Memphis Grizzlies Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Southwest Notes: Parsons, Jordan, Leonard, Wright

September 25th, 2015 at 8:59am CST by Chuck Myron

Chandler Parsons was headed to Las Vegas for his girlfriend’s birthday and not to Houston to recruit DeAndre Jordan when he touched off the infamous Twitter iconography battle that served as a sideshow to Jordan’s free agency flip–flop, as Parsons said on The Ben & Skin show on KRLD-FM 105.3 in Dallas (transcription via the Dallas Morning News).

“At that point, it was already over and he was going back to the Clippers, so might as well make light of it,” Parsons said in part.

Rhetoric concerning Jordan’s turnabout has escalated again this past week, a sure sign that one of the offseason’s most significant storylines isn’t about to vanish into memory even as the season is about to get underway. See more on Jordan, the Mavs and the rest of the Southwest Division:

Jordan was unlikely to become the sort of offensive presence the Mavs sold him on becoming, opines Shaun Powell of NBA.com. Still, his change of heart casts the team into a transition phase, further reducing the chances that Dallas wins a title before Dirk Nowitzki retires, and the Mavs did well to retain cap flexibility for future seasons and maintain a strong position for trades, Powell believes.
Kawhi Leonard staggered to the finish line in the playoffs last season, and while that would have been acceptable in previous years, that’s no longer so for the 24-year-old, whom the Spurs are counting on now, writes Dan McCarney of the San Antonio Express-News. Leonard re-signed on a five-year max contract in July.
Free agent signee Brandan Wright, and not trade acquisition Matt Barnes, was the best offseason addition for the Grizzlies, argues Ben Dowsett of Basketball Insiders, citing Wright’s versatility, among other traits. Dowsett sees Wright as an upgrade over Kosta Koufos, who left in free agency for the Kings.

Western Notes: Rivers, Grizzlies, Rush

September 24th, 2015 at 9:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Clippers coach/executive Doc Rivers told Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports that almost losing DeAndre Jordan to the Mavericks made him realize how fragile a franchise’s window of contention can be, and it pushed him to improve the team as a whole this summer. “Losing him would’ve always gnawed at me,” Rivers said. “But it wouldn’t have stopped me. I would’ve said, [expletive] that, we’re going to figure out a way to get this right.’ But it also triggered something else for me. It might have been my front-office wake-up call. I was not a pleasant guy to me, or my staff, after I thought we lost him – and even after we got him back. We had a lot of ‘come-to-Jesus’ meetings.”

“And we rolled up our sleeves, and we got better,” Rivers continued. “Listen, maybe it’s because when we got here, the team was pretty good and we didn’t think we had to get that much better. I don’t know why. At end of the day, even the way D.J. did it, it turned out to be a blessing for our franchise. For me, it made me understand fully. We’ve got to do this [expletive] right, and build this team. It’s our responsibility.”

Here’s more from out West:

It remains to be seen if the Grizzlies can manufacture enough offense from the outside to take the next step toward a title, and while the team has improved in this area over the summer, Memphis may be lucky just to escape the first round of the playoffs, Tim Bontemps of New York Post (Facebook link) opines in his season preview.
After a 2014/15 campaign that saw him shoot an abysmal 11.1% from beyond the arc, Brandon Rush hopes to emerge as a viable sixth man candidate for the Warriors this season, Monte Poole of CSNBayArea.com writes. “It was a bad year for me, an awful year,” Rush told Poole. “It was one of the worst years I’ve ever had, individually. I’ve shot in the mid-40s [from three-point range] for most of my career. To be able to go out there last year and not be able to make a shot, not be able to play . . . it made me hungry to get into the gym and go hard this summer.”

Grizzlies, Yakhouba Diawara Agree To Camp Deal

September 24th, 2015 at 11:19am CST by Chuck Myron

The Grizzlies have agreed to a non-guaranteed deal with four-year NBA veteran Yakhouba Diawara, reports Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). It’ll be his first NBA contract since 2010. The signing will ostensibly round out the camp roster for Memphis, which already had signed contracts or verbal agreements with 19 players.

Diawara, a native of France, has been playing overseas since he last appeared in the NBA with the Heat. He averaged 13.2 points and 4.2 rebounds in 31.3 minutes per game with OpenJobMetis Varese of Italy this past season, though he shot only 28.3% from behind the arc. Outside shooting has never been his strength, however, as he connected on just 30.1% of his three-point attempts during his NBA career with Miami and the Nuggets.

Memphis is no stranger to taking chances with veterans during the preseason, having signed Michael Beasley and Earl Clark to camp deals last year. Neither made it to opening night with the team, and Diawara faces an uphill battle if he’s to stick for the regular season this year. The Grizzlies also have reportedly agreed to sign center Ryan Hollins, and 14 other players have fully guaranteed contracts. Memphis has started each of the past three seasons with fewer than the maximum 15 players for opening night.

Grizzlies To Sign Ryan Hollins

September 23rd, 2015 at 2:28pm CST by Chuck Myron

2:28pm: It’s expected to be a one-year deal, Spears adds in a full story. That means the Grizzlies will only be responsible for $947,276 of the $1,362,897 Hollins would make if he sticks for the season, with the league covering the rest.

2:20pm: The contract will be non-guaranteed, a source tells Chris Herrington of The Commercial Appeal (Twitter link).

1:32pm: The Grizzlies and Ryan Hollins have agreed to a deal, reports Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). The Warriors, Clippers and Kings reportedly spoke with the center’s representatives last month, but apparently it’s Memphis instead where he’ll end up, with training camp set to begin this coming Tuesday. An overseas deal for fellow Todd Ramasar client Chris Singleton, who had reportedly been in touch with the Clippers around the same time L.A’s Hollins talks took place, provided a hint earlier today that a Hollins signing might be forthcoming. It’s not immediately clear whether the Grizzlies are including any guaranteed money in the pact, though it’s certain that the contract will be for the minimum salary, since that’s all Memphis can give.

Hollins, who turns 31 next month, has found consistent work as a backup center over his nine-year NBA career, and he spent last season with Sacramento. The Pelicans and Mavericks were reportedly interested in him earlier this summer. The Grizzlies spend plenty of time with two big men on the floor, and with combo forward Jarell Martin, this year’s 25th overall pick, out indefinitely with a broken foot, Hollins reinforces the team’s depth behind Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph and mid-level signee Brandan Wright.

Memphis has 14 fully guaranteed pacts, a partial guarantee for power forward JaMychal Green, and three non-guaranteed deals, as our roster count shows. Point guard Andrew Harrison, whom the Grizzlies picked 44th overall, remains unsigned, as former Nets executive Bobby Marks points out (on Twitter).

Do you think Hollins will help the Grizzlies this year? Leave a comment to share your thoughts.

Northwest Notes: Gallinari, Davis, Thunder

September 22nd, 2015 at 3:13pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Grizzlies looked into trading for Danilo Gallinari around the trade deadline this past season, several league sources tell Grantland’s Zach Lowe, advancing a report from June indicating that Memphis was pursuing the combo forward as the draft approached. The Nuggets instead held on to him, even though they “absolutely could have” scored first-round picks for Gallinari or Wilson Chandler, Lowe writes, citing league sources. Both signed renegotiations-and-extensions this summer with Denver, a place Gallinari loves, according to Lowe, making him a relative rarity among top-level players and extra valuable to the Nuggets, who aren’t eligible to trade him until February even if they so desired because of the terms of his new deal.

The Kroenke family, which owns the team, has never wanted to strip down the roster, Lowe adds as he examines a Nuggets team stuck far from contention but too talented to bottom out. See more from the Northwest Division:

Ed Davis received the second most lucrative deal that the Blazers handed out this summer, at $20MM spread over three years, and while the former 13th overall pick is anxious to become a full-time starter for the first time since entering the league in 2010, it not a given that will happen this season, as The Oregonian’s Joe Freeman examines.
Susan Bible of Basketball Insiders, writing in the site’s preview of the Thunder‘s season, likes what extension candidate Dion Waiters and Oklahoma City’s new coaching staff can contribute to the team as it approaches a pivotal year ahead.
Thunder director of strategic planning Jason Ranne is headed back to the Wasserman Media Group, which used to employ him, for an executive position within the agency, as Wasserman announced and as Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal details.
The Blazers have promoted associate video coordinator Jim Moran to assistant coach, the team announced.
See the details on Anthony Bennett‘s buyout deal with the Timberwolves right here, and check out the news on the teams in the running for the former No. 1 overall pick, including the Blazers, in this post.

Southwest Notes: Perkins, Stefanski, Matthews

September 19th, 2015 at 12:31pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Kendrick Perkins said it was the Pelicans‘ strong young core of players that led him to choose to sign with the team this summer, Jim Eichenhofer of NBA.com writes. “You looked at every position from AD [Anthony Davis] to Jrue Holiday to Eric Gordon to Tyreke Evans and you just saw that they had a nice core, young guys that were good at every position,” Perkins said. “Raw talent. All they needed was a couple teaching points on the little things and professionalism. They had that [professionalism] already, because they work hard. But on the court, they needed a leader. The leader is not always the best player on the team, but more so the vocal side.”

“The young talent [was appealing],” Perkins continued. “You look at their team and [think about] having a veteran guy around to lead them and teach them how to be professionals, how to take care of their bodies, to be responsible on the road, to stay focused and don’t worry about the nightlife. Just the little things. You could tell they were a few things away from reaching a great goal. So I just felt like this was the place for me. I reached out to [GM] Dell [Demps] and he reached out to me. I felt wanted.”

Here’s more from the Southwest Division:

Grizzlies VP of player personnel Ed Stefanski is happy in Memphis and has no interest in the Bucks’ vacant assistant GM position, Gery Woelfel of The Racine Journal Times tweets.
Wesley Matthews, who signed a four-year, maximum salary deal with the Mavericks this offseason, hopes to break out of the three-and-D label he had with the Blazers and show his full repertoire of skills this season, Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com relays. “You know, I’ve never been one to allow someone to label me,” Matthews said. “I always continue to try to get better. I’m not a content type of person. If they come up with a term ‘three-and-D’ and they want to fit me in that category, that’s fine. But there’s not a thing that I don’t think I can do on the court, and I’m excited for the opportunity. You know, talking to coach [Rick] Carlisle, I’m obviously familiar with the system, having ran it in Portland. And talking to him, there’s opportunities that he sees how I can help this team. And I’m excited for those opportunities.”

Eastern Notes: Wade, Bucks, Nicholson, Celtics

September 17th, 2015 at 2:44pm CST by Chuck Myron

Dwyane Wade praised the Heat brass for the job that they did building the roster for the season ahead, and while he acknowledged the somewhat bumpy path he and the team took to his new one-year, $20MM contract, he reiterated his commitment to Miami. Wade made his comments in a variety of venues today, including on 790 The Ticket radio, as Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald transcribes.

“There’s a business side of everything,” Wade said to 790 The Ticket. “But my heart, and where I always said I wanted to be, was here. I started my career here and I would like to finish it. I came here just happy to be here, just wanting to make this organization proud for drafting me as the fifth pick.”

Wade batted down criticism from local fans that’s extended even to his choice of football jerseys for casual wear, imploring to the 790 The Ticket audience, “Don’t question my loyalty, you all. Do not question my loyalty.” The 11-time All-star will have another chance to back up those words with action when he hits free agency again next summer. See more from the Eastern Conference:

Former Nets assistant GM Bobby Marks and Grizzlies executive vice president of player personnel Ed Stefanski are drawing prominent mention for the Bucks assistant GM job, reports Gery Woelfel of The Journal Times (Twitter link). Milwaukee let go of former assistant GM David Morway this week when team reached an extension with GM John Hammond.
Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel finds it tough to see where Andrew Nicholson fits in with the Magic as he enters the last season of his rookie scale contract, given that four others who can play power forward are on the roster. Nicholson is eligible for a rookie scale extension this fall, but little, if any, talk has emerged suggesting the Magic will seek to give him one.
It’s a waiting game in Boston, where an opportunity for the Celtics to cash in their trade assets hasn’t materialized and the team’s young players still must prove their worth, writes Shaun Powell of NBA.com in his season preview for the team.

Grizzlies Sign Patrick Christopher For Camp

September 14th, 2015 at 5:33pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Grizzlies have signed former Jazz swingman Patrick Christopher to a non-guaranteed deal that covers one year at the minimum salary, reports Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link). The team has made no official announcement, but it appears the move has indeed taken place.

Christopher joined Memphis for camp last year, too, though the team waived him prior to opening night. He saw his first official NBA action with the Jazz instead after inking in December, though Utah let him go in January before his contract became guaranteed for the season. The 27-year-old is the 18th player on the Grizzlies, who are carry 14 fully guaranteed pacts, as their roster count shows.

Christopher went undrafted in 2010 out of the University of California, Berkeley. He played for the Pistons’ summer league team that year, then spent his first three seasons in Turkey and France. He signed with the Bulls in 2013 but was waived early in training camp and wound up with the D-League’s Iowa Energy, earning All-Defensive Second Team honors for the 2013/14 season.

He faces long odds to make the regular-season roster. The Grizzlies have Courtney Lee, Vince Carter and Jordan Adams at shooting guard and veterans Jeff Green, Matt Barnes and Tony Allen at small forward.

Grizzlies, Lazeric Jones Agree To Camp Deal

September 9th, 2015 at 10:55pm CST by Chuck Myron

SEPTEMBER 9TH, 10:55pm: No official announcement has been made by Memphis, but Jones has indeed signed a non-guaranteed minimum salary contract with the team, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders tweets.

SEPTEMBER 7TH, 2:30pm: The Grizzlies have agreed to sign former UCLA point guard Lazeric Jones to a non-guaranteed deal, a source tells Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). The 25-year-old was with the Pelicans for summer league in July, but he’s chiefly played out his pro career overseas so far, with stops in Israel, Greece and Hungary.

Only one roster spot would appear to be up for grabs in Memphis, which has 14 fully guaranteed deals, though the Grizzlies have carried fewer than 15 players on opening night each of the last three seasons, as I noted earlier today. Jones would be competing against JaMychal Green, who has a $150K partial guarantee, and fellow non-guaranteed camp signee Michael Holyfield for a regular season roster spot if the Grizzlies decide to buck their recent trend. It’s more likely that Memphis would cut him at the end of the preseason and retain his D-League rights for its one-to-one affiliate, though that’s just my speculation.

Jones, who went undrafted in 2012, put up 13.6 points, 4.1 assists and 2.6 turnovers in 33.5 minutes per game in his final collegiate season with the Bruins in 2011/12. He posted 7.8 PPG, 1.6 APG and 1.2 TOPG in 16.3 MPG across five summer league appearances this year. The 6’0″ Chicago native spent this past season in Hungary, where he posted 12.8 PPG, 4.1 APG and 2.5 TOPG in 26.6 MPG for Szolnoki Olaj.\

Do you think Jones stands a realistic chance to make the regular season roster for the Grizzlies? Leave a comment to let us know.

Atlantic Notes: Calderon, Okafor, Celtics

September 9th, 2015 at 12:30pm CST by Chuck Myron

Jose Calderon says the strained left Achilles tendon that prematurely ended his 2014/15 season is fully healthy, and the Spanish point guard is a fan of the moves the Knicks made this summer, even though he tried and failed to lure countryman Marc Gasol to the team, reports Marc Berman of the New York Post. Two seasons still remain on Calderon’s deal, but the 34-year-old added that he hasn’t been concerned that the Knicks might look to unload him this year, in spite of speculation, as Berman relays.

“I was never worried,” Calderon said to Berman. “It doesn’t mean I know for sure, but I was told I wasn’t involved in those trades and people I trust tell me that. And I talked to [coach] Derek [Fisher] during their free-agent meetings so they were keeping me always in the loop.’’

See more from around the Atlantic Division:

No. 3 overall pick Jahlil Okafor isn’t just the first Sixers top-10 pick of the past three years who’s healthy entering training camp, he’s also arguably the first truly foundational player that GM Sam Hinkie has added, writes Tim Bontemps of the New York Post (Facebook link).
The majority of ESPN’s Summer Forecast panel believes it’s likely the Celtics will pull off a splashy move this season, but Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com finds it tough to envision the team making a major acquisition, given the difficulty of finding a trade partner and the cap constraints on midseason swaps.
President of basketball operations Danny Ainge has done his due diligence to put the Celtics in position to acquire major talent, but the luck necessary to ultimately snag a marquee name just hasn’t been present, argues Sean Deveney of The Sporting News.