Santi Aldama (January 10, 2001, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria) has officially committed to the Grizzlies. The Spanish rookie, chosen by the Jazz in 30th place in the last draft but later sent to Memphis, signed a contract in which he will have the first two years guaranteed for 3.3 million dollars. Afterwards, the franchise will have two consecutive options to extend its relationship until 2025. If it ends up completing all four courses, it will receive close to five million dollars.
Once the contract is formalized, Aldama is ready to make his debut with the Grizzlies on Monday night (11pm) in the Summer League against the Nets. The pvot of 2.11 meters was included in the template for the event that is held in Las Vegas and in which his team will also face the Heat, the Kings and the Bulls. The Memphis team will have 17 players and will be led by Darko Rajakovic, a regular assistant coach.
Aldama, after signing his contract, will become the fourth Spanish player to play for the Grizzlies. No franchise has been as close to Spain as it. Pau Gasol passed through there, who made his debut in 2001, the first season the team played in Memphis, and made it grow from the bottom of the standings to the playoffs. Later he was accompanied by his friend Juan Carlos Navarro, who played there for a season. And later, in the operation that sent Pau to the Lakers, his brother Marc arrived, who became an icon of the franchise before being transferred to the Raptors. The team will withdraw the shirt with the 33 in the future.
Undoubtedly, the good precedents with Spanish players, the talent and conditions of Aldama and a slight resemblance to Pau Gasol in his physique and his game have made the Grizzlies bet on him. Last season, his second in the NCAA, the pvot averaged 21.2 points on 51.3% shooting from the field at his Loyola Maryland college. Now, along with Usman Garuba, chosen by the Rockets in 23rd place in the draft, they will be the seventeenth and eighteenth Spanish to play in the NBA.
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