9:10pm: The signing is official, the team announced in a press release (Twitter link).
11:54am: Free agent sharpshooter Luke Kennard is returning to the Grizzlies, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, who hears from sources that the two sides have reached an agreement on a one-year, $11MM deal.
The Grizzlies turned down Kennard’s $14.8MM team option for the 2024/25 season on June 29, making him an unrestricted free agent, but the expectation was always that he’d agree to a more team-friendly deal to remain in Memphis.
Reporting at the time his option was declined indicated that Kennard and the team were “eager” to discuss a new contract, and the 28-year-old was never linked to any other suitors during the month he spent on the open market.
Kennard was limited to just 39 games (22 starts) this past season for health reasons, including a left knee bone bruise, but was effective when he was available, with averages of 11.0 points, 3.5 assists, and 2.9 rebounds in 25.6 minutes per game.
One of the NBA’s best three-point shooters, the 6’5″ wing has made at least 44.6% of his attempts from beyond the arc in each of the past four seasons, including 45.0% in 2023/24.
Kennard was the No. 29 player on our list of this summer’s top 50 free agents. He was the only unrestricted free agent in the top 40 who remained unsigned.
Prior to officially re-signing Kennard, the Grizzlies are carrying 13 players on standard contracts, with a team salary of approximately $160.75MM. Assuming the $11MM salary reported by Wojnarowski is accurate, Kennard’s new deal would push team salary above the luxury tax line by about $1MM. That figure would increase if Memphis wants to add a 15th man or decides to waive Mamadi Diakite (whose salary is partially guaranteed) to replace him with another minimum-salary player.
Still, as Keith Smith of Spotrac tweets, that surplus is small enough that it likely wouldn’t be too difficult for the Grizzlies to duck out of luxury tax territory at some point later in the season. A team’s tax bill isn’t calculated until the end of the season.
This keeps them under that tax line. He is needed for spacing so Ja can do his thing. The west is going to be fun to watch! Everybody hit stronger but the lakers and the nuggets.
Clippers and arguably the Jazz and Warriors also
Warriors got much better than last year + maybe wont have Draymond and Wiggins miss all those games they did last year. They have massively improved.
“Massively Improved” is very inaccurate for the Dubs changes this offseason. Slo-Mo is a decent role player but not that much of a difference maker on either end. Melton has shown he can be a decent backup PG but he’s dealt with back issues over the past year plus that could possibly continue in the near future when he didn’t have surgery to correct it. Even when healthy though, he’s not moving the needle for anyone.
And Hield is clearly a capable three point shooter but not much else, watch how quickly opposing offenses single him out on defense. He’s that bad.
Even the other two names you mentioned aren’t exactly sure things at this point.
Draymond’s defense has definitely dropped in recent years and everyone knows that he’s one dumb decision (possibly even two)
away from another in season vacation.
As for Wiggins, he only “missed” 11 games last year yet his statline was pretty much all down across the board outside of FTs. All of the rumors about his family have supposedly been debunked yet he’s still looked like someone whose head hasn’t been in the game for over a year now. If I were MDJ I’d still be looking to move Wiggins first chance that he gets.
I get being optimistic as a fan and, sure, maybe all of those changes could possibly workout but if we’re being honest here they likely won’t. Not enough to improve on their record from a season ago.
We all know that Steph is a walking MVP candidate when he’s in their lineup but age 36 he’s probably not capable of carrying the Dubs through another 100+ game season without a legitimate 2nd scorer especially not while playing in the west.
GS is still in that same Play-in grouping of LAL,SAC,NO & slightly ahead of HOU, yet the changes that Kings & Pelicans have made this offseason probably are enough to keep them ahead of GS.
I wouldn’t say having 10 solid bench players on your roster is an improvement,
Yeah agreed… A lot of stagnation in the West…
But overall the West became even more of a bloodbath…
You have to keep jab out of prison
Was wishing he’d sign closer to what MIL got GTJr for, but I am glad they were able to bring him back