Memphis Grizzlies Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Southwest Notes: Parsons, House, Mills, Capela

February 21st, 2019 at 7:47pm CST by JD Shaw

Grizzlies forward Chandler Parsons is set to rejoin the rotation for the remainder of the season, David Cobb of the Memphis Commercial Appeal writes. Parsons has played just three games this season, mutually agreeing to separate from the team early last month as trade talks began to heat up.

“He’ll get minutes like everybody else,” head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said of Parsons, according to Cobb. “Because of the layoff, he’ll probably have to play through some bumps. But the expectation is for him to contribute and help us win. Those are the guys I’ll always play.”

Parsons’ tenure with the Grizzlies has been tumultuous since he originally joining the franchise on a maximum-salary deal in the summer of 2016. Despite his future looking murky before this month’s deadline, Parsons insists he had no interest in leaving the team in a trade.

“Honestly, no,” Parsons said. “This is just as new a start as going to a new team, except that I’m familiar with the city, familiar with the coaching staff, the defensive terminology. I wanted to play. I’ve wanted to play since I was cleared two months ago. That hasn’t changed. I chose to come here, and I still want to be here. I wasn’t going to just stay in L.A. and watch my team play for the last six weeks of the season. I was going to come, and that’s that.”

Parsons was sidelined to start the season with knee soreness, but has worked his way back to game shape after several months away from the court. The Grizzlies own the second-worst record in the Western Conference at 23-36.

There’s more from the Southwest Division tonight:

Danuel House is hopeful to return to the Rockets this season, he stated in an interview with David Yapkowitz of Basketball Insiders. “Hopefully I can go back to Houston and compete for a title,” he said. “There’s nothing like learning from James [Harden] and Chris Paul, Gerald Green, Eric Gordon and those guys. And now with the additions of [Iman] Shumpert and Kenneth Faried, I’m just excited to hopefully get something done so I can be out there and competing with those guys.” House was unable to agree on a new contract with the Rockets last month, currently playing for the team’s G League affiliate in Rio Grande.
Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News details how Patty Mills became the heart and soul of the Spurs, labeling his leadership, commitment and selfless style of play with the franchise over the past eight seasons. “It’s much bigger than me, much bigger than what all of us here today are,” Mills said. “It’s about the past, and about the future. I think it’s really important for the new guys to understand that.”
The Rockets are excited about the return of Clint Capela, who missed 15 straight games following thumb surgery and is set to return on Thursday against the Lakers, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle writes. “We’re excited to get Clint back,” teammate P.J. Tucker said. “Clint is a huge piece to our team and he makes a lot of other people’s jobs a lot easier. He makes our defense be able to switch on to guards and be able to guard guards and protect the rim as well, changes the dynamic for us.”

Conley Admits Trade Talk Took A Toll

February 18th, 2019 at 8:59pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Mike Conley admits the trade rumors took a toll on him until the deadline passed, James Herbert of CBS Sports reports. The Grizzlies held on to Conley but longtime teammate Marc Gasol was dealt to Toronto. “It was emotional, man,” he said. “It was hard, ’cause part of me, obviously, is trying to lock in on my job and just worry about Oklahoma (City) and really, like, watch film and prepare. But I can’t help but, like, the other 90 percent of me is like I’m about to get traded or Marc’s about to get traded.”

Celtics Notes: Tatum, Irving, Draft Picks

February 17th, 2019 at 8:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Jayson Tatum has heard his name in trade rumors a lot lately, but he’s accepting it as part of life in the NBA, writes A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston. Tatum is considered a key figure in the Celtics‘ push to acquire Anthony Davis, and although rumors have quieted somewhat with the passing of the trade deadline, they are sure to ramp up again this summer.

“I get asked that question a lot,” Tatum said about the trade talk. “And my response is always the same; control what I can control, I don’t take it personal. I understood coming in that it is a business. They have to make the best decision for them, whatever that may be. Especially right now; I can’t control it.”

Tatum’s on-court performance hasn’t suffered in the wake of the rumors, as Blakely points out that his stats have remained constant since Davis’ trade request became public. Showing star potential at age 20, Tatum may be in Davis’ position some day, but for now he is on the second season of a four-year rookie contract and has no control over where he plays.

“You learn pretty quickly that when you are under contract, you don’t have too much say-so,” he added.

There’s more from Boston this morning:

During All-Star media events Saturday, LeBron James spoke further about his phone call with Kyrie Irving last month, relays Chelsea Howard of The Sporting News. Irving called James to apologize for some of the things he did in Cleveland and said he understands the situation better now that he is a veteran leader with the Celtics. “I think I’ve always loved Kyrie, from before I met him, until when I became his teammate, to even now,” James said. “So the phone call, more than for me, I think just to see his growth … It takes a real man and a real person — and a real person to understand who they are — to be able to call, or to do anything and be able to see their wrongdoings or believe they have some wrongdoings.”
If Irving decides to leave Boston, he could affect the fate of several teams, notes Danny Leroux of The Athletic. The Celtics would lose one of their top talents and their best hope of signing Davis to a long-term deal if they do acquire him in a trade. The Knicks, Lakers and Clippers all have room to make a major impact in free agency and might welcome Irving if he becomes available.
Darren Hartwell of NBC Sports Boston checks on the status the three first-round picks the Celtics could be owed this summer and finds that two of them may not convey. The Grizzlies’ choice is top-eight protected, while the Clippers’ selection will only be moved if they make the playoffs.

Noah Happy For Second Chance; Wright Provides Defensive Upgrade

February 13th, 2019 at 10:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

Joakim Noah calls the opportunity to resume his career with the Grizzlies “a blessing” after a disastrous experience with the Knicks, tweets K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. Noah wasn’t always sure that he wanted to keep playing after becoming an outcast in New York, but he has been rejuvenated by a second chance in Memphis. “I didn’t want to leave the game like that,” he said. “I’ve worked too hard my whole life. I’ve always been somebody who loves basketball, loves to compete. I wanted to find that again.” (Twitter link)
The Grizzlies traded offense for defense at the backup point guard position in a pair of deals last week, writes David Cobb of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Memphis sent Shelvin Mack to the Hawks and replaced him by picking up Delon Wright in a trade with the Raptors. Wright can’t match Mack’s outside shooting prowess, but he made the Pac 12 All-Defensive Team twice in college and has the size to guard several positions. The Grizzlies can make Wright a restricted free agent this summer by extending a a $3.64MM qualifying offer.

Grizzlies Notes: Conley, Valanciunas, Rabb

February 13th, 2019 at 9:36am CST by Luke Adams

Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley appeared likely to be traded leading up to last week’s deadline, and admitted that he had trouble sleeping and checked his phone “a thousand times,” as Royce Young of ESPN.com details. Conley, who described Thursday as a long, emotional, and difficult day, has been fairly quiet on the court since the deadline, scoring 11 points on Saturday and then missing Tuesday’s game with an illness.
In advance of Jonas Valanciunas‘ debut with the Grizzlies on Tuesday, David Cobb of The Memphis Commercial Appeal explored how the team’s newest big man would fit in. The plan is for Valanciunas to come off the bench behind Ivan Rabb, but if he keeps playing like he did last night (23 points and 10 rebounds in 21 minutes), that plan may be short-lived.

Grizzlies Sign Bruno Caboclo To Multiyear Deal

February 13th, 2019 at 9:09am CST by Luke Adams

9:09am: Caboclo’s new deal with the Grizzlies is now official, according to the NBA’s transactions log.

7:56am: Bruno Caboclo‘s second 10-day contract with the Grizzlies expired overnight, but the team won’t be letting him get away, per reports from Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian and Michael Wallace of Grizzlies.com (Twitter links). According to Herrington and Wallace, Memphis is signing Caboclo to a rest-of-season contract that will also include a salary for 2019/20.

The 20th overall pick in the 2014 draft, Caboclo never developed into a rotation piece for Toronto and didn’t play much for Sacramento last season after the Raptors traded him to the Kings in a deadline deal. However, he has earned regular playing time during his 20-day, 10-game stint with the Grizzlies so far, averaging 6.1 PPG and 3.2 RPG in 21.1 minutes per contest.

While Caboclo has continued to struggled with his shot (.333 FG%, .250 3PT%) in Memphis, the club’s coaching staff has been intrigued by his “size, length, defensive instincts, and offensive potential,” tweets Wallace. The Grizzlies view him as an asset and want to continue working on developing his game.

The exact details of Caboclo’s new contract aren’t known, but the Grizzlies don’t have their mid-level or bi-annual exceptions available, so it’ll be a minimum salary deal, and the second year seems unlikely to be fully guaranteed. The prorated cap charge for this season will be approximately $487K, assuming the deal is officially finalized today.

Caboclo will continue to fill the 15th and final spot on Memphis’ roster, meaning the Grizzlies would have to release someone with a guaranteed contract if they want to add any other new players down the stretch.

As our 10-day tracker shows, Caboclo will become the first player this season to parlay a pair of 10-day deal into a rest-of-season contract with that same team.

Grizzlies Release Statement On Marc Gasol

February 10th, 2019 at 2:31pm CST by JD Shaw

Grizzlies owner Robert Pera released a statement on Marc Gasol after the franchise traded him to Toronto last week: “Marc has been a dedicated teammate, star player and pillar of this team for the past 11 seasons,” the statement read. “He plays with a heart and a passion for the game that helped carry this franchise to seven straight playoff appearances, but what Marc has done for this organization is about more than just basketball. He was a part of a core group of players that helped shape the identity of this franchise on and off the court and were embraced by the City of Memphis. On behalf of the Grizzlies organization, I would like to thank him for his blood, sweat and dedication to the Grizzlies and Memphis. The impact he has had on this team and the city will live on, and we look forward to one day welcoming him back home to Memphis where his #33 jersey will hang in the rafters of FedExForum next to Zach and Tony.”

Chandler Parsons To Rejoin Grizzlies After All-Star Break

February 9th, 2019 at 10:58am CST by marksuleymanov

The Grizzlies were unable to deal Chandler Parsons ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline and the veteran is now set to rejoin the team after the All-Star break, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Parsons, 30, took an indefinite leave from the team in early January after both sides could not come to an agreement on his playing time. He left the Grizzlies’ third game of the season due to right knee soreness and has not played since.

“I am extremely disappointed that I didn’t get to finish this season alongside my teammates and the Memphis coaching staff,” Parsons told ESPN. “Unfortunately that option wasn’t presented to me.

“The Grizzlies training staff medically cleared me to play 5-on-5 in mid-December and I have been practicing with the team ever since. I will continue to work out and train until my agent and the team reach a resolution. I am ready to play and committed to getting back on the court.”

In late December, Parsons cast blame on general manager Chris Wallace for keeping him sidelined. The team reportedly wanted to send Parsons to the G League but refused to tell him how long the stint would last. Under the collective bargaining agreement, veteran players have the power to refuse G League assignments.

“No communication. No nothing,” Parsons said at the time. “I don’t think it’s from a basketball standpoint. It’s definitely not from a health standpoint. I’ve been cleared by the medical staff of our organization, and clearly it’s not about fitting. I already earned a starting spot out of training camp and have shown I can fit with the team. I think the confusion for me is there’s no communication about what’s going on and when I’m going to play.”

Parson will not go to the G League before his return, tweets Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian.

At his peak, Parsons averaged 16.6 PPG and 5.5 RPG in 74 games with the Rockets in 2013/14. Memphis signed Parsons to a four-year, $94.6MM max contract in July 2016. However, a series of injuries have limited Parsons to just 73 games (45 starts) since joining the Grizzlies.

After several deadline deals, most notably the trade of Marc Gasol to the Raptors, the Grizzlies are a different team from when Parsons initially took an indefinite leave. Now, it remains to be seen how he will fit in with the current roster.

NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 2/8/19

February 8th, 2019 at 9:48pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Here are Friday’s assignments and recalls from around the NBA:

The Nuggets briefly assigned Isaiah Thomas to the G League today before recalling him. We have the full story on that here.
Jarred Vanderbilt has been assigned to the NBAGL by the Nuggets, according to the official G League transaction log. Denver does not have its own G League affiliate, so Vanderbilt is spending time with the Delaware Blue Coats.
The Hornets have recalled Dwayne Bacon and Devonte’ Graham from the Greensboro Swarm, according to the team’s website. Bacon has had 10 assignments in the G League this season. Graham has had seven.
The Warriors have recalled Jacob Evans from their G League affiliate, according to the team’s Twitter feed. Evans has played 16 games with the Santa Cruz Warriors so far this season.
The Grizzlies have assigned Tyler Dorsey to the Memphis Hustle, per the team’s Twitter feed. The Hawks traded Dorsey to the Grizzlies at the trade deadline.

The Deadline Deals That Didn’t Happen

February 8th, 2019 at 8:47pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Raptors were close to acquiring Nikola Mirotic, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports on his podcast. The power forward would have been part of a three-team trade with the Pelicans and Magic in the proposed framework. Toronto didn’t have the expiring contracts that New Orleans was seeking and Mirotic was instead sent to the Bucks.

Toronto shifted its focus back to Marc Gasol and acquired the big man from Memphis in exchange for Jonas Valanciunas, Delon Wright, C.J. Miles, and a 2024 second-round pick.

The Hornets came close to acquiring Gasol before some “last-minute haggling,” ESPN’s Zach Lowe writes. Charlotte had a lottery-protected first-round pick on the table for most of the week leading up to the deadline. Lowe passes along more deals that were discussed behind the scenes. Here are the highlights from his latest piece:

The Sixers offered two second-rounders to the Pelicans for Mirotic and prior to trading for Tobias Harris, Philadelphia and New Orleans discussed a Markelle Fultz-Mirotic swap. Fultz was dealt to the Magic for Jonathon Simmons and a pair of picks.
The Hornets pursued a deal for Harrison Barnes, dangling a first-round pick to the Mavericks, Lowe adds in the same piece. Dallas would have had to take back long-term money in the potential deal, something that it wasn’t willing to do.
The Nets and Grizzlies briefly discussed sending Allen Crabbe to Memphis along with a first-round pick (Denver’s 2019 selection) in exchange for Garrett Temple and JaMychal Green, sources tell Lowe. Tax concerns led Memphis to shy away from acquiring Crabbe, who will take home approximately $19MM next season.
Several teams attempted to pry Andrew Wiggins from the Wolves without giving up much in return. Minnesota was uninterested in giving Wiggins away.
Kris Dunn was available at the deadline but the Bulls weren’t looking to deal Zach LaVine. Lowe writes that Chicago may have only considered trading LaVine if it received an overwhelming offer, something that was unlikely to occur.