Williams averaged 13.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.0 assists his junior year at IU.
Former Indiana University forward Troy Williams has made the Memphis Grizzlies’ opening day roster, a league source confirmed to VigilantSports.com.
Williams, who was not selected in the 2016 NBA Draft, earned the 15th and final spot by having an outstanding preseason. The 6-7 wing was the top scoring rookie in the preseason, averaging 13.2 points per game. New Orleans’ Buddy Hield was second, with 12.5 points per game.
Williams shot 52.1 percent from the floor, including 42.1 percent from range, and most importantly, he kept his turnovers to a minimum: Just 1.2 per game. Playing more than 25 minutes per game, his overal plus-minus was 9.7. He was the only rookie who was in the top five in scoring that finished with a positive plus-minus.
The Grizzlies signed Williams to a two-year, partially guaranteed contract that only ensured him $150,000. The key date now becomes January 10th. If he’s still on an NBA roster, that’s when his minimum-level contract ($543,471) becomes guaranteed for the remainder of the season.
Williams’ former IU teammate, Yogi Ferrell, was not so fortunate. He was waived by the Brooklyn Nets.
The deadline for NBA teams to finalize their opening day roster is Monday, Oct. 24.
The Vertical’s Adrian Wojnarowski first reported that Williams’ roster spot was safe.
League execs had Troy Williams name circled for a waiver claim if Memphis made him expendable. https://t.co/jxSxDPtDLm
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) October 22, 2016