Which of Memphis Grizzlies' Exhibit 10 contract signees has best chance of advancing?

Some basketball players just want an opportunity, and four recent Memphis Grizzlies signees will get just that in preseason camp.

The Grizzlies announced the signings of Armando Bacot, Yuki Kawamura, Miye Oni and Maozinha Pereira on Sept. 6. Each is joining on an Exhibit 10 contract.

Memphis currently has two open roster spots on its main roster after trading Ziaire Williams and waiving Derrick Rose. The E-10 signings could play into how the Grizzlies handle their final roster spots, potentially by having their deals converted to two-way contracts if the team promotes Cam Spencer, Scotty Pippen Jr. or Jay Huff to the 15-man roster.

What is an Exhibit 10 contract?

The simplest way to think of an Exhibit 10 contract is it's one tier below a two-way deal. E-10 contracts are non-guaranteed deals that allow players to participate in preseason training camp. Most E-10 players are eventually waived. When they clear waivers, most join the G League affiliate of the team that signed them to the E-10 deal.

Memphis signed seven players to E-10 deals ahead of last season. All of them suited up for the G League Memphis Hustle, and three — Timmy Allen, Matthew Hurt and Shaq Harrison — eventually played for the Grizzlies.

Path to Grizzlies roster

Unless another historic injury season happens in Memphis, it’s unlikely that three players who signed E-10 deals will end up on the Grizzlies roster at some point this season. However, there is a pathway to a spot.

Memphis has two open roster spots and three talented players on two-way contracts. Pippen, for example, has played strong basketball and could give the team quality depth in more than the 50-game maximum he’s currently limited to. If the Grizzlies choose to upgrade Pippen to the 15-man roster, one of the players on an E-10 deal would have the inside track on getting a contract converted.

Who has the best shot?

Bacot is a physical center who ended his collegiate career as the top rebounder in North Carolina history. At 6-foot-11 and 240 pounds, his experience against top competition bodes well. He is not a refined offensive player by NBA standards, but the Grizzlies could use another physically gifted big like Bacot to go with rookie draft pick Zach Edey.

When Steven Adams was in Memphis, Brandon Clarke was the change-of-pace option, and Xavier Tillman Sr. was another physical player who could hold his own. Adams, who was traded last season , has been replaced by Edey, but there’s no Tillman substitute at the moment. Bacot will have an opportunity to make a case in the preseason.

Examining other E-10 players

Kawamura will be fun to watch because of his playmaking ability, despite being listed at 5-8. The 23-year-old Japanese point guard played for his native country at the 2024 Paris Olympics and averaged 20.9 points and eight assists.

Oni has three years of NBA experience, but the former Ivy League Player of the Year at Yale didn't play more than eight minutes in a game last season for the Utah Jazz.

Pereira played seven games with the Grizzlies last season and flashed incredible athleticism. He has the familiarity advantage, and he played for Brazil at the 2024 Olympics.

Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at damichael.cole@commercialappeal.com . Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Which of Memphis Grizzlies' Exhibit 10 contract signees has best chance of advancing?