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2018/19 Over/Unders: Southwest Division

October 9th, 2018 at 12:19pm CST by Luke Adams

The 2018/19 NBA regular season will get underway in just seven days, which means it’s time to start getting serious about predictions for the upcoming campaign. With the help of the lines from Bovada and the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook, we’re running through the predicted win totals for each of the NBA’s 30 teams, by division, to have you weigh in on whether you think those forecasts are too optimistic or too pessimistic.

Having kicked things off with the Atlantic on Monday, we’re moving onto the Southwest today…

Houston Rockets

2017/18 record: 65-17
Over/under for 2018/19: 56.5 wins
Major offseason moves:
- Added: Carmelo Anthony, James Ennis, Michael Carter-Williams, Brandon Knight, Marquese Chriss, Isaiah Hartenstein
- Lost: Trevor Ariza, Ryan Anderson, Luc Mbah a Moute, Tarik Black, Joe Johnson, Chinanu Onuaku

(Trade Rumors app users, click here for Rockets poll)

New Orleans Pelicans

2017/18 record: 48-34
Over/under for 2018/19: 45.5 wins
Major offseason moves:
- Added: Julius Randle, Elfrid Payton, Jahlil Okafor, Jarrett Jack
- Lost: DeMarcus Cousins, Rajon Rondo, DeAndre Liggins, Emeka Okafor

(Trade Rumors app users, click here for Pelicans poll)

San Antonio Spurs

2017/18 record: 47-35
Over/under for 2018/19: 44.5 wins
Major offseason moves:
- Added: DeMar DeRozan, Marco Belinelli, Jakob Poeltl, Dante Cunningham, Lonnie Walker, Chimezie Metu
- Lost: Kawhi Leonard, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, Kyle Anderson, Danny Green, Brandon Paul, Joffrey Lauvergne

(Trade Rumors app users, click here for Spurs poll)

Dallas Mavericks

2017/18 record: 24-58
Over/under for 2018/19: 34.5 wins
Major offseason moves:
- Added: DeAndre Jordan, Luka Doncic, Devin Harris, Jalen Brunson, Ryan Broekhoff
- Lost: Yogi Ferrell, Doug McDermott, Nerlens Noel, Seth Curry, Kyle Collinsworth

(Trade Rumors app users, click here for Mavericks poll)

Memphis Grizzlies

2017/18 record: 22-60
Over/under for 2018/19: 34.5 wins
Major offseason moves:
- Added: Kyle Anderson, Jaren Jackson Jr., Garrett Temple, Omri Casspi, Shelvin Mack, Jevon Carter
- Lost: Tyreke Evans, Mario Chalmers, Deyonta Davis, Jarell Martin, Ben McLemore, Kobi Simmons

(Trade Rumors app users, click here for Grizzlies poll)

Previous voting results:

Atlantic:

Boston Celtics (59.5 wins): Over (53.63%)
Toronto Raptors (55.5 wins): Over (56.95%)
Philadelphia 76ers (54.5 wins): Under (51.19%)
Brooklyn Nets (31.5 wins): Under (56.04%)
New York Knicks (28.5 wins): Under (54.13%)

Grizzlies Waive Forward Ismaila Kane

October 8th, 2018 at 10:22pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Grizzlies have waived forward Ismaila Kane, according to a team press release.

The 6’9” Kane made one preseason appearance, logging two minutes. The Senegal native went undrafted after playing 13 games last season for Atlanta Metropolitan of the National Junior College Athletic Association. He could wind up with the Memphis Hustle, the Grizzlies’ G League team, once he clears waivers.

Memphis needed to make a roster move after signing swingman D.J. Stephens to a two-way contract.

Grizzlies Sign D.J. Stephens To Two-Way Deal

October 8th, 2018 at 7:27pm CST by Luke Adams

7:27pm: The signing is official, according to a team press release.

9:36 am: Former Bucks swingman D.J. Stephens is returning to the NBA, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, who reports (via Twitter) that the Grizzlies are signing Stephens to a two-way contract.

The Grizzlies currently only have one of their two-way slots filled, but they’re carrying a full 20-man preseason roster, so a corresponding move will be required to finalize the signing. Memphis will likely cut one of its players on non-guaranteed contracts, clearing the way for Stephens to join Japanese wing Yuta Watanabe as the two-way players on the roster.

Stephens, who played his college ball at the University of Memphis, went undrafted in 2013. After spending most of his rookie season in Greece, the 6’5″ guard/forward joined the Bucks briefly, appearing in three games with the team over the course of a 10-day contract.

Although Stephens later signed training camp deals with the Pelicans, Cavaliers, and Grizzlies, he hasn’t played in another NBA regular season game since that short stint with Milwaukee in 2014. His résumé since then includes stops in Turkey, Russia, Ukraine, Puerto Rico, France, and the G League. The 27-year-old won a championship in France last season playing for Le Mans.

Parsons Gets Injections To Relieve Knee Pain

October 5th, 2018 at 5:31pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Grizzlies forward Chandler Parsons received PRP injections in both knees a week before training camp, Mark Giannotto of the Memphis Commercial Appeal reports. Parsons flew to Germany for the second time this year for a five-day injection process in the hopes of regaining his previous form. Knee injuries have marred his first two seasons with Memphis after he signed a four-year, $94MM contract. “At this point in my career, I’ll try anything,” Parsons told Giannotto. “After the last two years, sign me up to do anything just to have some relief and not feel the way I have.”

Seattle Remains Unlikely To Get NBA Team In Near Future

October 5th, 2018 at 9:51am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA will return to Seattle on Friday night, as the Kings and Warriors play one another at KeyArena, but the league still isn’t expected to return to the city on a permanent basis anytime soon, as ESPN’s Brian Windhorst details in an in-depth report.

According to Windhorst, the NBA doesn’t have expansion on its timeline and the latest arena developments in Seattle weren’t discussed at the league’s Board of Governors meeting last month. Sources tell Windhorst that some prospective NBA ownership groups have been told by league officials that expansion may not happen until at least 2025, when a new TV deal can be negotiated.

The Los Angeles-based Oak View Group, led by veteran executive Tim Leiweke, is currently in the process of redoing KeyArena — the arena will close for renovations following Friday’s game. That renovation project, which initially had a $600MM price tag, is now projected to cost $750MM, Leiweke tells ESPN. When it’s finished, the New Arena at Seattle Center – as it’s now known – is expected to be ready to house an NHL team and an NBA team, as well as premium concerts and shows.

Seattle officials are optimistic that the city’s odds of landing an NBA franchise will increase substantially once that arena project is complete, with Seattle mayor Jenny Durkan indicating that she has spoken to commissioner Adam Silver and “communicated to him that we’re interested.” However, Windhorst notes that if an NHL franchise moves into the arena first, a hypothetical NBA team would be “arriving last to the party,” which could diminish the league’s interest.

As Windhorst explains, NBA franchise in major markets are increasingly looking to control their own arenas in order to maximize their revenue. The Warriors are doing just that with the Chase Center, and Clippers owner Steve Ballmer has a similar plan in in the works to move out of the Staples Center and get his own building. Based on that trend, the NBA may ultimately be more interested in a rival Seattle arena plan from investor Chris Hansen. Hansen, who has long been interested in bringing the NBA back to Seattle, still hopes to construct a privately-financed arena in the city’s SoDo district, near the MLB and NFL stadiums. That project is still in the planning stages though.

For now, Silver and the NBA are focused more on building new audiences in non-U.S. markets than they are on expanding within the United States. Windhorst reports that the league is close to announcing the launch of an NBA G League franchise in Mexico City, which is expected to begin play in 2019/20. That G League team will serve as a “trial balloon” to see how an NBA team south of the border might function, Windhorst adds.

With expansion not on the table anytime soon, relocation would be another potential path to get the NBA back to Seattle. According to Windhorst, several prospective ownership groups are keeping an eye on the Grizzlies, since lawyers believe language in their long-term lease with FedEx Forum could create a window for the team to leave Memphis in 2021. However, team owner Robert Pera bought out a pair of minority owners earlier this year and said at the time that he was “committed to Memphis as an NBA market,” so there are no indications that he’d consider selling.

Ultimately, while the NBA seems destined to return to Seattle at some point, all signs point to that return being a ways off yet.

Enough Minutes To Go Around For Jackson, Green

October 4th, 2018 at 2:12pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Rockets hope Marquese Chriss will develop into the type of backup center they thought they acquired when they signed Brandan Wright late last season, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Wright got hurt quickly and only played one game for Houston, but the team sees Chriss as the same style of player, a mobile big man who can attack the rim on pick-and-rolls.

Chriss was acquired from the Suns at the end of August in the trade that sent Ryan Anderson to Phoenix. The former eighth overall pick had a solid debut for the Rockets on Tuesday with 11 points and four rebounds and welcomes a more defined role.

“The difference is they know what they want me to do,” Chriss said of the Rockets. “They’re asking me to do a specific job. I’m trying to do it to the best of my ability. There really is no question about what they want my role to be. They made it straightforward to me when I first got traded here. I embraced it, and I’m working to do it as best as I can. Being on the Suns, it was kind of touch and go what we were capable of doing or I was able to show.”

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

Jahlil Okafor‘s ankle injury won’t prevent him from making the Pelicans‘ roster, tweets Scott Kushner of The Advocate. Okafor is expected to miss a week or two after spraining his right ankle late in Sunday’s game, but coach Alvin Gentry said that won’t affect his decision on Okafor’s status.
The Grizzlies should have plenty of minutes for both rookie Jaren Jackson Jr. and JaMychal Green, the returning starter at power forward, writes Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian. Jackson attracted more attention at media day, but Green is entering the final year of his contract at nearly $7.7MM and has incentive to put up big numbers heading into free agency.
Mavericks‘ forward Ding Yanyuhang hasn’t practiced yet because of knee tendinitis, but may be able to make his preseason debut in his home nation of China, tweets Tim MacMahon of ESPN. Coach Rick Carlisle said Ding has been ruled out for the team’s game in Shanghai, but he may practice and play in Shenzhen. Carlisle also said the next update on Dirk Nowitzki‘s condition will come October 12 (Twitter link).

NBA GMs Weigh In On 2018/19 Season

October 3rd, 2018 at 9:48am CST by Luke Adams

NBA.com has completed its annual survey of NBA general managers, with John Schuhmann of NBA.com asking each of the league’s 30 GMs to answer an array of questions about the league’s top teams, players, and coaches. Unsurprisingly, the Warriors are once again viewed by the NBA’s general managers as the overwhelming favorites to be the last team standing, with 26 of 30 GMs (87%) picking Golden State to win the NBA championship for the fourth time in five years.

While there are many responses in the GM survey worth checking out, we’ll focus on rounding up some of the more noteworthy ones related to rosters and player movement. Let’s dive in…

LeBron James (30%) and Kevin Durant (27%) are viewed as the frontrunners for the 2018/19 MVP award, but two younger players led the voting for the player GMs would most want to build a franchise around starting today. Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo (30%) and Pelicans big man Anthony Davis (23%) led the way in that category. Interestingly, Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns didn’t receive a single vote this year after leading the way with 29% of the vote in 2017.
The Lakers‘ signing of James helped them earn 70% of the vote for the team that made the best overall moves this offseason. The Raptors, buoyed by their acquisition of Kawhi Leonard, finished second at 20%.
A ton of different signings and trade acquisitions received votes for the most underrated addition of the summer, with the Pacers‘ signing of Tyreke Evans barely leading the way with four votes. The Spurs‘ trade for DeMar DeRozan, the Bulls‘ signing of Jabari Parker, the Pelicans‘ addition of Julius Randle, and the Thunder‘s acquisition of Dennis Schroder received three votes apiece.
DeMarcus Cousins‘ decision to join the Warriors (35%) was considered the most surprising move of the offseason, followed by the Spurs/Raptors blockbuster trade (29%) and Paul George remaining with the Thunder (19%).
While Mavericks guard Luka Doncic is the strong frontrunner for Rookie of the Year, GMs expect Suns center Deandre Ayton and Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. to be the best players five years from now. Meanwhile, the Clippers‘ selection of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at No. 11 was viewed by the most GMs as the steal of the draft.
The Sixers (47%) and Celtics (33%) dominated voting for the teams with the most promising young cores.

Southwest Notes: Anthony, Okafor, Randle, Grizzlies

September 30th, 2018 at 10:02pm CST by JD Shaw

Carmelo Anthony is looking to make the game fun again in his first season with the Rockets, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle writes. Anthony is set to enter his 16th professional season, with the 34-year-old having his vision set on winning an NBA championship.

“Just enjoy the game and play basketball … I’ve been doing it for a long time,” Anthony said. “I still know how to do it. I’ve just got to make it fun. The game just has to be fun.”

The Rockets are expected to be a championship contender this season, with the team featuring a deep bench, star center and All-Star backcourt of Chris Paul and James Harden. The level of production Anthony gives will help determine how far the team gets in its journey.

“He’s a great basketball player, so we just try to make it optimal for him and us,” head coach Mike D’Antoni said. “It’s always a little bit of a challenge, but if you had asked me the same question (last year) about James and Chris I would have said the same thing: ‘Well, it looks good. I’m excited.’ So same thing with him.”

There’s more out of the Southwest Division:

Pelicans center Jahlil Okafor will undergo an MRI on Monday after suffering an ankle injury during Sunday’s preseason game, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets. Okafor left the arena on crutches with his ankle taped.
Over 25 teams expressed a level of interest in Julius Randle during his brief time as a free agent, according to Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated. Randle eventually chose to sign a two-year deal with the Pelicans.
Grizzlies head coach J.B. Bickerstaff hopes Garrett Temple‘s impact on the team doesn’t go unnoticed, Drew Hill of the Memphis Commercial Appeal writes. “I’m used to (going unnoticed). It’s normal to me,” Temple said. “But, I’m glad that (Bickerstaff) sees my value. The people in the locker room and the people in this organization, at this point, those are the only ones that matter.”

2018 Offseason In Review: Memphis Grizzlies

September 28th, 2018 at 6:28pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Hoops Rumors is breaking down the 2018 offseason for all 30 NBA teams, revisiting the summer’s free agent signings, trades, draft picks, departures, and more. We’ll evaluate each team’s moves from the last several months and look ahead to what the 2018/19 season holds for all 30 franchises. Today, we’re focusing on the Memphis Grizzlies.

Signings:

Standard contracts:
- Kyle Anderson: Four years, $37.16MM. Signed using mid-level exception. Spurs’ declined to match offer sheet.
- Omri Casspi: One year, minimum salary. Signed using minimum salary exception.
- Shelvin Mack: One year, minimum salary. Signed using minimum salary exception.
Two-way contracts:
- Yuta Watanabe
Non-guaranteed camp contracts:
- Markel Crawford: One year, minimum salary.
- Brandon Goodwin: One year, minimum salary.
- Ismaila Kane: One year, minimum salary.
- Doral Moore: One year, minimum salary.

Trades:

Acquired Garrett Temple from the Kings in exchange for Ben McLemore, Deyonta Davis, the Grizzlies’ 2021 second-round pick, and cash ($1,544,951).
Acquired Dakari Johnson and the draft rights to Tyler Harvey from the Magic in exchange for Jarell Martin and cash ($1,037,980).
- Note: Johnson later waived.

Draft picks:

1-4: Jaren Jackson Jr. — Signed to rookie contract.
2-32: Jevon Carter — Signed to two-year, $2.26MM contract. Fully guaranteed. Signed using minimum salary exception.

Departing players:

Mario Chalmers
Deyonta Davis
Tyreke Evans
Myke Henry (two-way; waived)
Omari Johnson (waived)
Jarell Martin
Ben McLemore
Kobi Simmons (two-way; waived)

Other offseason news:

Retained interim head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, naming him permanent head coach.
Hired Jerry Stackhouse as assistant coach; finalized coaching staff.
Hired Brad Jones as head coach of G League affiliate Memphis Hustle.
Named Glen Grunwald a consultant.

Salary cap situation:

Remained over the cap.
Carrying approximately $120.8MM in guaranteed salaries.
Hard-capped at $129.82MM.
No cap exceptions left besides minimum salary exception.

Check out the Memphis Grizzlies’ full roster and depth chart at RosterResource.com.

Story of the summer:

Following a colossally disappointing 22-win season, the Grizzlies found themselves in a very difficult spot. With three fat contracts (Marc Gasol, Mike Conley, Chandler Parsons) eating up a good chunk of their cap space, they couldn’t simply go into full rebuild mode. So rather than waving the white flag, the Grizzlies’ front office thought the best approach would be to embrace their old roots. Instead of seeking out more shooters and embracing a high-powered attack, Memphis opted to surround Gasol and Conley with defensive-minded players possessing length and athleticism.

Selecting Jaren Jackson Jr. with their high lottery pick tipped the Grizzlies’ hand on what type of personnel moves they’d make this summer. Jackson is an all-around talent but his greatest strength is his shot-blocking. Jackson Jr. swatted over 100 shots in his lone college season at Michigan State despite averaging just 21.8 MPG. Second-round pick Jevon Carter carved out a reputation for toughness and gritty play at West Virginia.

Their successful pursuit of restricted free agent swingman Kyle Anderson showed creativity on a limited budget. The Grizzlies knew it would be tough for San Antonio to match the offer sheet on a four-year player who’s never averaged more than 7.9 PPG. But Memphis isn’t looking for Anderson to put up big offensive numbers. Defensive analytics show Anderson to be one of the league’s underrated defenders. His defensive box rating last season posted by Basketball Reference was an excellent 4.3.

The front office also chose continuity by retaining coach J.B. Bickerstaff. Endorsements from Conley and Gasol certainly helped his cause.

Key offseason losses:

The Grizzlies did not deal impending free agent Tyreke Evans at the trade deadline last season, as they held out hope of re-signing him over the summer. That strategy did not work out, although it’s questionable just how much they wanted him back. Evans got more than Memphis could offer with its mid-level exception, landing a one-year, $12MM contract with the Pacers. Memphis certainly took a hit offensively, as Evans averaged 19.4 PPG and 5.2 APG in 52 games last season.

Power forward Jarell Martin started 36 games last season but never really made a major impact with the organization. He became expendable once they drafted Jackson. Mario Chalmers also saw quite a bit of playing time last season, appearing in 66 games in all, but that was mainly due to Conley’s heel injury. Shooting guard Ben McLemore got a long look and even started by 17 games but just like he did in Sacramento, McLemore quickly wore out his welcome. He shot only 34.6% from long range.

Center Deyonta Davis had a forgettable two-season run with the organization after being a high second-round pick in 2016. A poor summer-league showing convinced the Grizzlies to move him in a trade with the Kings, who subsequently waived him.

Key offseason additions:

The reward to Memphis’ awful season was the No. 4 overall pick and the Grizzlies are hoping they hit a home run with Jackson Jr. They need Jackson to emerge a franchise-type player and having Gasol to mentor him will facilitate that process. A prolific shot-blocker, Jackson will make his defensive presence felt and he showed with the Spartans he can stretch the floor with his 3-point shooting. If he can grow the other aspects of his game, he’ll be an All-Star down the road.

Anderson never emerged as anything more than role player with the Spurs, though he started 67 games last season in the aftermath of Kawhi Leonard‘s quad injury. The Grizzlies used up their mid-level exception on him with the expectation he’ll be one of the league’s top defenders while also receiving expanding offensive opportunities and playing time.

Veterans Shelvin Mack and Omri Casspi were added in free agency to fortify the bench. Mack could prove especially useful, as he projects as Conley’s backup. Given Conley’s injury history, Mack could wind up playing an even bigger role. Casspi shot 45.5% from long range for the Warriors last season. It will be hard to duplicate that with Memphis — he won’t have All-Stars like Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry to siphon away defenders — but he’ll provide some much-needed shooting off the bench.

Veteran guard Garrett Temple, acquired in a trade with Sacramento, gives Bickerstaff another solid defensive option who can guard multiple positions.

Outlook for 2018/19:

Any hope of a respectable season rests on Conley’s health. He needs to stay on the court and produce at past levels to allow the Grizzlies to hold their own in the loaded West. Conley only appeared in 12 games last season but there’s cautious optimism that he’s finally over his nagging heel issues.

Gasol, 33, has adapted his game and can now force defenses to guard him outside the arc. Gasol had a falling out with former coach David Fizdale and took some media heat for his alleged role in Fizdale’s dismissal but he should feel refreshed after a miserable, controversy-laded season.

Parsons’ contract remains an albatross but if Anderson and Jackson can make an immediate impact, the Grizzlies will be a tough team to play. They’ll grind out enough victories to make this bounce-back season but they simply don’t have enough pieces to make the playoffs.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders was used in the creation of this post. Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images. Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Trade Exceptions Expire For Grizzlies, Clippers, Knicks

September 26th, 2018 at 10:04am CST by Luke Adams

Three teams had modest traded player exceptions expire this week, as the Grizzlies, Clippers, and Knicks declined to use their respective TPEs. The exceptions ranged in value from $1.58MM (Clippers) to $3.41MM (Grizzlies), with the Knicks’ $2.38MM TPE falling in the middle.

As we explain in our glossary entry on the subject, traded player exceptions can be used to acquire one or more players whose salaries fits within the amount of the exception. They expire one year after being created if they haven’t been used.

The three trade exceptions that expired this week were created in deals consummated right before training camps opened in 2017. The Grizzlies’ TPE was created when they sent Troy Daniels to the Suns, while the Clippers created theirs by sending DeAndre Liggins to Atlanta. The Knicks’ TPE was generated as a result of the Carmelo Anthony trade with Oklahoma City.

All three clubs still have at least one traded player exception in hand, as our full list shows.