Watanabe on third team since leaving Raptors after trade deadline move

Former Toronto Raptors forward Yuta Watanabe is on the move again.

Today, Watanabe was sent from the Phoenix Suns to the Memphis Grizzlies as part of a three-team trade, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

Reunion: Memphis is expected to acquire Yuta Watanabe from Suns as part of this three-team trade, sources said. Suns are sending out three other minimum salaries — Keita Bates-Diop, Jordan Goodwin, Chimezie Metu — too. https://t.co/6HHIBOUAHV

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 8, 2024

Watanabe spent the first two seasons of his NBA career with the Grizzlies before signing with Toronto as a free agent in 2020. It’s the third team he’ll play on since departing from Toronto prior to last season, having also played on the Brooklyn Nets before coming to Phoenix.

Watanabe averaged 4.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 0.7 assists in 88 games for the Raptors in his career across the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons. Since leaving Toronto, Watanabe has averaged 4.9 points, 2.1 rebounds and 0.7 assists in 87 games with the Suns and Nets. His three-point shooting found a resurgence last year, shooting 44.4% from long range, but has since taken a dip, as he’s now shooting 32.0% this year.

A 29-year-old forward from Japan, Watanabe has spoken highly of his time in Toronto and spoke earlier in the season about his desire to stay long-term with the franchise before they chose to part ways.

“They didn’t say specifics, but I could guess that they were trying to move on,” Watanabe said regarding his departure in a December 2023 interview on Sportsnet Fan 590.

“I wanted to stay there after that, though. I love Toronto. I had two good seasons with the Raptors, but I wasn’t sure if the team was going to offer me [a new contract]. So, my goal was to re-sign with the Raptors. If not, I told my agent, ‘If it’s not going to work, I want to go to the 905. I want to stay in Toronto.’ That’s what I told my agent.”

The NBA trade deadline is set for 3 pm ET today.