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Notes On Proposed Formats For NBA’s Return

May 28th, 2020 at 11:38am CST by Luke Adams

Although a resumption of the 2019/20 season appears likely, there’s still no clarity on what form the NBA will take upon its return. A potential playoff format has been the subject of much discussion and debate this week, with the league still believed to be considering bringing back anywhere from 16 to 30 teams.

Among other issues, the league must decide whether or not to play any regular season games, whether a play-in pool or play-in tournament makes sense, and whether or not to reseed its playoff teams regardless of conference.

[RELATED: Community Shootaround: Play-In Pool Format]

As the NBA continues to weigh all those questions, a number of notable basketball writers are sharing their input on the potential format of a return to play. Here are some highlights:

  • In a deep dive, ESPN’s Zach Lowe explores various playoff formats for the NBA’s return, suggesting that a seven-team play-in tournament for the final three postseason spots (currently held by the Grizzlies, Nets, and Magic) could be one solution. No Eastern lottery teams would be involved in such a tournament, but the Trail Blazers, Pelicans, Kings, and Spurs would be.
  • John Hollinger of The Athletic contends that most of the experimental postseason proposals are unnecessarily complicated or have dangerous downsides. In Hollinger’s view, the NBA should just keep it simple, bringing back its 16 current playoff teams and play a “normal” postseason. It’s worth noting that Hollinger’s former team, the eighth-seeded Grizzlies, would undoubtedly favor that solution, which forgoes a play-in tournament.
  • In a podcast, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said that some people around the NBA believe the league’s inclination to have more than 16 teams return this summer is directly related to a desire to have Pelicans star Zion Williamson involved in any return to play (hat tip to RealGM). New Orleans currently ranks 10th in the West and 18th overall in the NBA standings.
  • Danny Leroux of The Athletic makes a case for allowing the NBA’s top teams to pick their playoff opponents, regardless of the format the league chooses.
  • If the NBA decides to bring back all 30 teams, the league ought to freeze the draft lottery order based on the current standings in order to avoid a potential tank-fest, says Marc Berman of The New York Post.
  • Chris Mannix of SI.com questions whether the NBA should even be prioritizing crowning a champion in 2020, and whether that champ will be viewed as legitimate.
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Assessing Future Of Grizzlies

May 21st, 2020 at 8:36pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum
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Silver Wants Best-Of-Seven Playoff Series If Season Resumes

May 21st, 2020 at 12:25pm CST by Luke Adams

One of the many topics discussed by the NBA in the 10 weeks since COVID-19 shut down the 2019/20 season is the possibility of adjusting the playoff format if the season resumes. Reducing the number of games per series or even shifting to more of a tournament-style postseason could significantly cut down on the amount of time players and teams would have to remain in a “bubble” location to complete the season.

However, appearing on ESPN’s Get Up this morning (video link), Adrian Wojnarowski stressed that commissioner NBA Adam Silver continues to prioritize a best-of-seven format for playoff series, assuming the season can resume.

“Adam Silver wants to have seven-game series in the playoffs,” Wojnarowski told Mike Greenberg. “He doesn’t want to have shortened series early on. He wants to try to legitimize the champion as much as he can.”

While it seems inevitable that some NBA fans and observers will attach an asterisk to whatever team wins the 2019/20 title, maintaining that best-of-seven format would at least ensure that this year’s winner doesn’t make it through the playoffs under entirely different circumstances than usual.

Of course, the end of the season – again, assuming it can be completed – will still be very atypical. As Wojnarowski noted on Get Up and during a Wednesday appearance on ESPN’s SportsCenter (video link), the NBA still hopes to bring back all 30 teams – or as close to 30 as possible – this summer, and may need to provide some sort of incentive to convince those lottery-bound teams to return.

One of the biggest ongoing conversations around the league is how many clubs will be invited to the NBA’s “bubble,” how many will have an opportunity to make the playoffs, and what a potential play-in tournament for the final postseason spot or two could look like.

As Woj pointed out during both of his TV appearances, the league will have to walk a fine line as it attempts to make things fair for teams like the Mavericks and Grizzlies, who comfortably hold the Nos. 7 and 8 seeds, while potentially incentivizing a return for current lottery teams by putting those playoff spots up for grabs.

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Coronavirus Notes: Tolliver, Dudley, Testing, Asterisk

May 16th, 2020 at 6:32pm CST by Arthur Hill

Add Anthony Tolliver to the list of players who believe there’s strong support throughout the league for finishing the season. Tolliver, a member of the NBPA executive committee, offered some insight into the players’ position during an interview with Darren Wolfson of KSTP (video link).

“I don’t think there’s any doubt that guys want to play, and I think guys want to do it in a safe way,” Tolliver said. “We need to figure out a way where we’re not putting the assistant coaches, especially the older people who would be in that environment, as long as we’re not putting them in serious health risk — I think that’s going to be the biggest key. Guys want to play ball. Guys don’t want to lose money. I think that as long as we have the protocols in place that everybody’s confident in, that’s whenever things will start to pick up some momentum.” 

It was already an eventful year for Tolliver, even before the league shutdown. He left the Timberwolves last summer to sign with the Trail Blazers, then was traded to the Kings in January. Sacramento waived him a month later, and he signed a 10-day contract with the Grizzlies on March 2. Tolliver says he was planning to ink a second 10-day deal on March 12, but the league hiatus got in the way.

There’s more coronavirus-related news:

  • Lakers forward Jared Dudley believes the season will start again in July, probably in a bubble atmosphere in Las Vegas or Orlando, relays Steve Popper of Newsday. Appearing on ESPN Radio in New York, Dudley said the amount of money at stake will drive the league to find a solution. “We’re going to be safe in this bubble because of the testing — we’re going to be doing them before every game,” he said. “That’s why Adam Silver wants to wait another month or two to be able to sign off on it because he wants everybody in society to be able to get tests first. And second, the data will show the virus that between the ages of 19 and 35, it’s what, 0.001% that someone has died and that’s not even a professional athlete.”
  • The NBA’s willingness to push back the start of next season increases the likelihood that this season will be completed, writes Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated. He adds that the decision to permit asymptomatic testing in some cities shows that the league is serious about playing again.
  • The unusual circumstances surrounding the end of the season means this year’s champion should receive an asterisk, especially if the playoffs are affected because some players have to be quarantined for two weeks, argues Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. However, ESPN’s Jalen Rose disagrees, telling Mike Singer of the Denver Post that champions have always had to overcome some type of obstacles.
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Grizzlies Have Reopened Practice Facility

May 15th, 2020 at 5:47pm CST by Luke Adams

We can add the Grizzlies to the list of NBA teams that have reopened their practice facilities for voluntary individual workouts, per a report from Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian.

According to Herrington, the team didn’t immediately reopen its facility last Friday when the NBA loosened its restrictions, but did so at some point this week. Herrington’s source declined to say which players – or how many of them – have used the facility so far.

The NBA is permitting teams to open their facilities for players as long as those teams receive the go-ahead from local governments and health authorities. No more than four players are permitted in a facility at a time, and players can’t shoot on the same basket. They’re also required to have their temperatures checked before entering the building and must wear a mask when they’re not engaged in physical activity.

Coming into Friday, we knew of 11 teams that had reopened their facilities. We’ve added the Grizzlies and Lakers to that list today — the Lakers’ facility is expected to be opened tomorrow. However, the Clippers will not be reopening on Saturday, ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk tweets.

Reports have indicated that the NBA believes more than two-thirds of its teams will be able to reopen their buildings by Monday.

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Hollinger Revisits Grizzlies' Decision To Pass On Jokic

May 7th, 2020 at 9:47am CST by Luke Adams

Before transitioning back into a media role with The Athletic, John Hollinger held a high-level position in the Grizzlies‘ basketball operations department for seven years, providing input on many key roster decisions during that stretch. Although Hollinger says he doesn’t spend much time contemplating “what-if” scenarios, he admits that he still thinks about the possibility of Memphis drafting Nikola Jokic back in 2014.

Looking back on the 2014 draft today at The Athletic, Hollinger concedes the Grizzlies weren’t eyeing Jokic with their No. 22 pick in the first round, but points to the No. 35 selection – which Memphis acquired from Utah – as a spot where Jokic would have made sense.

According to Hollinger, Jokic was ranked atop the Grizzlies’ list of draft-and-stash possibilities when the No. 35 pick arrived, but the team had Jarnell Stokes – who could potentially contribute right away – rated higher on its overall board.

Revisiting the pick now, Hollinger notes that the decision to select Stokes rather than Jokic – who was taken by the Nuggets at No. 41 – created something of a ripple effect of missed opportunities for the Grizzlies. Because Stokes occupied a spot on the 15-man roster, the team ended up waiving Hassan Whiteside that fall, despite an impressive training camp. If Memphis had stashed Jokic instead of drafting Stokes, the club may have kept Whiteside out of camp with that final roster spot.

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2020/21 Salary Cap Preview: Memphis Grizzlies

May 1st, 2020 at 5:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Hoops Rumors is looking ahead at the 2020/21 salary cap situations for all 30 NBA teams. Due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the NBA, it’s impossible to know yet where the cap for 2020/21 will land. Given the league’s lost revenue, we’re assuming for now that it will stay the same as the ’19/20 cap, but it’s entirely possible it will end up higher or lower than that.

Expected to be one of the NBA’s worst teams entering the season, the Grizzlies greatly exceeded expectations, buoyed by standout rookies Ja Morant and Brandon Clarke. Despite a widespread belief that the team would eventually lose its grip on the No. 8 seed in the West, Memphis had a 3.5-game cushion when the league suspended its season.

While they’ll likely become a playoff team if the season resumes, the Grizzlies remain in rebuilding mode and will use the offseason to continue building around their young core pieces. However, their three-team deadline-day trade for Justise Winslow, Gorgui Dieng, and Dion Waiters will limit their ability to make major moves.

Here’s where things stand for the Grizzlies financially in 2020/21, as we continue our Salary Cap Preview series:

Guaranteed Salary

Player Options

  • None

Team Options

Non-Guaranteed Salary

  • None

Restricted Free Agents

Unrestricted Free Agents / Other Cap Holds

Offseason Cap Outlook

Initially expected to have some cap room this offseason, the Grizzlies sent three players on expiring contracts – Andre Iguodala, Jae Crowder, and Solomon Hill – out at the deadline in exchange for Winslow, Dieng, and Waiters, three players earning a combined $43MM in 2020/21.

As a result, Memphis will now enter the offseason operating as an over-the-cap team. However, with $112MM+ committed to 11 guaranteed contracts, the Grizzlies should have plenty of flexibility to fill out their roster without going into tax territory, even if Melton requires a substantial raise on his minimum-salary deal.

Cap Exceptions Available

  • Mid-level exception: $9,258,000 2
  • Trade exception: $4,736,842 (expires 7/8/20)
  • Trade exception: $4,185,185 (expires 2/8/21)
  • Trade exception: $3,440,000 (expires 7/7/20)
  • Trade exception: $3,126,308 (expires 7/6/20)
  • Trade exception: $1,845,301 (expires 2/8/21)
  • Trade exception: $1,416,852 (expires 7/7/20)
  • Trade exception: $766,959 (expires 7/6/20)

Footnotes

  1. The Grizzlies can’t offer Jackson a starting salary worth more than his cap hold, since they declined his rookie scale team option for 2020/21.
  2. This is a projected value.

Note: Minimum-salary and rookie-scale cap holds are based on the salary cap and could increase or decrease depending on where the cap lands.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders and Early Bird Rights was used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Winslow Anxious To Make Grizzlies Debut

April 27th, 2020 at 12:14pm CST by Luke Adams
  • Justise Winslow has yet to make his debut for the Grizzlies after being acquired by Memphis at the trade deadline, but he tells Michael Wallace of Grind City Media in a Q&A that he hopes the NBA is able to finish its season so he can help his new team clinch a playoff spot and compete in the postseason.
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Southwest Notes: Jackson Jr., Ivey, Rivers, D’Antoni

April 22nd, 2020 at 8:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Grizzlies will have to defend their playoff position if the NBA can salvage a significant amount of its regular season, but Jaren Jackson Jr. doesn’t mind as long as he can get back to basketball, writes Jason Munz of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Memphis held a three-and-a-half-game cushion over the Trail Blazers, Pelicans and Kings for the eighth spot when the hiatus began. The NBA has discussed scenarios that include going straight to the playoffs or fitting in a few more regular-season games.

“I mean, whatever. I’m down just to play, honestly,” Jackson said. “I know there’s talks about if they need games before the playoffs to get us ready for the playoffs, or they just want to hop right into (the postseason). I would be cool with either, honestly. We’re in the playoffs (if the regular season ended today), so I’m biased. I’d rather just run it.”

Jackson, who is among the many players without access to a basketball hoop during the shutdown, also addressed the potential adjustment of playing in empty arenas.

“I think we’ve all, at some point, played AAU or some form of it,” he said. “Whether you were overseas or not, like, you played a certain type of amateur basketball that is kind of like that. So it will definitely remind you of that and bring back memories. I think everybody will be fine, honestly.”

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

  • Grizzlies assistant Niele Ivey is the new women’s basketball coach at Notre Dame, the team announced today. She came to Memphis in the offseason after 12 years as an assistant with the Fighting Irish. “In her first year with the Memphis Grizzlies, Niele made a lasting impact on the floor, but even more so off the floor through her relationships with the players, fellow coaches and staff, including the relationship we built coach-to-coach,” said Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins.
  • Rockets guard Austin Rivers is likely to opt out of his $2.4MM salary for next season and test free agency, states Danny Leroux of The Athletic, who previews Houston’s offseason along with Kelly Iko. The Rockets hold Early Bird rights on Rivers and can start his new contract at nearly $10MM per season without having to use their mid-level exception.
  • If Houston decides to part with head coach Mike D’Antoni, who is in the final year of his contract, Leroux suggests the Pelicans might be his best destination. Of course, that could only happen if New Orleans decides to fire coach Alvin Gentry. Leroux notes that D’Antoni has connections with Pelicans VP of basketball operations David Griffin from their time together in Phoenix and might bring the best offensive philosophy to help develop Zion Williamson.
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Five Western FAs-To-Be Who Boosted Their Value In 2019/20

April 9th, 2020 at 3:40pm CST by Luke Adams

On Wednesday, we examined five 2020 free agents in the Eastern Conference who had impressive contract years, increasing their value right before they reach the open market. Today, we’re shifting our focus to the Western Conference, where there are many more than five candidates for this list.

Kings swingman Bogdan Bogdanovic, Clippers big man Montrezl Harrell, and Suns center Aron Baynes are among the players who had strong 2019/20 seasons and established themselves as desirable free agent targets. But we’re focusing on five different players in the space below. Let’s dive in…

  1. Brandon Ingram, F (Pelicans) (RFA): Most of the players who would have been 2020’s top restricted free agents signed contract extensions last fall. It made sense that Ingram – who had yet to play a game for the Pelicans and whose 2018/19 season ended due to a blood clot issue – didn’t get one, but his play in ’19/20 showed that New Orleans would have been wise to take the risk. After averaging 24.3 PPG, 6.3 RPG, and 4.3 APG (all career highs) and emerging as an All-Star, Ingram may now require a maximum-salary investment once his rookie contract expires.
  2. Dwight Howard, C (Lakers): Not only did Howard receive a minimum-salary contract from the Lakers last summer — the deal wasn’t even guaranteed. Although many NBA observers were ready to write off the eight-time All-NBA center a year ago, he has shown that he’s still got something left in the tank, averaging 7.5 PPG, 7.4 RPG, and 1.2 BPG in a part-time role (19.2 MPG) for the Lakers. Most crucially, he was willing to accept a career-low usage rate (14.2%) and remained healthy all season long, appearing in 62 of L.A.’s 63 games. It seems safe to assume his next contract will be guaranteed — it should be worth more than the minimum too.
  3. Jordan Clarkson, SG (Jazz): After making just 32.4% of his three-point attempts in 2018/19, Clarkson entered the season looking to shake a reputation as a high-volume, low-efficiency scorer who didn’t bring a whole lot else to the table. A move to Utah gave him the opportunity to do so, and he emerged as a key weapon off the bench for the Jazz, averaging 15.6 PPG on 48.2% shooting in 34 games (25.3 MPG) following his trade out of Cleveland. Clarkson may not get a raise on the $13MM+ salary he’s earning this season, but after making a case for Sixth Man of the Year, he should still do pretty well on his next deal.
  4. Malik Beasley, SG (Timberwolves) (RFA): Unlike Clarkson, whose stock rose when he got the opportunity to play important minutes for a playoff team, Beasley boosted his value when he was dealt from the Nuggets to the lottery-bound Timberwolves. Having been in and out of Denver’s rotation all season long, Beasley started all 14 games he played for Minnesota and fully took advantage of his regular role (33.1 MPG), averaging 20.7 PPG and 5.1 RPG with an impressive .472/.426/.750 shooting line. Beasley reportedly turned down a three-year extension worth more than $30MM last offseason, and while it seemed for much of the season like that may have been a mistake, he could now be in line for an even bigger payday with the Wolves.
  5. De’Anthony Melton, G (Grizzlies) (RFA): Melton’s basic stats – 8.1 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 3.0 APG, and .419/.316/.821 shooting – aren’t major improvements on the numbers he put up as a rookie in Phoenix. However, in his first season, he was thrust into a starting role for the bottom-feeding team Suns because they had few alternatives. In Memphis, Melton earned rotation minutes for a playoff contender. He was arguably the Grizzlies’ best perimeter defender, and his on/off-court splits reflected his value — the club had a +6.2 net rating when he played, compared to a -4.2 rating when he sat. A minimum-salary bargain this season, Melton is due a raise in restricted free agency.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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