The 2026 NBA Draft has come and gone, but there is still undrafted talent out there, and the Memphis Grizzlies are making sure they don't miss out.
According to a report, the team has agreed to a deal with undrafted center Carson Cooper from Michigan State University. It is reportedly a two-way agreement.
A two-way deal will give Cooper a chance to split time between the NBA and G League with the Grizzlies. That should be a good arrangement for the big man to give him time to get acclimated to the professional level.
Although Cooper was a four-year player at Michigan State, he didn't gain a ton of starting experience until his senior year. He was primarily a bench piece in his first three seasons with the Spartans until he made 35 starts in the 2025-26 campaign.
As a starter, he was productive, averaging 11.1 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game while shooting 58.4 percent from the field. He helped the team reach the Sweet Sixteen as a senior. MSU reached the NCAA Tournament in all four of his seasons with the program, highlighted by a run to the Elite Eight in his junior campaign.
Now, he'll get a chance to join a Grizzlies organization that could use some similar postseason consistency. Memphis missed the playoffs this year for the second time in three seasons. During its lone trip to the postseason in that stretch, it was swept in the first round in 2025.
Overall, the Grizzlies are still looking for their first playoff series win since 2022.
It may be a while before Cooper makes a significant impact with Memphis, especially if he spends considerable time in the G League this coming season. But he may very well get his chance at some point, and he'll look to land a standard deal down the line by proving his worth to the team.
Although the Grizzlies are now focused on the undrafted market, they were very busy during the draft itself, landing three rookies across the two rounds. They were able to add Cameron Boozer, Karim López and Richie Saunders, all players who could help the franchise as it looks to turn the page on what has been a disappointing few seasons.
Once the draft dust settles, Memphis will be able to turn its attention to free agency and the trade market to explore other possibilities that are floating around this summer.
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