Memphis Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace has had somewhat of a rocky past calendar year in the player personnel department.
Last year’s prized free agent acquisition Chandler Parsons suffered through an injury-plagued first season in Memphis, averaging a career low 6.2 points per game. This came mere months after he inked a four-year, $94.4 million deal with the team.
Prior to signing Parsons, Wallace and the Grizzlies took Vanderbilt product Wade Baldwin with the 17th pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. Baldwin is no longer on the team. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Memphis has decided to waive Baldwin in favor of veteran Mario Chalmers.
This comes after a rookie season in which Baldwin averaged just 3.2 points and shot at a horrendous 31 percent mark from the field. The Grizzlies decided he wasn’t even worth a roster spot after seeing action in just 33 games. This is definitely a rarity in an NBA world where picks in the top 20 are valued at a high clip.
It’s also a clear indication that Wallace has struggled finding talent in the first round of drafts in recent years. Remember, the team waived 2014 first-round pick Jordan Adams last year. And in addition to moving on from Baldwin, Memphis has also decided to waive 2016 second-round pick Rade Zagorac.
That’s most definitely not the best way to find success in an ultra-competitive and top-heavy Western Conference.