Memphis Grizzlies Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Draft Combine Updates: Friday

May 16th, 2014 at 2:46pm CST by Chuck Myron

We gathered a slew of reports connecting draft prospects with teams yesterday on the first full day of the Chicago draft combine, and we’ll do the same today with this post. The latest updates will be on top as we follow the action throughout.

Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders adds the Pistons, Kings and Suns to the list of teams interviewing Noah Vonleh (Twitter link).
The Pistons met with Rodney Hood, Ellis tweets, and the Thunder also met with him, Holmes notes (on Twitter).
Thanasis Antetokounmpo sat down with the Nets, Knicks, Pacers, Cavs, Wizards and Pelicans, according to Woelfel (Twitter link).

2:00pm updates:

The Pistons have met with Smart and Zach LaVine, according to Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press and Keith Langlois of Pistons.com, respectively (Twitter links).
Smart is also among the players interviewing with the Celtics tonight, according to Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe, and the C’s spoke with Aaron Gordon, too, fellow Globe scribe Baxter Holmes notes (Twitter links).
Gordon also met with the Magic, who are set to meet with James Michael McAdoo, as well, according to Robbins (Twitter links).
Tyler Ennis is meeting with the Bucks today after interviewing with the Bulls on Thursday, as Gery Woelfel of The Journal Times and Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com report (Twitter links).
Jarnell Stokes already worked out for the Raptors, according to Wolstat (on Twitter).

12:02pm updates:

Dante Exum‘s interview with the Magic went well, he said, adding that the team would like to bring him to Central Florida for a workout, tweets Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel. Robbins, in a full piece, added Marcus Smart to the list of top prospects who’ve interviewed with the Magic.
Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge expressed a fondness for Smart today in an interview with ESPN’s Andy Katz on the network’s coverage of the combine, as Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv notes (on Twitter).
Gary Harris told Katz he met with the Raptors, Nuggets, Grizzlies and Pistons, as Zagoria once more passes along via Twitter.
The Raptors will interview Jordan Adams today, according to Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun, who says the team also spoke with James Young (Twitter links).
Zagoria adds the Sixers, Spurs, Clippers, Mavs, Nuggets, Warriors and Bulls to the list of teams that Kyle Anderson either met or is slated to meet (Twitter link).
Markel Brown said he’ll talk with the Celtics today, according to A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com (Twitter link).

Western Notes: Kerr, Trail Blazers, Rockets

May 10th, 2014 at 10:14pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Warriors are growing increasingly pessimistic about their chances of convincing Steve Kerr to turn down the Knicks in favor of Golden State’s coaching job, report Ian Begley and Marc Stein of ESPN.com. The Warriors fear Kerr is “too deep” into talks with the Knicks at this point, according to the article. Begley and Stein also note that their sources also stressed that Stan Van Gundy is actually the closest thing to a top target at this early stage of Golden State’s search. This feeling is based on the premise that an experienced coach can ensure that the Warriors maintain upward momentum in the competitive Western Conference, per the article.

Free Agent Stock Watch: Zach Randolph

May 10th, 2014 at 12:55pm CST by Cray Allred

Zach Randolph may have spent his final game as a member of the Grizzlies away from the team, serving a surprise suspension for Game 7 against the Thunder. Now Randolph must turn his attention to the the offseason and his player option for the 2014/15 season. His salary is set to drop from $18.2MM to $16.9MM if he picks up the option, a decrease that was ratified despite going against CBA rules per Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com.

Despite shooting under 40% in the playoffs, his inside presence helped Memphis impose its physical style on the Thunder and push the No. 2 seed to the brink of an upset. After missing half of the 2011/12 season due to injury, and scoring well below his career average last year, Randolph returned to form when the Grizzlies desperately needed him to, having lost star center Marc Gasol to injury for a significant chunk of this season. Randolph led Memphis in scoring for the playoffs at 18.2 PPG, and he averaged a double-double in the regular season.

The Raymond Brothers client hasn’t discussed his future with team management, but Randolph and the Grizzlies have mutual interest in him remaining in Memphis for the remainder of his career. Randolph is one of the only great post scorers in a league that has become more perimeter-oriented, even among frontcourt players. The Memphis front office is more driven by advanced stats than most around the NBA, so the continued presence of a player with Randolph’s skill set and age hasn’t always been a foregone conclusion. The Grizzlies denied rumors that they were looking to trade the power forward earlier this season, but Randolph expressed disappointment in the perceived lack of loyalty from the team.

While few teams have a frontcourt scorer as sturdy as Randolph, there isn’t an abundance of teams that seem to be in a position to target the big man. Many clubs with significant cap space are invested in young power forwards, and adding a piece like Randolph could stunt their development. Examples of this include the Bucks and John Henson, the Magic and Tobias Harris, and the Jazz and Derrick Favors. Toronto reportedly showed interest in Randolph this winter, and if the Raptors believe they can contend in the Eastern Conference by building around their core, adding a proven veteran of Randolph’s abilities would make sense. It would probably mean clearing Amir Johnson‘s salary via trade, and Johnson is a productive big on an affordable contract, but pairing Randolph with Jonas Valanciunas would be an intriguing move. The Pelicans were rumored to have light interest in Randolph as well. If New Orleans wasn’t confident in Ryan Anderson‘s return to form following a scary neck injury that cost him most of last season, Randolph could play alongside Anthony Davis.

Randolph could also become a fallback signing for teams that either strike out on their primary targets in free agency or want to offer a one-year deal around the value of Randolph’s option for next season to preserve max money for 2015. The Mavs have pursued a similar strategy in the past, and I could see the Lakers keeping their sights set on 2015 while adding a piece like Randolph in the meantime. It would be tough for Randolph, who turns 33 this summer, to pass on locking in long-term money while his market value is still relatively high, but the right team and the right salary might make him think about it. Randolph mentioned the Lakers earlier this season when he spoke of teams that had shown loyalty, a virtue he hoped the Grizzlies would espouse.

Randolph’s market value is believed to be in the three-year, $30-35MM range. A 13-year veteran who has logged as many bruising minutes as Randolph would seem a risky player to sign for multiple years at over $10MM in annual salary. Al Jefferson, three years Randolph’s junior, inked a three-year, $40.5MM contract last summer. Jefferson has superior offensive prowess at this point, but he’s also a greater liability on the defensive end. The fact that Z-Bo hasn’t built his game on athleticism — Randolph barely jumps when putting up his shot — mitigates some risk of a sudden decline in ability. Randolph relies heavily on strength and craftiness, elements that won’t evaporate overnight.

Randolph’s next contract will likely be his last extended deal as one of the league’s top earners, and it would make sense for him to pursue it sooner rather than later, especially since he’s facing a pay decrease on his option anyway. While Memphis wants to keep Randolph, it will still be interesting to see if the Grizzlies value him as much as they do other players on the market should he decline his option. Randolph came in ninth on our latest Free Agent Power Rankings, but he could find that player pool less crowded once free agency begins. Seven of the players ahead of him on that list can remain with their teams either through option clauses or restricted free agency. If the market dries up and Randolph stands as one of the few premier players available, teams with cap space might be able to pry him away from the city he has thrived in for the last five years.

Offseason Outlook: Memphis Grizzlies

May 9th, 2014 at 3:27pm CST by Chuck Myron

Guaranteed Contracts

Marc Gasol ($15,829,688)
Mike Conley ($9,294,216)
Tayshaun Prince ($7,707,865)
Courtney Lee ($5,450,000)
Tony Allen ($4,831,461)
Quincy Pondexter ($3,146,068)
Jon Leuer ($967,500)
Jamaal Franklin ($816,482)
(Fab Melo $437,080)*

Options

Zach Randolph ($16,938,333, Player)**

Non-Guaranteed Contracts

Kosta Koufos ($3,000,000, guaranteed for $500,000)***
Nick Calathes ($816,482)****

Free Agents / Cap Holds

Ed Davis ($7,884,650)*****
No. 22 pick ($1,120,100)
James Johnson ($915,243)
Mike Miller ($915,243)
Beno Udrih ($915,243)
(Steven Hunter $7,022,400)
(Gilbert Arenas $915,243)
(Keyon Dooling $915,243)
(Leon Powe $915,243)
(Marcus Williams $915,243)

Draft Picks

1st Round (22nd overall)

Cap Outlook

Guaranteed Salary: $48,980,360
Options: $16,938,333
Non-Guaranteed Salary: $3,316,482
Cap Holds: $22,433,851
Total: $91,669,026

The man whose absence was most conspicuous the last time the Grizzlies played no doubt lingers in the back of the mind of everyone in the organization. Team officials probably won’t harbor too much anger at Zach Randolph for incurring a suspension for Game 7 against the Thunder, since his hit to the jaw of Steven Adams was such questionable grounds for a one-game ban that few, if any, expected the punishment to happen. Instead, the Grizzlies will ruminate on Z-Bo’s decision regarding his lucrative player extension for next season. He’s given little, if any, indication of his preference whether to opt in or hit the market, where he could cash in as the ninth-ranked player on the latest Hoops Rumors 2014 Free Agent Power Rankings.

Randolph bookended the season with assertions that he’d like to remain with the Grizzlies for the rest of his career. He also expressed a desire to continue playing alongside Marc Gasol, who can’t elect free agency until next year, a subtle indication that Randolph might prefer to opt in so that he and Gasol can go on the market together. Still, Randolph expressed frustration with trade rumors that invoked his name this season. Team sources were adamant in their denials, but Randolph said he was hurt by what he perceived as a lack of loyalty, and he cited the Spurs, Lakers and Heat as examples of teams that have developed long-term bonds and won with them.

It would be tough to imagine the Spurs making the cap-clearing moves necessary to get into a bidding war for the 32-year-old, but the Lakers will have plenty of cap room, and the Heat might be in play if their trio of stars depart. There surely would be no shortage of other teams eyeing Randolph if he were to hit the market. The belief around the league is that Randolph would be in line for a three-year deal worth $30-35MM, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com. I wouldn’t be surprised if a team goes a little higher for a player whose 17.4 points per game and 18.3 PER were the best he’s posted in three years.

There’s plenty of value in opting out, given Randolph’s increased production this season and the prospect of suitors growing all the more wary of his age in another year. He’ll turn 33 in July, suggesting it’s time to secure another long-term contract. Still, Randolph doesn’t figure to command the nearly $17MM salary he’d make next season if he opted in. Agent Raymond Brothers will no doubt earn his commission even before he negotiates Randolph’s next contract as he gathers the intel necessary to advise his client.

If Randolph’s back, the Grizzlies would have enough commitments to put them over the salary cap, but they’d have plenty of room beneath the tax line if the latest $77MM luxury tax projection holds up. That’ll allow them to use the full value of the non-taxpayer’s mid-level exception, worth $5.305MM this year. There’s also a decent chance they’ll have room to use the $2.077MM biannual exception, and that chance would become a near-certainty if Randolph opts out and re-signs for a lower salary. Those loom as critical weapons for a front office that snagged Mike Miller and James Johnson at the minimum salary for this past season. Players who are bargains at the mid-level price can have an even more significant effect than minimum-salary gems, of course, so it’ll be interesting to see what CEO Jason Levien and company do with that sort of flexibility.

Randolph’s departure would give the Grizzlies even more money at their disposal, and they’d have about $11MM in cap flexibility without him. It would also present the team with an intriguing chance to change its identity from a traditional, bruising, post-oriented squad with two big men to a club based on spacing with a stretch power forward. Replacing Randolph with an outside shooter would help the team’s deficiencies in that department, and the return of a healthy Quincy Pondexter would add to the roster’s long-range firepower. The style would seem like a fit for the analytics-friendly Memphis front office, given how highly the greater advanced metrics community values the three-pointer.

It would nonetheless be difficult to change on the fly so quickly, particularly if the team wants to remain competitive and attractive to Gasol, who’s a free agent after next season. That’s why a strong push to sign Pau Gasol, Marc’s brother, would make sense regardless of the style of play Memphis chooses. The Grizzlies reportedly see any pursuit of Gasol as a secondary priority to Randolph, but that’s true of just about anything the team would do this offseason. Gasol appears have a decent chance of garnering a $10MM offer in free agency this summer, but the allure of playing with his brother on a winning team might be enough to inspire him to take a discount to return to Memphis, where he began his NBA career. Using the full mid-level on Pau Gasol as a backup should Randolph return might seem wasteful for a team in need of outside shooting, but having a first-rate reserve would be crucial, as Marc Gasol’s absence this year demonstrated.

Kosta Koufos is a capable backup, but he’s no Marc Gasol, and he’s no Pau Gasol, either, and the Grizzlies suffered when Marc was injured this season, costing them enough wins for them to wind up as the seventh seed. They proved they were much better than a seventh-place team against the Thunder, but it was also easy to see that the Grizzlies are still a player or two away from true title contention. It might not be necessary to waive Koufos and recoup most of his partially guaranteed salary for next season to upgrade the bench, but cutting ties with Koufos seems much more plausible than when the Grizzlies pulled off a shrewd trade to obtain him for Darrell Arthur last year.

Similarly, there doesn’t seem to be enough playing time to go around for Ed Davis, whose 6’10” size and pedigree as a former 13th overall pick might intrigue a team looking for a small-ball center on the cheap. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Grizzlies fail to tender him a qualifying offer, which would be worth more than $4MM. That’s more per year than Pondexter received on his extension this past autumn, and likely more than market value for Davis. The Grizzlies probably wouldn’t mind him back at Pondexter’s salary, but no more than that.

Miller has expressed a desire to return to the club “as long as everything is done fairly,” and while that might indicate that he’s unwilling to re-sign for the minimum salary, the Grizzlies could use his Non-Bird rights to give him a 20% raise, or the biannual for a larger bump. Retaining his shooting will likely be important to the club, but the Grizzlies will no doubt keep in mind that the oft-injured 34-year-old seems a long shot to play in all 82 games next year as he did this season. The Grizzlies will be without Nick Calathes for the first 13 games of next season thanks to his suspension for alleged use of Tamoxifen, so Beno Udrih appears a candidate to return on another minimum salary deal to back up Mike Conley.

The Grizzlies will have the sort of flexibility this summer that they haven’t enjoyed in the past few years regardless of whether Randolph opts out. Just how well they apply it will be pivotal not only for the team, but for the rest of the league, as Memphis lingers on the precipice of the title picture.

Cap footnotes

* — The Grizzlies waived Melo in August 2013 and used the stretch provision to spread his salary over three seasons.
** — If Randolph opts out, his cap hold would be equivalent to the maximum salary for a player of 10 or more years of experience, which will likely be around $20MM.
*** — Koufos’ salary becomes fully guaranteed if he’s not waived on or before June 30th.
**** — Calathes’ salary becomes fully guaranteed if he’s not waived on or before July 15th.
***** — Davis’ qualifying offer is $4,268,609.

ShamSports and Larry Coon’s Salary Cap FAQ were used in the creation of this post.

Pau Gasol Eyes Grizzlies, Bulls, Spurs, Lakers

May 9th, 2014 at 1:52pm CST by Chuck Myron

Pau Gasol spoke of highly of the Grizzlies and hinted at interest at the Bulls and Spurs as well as a return to the Lakers in a Spanish-language video on Marca.com, as James Barrigan of the Los Angeles Times notes. The soon-to-be free agent big man said it’s difficult for him to envision signing with the Clippers, given their proximity to and rivalry with the Lakers, for whom Gasol has played the past six and a half seasons. Gasol nonetheless praised Clippers guard Chris Paul and said that he likes to play with the league’s best, naming LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony in addition to Paul.

Gasol said in December that the Grizzlies would be an “appealing” option given the presence of his brother, Marc Gasol, and he reiterated those comments to Marca.com, also citing the strength of the Memphis team that won 50 games this past season. The Grizzlies want to first see what happens with Zach Randolph, who has a nearly $17MM player option, but they still seem to have designs on pursuing Pau Gasol, who turns 34 in the summer. The Bulls reportedly have interest, too, as do the Cavs and Bobcats. There have been no indications that the Spurs want to go after him, but they’d certainly fit Gasol’s desire to play for a winner, and Gasol praised the team and Coach of the Year Gregg Popovich in his latest remarks.

The Arn Tellem client has had a checkered relationship with the Lakers in recent months, recently saying the team would have to make major changes if he’s to re-sign. He seemed to soften his stance in the wake of the resignation of Mike D’Antoni, with whom he’d feuded. Gasol said this week that he still considered himself a Laker, though he said the absence of D’Antoni would not be the determining factor in his decision whether to leave the club in free agency.

Gasol said in the Marca video that he hopes the Lakers will make him an offer strong enough for him to consider. He’ll surely have to take a pay cut from this season’s salary, which exceeded $19MM, but he reportedly has a decent chance to receive an offer worth $10MM a year.

Western Notes: Draft, Clippers, Warriors

May 7th, 2014 at 9:53pm CST by Eddie Scarito

With the 2014 NBA Draft approaching, college coaches and player agents are relieved that Clippers owner Donald Sterling received a lifetime ban, writes Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv. A number of coaches Zagoria spoke to said there wouldn’t be an issue for any players the Clippers draft now that Sterling is gone.

Grizzlies To Have Own D-League Affiliate

May 6th, 2014 at 3:13pm CST by Chuck Myron

3:13pm: The Grizzlies have formally announced the partnership.

12:52pm: It appears the Grizzlies won’t have to share a D-League affiliate with another NBA team next season, as they’ve struck a deal with the Iowa Energy on a one-to-one partnership, reports Bryce Miller of the Des Moines Register (hat tip to Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities). It’ll be a hybrid relationship, meaning the Grizzlies will control the basketball operations while local ownership holds sway over the business side, though Grizzlies minority owner Jed Kaplan takes over the primary ownership role for the Energy as part of the deal.

The Grizzlies have hired Energy GM Chris Makris as director of minor league operations, though he’ll continue to oversee the Energy’s moves, according to Miller. Other Memphis owners will also hold stakes in the Iowa franchise, Miller adds. The Energy has a press conference scheduled later today to formally announce the deal.

Memphis was one of six teams sharing the Fort Wayne Mad Ants this past season, sending Jamaal Franklin on assignment there three times. They’ll probably make greater use of D-League assignments with Iowa, which saw only brief visits from Shabazz Muhammad, Glen Rice Jr. and Marquis Teague this season as the Energy’s five NBA partners largely shied away from sending players down.

The move likely leaves the Mad Ants as the only D-League club without a one-to-one partnership, assuming the Jazz partner with the Idaho Stampede as rumored. The Nets, Hawks, Clippers, Raptors, Bobcats, Pacers, Bucks, Bulls, Nuggets, Timberwolves, Pelicans, Wizards and Trail Blazers are all in line to share a D-League affiliate next season, though it would seem as though an arrangement involving that many teams would be untenable. I wouldn’t be surprised if the D-League, which is adding a Knicks-owned 18th team next season, expands further, though that’s just my speculation.

Other NBA teams may still strike one-to-one partnerships before the shuffling comes to an end, and the Wolves are on the lookout, according to Wolfson (Twitter link). They had talks about a one-to-one deal with Iowa, but they never got serious, Wolfson notes.

Poll: Which Game 7 Loser Will Advance In 2015?

May 6th, 2014 at 8:58am CST by Chuck Myron

A thrilling weekend of Game 7’s has given way to exit interviews and thoughts about the future for the five teams that lost deciding games in the first round of the playoffs. Some of those teams, like the Hawks and Mavs, can take encouragement that a seven-game series means they’re farther along than they probably thought they were. Others, like the Warriors and Grizzlies, probably didn’t envision sitting at home for the second round when they laid out their plans for the season.

Regardless of where the Hawks, Raptors, Mavs, Grizzlies and Warriors began the season, they’re all in similar positions now. Each team has reason to believe it can be better next year.

Atlanta is on target to have a healthy Al Horford for next season, with close to $15MM in potential cap space this summer. Toronto appears to be a team on the rise, with young talents like DeMar DeRozan, Terrence Ross and Jonas Valanciunas and seemingly the inside track to re-sign Kyle Lowry. Dirk Nowitzki remains an elite talent for Dallas, which can clear enough cap room to once more pursue another major star, or at least recruit free agents who can upgrade the team’s defense. The Grizzlies might have advanced beyond the first round if Marc Gasol had been healthy all season and they’d earned a higher seed, and the Memphis front office showed a knack for acquiring useful rotation players on the cheap this year. Golden State is another team on the come, and the series against the Clippers might have been drastically different if Andrew Bogut hadn’t been injured.

All five teams enter the offseason poised to make improvements that can take them beyond the first round next season. Let us know which club you think has the greatest chance to achieve that goal in 2014/15, and feel free to elaborate on your choice in the comments.

Southwest Notes: Mavs, Dirk, Randolph, Grizzlies

May 5th, 2014 at 8:13pm CST by Zachary Links

The latest out of the Southwest Division..

Dirk Nowitzki is staying put this summer, Mavs president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson tells reporters, including Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com. “Obviously, you know, Dirk’s not going anywhere,” Nelson said. “He’s built this franchise and he’s been with us since Day 1. Certainly, there’s a negotiation that’s going to take place, but he loves this city and he wants to call it his home. We certainly reciprocate those feelings, and our hope is that we’ll get something done that’s not only in Dirk’s best interest but also affects the flexibility of the future of the Mavericks.”
Count Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger among those hoping that Zach Randolph returns this summer, writes Teresa M. Walker of the Associated Press. ”He knows he’s loved,” Joerger said Sunday. ”He knows he’s wanted here. We have a good relationship. A really, really good relationship. He was not difficult for me to coach at all. I really enjoyed coaching him. We’re really on the same page, so I hope we can continue that.” Randolph holds a player option worth $16.5MM. He led Memphis in scoring at 17.4 points per game and rebounding at 10.1 this season and was the team’s leading scorer against Oklahoma City with 18.2 points a game until his suspension.
While it seems likely that Randolph will stay in Memphis, Ed Davis’ future with the Grizzlies is up in the air, writes Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders. If Memphis brings Randolph back, they may be priced out of keeping the 24-year-old restricted free agent. The Grizzlies can’t afford to spend a ton of money on a backup big man, so while they would love to keep Davis and do have the option to match any contract he receives, they can’t afford to go into luxury tax territory.

Stein On Grizzlies Offseason

May 4th, 2014 at 12:25pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Grizzlies lost to the Thunder last night by a score of 120-109 which eliminated them from the playoffs. Marc Stein of ESPN.com looks at a number of the offseason issues that Memphis faces. Here are some of the highlights from his article:

The Grizzlies still aren’t sure whether or not Zach Randolph will exercise his $16.5MM player option for next season, notes Stein. Randolph has said for much of the season that, at 32, he hasn’t quite worked out whether it’s best to opt out now to hit the open market in July or put off free agency for one more summer, according to the article.
Stein notes that the general sense around the team is that the Grizzlies want to keep Randolph, but at a friendlier price point. A three-year deal worth $30MM to $35MM is believed to be Randolph’s market price.
One of the team’s offseason priorities should be to acquire a shooter to play in the backcourt next to Mike Conley, opines Stein.
Another question for the team, notes Stein, involves what to do with Ed Davis, who is set to become a restricted free agent this summer. The inconsistent playing time Davis received in his first full season in Memphis would suggest that there is some uncertainty within the organization whether or not he factors into their long term plans. In 63 games this season, Davis averaged 5.7 PPG, 4.1 RPG, and 0.4 APG in 15.2 minutes per contest. The Grizzlies will have the opportunity to match any offer that Davis receives.