The Cleveland Cavaliers signed forward Mamadi Diakite to an Exhibit 9 contract. This is a non-guaranteed agreement. Of course, the 25-year age can be passed at any time.
Exhibit 9 contracts are for a full year at minimum wages. Because Diakite’s signature does not include the Exhibit 10 clause, this exclusive NBA contract cannot be converted into a two-way agreement.
So there’s no guarantee Diakite will play for the Cleveland Chargers, the team’s NBA G League affiliate. If the Guinean wants to play in the league, he will have to make his Knights’ list.
Work with @_mdiakite . Game speed pic.twitter.com/ixW1CyigGc
— Corey Frazier (@CoachFraz32) September 18, 2022
In the year In 2020, Diakit left Virginia. In the year On November 23, 2020, the Wings signed a two-way contract with the Milwaukee Bucks. The two-way contract was later converted into a formal agreement on April 21, 2021.
In the 2020-21 season, through 14 games, Diakite averaged 3.1 points and 2.4 rebounds per game. He averaged 10.1 minutes per contest and shot 40% from the field.
On May 16, 2021, in the Bucks’ 118-112 loss to the Chicago Bulls, the forward scored a career-high 13 points in 38 minutes. In addition to collecting 7 rebounds and 3 steals, he finished 4 for 11 (36.4%) from the floor.
The Cavaliers have signed forward Mamadi Diakite to a 99-year contract
When the Wisconsin Herd decided to forgo the 2020-21 season, Diakite then played for the Lakeland Magic of the NBA G League. In 12 games with Lakeland, the wing averaged 18.5 points, 10.4 rebounds, 2 assists and 2.1 blocks per game.
Additionally, he was selected to the NBA G League First Team, NBA G League All-Defensive Team and NBA G League All-Rookie Team. For one notable observation, Diakite has the ability to play for the Cavaliers next season.
In the G League, the forwards finished third in true shooting percentage (65.6%), effective field goal percentage (60.2%) and eighth in blocks (25).
Diakite helped Lakeland beat the Delaware Bluecoats to win the 2021 NBA G League Championship.
However, the Milwaukee Bucks waived him on September 24, 2021. If the Cavaliers like what they see, it will be Diakit’s third NBA team.
Two days later, the Oklahoma City Thunder claimed him off waivers. While Oklahoma City waived him in the coming weeks, the forward continued to sign three 10-day contracts with the team through January 2022.
Averaged 4.3 points and 4.5 rebounds per contest in 13 games with the Thunder during the 2021-22 season. He also shot 53.2% from the field.
The wing scored a game-high 12 points in 30 minutes on February 4 in the Thunder’s 96-93 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. He shot 4-for-8 (50%) from the floor.
Mamadi Diakite has one chance to prove himself against the Cavaliers. Training camp will test a lot of young talent in the league in the coming weeks.
