In a surprising move to many Grizzlies fans, Summer League standout Jahmai Mashack did not receive the last two-way spot for the Memphis Grizzlies. Mashack will join the Memphis Hustle while the Grizzlies maintain his NBA rights. Instead, the Grizzlies signed Olivier-Maxence Prosper to their last remaining two-way contract.
Coming off a successful junior season with Marquette and an impressive NBA Draft combine, Olivier-Maxence Prosper was selected 24th overall in the 2023 NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings, before the Dallas Mavericks acquired his draft rights. However, Prosper split time between the G-League and NBA rosters and struggled to earn consistent playing time with the Mavericks.
With the Mavericks having plenty of wing depth and the team wanting to avoid the second apron, they made multiple attempts to trade Prosper but failed to do so and eventually made the decision to waive-and-stretch him. According to Shams Charania, the Grizzlies were previously one of the teams interested in trading for him, and eventually pounced on the opportunity to sign him.
The Grizzlies have the opportunity to unlock another two-way talent
With Prosper being a former first-round pick and having previously found success in the G-League, the Grizzlies are taking a swing on upside rather than solely judging his NBA production. For context, Prosper has appeared in 92 total NBA games, but has only averaged ten minutes per game so far and has only made five career starts. In the NBA, Prosper has struggled to produce in limited action, as he has only averaged 3.5 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 0.7 assists per game.
However, based on his G-League production and his profile, it is easy to understand why the Grizzlies were interested in him. It is important to note that he is still just 23 years old, and at 6'8", he possesses a 7'1" wingspan. In a league that strongly values big 3-and-D wings, it is likely the Grizzlies believe they can still develop him into a solid NBA rotation-level 3-and-D player.
In the G League, Olivier-Maxence Prosper was a very productive player, as he averaged 18.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game while averaging 33.3 minutes per game. However, while there is a huge difference between the level of competition in the G League and the NBA, it is interesting how different his shooting splits are.
He had 51.2/42.5/76.7 shooting splits in the G-League compared to 40.2/23.5/64.5 shooting splits in the NBA. Despite there being unknowns about how much he will continue to improve, improvement in his ability as a three-point shooter, while also capitalizing on his athleticism defensively, could make him an effective rotation player eventually.
Even though Prosper's NBA sample size alone is not enough to spark optimism, Jay Huff and Scotty Pippen Jr. are also examples of productive G League players who developed into solid players with the Grizzlies. Based on the Grizzlies' recent track record of developing two-way players from other organizations, there is a chance that Prosper ends up as another Grizzlies two-way steal.