Upon waiving 2022 No. 10 pick Johnny Davis, the Memphis Grizzlies have officially signed four-year pro Lamar Stevens to a 10-day contract.
Stevens, who has 203 career NBA games under his belt, has spent the entirety of 2024-25 with the G League’s Motor City Cruise. In 18 games, Stevens has averaged 17.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.4 blocks, and 1.2 steals per contest. However, the Penn State product falls into the category of players whose contributions extend far beyond the stat sheet. At 6-foot-6 and 230 pounds, Stevens is an assertive defender at the point-of-attack, possessing the physical tools needed to match up against multiple positions.
The @memgrizz signed Lamar Stevens to a 10-day contract as a Call-Up from the @nbagleague Motor City Cruise. In a related move, the Grizzlies waived Johnny Davis. pic.twitter.com/qxvngaupjl
— Grizzlies PR (@GrizzliesPR) February 21, 2025
With that in mind, the Grizzlies have dropped their lost two and are now 6-4 over their last 10 games. In that stretch, they’ve allowed their opponent to score at least 119 points in six games. Due to the combination of poor discipline and physical limitations, it’s no wonder that Memphis ranks 23rd in opponent’s points per game (116.0).
Obviously, at 36-19, the Grizzlies are a formidable team. Yet, their success has largely been attributed to their pace, ball-movement, and overall scoring ability. By adding a player such as Stevens, the hope is that he’ll be able to raise their performance at the other end. Whatever he gives them on offense will be a bonus.
Farewell, Johnny Davis
Suffice it to say, Davis’s career hasn’t gone as expected since draft day.
The son of former NBA forward Mark Davis, his most staunch supporters likely believed he had star potential, hence him being a top-10 pick. More level-headed fans saw Davis as at least a rotation-caliber piece, particularly due to his scoring upside. After all, in college, Davis averaged 19.7 points per game in his second and final season with Wisconsin.
Ironically, his career has turned out a bit like his father’s. The elder Davis only played 33 games in the NBA, all in one season. He finished his career averaging 3.8 points per game. However, as a fourth-round pick who spent his first three seasons as a professional playing abroad, it wasn’t necessarily shocking.
For teams who value basketball pedigree, the Davis duo is a cautionary tale. Some players turn out better than their fathers, like Jaren Jackson Jr., a cornerstone piece in Memphis. Others may go down the path Davis has, struggling to make a name in the league while met with outsized expectations.
© Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
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