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Five 2019/20 Player Option Decisions To Watch

May 3rd, 2019 at 12:40pm CST by Luke Adams

As ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported this morning, Nets guard Allen Crabbe became the latest veteran to exercise a player option for the 2019/20 season. Crabbe is one of six players who has opted into the final year of his contract since the regular season ended, joining Jeff Teague, Dwight Howard, Kent Bazemore, C.J. Miles, and Bismack Biyombo.

[RELATED: Player Option Decisions For 2019/20]

That group of players picking up their options figures to grow in the coming weeks. Marvin Williams has already indicated he’ll opt in, and guys like Hassan Whiteside ($27.1MM), Tyler Johnson ($19.2MM), and Patrick Patterson ($5.7MM), among others, figure to do so too.

On the other end of the spectrum, there are a handful of star players who are locks to opt out. All year, we’ve talked about Kevin Durant ($31.5MM), Kawhi Leonard ($21.3MM), Kyrie Irving ($21.3MM), Jimmy Butler ($19.8MM), and Khris Middleton ($13MM) as if they’re free-agents-to-be, since it wouldn’t make sense for them to pick up their player options instead of securing more lucrative, longer-term deals in free agency.

Not all of the players with 2019/20 options are facing easy decisions though. In some cases, it’s not entirely clear yet whether or not those options will be exercised.

Let’s take a closer look at several of the player option decisions that will be worth monitoring before free agency officially gets underway:

  1. Al Horford, Celtics ($30,123,015): Only a handful of NBA players earn salaries in excess of $30MM, and on the surface, it doesn’t seem like Horford necessarily belongs in that group — he’ll turn 33 in June, battled nagging injuries this season, and put up relatively modest numbers for a starting center (13.6 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 4.2 APG). However, his performance in the postseason has shown once again why Horford is so valuable to the Celtics. His versatility and high basketball IQ makes him one of the few players capable of slowing down Giannis Antetokounmpo. And besides being a linchpin on defense, he’s a tremendous weapon in the pick-and-pop game on offense. If he were to opt out, he wouldn’t get $30MM per year on a long-term deal, but it wouldn’t be at all shocking to see him get, say, $20MM annually on a three-year contract. That could be a win for both him and the cap-strapped Celtics.
  2. Jonas Valanciunas, Grizzlies ($17,617,976): Valanciunas doesn’t have the same sort of hidden value as Horford – or as pricey an option – but he’ll face a similar dilemma. Does it make more sense to pick up a player option that locks in a favorable one-year salary or to opt out to secure a longer-term deal with a higher total value? Valanciunas was probably the most important asset the Grizzlies acquired in their trade of longtime franchise center Marc Gasol, so I think they’d be willing to invest long term in the former lottery pick.
  3. Marc Gasol, Raptors ($25,595,700): Like Horford, Gasol’s value on the court extends beyond his numbers — particularly the ones he has put up since his trade to Toronto. Plus, if he believes Kawhi Leonard will leave the Raptors in free agency, it might make sense for Gasol to look for the exit ramp as well by declining this option and trying to secure one last multiyear deal. On the other hand, at age 34, Gasol might have trouble exceeding his option salary even over the span of a new two-year contract. I’d be surprised if he doesn’t opt in and force the Raptors to make the decision on what to do with his expiring deal.
  4. James Ennis, Sixers ($1,845,301): Ennis signed a minimum salary contract with the Rockets last summer, then was traded to Philadelphia in a salary-dump deal at the deadline. Despite that unflattering series of events, he’s now playing a key rotation role for the Sixers in the postseason and has made 57.1% of his shots in seven playoff games, including a staggering 82.6% of his two-pointers. Ostensibly a three-and-D wing, Ennis should have no problem securing offers on the open market this summer, so it would probably be in his best interest to opt out to see if he can do better than the minimum. The same thinking applies to Thunder center Nerlens Noel, another veteran who has a minimum salary player option for 2019/20.
  5. Dwight Powell, Mavericks ($10,259,375): Powell enjoyed his best season in 2018/19, recording 10.6 PPG, 5.3 RPG, and a .597 FG% in a part-time role for the Mavericks. His $10MM+ option looks fairly player-friendly for someone who has never averaged more than 21.6 MPG, but team owner Mark Cuban suggested in a radio appearance last month that Dallas plans to extend Powell for multiple seasons. If he knows that sort of Mavs offer will await him in free agency, Powell could have reason to opt out (opting in and signing an extension would also be a possibility).

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Grizzlies Interested In Sarunas Jasikevicius

May 1st, 2019 at 8:24pm CST by clarkcrum

After Jazz assistant coach Alex Jensen interviewed on Tuesday for the team’s vacant head coaching position, another name has now emerged as a candidate to be the Grizzlies’ next head coach, according to Adrian Wojnarowski and Brian Windhorst of ESPN.

The Grizzlies, who fired coach J.B. Bickerstaff following a record of 33-49 during the 2018/19 season, reportedly plan to soon meet with Lithuania’s Sarunas Jasikevicius, currently the head coach of Zalgiris Kaunas and one of the EuroLeague’s rising coaching stars, as the team continues to go through the early stages of its coaching search.

Jasikevicius, 43, is known for his strong-willed leadership style and coaching teams that exhibit elite ball movement and offensive execution, skills that have become synonymous with success at the NBA level.

As we detailed last summer, the Raptors interviewed Jasikevicius before hiring Nick Nurse and even offered him a job as an assistant coach on Nurse’s staff before he opted to remain in Lithuania. Since that time, his name continues to come up with front offices around the league as a possible NBA coaching candidate.

Jasikevicius, once a decorated EuroLeague player, also played two seasons in the NBA with the Pacers and Warriors from 2005 to 2007, where he held career averages of 6.8 PPG and 2.9 APG while shooting 35.5% from long range and over 90% from the foul line.

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And-Ones: Wizards, Thompson, Parsons, Grizzlies

April 30th, 2019 at 11:16pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Wizards are conducting several interviews for their head of basketball operations opening this week. Former Hawks GM Danny Ferry met with the team on Tuesday and current Rockets executive VP of basketball operations Gersson Rosas is also in town for his meeting, as we relayed earlier today.

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link) reports that Thunder VP of basketball operations Troy Weaver was in D.C. as well to interview for the position. Interim GM Tommy Sheppard is also under consideration.

Here’s more from around the league:

  • Marc Stein of the New York Times believes Klay Thompson is “100 percent staying put with the Warriors and will not consider external suitors,” as he writes in his latest newsletter. Thompson will be a free agent at the end of the season.
  • Chandler Parsons had some encouraging stretches for the Grizzlies and he hopes to build on that progress, as David Cobb of the Memphis Commercial Appeal passes along. “I’m going to continue to do all the right things this summer and put myself in the best situation to play a lot of games next year,” Parsons said. “Where that will be, I don’t know. You’ve got to ask the guys upstairs. But I’m fully committed to the team and coming back, if that’s what it’s going to be.”
  • Parsons has one year left on his four-year, $94MM deal and Cobb (same piece) wonders if the team will be able to trade the forward. The scribe believes the Grizzlies would have to attach an asset to Parsons in order to extract any value from a trade despite Parsons showing progress this season.
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Grizzlies Interview Alex Jensen For Head Coaching Job

April 30th, 2019 at 2:45pm CST by Luke Adams

After a front office shakeup that saw top decision-maker Chris Wallace re-assigned to the scouting department, the Grizzlies have taken their time addressing their head coaching vacancy. However, we can now add at least one name to their list of candidates.

Jazz assistant Alex Jensen was in Memphis today to interview for the Grizzlies’ head coaching position, league sources tell Tony Jones and Omari Sankofa II of The Athletic (Twitter link). Jensen becomes the first known candidate to replace J.B. Bickerstaff, who was dismissed by Memphis nearly three weeks ago.

Jensen, who has been on the coaching staff in Utah since 2013, has also been identified this month as a candidate for the Cavaliers‘ head coaching job. Joe Vardon of The Athletic reported today (via Twitter) that Jensen’s interview with the Cavs will take place later this week.

[RELATED: 2019 NBA Head Coaching Search Tracker]

Prior to joining the Jazz, Jensen served as the head coach of the G League’s Canton Charge from 2011-13. He has also worked with the German national team in recent years, serving as an assistant coach for the squad since 2015.

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Prince's Role Won't Change That Much

April 29th, 2019 at 8:29pm CST by Dana Gauruder
  • Grizzlies executive Tayshaun Prince was promoted to “special advisor” to vice president of basketball affairs but his role won’t change much, as Chris Herrington of the Daily Memphian explains. He’ll remain a crucial link from the front office to the players and coaches, though now with more empowerment, Herrington continues. Rich Cho, who was earlier named vice president of basketball strategy, will lead the analytics/research/systems staff while Chris Makris will continue to lead the traditional scouting staff, Herrington adds. Prince will also help evaluate professional, college and G League personnel.
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Jazz Notes: Free Agency, Conley, Rubio, Favors

April 27th, 2019 at 9:16pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Jazz enter the offseason with more flexibility than most teams, but will need to decide how much of their roster they want to keep, writes Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune. Ricky Rubio, Thabo Sefolosha and Ekpe Udoh will all be free agents, while five other players – Derrick Favors, Kyle Korver, Georges Niang, Raul Neto and Royce O’Neale – have either partially guaranteed or non-guaranteed contracts for next season.

Larsen expects O’Neale ($1.618MM for 2019/20) and Niang ($1.645MM) to be brought back because they are bargains at their current price. He adds that if Sefolosha or Udoh returns, it will likely be at a reduced salary.

The Jazz can clear up to $36.8 million in cap room by letting that whole group go, enough to offer a max deal in free agency. No matter how much is available, the priority will be to find more outside shooting.

“Adding a sniper at any position is something we’re going to have to strongly evaluate,” GM Dennis Lindsey said.

There’s more news out of Utah:

  • Another option for the Jazz is to revisit trade talks with the Grizzlies regarding point guard Mike Conley, Larsen adds in the same story. The teams weren’t able to work out a deal before the February deadline, and the Jazz were upset with Memphis’ front office because so much of the rumored trade became public. “Unfortunately, a team leaked something, and it was unethical,” Lindsey said.
  • The Jazz will consider all possibilities at point guard this summer, sources tell Tony Jones of The Athletic. Those include bringing Rubio back, searching for a replacement in free agency or turning the position over to Donovan Mitchell.
  • Management was expecting this to be Favors’ final season with the team, but he played so well that they will consider picking up his $16.9MM deal for next year, Jones adds. A decision will have to be made by July 6.
  • Mitchell tells Eric Woodyard of The Deseret News he was frustrated by how the season turned out and plans to use the summer to get in better shape. “This is going to be huge for me just for my confidence standpoint and just to getting my mind, my body right and looking at guys and competing against guys like James Harden, Chris Paul and all those guys,” Mitchell said. “If I want to be like those guys, I’ve got to work and train like those guys and I think that’s where it starts.”
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Sixers Notes: Embiid, Scott, Butler, Harris

April 27th, 2019 at 7:05pm CST by Arthur Hill

Sixers star Joel Embiid expects to play more minutes in the conference semifinals, even though he is still bothered by tendinitis in his left knee, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Embiid averaged just 24.8 minutes in five first-round games against the Nets and was often a literal game-time decision. The limited minutes make his line for the series – 24.8 points, 13.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.8 blocks per night – look even more impressive.

“It’s still not there. It’s still trying to get better,” Embiid said at today’s shootaround. “But that’s an issue that’s going to be there at least all playoffs until I actually get some real time to get some rest and work on myself. … But, we did a good job managing it. Obviously I only averaged about 24 minutes last series, so this one I’m definitely going to need way more than that.”

Embiid isn’t on the injured list as the series begins, so the Sixers are confident about his prospects. He has been dealing with knee issues for the past two months, missing 14 of 24 games regular season games after the All-Star break.

“It’s hard because I’m known for playing through anything and pushing, pushing it,” Embiid said. “And in some situations like Game 3, I couldn’t go because it was too much. But like I said, I just got to keep managing it and see how I feel and then go from there.”

There’s more from Philadelphia:

  • The Sixers have another injury concern in forward Mike Scott, McMenamin notes in the same story. Scott was wearing a walking boot today because of a heel contusion and plantar fasciitis in his right foot. Coach Brett Brown indicated that rookie Zhaire Smith may have an expanded role while Scott is sidelined.
  • Representatives for Jimmy Butler met with Sixers GM Elton Brand before and after a November deal that brought him from Minnesota to express his interest in a long-term contract, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. Butler is expected to opt out of a $19.8MM salary for next season and test the free agent market.
  • The Nets will target Sixers forward Tobias Harris in free agency, but a report Friday indicates that the competition for his services will be intense, relays Brian Lewis of The New York Post. The Grizzlies, Jazz and Mavericks will all consider pursuing the Long Island native, and the Sixers will have his Bird rights, meaning they can offer more years and higher raises than any other team. Lewis adds that Harris’ performance against the Nets in their playoff series increased Brooklyn’s desire to sign him.
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Grizzlies Promote Tayshaun Prince

April 27th, 2019 at 2:31pm CST by clarkcrum

As part of their continued effort to revamp their front office, the Grizzlies have promoted Tayshaun Prince to Vice President of Basketball Affairs within the franchise’s basketball operations department, according to an official release from the team.

In his new/enhanced role, Prince will “facilitate alignment between the front office, coaching staff and locker room and participate in the evaluation of professional, college and G League personnel.” So, it sounds like he’ll have several roles, both in scouting and in acting as a bridge between the players and front office on a day-to-day basis.

“We are excited to establish Tayshaun as a core member of our front office,” Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Zach Kleiman said. “His knowledge of the game is exceptional and we are thrilled he will continue providing valuable contributions to the organization on a day-to-day basis.”

As we’ve noted before, the Grizzlies have been searching for some more experienced basketball executives to join the front office ever since re-assigning Chris Wallace and promoting Kleiman, and this latest move certainly fits that narrative.

[RELATED: Grizzlies hire Rich Cho, Glen Grunwald]

Prince, who joined the Grizzlies’ front office in 2017 as Special Advisor to Wallace, also played for the Grizzlies for three seasons, from 2013 to 2015. He helped Memphis reach the Western Conference Finals in 2013 alongside Mike Conley, Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph, and Tony Allen.

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Tobias Harris Will Draw Plenty Of Interest In Free Agency

April 26th, 2019 at 5:21pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Tobias Harris bet on himself by turning down a four-year, $80MM contract extension from the Clippers last summer. That decision will pay off in the open market in July, as Shams Charania of The Athletic names several teams likely to show interest in the Sixers forward.

League executives expect the Grizzlies, Jazz, Mavericks and Nets to explore making a run at Harris, Charania hears. Harris has already indicated that he’d strongly consider remaining put, as he told Charania last month.

“It would be selfish of me to not come into this situation with an open mind to make this work for the long term,” he said. “That’s where my mindset is at. I’m a loyal guy to where I am, and if I feel that loyalty back, that is how I operate.”

Philadelphia, of course, can pay Harris more than any other team. He will be eligible to sign a five-year, $189.7MM contract with the Sixers or a four-year, $140.6MM deal with another franchise. Harris is averaging 17.6 PPG, 9.0 RPG and 4.2 APG thus far in the postseason.

The most surprising team on Charania’s list is the rebuilding Grizzlies, though adding Harris to a team with Mike Conley, Jaren Jackson Jr. and another high draft pick might be enough to get them back to the postseason.

Utah’s brass knows it has to make changes after another early-round exit. Adding Harris to a mix that already includes Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert would give the Jazz a much-needed offensive boost.

It’s no secret that the Mavericks want to add another big piece to complement Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis, while the Nets have plenty of cap space and want to bring in top-shelf free agents.

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2019 NBA Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Memphis Grizzlies

April 24th, 2019 at 3:55pm CST by Luke Adams

An era came to an end for the Grizzlies in 2018/19, as the franchise moved on from longtime center Marc Gasol in a deadline deal. With a potential rebuild looming, Memphis now must determine whether the time is right to trade Gasol’s longtime running mate Mike Conley, or whether the veteran point guard can still be a cornerstone piece going forward.

Here’s where things currently stand for the Grizzlies financially, as we continue our Offseason Salary Cap Digest series for 2019:

Guaranteed Salary

Player Options

Team Options

  • None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

  • Avery Bradley ($10,960,000) 1
  • Bruno Caboclo ($1,845,301) 4
  • Dillon Brooks ($1,618,520) 5
  • Ivan Rabb ($1,246,762) 2
  • Total: $15,670,583

Restricted Free Agents

Unrestricted Free Agents / Other Cap Holds

Projected Salary Cap: $109,000,000
Projected Tax Line: $132,000,000

Offseason Cap Outlook

  • Realistic cap room projection: $0
  • Although the Grizzlies only have about $86.5MM in guaranteed salaries on their books, they’re unlikely to create cap room – barring cost-cutting moves – due to Valanciunas’ option and the cap hold for their first-round pick.

Cap Exceptions Available

  • Trade exception: $1,544,951 (expires 7/17/19)
  • Trade exception: $2,416,222 (expires 7/23/19)
  • Trade exception: $8,000,000 (expires 2/7/20)
  • Trade exception: $1,512,601 (expires 2/7/20)
  • Mid-level exception: $9,246,000 6
  • Bi-annual exception: $3,619,000 6

Footnotes

  1. Bradley’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 3.
  2. Rabb’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 15.
  3. The salaries for two-way players don’t count against a team’s cap.
  4. Caboclo’s salary becomes partially guaranteed ($300K) after July 10.
  5. Brooks’ salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 5.
  6. These are projected values. In the unlikely event the Grizzlies use cap room, they’d lose these exceptions (and their trade exceptions) and would instead would gain access to the $4,760,000 room exception.

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

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

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