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Injured Grizzlies Bane, Smart Considered Week-To-Week

November 1st, 2024 at 6:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Just a week-and-a-half into the 2024/25 regular season, the injuries are piling up for the Grizzlies, who issued a press release on Friday (via Twitter) announcing updates on a handful of their players who have been affected by health issues this fall.

According to the team, swingman Desmond Bane (right oblique strain) and guard Marcus Smart (right ankle sprain) are both considered week-to-week after suffering injuries on Wednesday vs. Brooklyn.

While that’s a somewhat vague timeline, it sounds like the duo is at least expected to miss upcoming games against Philadelphia (on Saturday), Brooklyn (Monday), and the Lakers (Wednesday) and could be out well beyond that.

Second-year wing Vince Williams, who is recovering from a stress reaction in the upper portion of his left tibia, continues to make progress in his rehab process, but is still a little ways off from returning. According to the Grizzlies, Williams is on track to make it back to game action in about two-to-four weeks.

The club also provided an update on two-way guard Cam Spencer, the 53rd pick in this year’s draft. Originally diagnosed in September with a right ankle sprain, Spencer is also dealing with a talar stress reaction that he sustained at the same time, per the Grizzlies. The plan is to reevaluate the rookie in three weeks.

Memphis was the NBA’s most injury-plagued team last season, with Bane (42 games played) and Smart (20 games) among the key players who missed significant time due to various ailments. Star point guard Ja Morant also only played nine times between serving a 25-game suspension and going down with a season-ending shoulder injury.

There has been hope that a bounce-back year would be in the cards with better health luck, and that still could happen, but the season is off to an ominous start on the health front. In addition to the four players noted above, the Grizzlies are also missing forward GG Jackson, who is recovering from foot surgery.

Memphis may soon qualify for a hardship exception, which would allow the team to add an extra or player or two on top of the 15 currently on standard contracts.

A club qualifies for an extra short-term roster spot when it has at least four injured players who have missed three or more consecutive games and are expected to remain out for at least two more weeks. Jackson and Spencer fit that bill, and Williams should too — if either Bane or Smart is expected to have a multi-week absence, the club could apply for a hardship exception after Monday’s game, which will be the third that Bane and Smart have missed.

Injury Notes: Bane, Smart, Banchero, LaVine, Towns, More

October 31st, 2024 at 5:50pm CST by Luke Adams

The Grizzlies‘ injury list continues to grow, as the club has ruled out Desmond Bane (right oblique strain) and Marcus Smart (right ankle sprain) for Thursday’s contest vs. Milwaukee after they sustained injuries in the first game of their back-to-back set on Wednesday against Brooklyn (Twitter link).

Head coach Taylor Jenkins told reporters, including Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian (Twitter link), that both players underwent imaging on Thursday, but that the team is still waiting to get the results and to speak to doctors about the severity of the injuries.

As Jeff Stotts of In Street Clothes tweets, oblique strains like the one Bane suffered typically cost players multiple games — the average time missed with an oblique strain, according to Stotts’ injury database, is 11.6 days (4.2 games).

Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:

Magic forward Paolo Banchero is off to a hot start this season, averaging 29.0 points and 8.8 rebounds in his first five games, but he may not be able to suit up on Friday in a postseason rematch. According to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link), Banchero has been diagnosed with a right abdominal strain and is listed as questionable to play vs. Cleveland.
Further testing confirmed that Zach LaVine has sustained a sprained AC joint in his left shoulder, according to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network, who tweets that the Bulls guard is considered questionable to play against Brooklyn on Friday.
On the heels of his best game of the season, Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns is being listed as questionable for Friday’s game in Detroit due to a sprained left wrist.
Pelicans forward Herbert Jones (right shoulder strain) and guard CJ McCollum (right adductor soreness) will be reevaluated on Friday in New Orleans, per Andrew Lopez of ESPN (Twitter link), but the duo has already been ruled out for tomorrow’s game vs. Indiana, the club announced in a press release.
Thunder forward Kenrich Williams, who underwent an arthroscopic procedure on his knee in September, is making progress toward a return. He was assigned to the Oklahoma City Blue on Wednesday to practice with the Thunder’s G League affiliate, according to the team.

Marcus Smart Talks Edey, Morant, Grizzlies’ Defense, More

October 9th, 2024 at 6:49pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Grizzlies swingman Marcus Smart, the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year, is a huge fan of what he’s seeing out of Memphis’ first round draft pick this year, as he said during an interview with Grant Afseth of Sportskeeda.

Waylaid by injuries to starters Smart, Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., Desmond Bane, and Steven Adams (before Adams was shipped out to Houston midseason), Memphis fell into the lottery last year with a 27-55 record.

The benefit of that drop-off is the addition of a permanent Adams replacement in No. 9 overall pick Zach Edey, a super-sized All-American center out of Purdue.

“He’s gonna be huge for us,” Smart said of Edey. “He allows us to do a lot of different things on the defensive end. He lets me and Jaren really give everything we’ve got. Being former Defensive Players of the Year, it’s great to have that rim protection behind us. And being 7’4″ definitely helps with that. He moves very well, his IQ is very high, and he’s only continuing to get better.”

The conversation is well worth reading in full, but here are some highlights:

When asked about the efficacy of pick-and-roll actions between Morant and Edey, Smart was exuberant. “Oh it’s going to be deadly, man,” Smart said. “It’s just going to open up things even more for us, especially for Ja. We all know what Ja can do with a little bit of space, so just imagine what he can do with a lot of space cleared out by a big like Zach.”
The Grizzlies field what should on paper be one of the league’s best defenses. After all, Jackson earned Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2023, a season after Smart won the award. The arrival of Edey is expected to fortify Memphis’ interior protection. “We have a high ceiling,” Morant said. “If we can stay locked in and figure it out early on, we can be really good, especially defensively. We’ve got the talent, the guys can do it, and the definition of what it takes.”
Last year, Jackson looked to score more with Morant out for all but nine games. He, too, eventually went down, but Smart believes the experience was ultimately beneficial for the big man’s long-term offensive flexibility. “We asked Jaren to take on more offensively, and that takes a toll on the body,” Smart noted. “He’s been able to learn more about himself, more about the team, and what he can do to help us. That’s what we need.”

Southwest Notes: Grizzlies, Zion, Luka, Washington, Rockets

September 20th, 2024 at 2:10pm CST by Rory Maher

Star point guard Ja Morant believes back-to-back college Player of the Year Zach Edey will have a strong debut season in the NBA, per Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Edey, who played four years at Purdue, was selected by the Grizzlies with the No. 9 overall pick in June’s draft.

“Definitely rookie of the year,” Morant said of his expectations for Edey. “I think easily, too.”

As Cole writes, Edey worked out with his new teammate earlier this summer and Morant came away impressed.

“For him to come in and say he wants to work out with me and then getting through the workout throughout the whole week, it was big-time for him,” Morant said. “It made me excited to have him on the team. His skill set is even much better.”

Here’s more from the Southwest:

Morant was suspended for the first 25 games of last season, played nine games, and then suffered a shoulder injury which required season-ending surgery in January (Memphis went 6-3 with him and 21-52 without him). However, he was cleared for contact work in early July and is fully healthy ahead of training camp, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN. Morant estimated he was at 75% strength in late July. Fellow Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart, who was limited to 20 games last season due to a litany of injuries, also makes ESPN’s list of key player returns to monitor for 2024/25, as does Pelicans forward Zion Williamson, who is fully recovered from the left hamstring strain he suffered late last season, per Andrew Lopez.
Jack Tien-Dana of RealGM weighs the pros and cons of Mavericks star Luka Doncic being physically stronger and heavier than he was when he first came in the league, writing that the 25-year-old and Dallas will need to “reconcile a series of contradictions” to get the best out of the All-NBA guard deep in the playoffs.
In a subscriber-only story for his Substack, Dallas Hoops Journal, Grant Afseth says Mavericks forward P.J. Washington could be the team’s “X-factor” heading into 2024/25. In order to optimally complement Doncic and Dallas’ other starters, Washington will need to become a more consistent outside shooter, Afseth observes. Washington entered last season with a career mark of 36.6% from three-point range, but shot just 32.0% from beyond the arc in ’23/24.
The Rockets brought back Jeff Green and Aaron Holiday because they showed they could be productive when called upon last season despite having inconsistent roles, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required). The two veterans are also valued for their leadership, Feigen notes. The Rockets opted to guarantee Green’s $8MM salary for 2024/25, while Holiday re-signed with Houston on two-year, $9.6MM deal in free agency.

Rockets Rumors: No. 3 Pick, Smart, Williams, Sheppard

June 26th, 2024 at 10:18am CST by Luke Adams

The Rockets continue to field inquiries on the No. 3 overall pick in Wednesday’s draft and are seriously considering the possibility of making a move, according to Kelly Iko of The Athletic, who says there are multiple teams with genuine interest in acquiring that pick and some possible trade structures already in place.

That doesn’t mean Houston won’t still ultimately decide to stand pat and make a pick at No. 3, but Iko considers the odds of a Rockets trade higher than they were in any of the previous three lotteries.

While Houston would love to use that No. 3 pick as part of a package to acquire an impact player, there’s no indication that any real progress has been made on a deal along the lines. The expectation, team and league sources tell Iko, is that the Rockets will instead instead prioritize future draft assets (preferably unprotected ones) if they decide to move down from No. 3, like they did in last night’s draft-pick swap with Brooklyn.

According to Iko, the Rockets have received offers that include a 2024 first-round pick and a future pick for No. 3, as well as offers that don’t include a ’24 first-rounder at all. Houston may wait until its on the clock at No. 3 tonight to make a decision in the hopes that those offers improve, Iko adds.

Here’s more on the Rockets:

Although team sources have pushed back against a rumor linking the Rockets to Marcus Smart, rival teams still believe Houston would have interest in the Grizzlies guard in a trade-down scenario, says Iko. Smart played for Rockets head coach Ime Udoka in Boston in 2021/22.
The Hornets are among the teams that have expressed interest in the No. 3 pick, Iko writes, adding that a Western Conference executive named Charlotte big man Mark Williams as someone who would likely be of interest to the Rockets.
In a separate story for The Athletic, Iko and Sam Vecenie break down the Rockets’ draft options at No. 3, with Vecenie explaining why he believes Kentucky’s Reed Sheppard would be a perfect fit in Houston alongside the club’s existing core.
Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required) also takes a closer look at Houston’s options if the team keeps its current pick, evaluating both Donovan Clingan‘s potential fit and the possibility that Zaccharie Risacher could slip to No. 3.

Atlantic Notes: Porzingis, Celtics, Knicks, Nets

June 25th, 2024 at 10:42am CST by Luke Adams

Injured Celtics big man Kristaps Porzingis is expected to undergo surgery on his left leg injury in the coming days, the team announced today in a press release (Twitter link via Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston).

Porzingis told ESPN after the NBA Finals ended last week that his injury – a torn retinaculum and dislocated posterior tibialis tendon – would require surgery, so this news doesn’t come as a surprise. However, as the Celtics explain in their announcement, the star center had hoped to put off surgery until after Latvia’s Olympic qualifying tournament — and potentially its trip to Paris. That won’t be possible, as Porzingis is unable to play through the injury at the level required for Olympic competition, per the team.

The Celtics are expected to provide updates on Porzingis’ recovery timeline after the surgery is completed. Latvia, meanwhile, will look to claim a spot in the 12-team men’s basketball Olympic tournament without Porzingis available. In order to clinch an Olympic berth, the Latvians will need to win a six-team qualifying tournament over Georgia, Brazil, Cameroon, Montenegro, and the Philippines. That tournament will take place from July 2-7 in Riga, Latvia.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

Revisiting the Celtics‘ series of trades from last year, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer reports that Boston still would have traded away Marcus Smart during the 2023 offseason even if its initial deal for Porzingis – which involved sending Malcolm Brogdon to the Clippers – hadn’t fallen through. According to O’Connor, if that Brogdon trade had been completed, the Celtics intended to send Smart to the Grizzlies in a separate deal for Tyus Jones and the two draft picks Boston got in the final Porzingis trade. In that scenario, the C’s may not have been in position to acquire Jrue Holiday later in the offseason.
Indiana center Kel’el Ware, Akron forward Enrique Freeman, and San Francisco forward Jonathan Mogbo are among the prospects who have worked out for the Knicks recently, per Ian Begley of SNY.tv. New York currently holds the 24th and 25th overall picks in the first round on Wednesday, along with No. 38 on Thursday.
Fred Katz and Andrew Schlecht of The Athletic spoke to an Eastern Conference executive about several possible draft options for the Knicks, evaluating the pros and cons of Ryan Dunn, Kyshawn George, DaRon Holmes II, and Mogbo, among others.
The NBA’s Board of Governors has voted to approve the sale of 15% of the Nets‘ parent company (BSE Global) to billionaire Julia Koch and her family, according to Kurt Badenhausen of Sportico. For more details on the Kochs buying into the Nets, you can read our full story here.

Trade Rumors: Rockets, Smart, George, Warriors, Nets, More

June 25th, 2024 at 8:27am CST by Luke Adams

The Rockets are a team worth keeping a close eye on this week, according to Marc Stein, who writes in his latest Substack report that the possibility of a trade that sees the No. 3 overall pick sent to the Grizzlies in a package for the No. 9 pick and Marcus Smart has been “mentioned with increasing regularity by various league insiders.” Memphis has been identified as one of the teams that has interest in UConn center Donovan Clingan, and moving up to No. 3 would likely put the Grizzlies in position to draft him.

Of course, if possible, the Rockets would like to use that third overall pick in a deal for a bigger star, so Stein suggests that Jimmy Butler, Brandon Ingram, and Paul George are a few of the possible targets to watch.

Discussing George’s situation, Stein cites a “growing feeling” around the league that the Clippers forward may end up picking up his player option for 2024/25 and forcing a trade, since Los Angeles still seems unwilling to offer him a contract that’s longer or richer than the one Kawhi Leonard signed in January (three years, $152MM). The Knicks have been mentioned as a possible trade suitor for George, and Stein says it’s probably safe to add the Warriors to that list too.

Here are a few more trade-related rumors from around the NBA:

During a pre-draft press conference on Monday, Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. expressed a reluctance to move any of the team’s young players – Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, Brandin Podziemski, or Trayce Jackson-Davis – in a trade, per Tim Kawakami of The Athletic. “We really value those guys,” Dunleavy said. “We’ve drafted them. We’ve grown them. They have played really well. We are excited about them. A scenario to move them would take a lot. It’s important for us to be good now and then be good also in the future.” Of course, to acquire a star player like George, Golden State would almost certainly have to surrender at least one player from that group.
As Kendra Andrews of ESPN relays, Dunleavy also briefly addressed Chris Paul‘s situation on Monday, suggesting that the Warriors continue to consider a handful of options, including possibly trading the point guard or waiving him before his $30MM salary for 2024/25 becomes guaranteed on Friday. “We’re looking through everything,” Dunleavy said. “A lot of options are still on the table in terms of keeping Chris. Obviously there’s a scenario where he gets waived … but I’d say everything is open.”
The Nets have conveyed optimism as of late about their ability to trade into the 2024 NBA draft, sources tell Ian Begley of SNY.tv. Brooklyn is currently the only team in the league without a pick in either round of this year’s draft, but has reportedly been exploring ways to acquire one.
Donovan Mitchell was long viewed as a possible trade candidate leading up to this offseason, but there’s still zero indication that he’ll be made available. According to Shams Charania of Stadium (Twitter video link), there continues to be plenty of optimism within the Cavaliers‘ organization that Mitchell – who had input on the team’s head coaching search – will sign an extension this summer. Charania suggests such a deal could be worth nearly $209MM over four years, though if Mitchell wants to put himself in position to get the higher maximum salary (35% of the cap instead of 30%) as soon as he gains 10 years of NBA service, he may opt for a shorter-term extension.

Fischer’s Latest: Bridges, Bulls, Kings, Magic, Smart, More

June 21st, 2024 at 4:32pm CST by Rory Maher

Free agent forward Miles Bridges‘ could receive $30MM+ annually on his next contract, league sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. However, it remains to be seen if that money will come from the Hornets or another team.

According to Fischer, Charlotte is “believed to be open” to sign-and-trade concepts involving Bridges if the right opportunity arises. Sources tell Fischer the Nets discussed a Bridges trade concept with Charlotte in February that would have sent Ben Simmons to Charlotte. The Kings also inquired about Bridges ahead of the deadline, per Fischer.

As Fischer writes, the Hornets are viewed as a “salary-dumping ground” this summer as their new front office and head coach spearhead a rebuild. The same is true of the Pistons, who are looking for a new coach after dismissing Monty Williams.

Bridges’ market value has been difficult to gauge due to his off-court history, which includes multiple domestic violence allegations. One of those cases was dropped, but the other caused him to miss the entire 2022/23 season after he pleaded no contest (accepting punishment without formally admitting guilt).

Here’s more from Fischer:

Confirming previous reporting, Fischer hears the Bulls remain active in trade talks around the league. The Thunder, Raptors and Hornets are among the teams with interest in restricted free agent Patrick Williams, Fischer writes.
The Kings appear to be the most likely suitor right now for Zach LaVine, according to Fischer, who adds that Sacramento has continued shopping Harrison Barnes and Kevin Huerter in trade talks. Huerter, in particular, has drawn a “healthy amount external interest.” Still, the Bulls haven’t gained serious traction on a potential LaVine deal in several months despite being active in negotiations, sources tell Fischer. The Kings are also contemplating moving the No. 13 pick in next week’s draft, Fischer adds.
In previous trade windows, the Bulls pushed for unprotected picks when discussing Alex Caruso, sources tell Fischer. One scenario saw the Bulls push for four first-rounders, though presumably that total would have included protected picks. Chicago officially traded Caruso to Oklahoma City on Friday for Josh Giddey.
Fischer confirms LaVine is a “backup option” for the Sixers and their significant cap room. Fischer also suggests (via Twitter) the 76ers shouldn’t be ruled out as a landing spot for Paul George, despite a report from Shams Charania of The Athletic stating that their interest in George has waned as of late.
Fischer says the Magic are looking for a veteran wing who can space the floor, naming Kentavious Caldwell-Pope as perhaps their top target. If they lose Williams, the Bulls could have interest in Caldwell-Pope, with the Sixers another potential landing spot depending on how things work out with other targets. There are scenarios in which Orlando would exercise its $11MM team option on Joe Ingles as well, sources tell Fischer. Fischer previously touched on Klay Thompson‘s fit with the Magic.
The Grizzlies, who control the No. 9 pick, are known to be looking for big men, with UConn’s Donovan Clingan one draft target in a move-up scenario. However, Fischer hears from sources who say Memphis is also open to moving back in the draft. The Grizzlies are unwilling to move Marcus Smart, but Luke Kennard has drawn “strong interest” in trade talks, according to Fischer — the team holds a $14.7MM option on Kennard for 2024/25.

Rockets Rumors: Clingan, Sheppard, No. 3 Pick, Smart, More

June 20th, 2024 at 1:43pm CST by Rory Maher

The Rockets have UConn center Donovan Clingan and Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard at the top of their board heading into next week’s draft, league sources tell Kelly Iko of The Athletic. Houston controls the No. 3 overall pick.

According to Iko, Clingan seems to have the edge over Sheppard, but it’s not a sure thing the 7’2″ big man will be available with the third pick. ESPN recently reported that while Zaccharie Risacher remains the favorite to go No. 1 to the Hawks, Atlanta is also high on Clingan, who may be Risacher’s top competition. Ken Seguira of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has also heard the Hawks are high on Clingan.

The Rockets already have Alperen Sengun at center and he shares an agent with Clingan, Iko writes. Those factors — plus the trade deadline addition of Steven Adams — would seemingly work against Houston selecting Clingan, and the team has been unable to get him in for a private workout to this point. Sheppard, meanwhile, will visit the Rockets this week, sources tell Iko.

Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman recently suggested Houston might not have much leverage if they decide to trade the No. 3 selection due to a perception that there’s a minimal difference in value between that pick and those later in the lottery. However, Iko has heard differently, writing that there’s “rapidly growing interest” from rival teams in Clingan and Sheppard. Those teams may also be motivated to move up ahead of the Spurs, who control the Nos. 4 and 8 picks.

While several teams have shown interest in the third pick, team and league sources tell Iko the Hornets, Grizzlies and Trail Blazers have been “the most vocal” in their pursuit of the selection, with Memphis and Charlotte particularly “aggressive.”

Iko hears all three clubs are fans of both Clingan and Sheppard. The Hornets control the 6th and 42nd overall picks; the Grizzlies control Nos. 9, 39 and 57; and the Blazers control Nos. 7, 14, 34 and 40.

Here are some more Rockets rumors, all from Iko:

In an ideal situation, Houston would prefer to use the No. 3 pick as part of a package to acquire a star player like Donovan Mitchell, but there hasn’t been much league-wide “activity or movement” when it comes to stars this offseason, according to Iko. The Pelicans are rumored to have floated a proposal of Brandon Ingram for Sengun, but Houston has “no interest” in that deal, team sources tell Iko. Iko also hears New Orleans discussed Ingram with the Sixers.
If the Rockets can’t land a star and still decide to move the third pick, Iko wonders if a Grizzlies offer centered around Marcus Smart and the ninth pick could make sense for both sides. According to Iko’s sources, GM Rafael Stone and head coach Ime Udoka are fans of Smart, who played under Udoka in Boston. In a move-back scenario, Houston might be interested in selecting Tennesee forward Dalton Knecht, says Iko.
Houston also controls a second-round pick (No. 44) in the upcoming draft. San Francisco’s Jonathan Mogbo, Minnesota’s Cam Christie, Illinois’ Terrence Shannon, Colorado’s KJ Simpson, UCLA’s Adem Bona and Marquette’s Oso Ighodaro are among the prospects who have been discussed at that spot, though Iko acknowledges some of those players might get drafted before then. Clemson forward/center PJ Hall, Texas forward Dylan Disu, St. John’s guard Daniss Jenkins and Washington State forward Jaylen Wells are among the players who will work out for Houston this week, Iko reports.
For free agency, Iko hears the Rockets have placed a high priority on adding shooting, but the team is only interested in two-way contributors — Alec Burks, Gary Harris, Talen Horton-Tucker and Saddiq Bey are names to watch. Bey, however, will be a restricted free agent if he’s given a qualifying offer, which complicates matters (he’s also recovering from a torn ACL). A source close to Eric Gordon tells Iko that the veteran guard is “50-50” on exercising his player option to remain with the Suns, but the longtime former Rocket is also open to a reunion with Houston. The Rockets will have the non-taxpayer mid-level exception to dangle in free agency, Iko notes.

Morant Showing Good Progress From Shoulder Surgery

May 21st, 2024 at 5:49pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Ja Morant appears to be ahead of schedule in his recovery from shoulder surgery, Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal reports.

According to Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins, Morant and several other players who suffered significant injuries are making good progress. Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr., Ziaire Williams, Vince Williams and Marcus Smart were among the other Grizzlies players who missed chunks of time due to injury this season.

“Everything is going well,” Jenkins said on Tuesday. “Ja is the only one when June rolls around, he’s going to be pretty close to full go on the court. Everything that everyone was dealing with towards the end of the season is in a good place right now.”

Morant’s season was essentially a washout. He missed the first 25 games of the season due to an NBA suspension, then averaged 25.1 points, 8.1 assists and 5.6 rebounds in nine games after the suspension, including a game-winning shot against New Orleans on Dec. 19 in his return to action.

Morant was then diagnosed with a labral tear in his right shoulder after a training session. At the time of his January surgery, the recovery process was outlined as a six-month process.

Grizzlies head of basketball operations Zach Kleiman said in April that there wasn’t a timeline on Morant’s full availability, but that he was “expected to be fully cleared for basketball activities maybe halfway through the offseason.”

Morant will be entering the second year of his five-year, max contract.