We describe a system and method to merge and align data from distributed memory controllers. A memory system includes a command bus to transmit a predetermined memory access command, and a memory interface to manipulate data from at least two memory channels, each memory channel corresponding to a portion of a distributed memory, responsive to the predetermined memory access command. The memory interface includes a plurality of memory controllers coupled to the command bus, each memory controller being operable to control a corresponding memory channel responsive to the predetermined memory access command, and a push arbiter coupled to each memory controller. The push arbiter being is operable to merge and align data retrieved responsive to each split read align command.