Memphis Grizzlies Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Grizzlies Opt Not To Re-Sign Seth Curry

January 8th, 2014 at 9:26am CST by Luke Adams

Seth Curry lasted less than two weeks on the Grizzlies’ roster after being signed in December, his non-guaranteed contract having been waived before yesterday’s guarantee deadline. While Memphis had been considering bringing Curry back on a 10-day contract, the team has opted to pass for now, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, who says Curry will rejoin the D-League’s Santa Cruz Warriors (Twitter link).

Curry, the younger brother of Stephen Curry, appeared briefly in just one game for the Grizzlies, but put up excellent numbers for Santa Cruz earlier this season, averaging 21.3 PPG and 7.8 APG in 12 contests. While Golden State’s affiliate holds his D-League rights, Curry remains free to sign with any NBA team that offers him a deal, and I expect it won’t be long before another club takes a 10-day flier on the 23-year-old.

As for the Grizzlies, it sounds like they were seriously considering bringing Curry back after releasing him over the weekend. Wojnarowski tweets that the club had Curry wait in town for three days after cutting him, only to eventually inform him that he wouldn’t be re-signed. As our updated list of roster counts shows, the Grizzlies have one open spot on their roster.

Western Notes: Pelicans, Harris, Franklin

January 7th, 2014 at 2:44pm CST by Luke Adams

Ryan Anderson will be out indefinitely with a herniated disk, the Pelicans announced today (link via Jim Eichenhofer of Pelicans.com). Anderson has been mentioned in a few trade rumors, but didn’t seem likely to be moved this season. Still, if he’s expected to miss a significant amount of time, it could have an impact on New Orleans’ roster decisions before the trade deadline. The team is currently carrying 14 players, leaving one opening available.

Here’s more from the NBA’s better half:

After indicating last night that the Thunder were researching D-League standout Manny Harris, Sam Amick of USA Today follows up by tweeting that Harris had an interview with members of OKC’s front office this week, as the team does its due diligence.
The Grizzlies have recalled Jamaal Franklin from the D-League, the team announced today in a press release. Franklin was assigned to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants on Sunday, and played with the team yesterday in Reno as part of the 2014 D-League Showcase.
Dewayne Dedmon was released by the Warriors earlier this season, but Golden State still has interest in bringing him back, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports, adding that Dedmon is meeting with three NBA clubs in Reno today.

Grizzlies Acquire Lee In Three-Team Trade

January 7th, 2014 at 10:21am CST by Zachary Links

10:21am: The trade is now official, according to press releases from the Celtics and Thunder. OKC’s release notes that the Thunder will also receive the Sixers’ 2014 second-rounder from the Grizzlies in the deal. However, that pick is heavily protected and will only be conveyed if it falls between 51 and 55. The Thunder also sent cash considerations to the C’s in the move.

TUESDAY, 10:10am: In addition to landing Lee, the Grizzlies will receive a 2016 second-round pick from the Celtics, according to Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal (Twitter link). The C’s will acquire Bayless and Gomes, while the Thunder will receive a conditional 2017 second-rounder from the Grizzlies, says Tillery. The deal is expected to be finalized today to give Boston the chance to waive Gomes before 4:00pm central time.

MONDAY, 7:32pm: Marc Stein of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears that the Thunder will get involved in the deal with Ryan Gomes heading from Oklahoma City to Boston. This would allow OKC to get some wiggle room with regards to the luxury tax line and possibly set up another deal. The C’s, meanwhile, are expected to waive Gomes.

Stein adds (on Twitter) that there should be some second-round picks involved as well.

7:48am: The two sides have reached an agreement, according to Stein. It doesn’t sound like the trade will involve any additional pieces besides Bayless and Lee, which is a bit of a surprise. I wouldn’t have expected the Celtics to be able to move Lee for an expiring contract, since it was less than three weeks ago that a report suggested a lack of leaguewide interest in him. In any case, it appears as if the Grizzlies and C’s will finalize the deal at some point today.

SUNDAY, 4:29pm: The Celtics are in advanced discussions on a deal to acquire Jerryd Bayless from the Grizzlies, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com. The swap would involve Boston guard Courtney Lee.

In late December, the Grizzlies reportedly offered Bayless to the Lakers in return for Jodie Meeks. Memphis came into this season with high hopes, but their 15-18 start apparently has them wanting to make big changes. Bayless, 25, has averaged 8.0 PPG and 2.0 APG, numbers that are his lowest since his rookie year.

Lee was a client of Grizzlies CEO Jason Levien and front office exec Stu Lash when they were agents. The guard has already seen his name on Hoops Rumors quite a bit this season as he was linked to a proposed deal that would have sent him and Brandon Bass to Houston for Omer Asik. Of course, those talks fizzled. Swapping Bayless for Lee also figures to please Grizzlies exec John Hollinger as Lee boasts a career-best PER of 15.3 this season compared to Bayless’ 11.2, his worst total since 2008/09.

Lee, who appears headed to the fifth team of his professional career, finds himself stuck behind Avery Bradley in the rotation and only figures to see his role shrink further when Rajon Rondo comes back to action. While his efficiency rating has been strong, it’s happening off of a career-low 16.8 minutes per game.

Bayless is in his walk year and is earning just $3.135MM while Lee makes $5.23MM this year, $5.45 next year, and $5.675MM in his final year. It’s possible that Boston will include a draft pick in the trade if they’re getting another expiring contract or a solid talent along with Bayless in the swap since the Grizzlies are taking on a three-year deal in Lee. The Grizzlies are close to the luxury tax threshold and the Celtics are even closer, so that should play a factor in the proposed deal.

Assuming no trade exceptions are used in the swap, Memphis would have to add at least one more player for the salaries to match up, so the deal may expand beyond Bayless and Lee. However, Boston has a TPE from the Paul Pierce trade while the Grizzlies have one from the Rudy Gay swap, so it’s possible for the teams to make the move without including additional players.

Southwest Notes: Camby, Rockets, Randolph

January 6th, 2014 at 7:15pm CST by Zachary Links

Tonight’s look at the Southwest Division..

Marcus Camby is working to get back to the hardwood after undergoing surgery on a torn plantar fascia and tells Mark Berman of myFOX Houston that he would like to return for the Rockets. “(My) preference is to stay home,” said Camby, who lives in Pearland, Texas.
With the Grizzlies on the verge of acquiring Courtney Lee from the Celtics, Zach Randolph tells Michael Cohen of the Memphis Commercial Appeal that the front office’s willingness to try to improve this season’s roster is “very encouraging.”
John Reid of The Times-Picayune wonders if the Pelicans should make a deal. Eric Gordon has been linked to trade talk but they could also dangle backup one-guards Brian Roberts and Austin Rivers. Earlier tonight, we learned that they’ve given D-League prospect Pierre Jackson the greenlight to find a trade.

Andrew Bynum Rumors: Monday

January 6th, 2014 at 3:40pm CST by Luke Adams

Sunday brought several updates on the Cavaliers’ trade talks involving Andrew Bynum, but things have been quieter so far today. Although there’s still a little time for the Cavs to send Bynum to a team that plans to waive him by tomorrow’s contract guarantee deadline, the clock is ticking, and Cleveland’s window of opportunity won’t be open much longer. As we wait to hear whether Bynum will be on the move or staying put, here are Monday’s items on the former All-Star:

Talks between the Lakers and Cavs are ongoing, with three-team possibilities still in play and the Cavs pushing for resolution by the end of the day, says Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio. While some sources say a deal is close, Amico cautions that they were saying the same thing yesterday (Twitter links).
Multiple executives not directly involved in talks for Bynum are hearing that the Kings could be involved in a potential deal as a facilitator, tweets Amico.

Earlier updates:

The Cavaliers have yet to find a suitable offer, and while they continue to pursue a possible trade, it looks “highly unlikely” that they’ll move Bynum, says Sean Deveney of the Sporting News. Assuming no deal is made, the Cavs can still save $6MM+ themselves by waiving the big man tomorrow.
With Richard Jefferson available as a trade chip, the Jazz remain a possible trade partner for the Cavs, but Utah isn’t as involved as other clubs, a source tells Sam Amick of USA Today (Twitter link).
The Cavs approached the Grizzlies recently to ask about acquiring Zach Randolph, in a deal similar to the proposed Pau Gasol swap with the Lakers, tweets Amick. However, Memphis wasn’t interested, and isn’t in the mix for Bynum.
As we heard late last night from ESPN.com’s Ramona Shelburne and Brian Windhorst, talks between the Cavs and Lakers were expected to continue into Monday, though there have been no updates on those negotiations yet today.

Andrew Bynum Rumors: Sunday

January 5th, 2014 at 9:47pm CST by Chuck Myron

Today is the day the Cavs would like to reach agreement on an Andrew Bynum deal with the Lakers, though as we saw with the Rockets and Omer Asik, a self-imposed deadline doesn’t always spur action. Coming to terms today would allow the players involved 48 hours to complete their physicals in advance of Tuesday, the final day that whatever team left holding Bynum’s contract can waive him and save $6.25MM of his $12.25MM salary. Bynum could become more difficult to trade after that point, which helps explain Cleveland’s eagerness to deal quickly. Here’s the latest:

The Cavs and Lakers failed to reach a deal by end of the weekend but talks are expected to continue as the Cavs weigh other deals, according to Brian Windhorst and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com. The Cavs are considering two deals other than the Lakers possibility, one of which is sending Bynum to Utah for Richard Jefferson.
Some execs say the Lakers are out, the Bulls and Jazz are in, and the Grizzlies could even be in the mix on Bynum, tweets Sam Amico of FOX Sports.
The Lakers were also looking to swap first round picks and inquired on Anderson Varejao but they were rebuffed, tweets Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio.
The Cavs also remain reluctant on sending a future first-round draft pick to the Lakers, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski and Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports. L.A. could save $20MM+ on a Gasol-Bynum deal, but the Lakers’ insistence on more than salary-cap relief from the Cavaliers – such as Waiters or a draft pick – has been a significant hurdle in discussions. Meanwhile, the Cavs are willing to part with a second-round pick in a Bynum-for-Jefferson deal, which Cleveland officials believe is likely enough return to make the transaction worth the Jazz’s trouble. However, the two sides haven’t picked up talks over the weekend.
As the Lakers push for assets in Gasol-Bynum discussions, the Cavs have refused to include Dion Waiters in talks, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter).
The only asset other than Bynum that the Cavs have offered to the Lakers is a second-round pick, and that’s not enough for L.A., as USA Today’s Sam Amick writes. The Cavs would have to include at least one other player to make a Bynum/Pau Gasol trade meet salary-matching requirements, but the teams haven’t discussed any Cavs other than Bynum. For now, the teams are in a standoff, with the Cavs aware that the deal would help the Lakers avoid the luxury tax while the Lakers feel the Cavs would prefer to receive immediate help in return for Bynum.
The Lakers maintain their insistence that they will only trade Gasol for a valuable asset, notes Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (on Twitter).
The Cavs indicate that trade talks are progressing, but while the Lakers “begrudgingly” admit the discussion has been revived, they deny that a deal is close, according to Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio (Twitter link).
Gasol’s camp is skeptical that a deal goes down today, Amick tweets.

Western Rumors: Curry, Wayns, Dedmon

January 5th, 2014 at 9:26pm CST by Zachary Links

The latest out of the West…

There’s a strong chance that the Grizzlies will try and re-sign Seth Curry to a ten-day deal if he clears waivers, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Memphis waived the guard earlier today. Clubs can start inking players to ten-day deals tomorrow.
The Clippers might also try and re-sign Maalik Wayns to a ten-day deal after waiving him earlier today, a source tells Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter).
Big man Dewayne Dedmon is one of the players to keep an eye on in this week’s D-League showcase, tweets Sam Amick of USA Today. Dedmon, who spent time with the Warriors this season, is averaging 16.1 points, 15.3 reb, 2.3 blocks, 1.7 steals per contest for the Warriors’ affiliate in Santa Cruz.

Grizzlies Waive Seth Curry

January 5th, 2014 at 4:29pm CST by Zachary Links

TUESDAY, 4:29pm: Curry has cleared waivers, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com (on Twitter).

SUNDAY, 6:13pm: The Grizzlies announced that Curry has been waived.

4:19pm: The Grizzlies have waived Seth Curry, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

Curry, the younger brother of Warriors star Stephen Curry, impressed in workouts with Memphis in December and formally inked a contract on Christmas Eve. Terms weren’t disclosed at the time, but it was reported late last week that his deal was non-guaranteed, putting him on the chopping block in advance of the Tuesday deadline.

Curry, 23, went undrafted out of Duke this past June and spent training camp this fall with his older brother and the Warriors. He was playing with the Santa Cruz Warriors of the D-League since before getting picked up by the Grizzlies, averaging 21.3 points and 7.8 assists in 12 games.

Odds & Ends: Gasol, Muhammad, Burke

January 5th, 2014 at 1:00pm CST by Chuck Myron

Pau Gasol has been in trade rumors for years, and he’s once more bracing for the possibility that the Lakers could ship him away, as he tells Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News.

“I’m ready for it,” Gasol said. “I can’t control what they’re going to do as a team. But I’m going to try to play as well as I can for as long as I’m here. If I’m somewhere else, I’ll try to continue to do that.”

We figure to have at least some resolution to the latest Gasol saga today, and in the meantime, here’s more from around the league:

With Shabazz Muhammad headed to the D-League and Trey Burke of the Jazz the reigning Western Conference Rookie of the Month, Timberwolves boss Flip Saunders says it’s still too early to judge the result of their draft night swap. The Wolves officially sent Shabazz Muhammad to the Iowa Energy today, according to a press release. Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune originally reported the move Friday.
Matt Moore of CBSSports.com breaks down the game of potential No. 1 pick Joel Embiid.
D.J. Kennedy is headed to Israel to play for Hapoel Holon, Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia reports. The swingman was in camp with the Mavs this fall and played with Gravelines in France earlier this season. Italy’s Reggio Emilia was also reportedly interested.
The Grizzlies have assigned Jamaal Franklin to the D-League, the team announced. The 41st overall pick this past June has averaged just 9.2 minutes in 14 games for Memphis this year. I identified him earlier this week as a player who could see time in the D-League.

Contract Details: Wayns, Curry, Price

January 3rd, 2014 at 4:59pm CST by Zachary Links

Here’s an update on a handful of contracts from around the league, courtesy of The Score’s Mark Deeks..

The guarantee date on the contract of Clippers guard Maalik Wayns‘ was pushed back from December 1st after his injury, meaning that he’s still on a non-guaranteed deal. He’s unlikely to make the cut on Tuesday, January 7th when contracts become guaranteed.
There’s a good chance Seth Curry will be waived by the Grizzlies before Tuesday as his deal is non-guaranteed. Terms of the guard’s contract were previously unknown.
A.J. Price‘s deal with the Timberwolves still appears to be non-guaranteed, despite previous reports indicating that he would be locked in after December 8th. Darren Wolfson of ESPN 1500 Twin Cities tweets that Price’s Player’s Association record seems to be at odds with the T-Wolves’ PR, which says Price remains non-guaranteed. In any case, the 27-year-old may survive decision day, as point guards are in hot demand around the league.
The terms of Jeremy Tyler‘s deal with the Knicks (whether he is guaranteed or not) are still unknown.