Andrew Harrison to Grizzlies: Latest Trade Details, Comments and Reaction
The Phoenix Suns selected Kentucky point guard Andrew Harrison No. 44 overall in the second round of Thursday's 2015 NBA draft, only to trade him away to the Memphis Grizzlies.
Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports reported not long after the Suns' initial pick that they'd shipped Harrison to Memphis in exchange for power forward Jon Leuer.
ESPN Stats & Info had an interesting bit of context when Harrison looked to be on his way to the desert:
But the Kentucky quartet was short-lived, and now Memphis welcomes at least some competition for the backup point guard spot behind Mike Conley.
Although his analysis came before learning of Harrison's trade fate, ESPN draft expert Chad Ford seemed optimistic about the young guard's NBA future:
Harrison, whose twin brother, Aaron, also played for the Wildcats and entered this year's draft, measured at 6'5.5" and 213 pounds with a 6'9" wingspan at the NBA combine. He shot 36.7 percent from beyond the arc in his two seasons with the Wildcats, per Sports-Reference.com.
If Harrison can keep improving his jumper, there's a chance he could flex to the 2-guard spot and fare well in certain situations. Prior to the draft, Harrison certainly wasn't lacking confidence in his own abilities.
"I felt I accomplished what I wanted to in the college game. I matured over the two years and I felt I was ready," said Harrison, per SI.com's Chris Mannix. "I felt I was the best point guard in the draft."
Sports Synergy Tech highlighted how Harrison is already adept at absorbing contact while using his explosive moves to get to the basket:
"Andrew Harrison drew got to the line on 33% of his transition possessions and 25% of his Isos. Adept at drawing fouls off the bounce.
— Synergy Sports Tech (@SynergySST) June 26, 2015"
The following footage from KYwildcatsTV showcases some of the special plays Harrison is capable of making:
Beno Udrih backed up Conley last season but has just one year remaining on his contract, per Spotrac. Russ Smith may also compete for minutes entering his second season, depending on how the Grizzlies decide to handle Harrison.
Since Memphis had acquired LSU forward Jarell Martin with its first-round pick at No. 25 overall, it comes as little surprise Leuer is on his way out of town.
Suns fans had to be somewhat relieved to see Harrison traded. They've seen a convoluted point guard depth chart in recent years. General manager Ryan McDonough traded away Goran Dragic and Isaiah Thomas at last season's trade deadline, bringing in Brandon Knight to join Eric Bledsoe.
Instead of creating more of a crowd on the perimeter, the Suns have added necessary depth to the frontcourt. Leuer shouldn't expect to play a big role, though, considering he's averaged just 11.9 minutes per game in four NBA seasons.
Note: Combine measurements courtesy of DraftExpress.com.
