Portland Trail Blazers waive former Wildcat center Olivier Sarr

Olivier Sarr is back on the free agent market.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Sarr was waived by the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday afternoon. His contract was converted to a two-way deal with the Blazers back in mid-October but he’s been sidelined with a wrist injury throughout the beginning of the 2022-23 season and has not played a single NBA game this year. Sarr played 22 games with the Oklahoma City Thunder near the end of last season, averaging 7.0 points and 4.2 rebounds in 19.1 minutes per outing.

In Sarr’s place, the Blazers are bringing on 7-foot-1 Ibou Badji out of Senegal, who boasts a ridiculous 7-foot-9 wingspan.

The Portland Trail Blazers are signing G-League center Ibou Badji on a two-way deal, sources tell ESPN. With a 7-foot-9 wingspan, he’s been one of the top shotblockers outside of the NBA. Badji had been with the Wisconsin Herd this season. Blazers are waiving center Olivier Sarr.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 18, 2022

Sarr went unselected in the 2021 NBA Draft and has bounced around the league ever since. He started with the Memphis Grizzlies Summer League in 2021, spent a couple of stints with the Oklahoma City Thunder’s G League affiliate, and played on the Phoenix Suns’ Summer League team this year. Sarr has shown he can be productive in the NBA though, and it wouldn’t be a shock to see him land in the league again once he returns to full health.

Ahead of the new season, Sarr was diagnosed with a high-grade partial tear of a ligament in his right wrist. The expectation was he would sit out six weeks, which means he has about two more weeks before a potential return.

Sarr spent one season at Kentucky (2020-21) after transferring from Wake Forest, where he played his first three years of college ball. He averaged 10.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game for the Wildcats, leading the team with three double-doubles.