Grizzlies Sign Jordan Farmar For Rest Of Season

The Grizzlies have signed Jordan Farmar for the rest of the season, the team announced via press release. The veteran point guard’s 10-day contract expired overnight. The move restores the Memphis roster to 17 players, two over the normal regular season roster limit, so it appears the NBA has once more given the injury-hit Grizzlies a hardship provision for an extra roster spot. Normally, the league hands out extra roster spots for only 10 days at a time, but it appears it’s made an exception for Memphis and Farmar, just as with the contract Tim Frazier signed for the rest of the season with the Pelicans last week.

Farmar has put up strong numbers, averaging 10.8 points, 3.6 assists and 1.2 turnovers in 25.6 minutes per game across five appearances, three of which were starts. The 10-day deal was his first NBA contract since he reached a January 2015 buyout deal with the Clippers, who are the likely first-round playoff opponent for Memphis this year. Farmar’s contract will carry through the playoffs.

The 29-year-old has received the bulk of the playing time at point guard of late, instead of fellow 10-day signee Ray McCallum, while Mike Conley continues to sit out with a sore Achilles tendon. Four other Grizzlies are also dealing with injuries, as the CBSSports.com injury log shows, including Marc Gasol, who’s out for the season. The team faces a decision regarding McCallum in the next couple of days, as his 10-day contract will expire tonight. Xavier Munford, who’s also on a 10-day deal, is under contract through Tuesday.

Farmar, who’s in his ninth NBA season, will make $111,683 on his new contract. The Grizzlies are on the hook for only $78,011 of it, with the league picking up the rest, presuming Farmar and Memphis didn’t tack next season onto the deal, as is sometimes the case with midseason signees.