MEMPHIS, Tennessee—The Grizzlies haven’t called Vancouver home since 2000. That’s not stopping them from tapping their Canadian roots to celebrate the NBA franchise’s 25th season.
Memphis unveiled two throwback uniforms Thursday.
Jason Wexler, the Grizzlies’ president, says they wanted to take a special approach to connect the franchise’s history over the next two seasons. He says it was an easy decision to bring back the classic teal uniforms for the upcoming season to celebrate the team’s start in Vancouver along with its 25th season. Wexler says the Grizzlies will wear the “Memphis Classic” uniform first worn in 2000-2001 when the team first relocated to Tennessee during the 2020-21 season to mark the 20th anniversary of the team’s first season here.
The Grizzlies also will use an alternate court over the next two seasons redesigned to connect the team’s start in Vancouver and early stint in Memphis to today.
The Grizzlies, meanwhile, have signed guard Marko Guduric to a multiyear contract.
Terms of the deal weren’t announced.
The 24-year-old Guduric has played for Fenerbahce in Turkey the last two seasons. Guduric averaged 9.4 points and shot 47.7 percent from 3-point range while leading Fenerbahce to the 2019 Euroleague Final Four.
Guduric, who is 6-foot-6, played for KK Crvena Zvezda in Belgrade from 2013-17. He was born in Serbia and helped guide its national team to a silver-medal finish at EuroBasket 2017.
CJ McCollum, on the other hand, has agreed to a three-year contract extension with the Portland Trail Blazers.
The 27-year-old McCollum averaged 21.0 points last season, helping Portland make it to the Western Conference finals. The 6-foot-3 shooting guard, who was selected by the Trail Blazers with the 10th overall pick in the 2013 draft, has averaged at least 20.8 points over the last four years.
The agreement keeps McCollum under contract through the 2023-24 season. McCollum’s agent told ESPN the extension is worth $100 million.
President of basketball operations Neil Olshey says McCollum “is a franchise cornerstone and a critical part of our future.”
McCollum has career averages of 17.8 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 411 games with Portland over six seasons. He also is a 40.1 percent shooter from three-point range and makes 83.9 percent of his foul shots.