career-high 16 points on 7-of-8 shooting (87.5%) and hit a three-pointer.
After the 2022-23 season, Brazil spends the next two seasons with the Spurs.
In 113 NBA career regular season games (three starts) on behalf of the 76ers and Spurs, he averaged 11.1 minutes per game, 4.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, shooting 63.1% from the field and 64.8% from the free throw line.
In the preseason game against the Atlanta Hawks, Brazil averaged 17.2 minutes per game, 4.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks.
