Brooklyn Nets Acquire Ziaire Williams from Memphis Grizzlies via Trade

The former first-round pick gets a fresh start in Brooklyn.

Feb 28, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Memphis Grizzlies forward Ziaire Williams (8) works around Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels (3) in the third quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports / Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

Over the past few weeks, there was a sense around the league that the Memphis Grizzlies were looking to offload Ziaire Williams. A former lottery pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, he was officially traded on Friday afternoon.

As first reported by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Brooklyn Nets are trading for Williams along with a 2030 second-round pick (via Dallas) in exchange for Mamadi Diakite.

A 6-foot-9 forward who played at Sierra Canyon alongside Bronny James in high school, Williams was a No. 10 overall pick just three years ago. He is still 22 years old with tremendous upside, just needs more opportunity to develop. Williams will get that opportunity in Brooklyn, especially given the Nets are in a full rebuild.

Williams has averaged 7.5 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists per contest while shooting 42.6% from the floor over the course of his three-year career. He is still a fairly raw prospect, but certainly has the talent to develop into a core piece of Brooklyn's young roster.

For the Nets, acquiring Williams and also bringing in a second-round pick is a significant win. He will be a free agent this offseason, but Brooklyn can evaluate him in the upcoming season before making a decision on his future with the team.

As more information surrounding the trade is reported, Nets on SI will keep you informed.

---

Want to join the discussion? Like Nets on SI on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Nets news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.