Valley Suns trade for Mamadi Diakite, Phoenix reportedly signs him to exhibit-10 deal
Sep 13, 2024, 9:40 AM | Updated: 10:38 am
Head coach J. B. Bickerstaff of the Cleveland Cavaliers talks with Mamadi Diakite #21 against the Chicago Bulls at United Center on December 31, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
The Valley Suns traded for the returning player rights of big man Mamadi Diakite from the Westchester Knicks in exchange for the rights of Theo Maledon and Trevion Williams, the G League team said on Friday.
Diakite has reportedly agreed to an exhibit-10 deal with the Phoenix Suns that puts in the spotlight to challenge for a spot on the NBA team, which has an open roster position at the moment. Exhibit-10 deals are for training camp and come with an option to sign players to a two-way deal before the year begins.
Diakite, who played in college at Virginia, has appeared in 55 NBA games between stints with Milwaukee, Oklahoma City, Cleveland, San Antonio and New York.
The 28-year-old averaged 14.4 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.4 blocks over 18 G League games between the Knicks and Austin Spurs in 2023-24.
The 6-foot-9 forward flashed a stretch game but was inefficient, shooting 31.7% from deep on 3.5 three-point attempts per game between the two teams.
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Maledon, 23, played with the Phoenix Suns sparingly last year on a two-way contract but has 177 games of NBA experience. He was ultimately waived before he and Williams were acquired by the Valley Suns in the G League expansion draft.
Williams, also 23, played last year in Germany’s Bundesliga.
The 6-foot-10, 255-pound playmaking center was an All-EuroCup First Team member who averaged 14.5 points, 10.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game.
The Valley Suns’ trade was the second for the young franchise, which on Sept. 4 traded its first-round draft pick to the Oklahoma Blue for guard Jaden Shackelford.
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