Grizzlies Lock In Edey Through 2028, Betting Big Man Joins Purdue’s NBA Scoring Elite

Memphis exercised the fourth-year option on Zach Edey’s rookie contract Tuesday, committing to the 7-foot-4 center through the 2027-28 season before he even takes the floor for his third NBA campaign. The decision, announced hours before the Grizzlies’ regular-season opener, signals the franchise views the former Purdue standout as a foundational piece rather than a developmental project.

Edey, the No. 9 overall pick in 2024, averaged 10.1 points and 6.9 rebounds in 21.4 minutes per game as a rookie. His 760 career points already place him 15th on Purdue’s all-time NBA/ABA scoring list, according to basketball-reference.com — ahead of program alums like Caleb Swanigan (169) and AJ Hammons (48) who were drafted higher.

The historical context makes Memphis’s patience notable. Purdue’s NBA scoring production has overwhelmingly come from perimeter players across eight decades. Glenn Robinson’s 14,234 points — accumulated over 11 seasons with five franchises — dwarf the combined output of every Boilermaker big man since Joe Barry Carroll retired in 1991. Brad Miller, the last Purdue center to crack 9,000 NBA points, played his final game in 2012.

Carroll, the No. 1 overall pick in 1980, remains the program’s only 7-footer to average 20 points per game in a season. He did it twice. Edey’s frame and college dominance — back-to-back National Player of the Year awards, an NCAA runner-up finish — drew inevitable comparisons. The Grizzlies’ front office, led by general manager Zach Kleiman, has effectively wagered that modern spacing and Edey’s improved mobility allow him to avoid the defensive liabilities that shortened the NBA careers of similar-sized predecessors.

Rookie-scale economics sharpen the calculus. The 2027-28 option carries a team-friendly cap hit of roughly $5.4 million, per spotrac.com projections. If Edey develops into a 25-minute starter, that figure becomes one of the league’s most efficient allocations. If he plateaus as a backup, Memphis declines the qualifying offer in 2028 and moves on with minimal sunk cost. The structure mirrors the approach that let the Grizzlies retain Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane through their prime years.

Edey remains the lone former Boilermaker on an opening-night NBA roster. Jaden Ivey, the program’s most recent lottery pick before Edey, finished his fourth season with 3,233 career points — 13th on the all-time list — before a broken fibula ended his 2025-26 campaign in January. The Pistons guard’s trajectory, like Edey’s, will ultimately determine whether Purdue’s current era translates to sustained NBA relevance.

The Grizzlies host Charlotte Wednesday night. Edey is listed as probable after missing the final two preseason games with right ankle soreness.