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Former New York Knicks Player Gets Released by Memphis Grizzlies

The Memphis Grizzlies have made a roster move
Joey Linn|
Mar 27, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors guard Garrett Temple (17) dribbles the ball past New York Knicks forward Mamadi Diakite (25) in the second half at Scotiabank Arena.
Mar 27, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors guard Garrett Temple (17) dribbles the ball past New York Knicks forward Mamadi Diakite (25) in the second half at Scotiabank Arena. | Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

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New York KnicksMemphis Grizzlies

The Memphis Grizzlies acquired 2021 NBA champion Mamadi Diakite earlier this summer in a trade that sent former first round pick Ziaire Williams to the Brooklyn Nets.

In their announcement on the trade in July, the Grizzlies shared the following background information on Diakite:

“Diakite (6-9, 228) has appeared in 55 games (six starts) and has averaged 3.1 points and 2.3 minutes in 9.6 minutes for the Milwaukee Bucks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Cleveland Cavaliers, San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks since he went unselected in the 2020 NBA Draft out of Virginia. As a rookie, the 27-year-old Guinea native won an NBA championship as a member of the 2020-21 Bucks.”

In a post on Tuesday morning, Shams Charania of The Athletic revealed that the Grizzlies are releasing Diakite:

The 27-year-old forward last played in an NBA game for the New York Knicks and will now enter free agency. With other young forwards projected to receive rotation minutes, the Grizzlies did not have much of a role for the 6-foot-9 Diakite.

The Grizzlies announced their decision to release Diakite shortly after Charania's report.

"The Memphis Grizzlies today announced the team waived forward Mamadi Diakite,” the team wrote.

On the Milwaukee Bucks roster in 2021 that won an NBA championship, Diakite appeared in 14 games that season, including seven in the playoffs.

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Joey Linn
JOEY LINN

Joey Linn is a credentialed writer covering the NBA and WNBA for On SI. Covering the LA Clippers independently in 2018, then for Fansided and 213Hoops from 2019-2021, Joey joined On SI to cover the Clippers after the 2020-21 season. Graduating from Biola University in 2022 with a Communication Studies degree, Joey served as Biola's play-by-play announcer for their basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams. Joey's work on Biola's broadcasts and in the classroom earned him the Outstanding Communication Studies Student of the year award in 2022. Joey covers the NBA full-time, primarily serving as a Clippers beat writer.

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