Duke G-League Standout Gets NBA Promotion
By Jovan Alford
After dropping 35 points, 14 rebounds, and four assists in his last NBA G League game against the Santa Cruz Warriors, former Duke Blue Devil standout Matt Hurt will be called up to the big league club.
Shams Charania of The Athletic reported on Monday that the Memphis Grizzlies are planning to sign the Memphis Hustle power forward to a 10-day contract using their hardship. Memphis has been hit hard by the injury bug this season, so they need all the healthy reinforcements they can add to their 15-man roster.
The Memphis Grizzlies are planning to sign forward Matt Hurt to a 10-day contract via hardship out of their G League Hustle affiliate, sources tell me and @KellyIko. Hurt is averaging 22.2 points and 7.4 rebounds in G League.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 29, 2024
The 23-year-old power forward is having an excellent second season in the NBA G League, posting 25.5 points (leading scorer in the league) and 8.4 rebounds per game. Hurt is also shooting 57% from the field and 50.6% from three-point range on seven attempts per game.
A litany of injuries in Memphis helped make room on the roster for the former Blue Devil. There are 11 players on the Grizzlies' injury report on Monday, including eight that were ruled out early in the day. Hurt could legitimately see some playing time in the Grizz' rotation.
It’s a well-deserved call-up for Hurt, who has put in the work over the last two seasons after going undrafted in the 2021 NBA Draft.
After going undrafted, Hunt signed a two-way deal with the Houston Rockets. However, the Rockets released the former Duke standout, and he ended up signing with the Grizzlies.