Memphis Grizzlies Sign Bismack Biyombo

The Memphis Grizzlies have signed veteran center Bismack Biyombo in advance of their weekend back-to-back series with the Portland Trail Blazers. Expected to contend for a spot in the 2024 NBA Playoffs, the Grizzlies have been mired in an 0-5 start to the 2023-24 regular season. Biyombo will help Memphis compensate for the loss of center Steven Adams, out for the year with a knee injury.

Biyombo played 61 games for the Phoenix Suns last season, starting 14. The center averaged 4.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in 14.3 minutes per game. Throughout his 12-year NBA career he’s been known for his board work and defensive play.

Here is the official press release from the Grizzlies’ NBA site:

Memphis, Tenn. – The Memphis Grizzlies today announced the team signed center Bismack Biyombo (bis-MOCK bee-OM-bo). Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

A 12-year NBA veteran, Biyombo (6-8, 255) has played 799 career regular season games (324 starts) for Charlotte, Toronto, Orlando and Phoenix and has averaged 5.1 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 19.5 minutes while shooting 53.3% from the field. He also has appeared in 40 career playoff games (11 starts), contributing to the Raptors’ run to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2016 and helping the Suns advance to the Western Conference Semifinals in each of the past two seasons.

The 31-year-old was selected by Sacramento with the seventh overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft before his rights were traded to Charlotte on draft night. A native of Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Biyombo played two seasons professionally in the Spanish ACB League before joining the NBA.

The Blazers face the Grizzlies on Friday night at 7:00 PM and then again on Sunday at 6:00 PM, both at the Moda Center, both times Pacific.