That grizzlies sign second round selection Kennedy Chandler to a four-year, $7.1 million deal, his agent Ryan Davis tells Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium (Twitter link).
According to Charania, Chandler’s rookie contract includes $4.94 million in guaranteed money, which is the most an American second-rounder has ever received.
The Grizzlies acquired Chandler from the Spurs in a draft-day trade in exchange for the Lakers’ 2024 second-round pick and cash. He was the 38th pick of the 2022 NBA draft.
Chandler was ranked 20th on ESPN’s big board before the draft, so he slipped a bit to drop into the second round. The Memphis native averaged 13.9 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 4.7 APG and 2.2 SPG at .464/.383/.606 in 34 games (30.8 MPG) last season as a freshman for Tennessee.
Though he’s only 6’0″, Chandler is an excellent athlete and has a reputation as a strong defender. The 19-year-old recorded the highest maximum vertical jump (41.5″) and second-fastest shuttle run (2.89) among all contestants tested at the NBA draft combine in May.
Chandler is a true point guard, capable of placing and reaching his spots at a high level. He is currently beginning for Memphis’ Summer League roster against Philadelphia in Salt Lake City with six points, three rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks in nearly three quarters of the action, according to ESPN.
As Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian notes (Twitter connections), Chandler’s deal is quite similar to the contract Xavier Tilmann received by the Grizzlies as their 35th pick in 2020 ($6.5M over four years, with $4.6M guaranteed). The Grizzlies had to use some of their mid-level exception to give Chandler a four-year contract, according to Herrington.