APRIL 3: Both 10-day deals are official, the Grizzlies announced (via Twitter).
APRIL 2: The Grizzlies intend to sign former first-round pick Dariq Whitehead to a 10-day contract, agent James Dunleavy tells Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
Memphis also plans to sign free agent forward Toby Okani, agents BJ Bass and Cam Brennick tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
Whitehead and Okani figure to sign hardship contracts for the injury-ravaged Grizzlies. They’ll essentially be replacing DeJon Jarreau, Tyler Burton, whose second 10-day deals with Memphis expired on Wednesday night. Players can only sign two 10-day pacts with the same team in a given season, which is why Jarreau and Burton aren’t being brought back a third time.
A top high school recruit who played one year of college basketball at Duke, Whitehead has seen his career derailed by a series of injuries. He only played 22 times for the Nets over his first two NBA seasons, and he was waived by Brooklyn in October despite having a guaranteed contract in 2025/26.
Still just 21 years old, Whitehead has spent the 2025/26 campaign in the G League after signing an Exhibit 10 deal with the Thunder a few days after he was cut by the Nets. In 28 total appearances (23.6 minutes per contest) for the Oklahoma City Blue this season, Whitehead has averaged 11.6 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists, with a subpar shooting line of .368/.298/.690.
As for Okani, the 6’8″ forward went undrafted in 2025 following five college seasons, the last of which he spent with West Virginia. The 24-year-old has put up modest stats for the Westchester Knicks this season, averaging 6.4 PPG and 3.1 RPG on .399/.292/.533 shooting in 47 total games (21.4 MPG). Okani is viewed as a versatile defender, according to Scotto.
Whitehead will earn $131,970 over his 10 days with Memphis, while Okani will make $73,153. If the agreements are finalized on Friday, both players will be under contract for the rest of the regular season and will become free agents at 12:00 am ET on April 13.
Memphis doing Burton dirty
Glad Whitehead gets another chance
Are they going for the record number of players used in a single season? Thought they already broke it comfortably.
In Memphis, this year has been the ultimate “can’t tell the players without a program” season…
Holy smokes, 31 players this season! Heck, the players need a program just to know who their teammates are.
Wait until we have Expansion, we’re going to have two full rosters operating like this.
I love the Grizzlies but maybe it’s time to relocate this team or Minnesota, Brooklyn, NOP and maybe the Kings. You pick. 30 teams is plenty enough. Not enough talent in the NBA as obviously seen this year