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Grizzlies’ Desmond Bane Fined $15K By NBA

November 10th, 2022 at 12:40pm CST by Rory Maher

Third-year wing Desmond Bane has been fined $15K for kicking the ball into the stands late in the fourth quarter of the Grizzlies‘ loss to the Celtics on Monday, the NBA announced today (via Twitter).

The 30th overall pick of the 2020 draft, Bane has been one of the best bargains in the league on his rookie scale contract, which pays him $2.1MM this season. Since he makes a modest amount compared to the estimate average salary of an NBA player in 2022/23 ($10,792,000), a $15K fine is obviously a more substantial penalty to Bane than it would be to someone who makes more money.

Bane is off to an outstanding start this season for the 8-4 Grizzlies, averaging career highs of 24.7 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists with a sparkling .467/.463/.898 shooting line in 11 games (33.5 minutes per night).

After Memphis picked up his $3,845,083 option for ’23/24 last month, Bane became eligible for a rookie scale extension next summer, and he’s a virtual lock to land a huge payday as one of the team’s best players.

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Grizzlies Notes: Jackson, Bane, Brooks

November 6th, 2022 at 11:32am CST by Luke Adams

Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr., who continues to recover from offseason foot surgery, began the team’s recent four-game road trip doing two-on-two workouts and has since advanced to three-on-three sessions, head coach Taylor Jenkins told reporters, including Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal.

The Grizzlies and Jenkins are hopeful that Jackson will be able to take another step forward in his rehabilitation process during the current three-game homestand.

“Next week we may get into the five-on-five,” Jenkins said on Friday, adding that Jackson is making good progress and his conditioning is improving. “We’re just going to see how his body is responding.”

When Jackson underwent surgery, the Grizzlies announced he would be sidelined for approximately four-to-six months. It has been just over four months since the team set that timeline, so it appears the 23-year-old remains on track in his recovery.

Here’s more on the Grizzlies:

  • Desmond Bane appears to be developing into a legitimate play-maker and a star in his own right alongside Ja Morant, according to Mark Giannotto of The Memphis Commercial Appeal, who notes that the third-year swingman has been more productive so far (24.1 PPG) than a number of players who signed nine-figure rookie scale extensions during the offseason. Bane will be eligible for a new extension of his own during the 2023 offseason and appears likely to become Memphis’ second highest-paid player behind Morant, says Giannotto.
  • Dillon Brooks‘ presence in the Grizzlies’ lineup helps takes the pressure off players like Bane, who would otherwise have to deal with a more difficult defensive assignment, Cole writes for The Commercial Appeal. “Him being back really helps, for sure,” Bane said. “My game is predicated on me running around on offense, too. If I’m chasing the best player on defense, that means I’m running all night, and regardless of what type of shape you’re in, that’s going to wear on you.” Brooks is eligible for unrestricted free agency next summer.
  • In case you missed it, the Grizzlies will be facing a shorthanded Wizards team on Sunday, as Bradley Beal has been ruled out after entering the NBA’s health and safety protocols.
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Grizzlies Waive Killian Tillie, Pick Up Options On Three Players

October 15th, 2022 at 3:40pm CST by Luke Adams

The Grizzlies have officially completed a series of roster moves, setting their roster for the 2022/23 regular season and picking up multiple rookie scale options for ’23/24.

Most notably, Memphis has waived big man Killian Tillie, whose expiring $1,901,625 salary is fully guaranteed. Tillie has spent the last two seasons with the Grizzlies, averaging 3.3 PPG and 1.7 RPG in 36 games (12.8 MPG) in 2021/22.

The Grizzlies had 16 players with fully or partially guaranteed contracts, so one of them had to be cut to get to the 15-man regular season limit. Tillie, who will still receive his full salary, was the odd man out, as the club opted to keep Danny Green while he recovers from an ACL tear.

Memphis also waived Dakota Mathias, who was signed to an Exhibit 10 contract earlier in the week for G League purposes. Mathias is expected to report to the Memphis Hustle, the Grizzlies’ NBAGL affiliate.

The Grizzlies also announced today that they’ve exercised their 2023/24 team options on Desmond Bane, Ziaire Williams, and Santi Aldama. All three players will now have guaranteed salaries for ’23/24, with Bane earning $3,845,083, Williams earning $4,810,200, and Aldama making $2,194,200.

The moves had been expected, since Bane, Williams, and Aldama all appear set to play regular rotation roles for Memphis this coming season.

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Grizzlies Among Teams Inquiring On Kevin Durant

August 22nd, 2022 at 8:37am CST by Luke Adams

The Grizzlies are showing interest in Kevin Durant and have made “new inquiries” on the Nets‘ star forward, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

As Charania writes within his round-up of the latest Durant-related rumors from around the NBA, the Grizzlies could include up to five first-round picks in a package for the two-time Finals MVP (their own 2023, 2025, 2027, and 2029 selections, plus Golden State’s top-four protected 2024 pick). The team also has a bevy of young talent on its roster beyond star guard Ja Morant, including Jaren Jackson Jr., Desmond Bane, Ziaire Williams, Brandon Clarke, Kennedy Chandler, and David Roddy.

However, according to Charania, Memphis hasn’t appeared inclined to offer Jackson or Bane (or, of course, Morant) in a deal for Durant, preferring to build an offer around their draft picks. Given that the Nets are reportedly seeking a win-now return for Durant, that sort of offer is unlikely to pique their interest, even if the picks are unprotected — those first-rounders may have to be rerouted to a third team that could send Brooklyn the kind of impact players the team is seeking.

While the Grizzlies are an intriguing new suitor for Durant, there are still a number of other teams in the mix. The Celtics, Raptors, and Heat remain among the most significant threats to land the 33-year-old, Charania says, though Toronto has continued to resist including Scottie Barnes and Miami has “yet to seriously engage” in any discussions involving Bam Adebayo. Boston, meanwhile, has been unwilling to include Marcus Smart or Robert Williams in addition to Jaylen Brown, Charania says.

The Suns also remain involved, offering up Mikal Bridges and a series of draft picks, according to Charania, but they appear to be behind those Eastern teams among Durant’s most serious suitors.

Charania identifies the Sixers, Bucks, Nuggets, and Pelicans as some of the other teams that have expressed interest in Durant, though he confirms that New Orleans deemed Brandon Ingram untouchable.

According to Charania, the Hawks also made an offer for Durant, putting John Collins, De’Andre Hunter, and a draft pick on the table. The details of that pick are unclear, but Atlanta could trade its own 2023 and 2029 first-rounders or Sacramento’s lottery-protected 2024 pick.

Although Charania doesn’t specify exactly how the Nets felt about the Hawks’ offer, he says none of Brooklyn’s discussions have gained any serious traction. There are still five weeks before training camps get underway, which could be a fraught week for the Nets, assuming Durant remains on the roster — it’s unclear whether or not he’ll show up to camp if his trade request hasn’t been granted.

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Southwest Notes: KPJ, Bane, McCollum, Nance

August 4th, 2022 at 7:15pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Rockets point guard Kevin Porter Jr. appears to have earned a long-term look with the franchise. Houston and Porter have had initial discussions about the future of the extension-eligible 22-year-old, prompting Kelly Iko and Danny Leroux of The Athletic take a deep dive into what a new deal might look like for the fourth-year guard.

Leroux projects an annual number in the range of $10-15MM for Porter. Should the Rockets opt to not extend Porter and instead let him reach restricted free agency in the summer of 2023, Leroux notes that the market for the 6’4″ guard’s services could be dampened. Currently, just seven NBA clubs, including the Rockets, project to have cap space available to sign Porter for more than the mid-level exception.

There’s more out of the Southwest Division:

  • Third-year Grizzlies shooting guard Desmond Bane has evolved into a reliable locker-room leader, despite his relative greenness, writes Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. “I’ve always been a vet [in terms of personal comportment], but now I’m a vet for real,” Bane said. “I don’t really think that too much has to change. I’ve always been the guy to lead by example, put my best foot in front of the other. That’s half of leadership right there.”
  • Pelicans veteran players CJ McCollum and Larry Nance Jr., new additions to the team at the 2022 trade deadline, are extension-eligible this summer. Will Guillory and Danny Leroux of The Athletic consider potential extension contracts for both New Orleans players. Christian Clark of NOLA.com writes that McCollum contributed as a versatile scorer and consistent ball-handler, while Nance helped the team in the less-glamorous role of flexible bench big. Clark notes that both players have shown interest in sticking around long term with an exciting young Pelicans club hot off its first playoff appearance in four years.
  • In case you missed it, the lucrative new extension inked by Pelicans power forward Zion Williamson includes a caveat that requires him to get consistent weigh-ins by New Orleans. Should the total of his body fat percentage and weight exceed 295, the team will be able to reduce the guaranteed portion of his salary.
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2021/2022 All-NBA Teams Announced

May 24th, 2022 at 7:55pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The 2021/22 All-NBA teams have officially been announced by the NBA. For the fourth straight season, Bucks All-Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo was unanimously selected to the All-NBA First Team by a voter panel of 100 media members. Antetokounmpo, 27, is making his sixth All-NBA team overall.

Antetokounmpo, reigning MVP Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, and Mavericks point guard Luka Doncic received the most votes. Suns All-Star shooting guard Devin Booker and Sixers All-Star center Joel Embiid rounded out the list of top five vote-getters. Because the All-NBA teams, unlike the All-Star squads, require just one center per team, Embiid was relegated to an All-NBA Second Team placing.

Below is a list of the three All-NBA teams. Vote tallies are listed in parentheses next to player names. Five points were awarded to players for a First Team Vote, three points netted for a Second Team vote, and one for a Third Team vote. Antetokounmpo earned a perfect 500 points.

All-NBA First Team

All-NBA Second Team

All-NBA Third Team

Jazz center Rudy Gobert and shooting guard Donovan Mitchell, Heat center Bam Adebayo and small forward Jimmy Butler, Celtics swingman Jaylen Brown, Bucks guards Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday, Grizzlies shooting guard Desmond Bane, Suns small forward Mikal Bridges, Spurs point guard Dejounte Murray, and Raptors point guard Fred VanVleet all received All-NBA votes. Surprisingly, Nets point guard Kyrie Irving, who played in just 29 games this season, also received a single vote.

As we previously outlined, the All-NBA selections come with significant financial ramifications. As a result of being named to All-NBA teams, Booker and Towns have become eligible for super-max extensions that would begin in 2024/25. If they’re signed this offseason, those deals would be for four years and would start at 35% of the ’24/25 cap. According to Bobby Marks of ESPN (via Twitter), they currently project to be worth $211MM apiece.

Young’s five-year contract extension, which was signed last August and will go into effect in 2022/23, will now be worth 30% of next season’s cap instead of 25% by virtue of his All-NBA selection. Based on a projected $122MM cap, that means it’ll be worth about $212MM instead of $177MM.

Jokic had already met the super-max requirements prior to this announcement, since he won last year’s MVP award — he’s eligible to sign a five-year, super-max extension this offseason and has said he plans to do so. Doncic, who signed a maximum-salary contract extension last summer, also previously met the super-max criteria by earning All-NBA nods in 2020 and 2021.

Notable players who are not eligible this offseason for super-max deals include Morant and Bulls shooting guard Zach LaVine. As Marks tweets, Morant needs to make the All-NBA team again in 2023 to qualify for a starting salary worth 30% of the cap (instead of 25%) on his next deal.

LaVine, a free agent this offseason, would have been eligible to earn up to 35% of next season’s cap from the Bulls if he had made an All-NBA team, but will instead be able to earn no more than 30% of the ’22/23 cap on his next contract.

With their inclusions, Morant, Booker, and Young are making their All-NBA team debuts. Meanwhile, on the other side of the NBA aging curve, two 37-year-old veterans further cemented their Hall of Fame credentials during the 2021/22 season. James made his 18th All-NBA team, while Paul was named to his 11th All-NBA team.

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Grizzlies Notes: Green, Curry, Bane, Morant, Offseason

May 14th, 2022 at 8:23am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Warriors are moving on to the Western Conference finals but they anticipate the Grizzlies will be making plenty of deep playoff runs in the future. Draymond Green and Stephen Curry offered high praise to their vanquished opponent after Friday’s decisive Game 6, Sam Amick of The Athletic relays.

“That’s a group of young guys who — obviously, you get to the business side of things, and you’ve got to keep that together — but that’s a group of young guys that are hungry,” Green said. “They are talented. They are athletic. They got it. You know, it will be good to see their progression over these next few years and where they can take it, because that’s an incredible young team. You know, they can be special. They can be really special.”

“There’s definitely an understanding that they made us better. I’m sure we made them better,” Curry said. “And who knows what happens down the road, but they will be here for a long time just because they have a lot going for them. So, definitely respect.”

We have more on the Grizzlies:

  • Desmond Bane, who scored 25 points in Game 6, battled lower back soreness during the postseason. He put the blame on himself, Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal tweets. “I pride myself on being healthy, and getting hurt, kind of tweaking my back at a time like this kind of shows me that I probably got to do more in the offseason to be able to withstand the long minutes and long season,” he said.
  • After Game 5, there was a sense that the ball moved better without Ja Morant on the floor. Games 4 and 6 showed how much the Grizzlies missed their All-Star point guard in crunch time, Cole writes. It all suggests there’s another level they can reach when he’s to the floor, if they find more outside shooting.
  • Signing Morant to a max rookie scale extension will be the highlight of the summer, Bobby Marks of ESPN writes in his Grizzlies offseason guide. Morant’s backup, Tyus Jones, is eligible to sign a four-year $55.8MM extension until June 30 and bringing him back should be another offseason priority, either on an extension or a new free agent deal. The Grizzlies also have two first-round picks in the upcoming draft.
  • The Grizzlies might also look for an upgrade at center. Rudy Gobert, Myles Turner and Jakob Poeltl could be potential targets, HoopsHype’s Yossi Gozlan speculates in his offseason preview.
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Southwest Notes: Tillman, Jackson Jr., Bane, Alvarado, Ivey

May 7th, 2022 at 8:07pm CST by Arthur Hill

As Michigan State graduates, the Grizzlies’ Xavier Tillman and Jaren Jackson Jr. have a tight bond with the Warriors’ Draymond Green, but those feelings are put on hold during the playoffs, writes Evan Barnes of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Green and Jackson have sniped at each other through the first two games of their series, and Tillman hit Green in the eye with an elbow as they chased a loose ball, causing him to need stitches.

“They’re going to try to take your head off. I’m going to try to take their head off. That’s just the reality of it,” Green said. “You’re competing for something that you put your heart into … you dedicate a lot of time to this, you sacrifice a lot of things for this. So ultimately, they stand in the way of what I want, I stand in the way of what they want.”

Tillman and Jackson both view Green as a mentor, Barnes adds. Spartans coach Tom Izzo frequently compared Tillman to Green when he was in college, and Tillman incorporated aspects of Green’s game into his own.

“I’ve watched his career every step of the way, trying to figure out how I can mold mine like his and stay in this league for a long time and be productive on the things I’m most comfortable at,” Tillman said.

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

  • Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane, who was listed as questionable before Game 2 because of back soreness, is feeling better, tweets Mark Medina of USA Today. “I don’t think he’s at full strength like he was in the regular season, but he’s the ultimate competitor,” coach Taylor Jenkins said.
  • Coming off an impressive playoff performance, Pelicans rookie Jose Alvarado announced this week that he wants to eventually win Defensive Player of the Year honors. “One day I’m going win DPOY,” he tweeted Thursday. “Mark my word!”
  • Purdue’s Jaden Ivey may be the most talented guard in the draft, but he might be an awkward fit with the Rockets, who already have Kevin Porter Jr. and Jalen Green in their backcourt, observes Kelly Iko of The Athletic. If Houston ends up taking Ivey, who is consistently projected as a top four pick, Iko believes Porter would move from lead guard to playmaking forward, which was his original position when he entered the NBA.
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Western Notes: Adams, Bane, Gobert, Bullock, Green, Clarke

May 2nd, 2022 at 8:42pm CST by Dana Gauruder

A day before Game 2 of his team’s second-round series against the Warriors, Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said that center Steven Adams remains in the league’s health and safety protocols, Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN tweets. Adams, who was placed in the protocols on Thursday, is listed as out for Tuesday’s game, the team’s PR department tweets. Starting guard Desmond Bane is listed as questionable due to lower back soreness. Bane was limited to nine points in 32 minutes in Game 1 on Sunday.

We have more from the Western Conference:

  • Rudy Gobert and his agent are still awaiting their annual exit meeting with the Jazz, Tony Jones of The Athletic tweets. That meeting will likely determine how the two sides proceed going forward into the offseason, Jones adds. Utah is expected to shake things up after another early playoff exit. Gobert has four years remaining on his five-year, $205MM contract.
  • Reggie Bullock‘s defensive importance was so profound against the Jazz that the Mavericks played him 254 of a possible 288 minutes in the series. Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News writes an in-depth piece on Bullock and how personal tragedies have shaped his career. Bullock is in the first year of a three-year deal, though the final season isn’t fully guaranteed.
  • The NBA upheld Draymond Green‘s Flagrant Foul 2 ruling in Game 1 of the Warriors’ series against the Grizzlies. The player who was fouled, Brandon Clarke, wasn’t surprised that Green committed such an infraction (ESPN video link). “He’s been known for flagrant fouls in his career. I’ve watched him on TV my whole life, it feels like, so I wasn’t really shocked,” Clarke said.
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Northwest Notes: Jazz, Mitchell, Wolves, Nuggets

April 26th, 2022 at 11:39pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

After evening their first-round playoff matchup with a gutty 100-99 Game 4 win over the Mavericks in Utah, the Jazz proceeded to get blown out in a blistering 102-77 Game 5 loss on the road. Tony Jones of The Athletic considers the listless loss to be just the newest indignity for a solid squad with a patchy postseason record.

“Our mindset, it was disappointing,” All-Star center Rudy Gobert said. “I felt like we didn’t respond to their energy and their intensity. I felt like we didn’t respond to their focus. They just outplayed us.”

Jones notes that the Jazz have struggled all year through erratic performances and an easy susceptibility to tougher teams. Though Jones considers Utah talented enough to win at least its next home contest, Game 6, he wonders if the team will be able to overcome its issues to defeat a hungry Dallas club.

“We have to do a better job of moving the basketball and playing the right way,” said Jazz forward Bojan Bogdanovic. “I thought we played well enough offensively. I just thought we had to do a better job of moving the basketball.”

There’s more out of the Northwest Division:

  • Should they lose early in these playoffs, the Jazz face an uncertain summer, and could move on some of their top players. According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, all signs points to Utah owner Ryan Smith, in his second season with the team, wanting to hold onto All-Star shooting guard Donovan Mitchell over any other core team personnel.
  • The Timberwolves have struggled to defend second-year Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane, who has been shooting lights-out from long range during the two teams’ first-round series, writes Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. Hine notes that Minnesota’s priority on defense has been stopping All-Star point guard Ja Morant, leaving Bane open. “Sometimes you can’t cover it all,” Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch said following the team’s 119-118 victory in Game 4. “We got to just find him a little quicker. He does a really good job of moving into the right space when you’re in rotation. He’s got a quick release and deep range. I think sometimes his range catches our guys off guard a little bit.” Bane has shot 18-of-35 from long range across the last three games in the series. After tonight, Memphis leads Minnesota 3-2 in their series.
  • The Nuggets, with their backs against the wall down 3-1 to the Warriors, hope to extend their first-round series employing the same chippy fight they had during their recent two-game home stand, per Mike Singer of the Denver Post. “We’re not backing down from anybody,” Denver forward Aaron Gordon said at a team practice this week. The club amped up the contact against Golden State in two physical contests at Ball Arena. “I would say our physicality definitely improved from Games 1 and 2 to 3 and 4,” reserve Nuggets center DeMarcus Cousins said of the team’s tactical shift. “One thing we did know about ourselves was we were the reason we were losing those (first three) games.”
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