The Memphis Grizzlies sent a clear signal across the league that they are gearing up for a retool. They became a team that helped salary-dump players throughout the final hours of the 2026 NBA trade deadline.
Eric Gordon was moved to the Grizzlies from the Philadelphia 76ers in a deal that didn’t land the Sixers any returning players. The move allowed the Sixers to cut ties with Gordon’s $2.2 million salary on his one-year deal.
Gordon wasn’t the only former Sixer to get cut loose by the Memphis Grizzlies this week. The veteran forward Georges Niang was moved to the Grizzlies in the shocking deal that helped the Utah Jazz net Jaren Jackson Jr. before the deadline. The 32-year-old found out he wouldn’t see the court at all in Memphis. Niang was quickly waived after the trade went down.
This season, Niang has battled with a setback that has kept him off the floor. Although the return to Utah was a positive situation for Niang, he didn’t have much of an impact on the young roster this time around.
Last season, Niang started the year with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He appeared in 51 games, averaging 8.7 points, while shooting 40 percent from three.
Ahead of the 2025 trade deadline, Niang was moved to the Atlanta Hawks. He finished the year by appearing in 28 games, averaging 23.0 minutes per game. The veteran produced 12.1 points while shooting 41 percent from three.
It’s unclear what’s next for Niang. Last season, he proved to still be a valuable three-point shooter when he’s healthy. The Hawks moved off him over last summer, sending him to the Boston Celtics, who then flipped his contract to the Jazz. With Niang waived, he could get a chance to join a team on a minimum deal if and when he gears up for a return.
As for Eric Gordon, he’s spent the last two seasons with the Sixers. After a run in Philly in 2024-2025, Gordon declined his player option. He still returned to the Sixers on a slightly higher salary. Unfortunately, he won’t see it all the way through. This year, Gordon saw the court for just six games with the Sixers. While making 57 percent of his shots from the field, Gordon averaged 5.5 points per game. Last season, he averaged 6.8 points per game, while draining 40 percent of his threes.
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