Chris Johnson's second 10-day contract with the Grizzlies expired following last night's victory over the Kings, and the Dayton product won't be re-signed, according to Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. Because players can only receive two 10-day deals from a single team, the Grizzlies would have needed to guarantee Johnson's contract for the rest of the season to bring him back.
Johnson, not to be confused with the Timberwolves big man of the same name, appeared in eight games during his 20-day stint with the Grizzlies, including a January 25th contest against Brooklyn in which he scored 10 points and four rebounds. The 22-year-old was part of the rotation following the Grizzlies' trade with the Cavs, but saw his playing time dwindle after the club acquired Tayshaun Prince, Austin Daye, and Ed Davis.
With Johnson no longer on the roster, the Grizzlies are currently carrying just 12 players. The team is permitted to have that number of players on a temporary basis, but will have to add a 13th man via trade or free agency in the near future. Armed with seven trade exceptions, including one worth nearly $7.5MM, Memphis has the ability to acquire a player in a trade without sending any salary out, something the club is reportedly considering.