PHOENIX - The Phoenix Suns traded former 4th overall pick Josh Jackson to the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The Suns also traded away De’Anthony Melton, a 2020 second round pick and a 2021 conditional second round pick.
In exchange, the Suns are getting veteran shooting guard Kyle Korver and point guard Jevon Carter.
According to Wojnarowski, the Suns are planning to buyout Korver’s partially guaranteed contract, which is about $3.4 million, and let him go.
The Suns took Jackson, 22, at No. 4 overall in the 2017 NBA Draft. The 6-foot-8 forward averaged 13 points in his rookie season and 11.5 per game last year.
By getting rid of Jackson and Melton, the Suns now have the space to sign Ricky Rubio to his 3-year, $51 million deal the two parties agreed to over the weekend.
Carter played point guard at West Virginia and the Grizzlies selected him 32nd overall in last year’s draft. The 6-foot-2 point guard played 39 games with the team last season.
Jackson is now the fourth top 10 draft pick for the Suns since 2013 that is no longer on the roster (Alex Len, Dragan Bender, Marquese Chriss).
Each draft pick from 2016 and 2017 is no longer with the team.
