Nets take flier on former top-10 pick Ziaire Williams in trade with Grizzlies

The Nets are adding a former lottery pick to their rebuilding squad.

In a cost-cutting move by the Grizzlies, the Nets are acquiring small forward Ziaire Williams, the No. 10 pick in the 2021 draft, according to ESPN.

Brooklyn also will receive a 2030 second-round pick via Dallas in the deal, while sending forward/center Mamadi Diakite to Memphis.

Ziaire Williams was drafted in the first round. Getty Images

Diakite had been included as salary filler from the Knicks in the Mikal Bridges blockbuster trade earlier this month.

Williams, who will earn $6.1 million in the final season of his rookie contract in 2024-25, averaged 8.2 points and shot only 30.7 percent from 3-point range in 20.4 minutes per game over 51 appearances last year for the Grizzlies.

The 22-year-old Stanford product is eligible for a rookie extension until Oct. 21.

Memphis was looking to shed salary to stay under the first luxury-tax apron of the salary cap.

Mamadi Diakite played in six games for the Knicks and Spurs last season. NBAE via Getty Images

Diakite is slated to make $2.27 million this season after appearing in only six NBA games in 2023-24 — three apiece with the Spurs and the Knicks.

The Nets had a $9.5 million trade exception available after sending veteran Royce O’Neale to the Suns in February.

Sean Marks is retooling the Nets’ roster. Noah K. Murray-NY Post

Brooklyn also took back Bojan Bogdanovic and Shake Milton in the Bridges deal for salary-matching purposes, along with five first-round picks (four unprotected) and a future unprotected first-round swap from the Knicks.

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