Memphis Grizzlies Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Southwest Notes: Harden, Rockets, Dirk, Caboclo

March 20th, 2019 at 2:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Even after a grueling 2018/19 season, Rockets guard James Harden hopes to suit up for Team USA in the 2019 World Cup this September, as he tells Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle.

“Of course I want to play,” Harden said. “It’s an opportunity to represent your country, go out there and play basketball. It’s something I love doing. If that opportunity presents itself, I’ll be in. Not everyone gets that opportunity. As a basketball player, that’s one of the highest points you can get for basketball.”

Harden, who previously won gold medals for Team USA in the 2012 Olympics and the 2014 World Cup, is one of 35 players who was named to USA Basketball’s player pool for events between 2018-20. Obviously, not all of those players will get the chance to play on USA’s 12-man roster in the fall, but as the league’s reigning MVP, Harden probably has one of those 12 spots if he wants it.

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

Ray Allen hasn’t played in an NBA game since 2014, but Rockets GM Daryl Morey hasn’t given up hope that the veteran sharpshooter will decide to make an NBA comeback. Appearing last month on The Rich Eisen Show (video link), Morey referred to Allen as his “white whale,” vowing that he’d sign the 43-year-old to a 10-day contract right now if Allen were interested (hat tip to Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype).
Longtime Mavericks big man Dirk Nowitzki hasn’t ruled out the possibility of returning for a 22nd NBA season next year. While Tim Cowlishaw of The Dallas Morning News thinks retirement is the more likely outcome, he makes the case that playing another season wouldn’t negatively impact Nowitzki’s legacy.
In an excellent piece for The Athletic, Blake Murphy takes a deep dive into Bruno Caboclo‘s long, winding road to an NBA rotation role. With Caboclo playing regular minutes for the Grizzlies, Murphy spoke to a handful of his teammates and coaches, as well as draft expert Fran Fraschilla, who famously said that the young forward was “two years away from being two years away” when the Raptors selected him in 2014.

Grizzlies’ Bradley To Miss At Least One Week

March 20th, 2019 at 1:52pm CST by Luke Adams

Veteran guard Avery Bradley will be the latest Grizzlies player to miss time with an injury, as the club announced today (via Twitter) that Bradley will be re-evaluated in a week after being diagnosed with a right shin contusion.

The news comes on the heels of a Tuesday announcement that C.J. Miles will be sidelined for the rest of the season due to foot injury. Bradley and Miles join a list of injured Memphis players that also includes Dillon Brooks, Kyle Anderson, and Jaren Jackson.

A team can receive an extra roster spot via the hardship provision if it has four players who have missed three (or more) consecutive games and are expected to be out for at least two more weeks. While not all of the recovery timelines for those injured Grizzlies are known, the club could soon qualify for that exception and still has enough room under the tax line to sign a 10-day contract or two, if necessary.

For now, Mike Conley, Justin Holiday, and Delon Wright figure to carry the majority of the backcourt load, with youngsters Jevon Carter and Tyler Dorsey perhaps getting a longer look as well.

As David Cobb of The Memphis Commercial Appeal details, the Grizzlies’ latest injuries come at a crucial time for the club. While Memphis isn’t going to make the playoffs, the club wants to finish the season strong to increase the odds of its protected first-round pick conveying to Boston this season. The pick, which is top-eight protected, would have reduced protection in future years when the Grizzlies may be in full-blown rebuilding mode, so the team would prefer to settle that commitment sooner rather than later.

Currently, the Grizzlies are tied for sixth in 2018/19’s reverse standings, putting them in position to keep their first-rounder.

Grizzlies’ C.J. Miles Out For Rest Of Season

March 19th, 2019 at 10:56am CST by Luke Adams

Grizzlies sharpshooter C.J. Miles will see his 2018/19 season come to an early end, as the team announced today (via Twitter) that an MRI revealed a stress reaction in his sore left foot.

The issue will require about three to six weeks of “off-loading” to resolve, according to the Grizzlies. Miles is expected to make a full recovery, but with the final game of the ’18/19 regular season only about three weeks away, he won’t be brought back this spring.

Miles, who was included for salary-matching purposes in the trade that sent Marc Gasol to Toronto, had a down year, though he has looked better since being dealt. In 53 total games for the Raptors and Grizzlies, he averaged 6.4 PPG on .360/.330/.828 shooting. Those numbers were buoyed by his 9.3 PPG and .400/.364/.929 shooting line in his 13 games with Memphis.

Miles’ contract includes a $8.73MM player option for 2019/20. Given his struggles this year, the veteran swingman is probably a lock to exercise that option, though that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll be back in Memphis next season — the club could shop his expiring contract during the offseason if it so chooses. However, I wouldn’t expect the Grizzlies to look to shed his salary unless they also try to dump the final year of Chandler Parson’s contract, worth $25MM+.

With Miles sidelined, Grizzlies fans could see more of Tyler Dorsey down the stretch, according to Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian, who notes (via Twitter) that two-way players Julian Washburn and Yuta Watanabe could also vie for forward minutes once the G League season ends this week.

Jazz, Grizzlies Could Revisit Conley Trade Talks In Offseason

March 18th, 2019 at 10:51am CST by Luke Adams

Prior to this season’s trade deadline, the Jazz and Grizzlies engaged in serious discussions about a deal that would have sent Mike Conley to Utah. While the two sides ultimately didn’t agree to terms on a deadline deal, those talks could pick back up in June, front office executives tell Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer.

The exact details of Utah’s February offer for Conley aren’t known, but the Jazz were believed to be offering at least a first-round pick and a pair of expiring veteran contracts (Ricky Rubio and Derrick Favors). Memphis reportedly sought a second first-round pick or point guard Dante Exum, and the Jazz weren’t willing to go that high.

The Grizzlies moved on from veteran center Marc Gasol at last month’s deadline, signaling that they’re ready to break up their longtime core and retool their roster. In other words, Conley is a good bet to be back on the trade block this summer. However, a report after the deadline suggested that Memphis also doesn’t mind the idea of hanging onto its point guard and building around Conley and Jaren Jackson, so an offseason trade certainly isn’t a foregone conclusion.

Conley remains under contract for $32.5MM in 2019/20, with a $34.5MM early termination option for 2020/21. That’s a steep price to pay for a point guard in his 30s, but the former Ohio State standout has been as good as ever this season, averaging a career-high 20.7 PPG to go along with 6.4 APG, 3.4 RPG, and 1.4 SPG.

The Jazz, meanwhile, could be on the lookout for a point guard this summer with Rubio set to reach unrestricted free agency and Exum once again plagued by health issues.

NBA G League Assignments/Recalls 3/17/19

March 17th, 2019 at 6:55pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Here are Sunday’s assignments and recalls from around the NBA G League:

The Thunder have assigned Hamidou Diallo to the Oklahoma City Blue, according to a team press release. Hamidou has appeared in 47 games for the Thunder this season, averaging 4.0 points and 2.0 rebounds in 11.1 minutes per contest.
The Clippers have recalled Justin Bibbs and Jerome Robinson from the Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario, according to the team’s Twitter feed.
The Grizzlies have assigned Tyler Dorsey to the Memphis Hustle, per the team’s Twitter feed.
The Bucks have recalled Christian Wood from the Wisconsin Herd, per the team’s Twitter feed. The latest assignment was Wood’s 15th in the G League this season.

And-Ones: G League, T. Robinson, Hawes, Ajinca

March 17th, 2019 at 8:56am CST by Arthur Hill

More G League players than ever are either leaving their teams for personal reasons or being “removed from a team,” writes Adam Johnson of 2 Ways and 10 Days. Terrence Jones, who recently completed a pair of 10-day contracts with the Rockets, is the latest example, as Johnson tweets that he has been removed from the active roster of the Erie BayHawks.

Jeff Ledbetter, Lavoy Allen, Jarnell Stokes, Raphiael Putney, Quincy Acy, DeAndre Liggins and Chris McCullough have also left their G League teams this season for various reasons. Some ultimately returned, but Johnson sees the pattern as an issue for the league. He notes the stress involved in being so close to the big leagues can make players react poorly if they have a bad game in front of NBA scouts.

Johnson urges new G League President Shareef Abdur-Rahim to expand the availability of mental health services available to players and encourage more discussion on the topic, just like the NBA did after revelations from Kevin Love and DeMar DeRozan.

There’s more NBA-related news to pass along:

Former NBA forward Thomas Robinson, who signed a G League contract this week, has been claimed on waivers by the Celtics‘ affiliate in Maine, Johnson tweets. The league mistakenly awarded Robinson to the Red Claws a day early, as players must spend at least 48 hours on waivers unless they are claimed by the team with the top waiver spot. Robinson prefers to go to Maine, and Johnson states that still appears to be his destination (Twitter link). The fifth player selected in the 2012 draft, Robinson played for six NBA teams in five seasons.
Spencer Hawes has been impressive in the G League and is “on the radar” for an NBA call-up, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Playing for the Lakers‘ affiliate, Hawes had a 29-point game last night and is shooting 59% from 3-point range.
A few unlikely teams appear to have done very well at the trade deadline, according to Matt John of Basketball Insiders. Many observers thought the Clippers were giving up on this season when they traded away leading scorer Tobias Harris, but they got a nice collection of young talent and future assets in return and acquired Ivica Zubac from the Lakers in a separate deal. The Clippers have solidified a playoff spot at 40-30 and appear in stronger position to make an offseason run at Kawhi Leonard. The Pistons only made minor moves, John adds, but trading away Stanley Johnson and Reggie Bullock created more playing time for Luke Kennard and Wayne Ellington, who have helped Detroit to a 10-4 record since the deadline. The Grizzlies have been playing better since unloading Marc Gasol, JaMychal Green and Garrett Temple. Avery Bradley and Jonas Valanciunas have been standouts in Memphis and have increased the chances that the Grizzlies will convey their first-round pick to the Celtics this year rather than having to worry about it in the future.
Italian club Grison Bon Reggio Emilia has expressed interest in former NBA center Alexis Ajinca, who left his French team last week, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando.

Southwest Notes: House, Porzingis, Grizzlies

March 13th, 2019 at 10:53pm CST by Luke Adams

After having his two-way deal officially converted into a standard NBA contract today, Danuel House is happy to be back with the Rockets, telling reporters he’s “really excited that we got everything done,” as Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle writes. Head coach Mike D’Antoni is also glad to have House on the 15-man roster, per Feigen.

“It’s good,” D’Antoni said. “There’s no downside; there’s only upside. He played really well for us. As soon as we can work him back in the rotation, if he’s as good as he was, then it’s all positive. If it doesn’t work out, it is what it is and we still have the same team.”

While House played a regular rotation role for the Rockets earlier in the season, even starting 12 games, the team has a healthier roster and a deeper bench at this point. Feigen notes in a separate article that it will be interesting to see how Houston manages all its pieces the rest of the way.

Currently, the Rockets’ bench features Austin Rivers, Gerald Green, Kenneth Faried, Nene, Iman Shumpert, and House, among others, so the club figures to use the final month to assess how many of those players will see regular minutes in the postseason.

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

Thirteen months after undergoing ACL surgery, Kristaps Porzingis participated in his first 5-on-5 practice for the Mavericks on Wednesday. And according to Dwain Price of Mavs.com, all indications are that it was a very successful return for the big man. “He went through a full practice with no issues, so very encouraging,” head coach Rick Carlisle said. “He’s made tremendous progress with his rehab, with his conditioning, his strength, and (playing 5-on-5) was the next logical progression. He played 3-on-3 yesterday morning with some of the other guys and did extremely well there. So this went really well.” Porzingis still isn’t expected to return to game action until 2019/20.
Grizzlies center Jonas Valanciunas has made a strong early impression on his new club in Memphis, as Blake Murphy of The Athletic details. David Cobb of The Memphis Commercial Appeal also takes a look at Valanciunas’ first month with the Grizzlies and looks ahead to assess whether or not the 26-year-old will exercise his $17.6MM player option for next season.
In a column for The Memphis Commercial Appeal, Mark Giannotto argues that the Grizzlies have been better off without Marc Gasol in recent weeks, as they’ve played at a faster pace and appear to be having more fun on the court. While it was painful to see Gasol go, it’s becoming clear that the two sides needed to move on from one another to move forward, Giannotto writes.

NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 3/12/19

March 12th, 2019 at 8:14pm CST by marksuleymanov

Here are Tuesday’s G League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:

The Grizzlies recalled Tyler Dorsey from the G League affiliate, the Memphis Hustle, the team announced (Twitter link).
The Celtics assigned Robert Williams to their G League affiliate, the Maine Red Claws, the team announced (Twitter link).
The Wizards assigned Chasson Randle to their G League affiliate, the Capital City Go-Go, per a press release. Randle has averaged 5.7 PPG and 2.0 APG in 15.2 minutes per game with Washington.
The Jazz assigned Grayson Allen to the Salt Lake City Stars, the team announced today in a press release. Allen, on his 11th assignment of the season, will suit up for Utah’s G League affiliate tonight.
The Sixers recalled rookie Zhaire Smith, who was available for Philadelphia’s game tonight, according to the team (via Twitter). Smith, who has yet to make his NBA debut, didn’t see any action vs. Cleveland.

NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 3/11/19

March 11th, 2019 at 9:15pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Here are Monday’s G League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:

The Pacers assigned forward Alize Johnson and guard Edmond Sumner to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, according to the team’s transactions log. Johnson has averaged 19.2 PPG and 13.6 RPG in 36.9 MPG over 25 appearances with the Mad Ants. Sumner has averaged 23.8 PPG and 3.7 APG in 31.2 MPG over 20 games at the G League level.
The Grizzlies assigned rookie guard Jevon Carter and second-year guard Tyler Dorsey to the Memphis Hustle prior to their game against the Sioux Falls Skyforce, the team’s PR department tweets. Carter has averaged 18.7 PPG, 6.1 APG and 2.8 SPG in 34.0 MPG through 18 G League contests. Dorsey will be making just his third G League appearance this season after seeing action in 34 NBA games with Atlanta and the Grizzlies.
The Clippers assigned rookie guard Jerome Robinson to the Agua Caliente Clippers, the team’s PR department tweets. Robinson, the 13th overall pick in last year’s draft, has seen action in 25 NBA games.

2018/19 Disabled Player Exceptions Set To Expire

March 11th, 2019 at 9:52am CST by Luke Adams

A pair of disabled player exceptions are set to expire, assuming they go unused today. Three teams were granted DPEs this season and two of those teams – the Mavericks and Grizzlies – have yet to use them.

We go into more detail on how exactly disabled player exceptions work in our glossary entry on the subject. But essentially, a DPE gives a team the opportunity to add an injury replacement by either signing a player to a one-year contract, trading for a player in the final year of his contract, or placing a waiver claim on a player in the final year of his contract.

The Wizards, who were granted a disabled player exception worth $8.641MM (the amount of the mid-level exception) after John Wall went down with a season-ending injury, used their exception to acquire Wesley Johnson in a deadline-day trade with the Pelicans.

Using the DPE to accommodate that deal, which saw Markieff Morris sent to New Orleans, allowed Washington to create a trade exception worth Morris’ salary ($8.6MM). That trade exception won’t expire until February 7, 2020, which gives the Wizards some additional flexibility. Their disabled player exception would have expired today, as a team with a DPE has until March 10 (or the next business day) to use it.

As for the Mavericks and Grizzlies, their disabled player exceptions are far more modest than Washington’s. Dallas received one worth $1,855,425 (half of J.J. Barea‘s salary), while Memphis’ is worth just $689,121 (half of Dillon Brooks‘ salary).

With the trade deadline behind us and no player on waivers, the only option for those teams would be to sign a free agent using the DPE, but that seems unlikely at this point — there’s little incentive for either lottery-bound club to sign a player to a one-year contract worth more than the minimum. The more probable outcome is that both exceptions simply expire.