Ziaire Williams Trade Grades: Brooklyn Nets Receive 'A' For High-Value Move

The former lottery selection lands in Brooklyn.

Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

After weeks of speculation, general manager Sean Marks and the Brooklyn Nets have made their first move since simultaneously trading away Mikal Bridges and their own first-round draft selections.

The franchise acquired former no. 10 overall pick Ziaire Williams in an absolute steal of a trade. For a package containing Williams and a 2030 second round pick via Dallas, Brooklyn shipped out the recently-acquired Mamadi Diakite, who was a throw-in in the previously mentioned Bridges deal.

A player with extreme upside, Williams never truly found his footing in Memphis, but will now be given ample opportunity to reach his maximum potential. The deal is the exact low-risk high-reward type deal that Brooklyn was in the market for. A combination of Williams and second-year man Jalen Wilson will man the forward spots next season and will look to replace Bridges' production. Just a perfect trade for the Nets.

Grade: A

The same praise cannot be bestowed upon Memphis. This was a salary dump through and through. While his first three professional seasons were quite underwhelming, he is still just 22 years old with plenty of room to develop. Ultimately, the Grizzlies decided the $6.1 million Williams is owed next season was too high of a price tag, and gave up on the Stanford product altogether. It is unlikely that Diakite ever makes a true impact, especially given the franchise just drafted Zach Edey 9th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft. Unless Memphis has another move up their sleeve to provide reasoning for the lopsided salary dump, this move appears a bit head-scratching.

Grade: C-

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