Cavaliers Now

Mamadi Diakite Traded Again, Former UVA Big Man Joins Memphis Grizzlies

Matt Newton

Former Wahoo Mamadi Diakite is on the move again, getting traded for the second time this month.
Former Wahoo Mamadi Diakite is on the move again, getting traded for the second time this month. / Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

For the second time this month, former Virginia forward Mamadi Diakite has been traded. A few weeks after Diakite was included as part of the blockbuster trade that sent Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets to the New York Knicks, the Nets have shipped Diakite away, this time in a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies. Per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Nets are trading Diakite and Nemanja Dangubic, a 2014 NBA Draft pick who has never played in the NBA, to the Grizzlies in exchange for 2021 first-round draft pick Ziaire Williams and a 2030 second-round pick.

This will be the seventh different NBA team to own the rights to Diakite, who has played in just 55 games through his first four seasons in the NBA, including only six games last season. Diakite is due to earn $2,273,252 next season, but only about half of that salary is guaranteed.

A year after playing a vital role for Virginia's 2019 National Championship team, Diakite earned an All-ACC Second-Team selection as a senior and then signed as an undrafted free agent with the Milwaukee Bucks. With the Bucks' G League affiliate not playing the 2020-2021 season, Diakite played that campaign with the Lakeland Magic and had a tremendous year, averaging 18.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game en route to earning All-NBA G League First Team, NBA G League All-Defensive Team, and the NBA G League Championship with the Magic. Diakite then signed a standard contract with the Bucks and was on the roster when they won the 2021 NBA Championship, making him the first player to ever win an NCAA title, a G League title, and an NBA championship.

Diakite was waived by Milwaukee prior to the 2021-2022 season and has since bounced around the league. He signed three 10-day contracts with the Oklahoma City Thunder, but was released in February of 2022 after playing in 13 games, including three starts. Diakite signed a two-way deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers for the 2022-2023 season and logged 22 appearances, including two starts.

This past season saw Diakite spend most of his time with the Westchester Knicks in the G League, though he did play three games for the San Antonio Spurs in January and three more for the New York Knicks in March and April.

Just a few weeks after the Brooklyn Nets acquired his rights, Diakite is on the move again and there's no guarantee that he'll even stay with the Memphis Grizzlies, who could waive him for a roster spot or to free up salary cap space.

Published
Matt Newton

MATT NEWTON

Matt launched Virginia Cavaliers On SI in August of 2021 and has since served as the site's publisher and managing editor, covering all 23 NCAA Division I sports teams at the University of Virginia. He is from Downingtown, Pennsylvania and graduated from UVA in May of 2021.