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Grizzlies Exercise 2024/25 Team Options On Four Players

October 23rd, 2023 at 3:09pm CST by Rory Maher

The Grizzlies have exercised their 2024/25 rookie scale team options on Ziaire Williams, Santi Aldama, Jake LaRavia and David Roddy, the team announced on Monday (via Twitter).

After having their fourth-year options picked up, Williams (10th overall pick in 2021) and Aldama (30th in ’21) will now be eligible for rookie scale extensions in 2024. Williams will earn $6,133,005 next season, while Aldama will make $3,960,531.

LaRavia (19th pick in ’22) and Roddy (23rd pick in ’22), on the other hand, had their third-year options exercised. They’ll make $3,352,680 and $2,847,240 in ’24/25, respectively.

After a solid rookie campaign in 2021/22, Williams struggled with injuries and inconsistency last season. However, he started at small forward in a couple of preseason games, including the team’s finale on Friday (Twitter link via Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal), and is looking to bounce back with a strong season in ’23/24.

A 6’10” big man with a versatile skill set, Aldama didn’t play much as a rookie but had a productive sophomore campaign in ’22/23, averaging 9.0 PPG and 4.8 RPG on .470/.353/.750 shooting in 77 games (21.8 MPG). He should be in line for a larger role in year three with Brandon Clarke and Steven Adams unfortunately sidelined with major injuries.

Roddy was selected a few picks after LaRavia, but he saw the court much more frequently as a rookie last season for the Grizzlies, appearing in 70 games for an average of 18.0 MPG). LaRavia appeared in 35 games while averaging 11.8 MPG in ’22/23.

The full list of ’24/25 rookie scale team option decisions can be found right here.

Western Notes: Jazz, Holiday, Morant, Vezenkov, Strawther

October 12th, 2023 at 7:52am CST by Luke Adams

The Jazz were involved in the Jrue Holiday sweepstakes before the All-Defensive guard was traded from Portland to Boston, according to Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune.

Larsen hears that Utah considered an offer that included multiple first-round picks for the standout guard. However, he notes that ESPN’s Bobby Marks said during a radio appearance that the Jazz were wary of pursuing Holiday too aggressively without any assurances that he’d commit to the team long-term. The 33-year-old holds a player option for the 2024/25 season, so he could have been just a one-year rental.

Having missed out on Holiday, the Jazz don’t have a clear-cut option to start at point guard and it’s clear that head coach Will Hardy is “struggling with this decision,” Larsen writes. As Tony Jones of The Athletic notes, each of the candidates for the role has exhibited his flaws as well as his strengths so far during camp and the preseason.

Collin Sexton isn’t a natural point guard and Talen Horton-Tucker and Keyonte George are still relatively raw as point guards, according to Jones, who adds that starting Kris Dunn would make it tricky for the team to find minutes off the bench for Sexton. Jordan Clarkson was also considered a candidate for the point guard job, but the Jazz appear more comfortable having him in a sixth-man role, so the competition could be down to four players.

Here’s more from around the Western Conference:

When Ja Morant‘s 25-game suspension was announced in June, the NBA indicated that the Grizzlies guard would have to meet certain conditions to be reinstated. The league provided an update this week, indicating that Morant’s suspension won’t be shortened but also isn’t expected to extend beyond 25 games, report Sam Amick and Joe Vardon of The Athletic.
Ziaire Williams played well as the Grizzlies‘ fifth starter in Tuesday’s preseason win over Milwaukee, but head coach Taylor Jenkins isn’t ready to commit to that spot for the regular season, writes Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Luke Kennard appears to be Williams’ top competition for that starting spot, with Jake LaRavia, David Roddy, and John Konchar looming as wild card, per Cole.
Kings head coach Mike Brown is unsure whether NBA newcomer Sasha Vezenkov will be part of the team’s rotation when the regular season begins, per Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. In a separate story, Anderson points out that Vezenkov started in place of injured forward Keegan Murray (thumb) on Wednesday, but Chris Duarte took Vezenkov’s spot in the lineup to open the third quarter. According to Brown, Vezenkov’s ability to hold his own on defense will be a significant factor in determining his role.
Nuggets rookie Julian Strawther, vying for a rotation spot, had an impressive preseason debut on Tuesday vs. Phoenix, piling up 20 points, five rebounds, and three assists with no turnovers in 21 minutes off the bench. Bennett Durando of The Denver Post has the details, observing that Strawther’s ability to space the floor may help earn him a regular role.

Southwest Notes: Z. Williams, Adams, Mavs, Vassell

October 6th, 2023 at 3:17pm CST by Luke Adams

Following a promising rookie season in 2021/22, Ziaire Williams battled injuries and was limited to just 37 games in ’22/23 — and he was inconsistent when he did play, with his shooting percentages dropping across the board. That down year would seemingly make him a long shot to crack the Grizzlies‘ starting five this fall, but he’s making a case for that open lineup spot with his defensive play in training camp, writes Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal.

“I talked to him after practice about how he’s doing a great job in situations using his length, using his mobility,” head coach Taylor Jenkins said earlier this week. “His attention to detail has been spot-on right now defensively.”

According to Cole, making an All-Defensive team and being named Most Improved Player are among Williams’ lofty goals for the season. While those accolades may ultimately prove out of reach, he’s determined to avoid a repeat of last season, telling reporters that he worked hard this summer and is now stronger and weighs more than at any other time in his playing career.

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

Coming off a right knee injury, Grizzlies center Steven Adams was a full participant in scrimmages on Thursday and showed no ill effects of his long recovery process, per Cole of The Commercial Appeal. “He’s looked great,” teammate Luke Kennard said. “He’s done everything. Every drill, all the scrimmages and he’s been dominant down low. He looks good to me.”
Although Jason Kidd has trended to trust veterans over young players in the past, Tim Cato of The Athletic believes the Mavericks‘ head coach may have a longer leash with Dereck Lively II and Olivier-Maxence Prosper, two defensive-minded rookies who will know not to try to do too much on offense.
Devin Vassell isn’t a perfect player, but based on the improvements he has made since entering the league and the rising NBA salary cap, he’s worth the five-year, $135MM+ contract extension the Spurs signed him to this week, says Sam Vecenie of The Athletic. As Vecenie points out, by the end of the deal, Vecenie should be earning approximately 15% of the cap, which is about what players like Myles Turner, Bruce Brown, and Mikal Bridges are currently making.

Southwest Notes: Hield, Thompson, Mamukelashvili, Marjanovic

September 21st, 2023 at 10:58am CST by Arthur Hill

With Buddy Hield reportedly on his way out of Indiana, he could be the outside shooter that the Grizzlies need, Kelly Iko of The Athletic writes in a mailbag column. Shams Charania broke the news Wednesday night that the Pacers have agreed to work with Hield’s representatives to find a trade after the two sides were unable to come to an agreement on an extension.

While there should be plenty of interest around the league in Hield, Iko sees him as a great fit in Memphis, considering the need for another wing player and someone outside of Desmond Bane and Ja Morant who can consistently score. Hield also contributes on defense, as Iko notes that Indiana was a plus-2.6 in that category with him on the court last season.

The Grizzlies lost Dillon Brooks to free agency this summer, and there’s not an obvious replacement currently on the roster. Iko adds that Ziaire Williams could have been in line for that role, but he was a huge disappointment in his second NBA season, shooting just 25.8% from three-point range and posting a 15% turnover rate.

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

Amen Thompson suffered an ankle injury in his first Summer League game, but he’s fully recovered and will be ready when the Rockets open training camp, Iko states in the same piece. The No. 4 overall pick is working with lead assistant Ben Sullivan to improve his jump shot and will focus in camp on how to break down NBA defenses. Thompson was at full speed during a recent scrimmage at the team facility, according to Iko.
Sandro Mamukelashvili is looking forward to his first full season with the Spurs after seeing limited playing time with the Bucks to start his NBA career, per Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. San Antonio claimed Mamukelashvili off waivers in early March and he averaged 23.3 minutes per night in 19 games. “It was hard with Milwaukee to find my spot and to gel,” Mamukelashvili said. “We had a lot of older guys who took me under their wing like a little brother, but here (in San Antonio) everything is more my age. We’re all in the same situation.”
Boban Marjanovic‘s new $2.89MM (minimum-salary) contract with the Rockets includes a $1.3MM guarantee, tweets Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Marjanovic also waived his right to veto a trade this season, Hoops Rumors has learned.

Southwest Notes: Capela, Mavericks, Cissoko, Grizzlies

July 17th, 2023 at 11:59am CST by Arthur Hill

The Mavericks are still in the market for a veteran center and would like to acquire Clint Capela from the Hawks as the third team in a potential Pascal Siakam deal, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack column.

Atlanta has been pursuing the Toronto forward in trade talks, but an offer centered around De’Andre Hunter may not be enough. The Hawks could be willing to include Capela, who has two years left on his contract at a total of about $43MM, but the Raptors don’t need another high-priced center after re-signing Jakob Poeltl. Stein suggests that Dallas could either try to facilitate the deal or work out a separate trade with Toronto involving Capela.

The Mavs attempted to acquire Capela from the Hawks in June, according to Stein, but they refused to part with Josh Green along with the 10th pick in the draft.

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

Summer League coach Jared Dudley was impressed with both of the Mavericks‘ rookies, grading Dereck Lively II a “seven out of 10” and Olivier-Maxence Prosper a “nine out of 10,” per Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com. “Lively will get there. He has potential. He’s going to be the starting center of the Mavericks one day,” Dudley said. “O-Max is right there. The three-and-D guys, it’s easier to transition. Offense, he’s a bull going at you. He has to work on his decision-making a little when he gets in the paint. But myself and the Dallas Mavericks are happy with what they did.”
Spurs rookie Sidy Cissoko‘s ability to attack the basket has stood out during Summer League, observes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. The French forward prepared for the NBA by spending last season in the G League. “I didn’t change my game,” he said. “In my (pre-draft) workouts, I was doing the same thing almost every time. I have this in my game, so I just repeat it over and over. If it is still working, I will not change it.”
Jake LaRavia, David Roddy and Ziaire Williams are all possibilities to be the Grizzlies‘ starting small forward when the season begins, according to Damichael Cole of The Commercial Appeal. Memphis didn’t bring in anyone to replace Dillon Brooks after he signed with Houston, so there’s not an obvious choice for the position. Cole adds that once Ja Morant returns from his suspension, he may start alongside Marcus Smart in the backcourt with Desmond Bane sliding to small forward.

Raptors Notes: Rajakovic, Scariolo, Coaching Search

June 10th, 2023 at 8:41pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Raptors‘ decision to hire Darko Rajakovic as their next head coach doesn’t provide any clues about what they plan to do with their roster, writes Eric Koreen of The Athletic. Rajakovic is versatile enough to handle either direction, Koreen states, whether it’s trying to win right away with the current core or leading a rebuilding project focused on younger players.

Toronto had a lot of individual talent this season, especially once center Jakob Poeltl was acquired at the trade deadline, but the team couldn’t put together any sustained success, which led to the dismissal of Nick Nurse after the play-in tournament. The Raptors have a decision to make on Poeltl as he enters free agency, along with Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr., who are both expected to turn down their player options and test the market. The team also must decide whether to explore potential trades involving Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby after opting to keep both of them at this year’s deadline.

Regardless of what happens with the team’s stars, Rajakovic will be counted on to develop young players who are able to contribute. Koreen notes that Nurse played his starters more than any other coach this season as draft picks such as Malachi Flynn and Dalano Banton weren’t able to earn rotation roles.

There’s more on the Raptors:

Rajakovic will be a huge loss for the Grizzlies‘ coaching staff, per Damichael Cole of The Commercial Appeal. He spent three seasons with Memphis, and as the lead assistant, he filled in whenever Taylor Jenkins was unavailable. Rajakovic also guided the Grizzlies’ Summer League team in 2021, encouraging Desmond Bane to handle the ball more often and working to develop Ziaire Williams in his first NBA experience. “His basketball knowledge is very good, especially on the offensive end,” Williams said. “His schemes and the way he reads the game, it’s pretty different. I haven’t seen it before honestly.”
Sergio Scariolo, who was one of the coaches to receive a second interview in Toronto, tweeted a congratulatory message after news of Rajakovic’s hiring broke Saturday afternoon. “Congrats and good luck to my good friend coach @DRajakovic!” Scariolo wrote. “Good choice, it’s great to see a European coach having an opportunity to prove his value as an NBA HC ! A heartfelt thank you to the Raptors, receive this consideration from what has been my team was very meaningful!”
Many people around the league were perplexed by the length of the Raptors’ coaching search, according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. Toronto’s interview process was largely conducted in secret, and it took nearly two full months to choose a replacement after Nurse was fired.

Grizzlies Notes: Morant, Jackson, Bane, Adams

June 6th, 2023 at 9:02am CST by Arthur Hill

Adam Silver will wait until after the NBA Finals to announce Ja Morant‘s punishment for his latest gun-related incident, but the commissioner dropped some hints about the length of a potential suspension during his press conference last week, writes Mark Giannatto of The Memphis Commercial Appeal.

Giannatto examines five statements from Silver to get an idea of what Morant’s suspension might look like. He suggests that the commissioner seemed more disappointed than angry about Morant’s behavior when he talked about creating “better circumstances going forward” for the Grizzlies star.

Silver mentioned the involvement of the players’ union in the process, which Giannatto believes may be encouraging for Morant. He points out that no player has ever been suspended for more than 30 games without being charged with a crime and theorizes that the NBPA won’t let that happen to Morant without putting up a fight.

There’s more on the Grizzlies:

Appearing on Paul George‘s podcast, Jaren Jackson Jr. expressed support for Morant and said he’s holding up well amid the likelihood of suspension, relays Damichael Cole of The Commercial Appeal. “He’s good,” Jackson said. “That’s my brother, though. No matter what, I stand by my brother, and I think that’s the lesson everybody should take away from this. … Everybody is going to say whatever, but they’re everybody. It never matters at the end of the day. This is your family. This is your brother.”
The absence of Morant will make this an especially important season for Desmond Bane, Cole adds in a separate story. Bane, who will be on the final year of his rookie contract, will have to assume a larger leadership role on the team and Cole states that he might have All-Star potential. Cole also points to Santi Aldama, Ziaire Williams, Kenneth Lofton Jr. and Tyus Jones as players to watch heading into next season.
The Grizzlies never fully recovered after losing Steven Adams to a right knee injury in January, Cole states in another Commercial Appeal piece. The team’s starting center appeared in a career-low 42 games this season and was especially missed in the playoffs when Memphis was outmuscled in a first-round loss to the Lakers. Cole adds that in addition to his rebounding, the Grizzlies also missed Adams’ screen setting and his leadership as the oldest player on the team.

Southwest Notes: Williams, Bufkin, Spurs, Rockets

May 25th, 2023 at 7:22pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Grizzlies reserve small forward Ziaire Williams, a lottery pick in 2021, finished the 2022/23 NBA season out of Memphis’ rotation. Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal writes that a preseason injury seemed to derail the 6’8″ swingman’s second year as a pro, and he failed to evolve as a shooter or playmaker.

Though Williams has been solid when it comes to converting his looks around the rack and in the mid-range, Cole opines that the wing’s shot diet is weighted too heavily toward his poor three-point shooting, which is impacting his overall efficiency on offense.

In his 37 games with Memphis last year, Williams averaged 5.7 PPG on .429/.258/.773 shooting.

There’s more out of the Southwest Division:

Michigan combo guard Kobe Bufkin could be a perfect fit for the Pelicans with the No. 14 draft pick next month, opines Christian Clark of NOLA.com. The athletic, positionally versatile lefty took a giant leap during his sophomore college season, and projects as a solid two-way contributor at the next level.
The Spurs have added San Antonio businesswoman Kimberly Lewis, founder of investment management group KSL Resources, to their ownership group, per Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. “Kim Lewis’ business acumen and deep-rooted knowledge of our community brings immeasurable value to our organization,” managing partner Peter J. Holt said in a statement. “We look forward to learning from her as we strive to strengthen our organization and embark on our shared mission of enhancing community impact.”
Having likely missed out on the opportunity to select one of the consensus top three prospects in this year’s draft, the rebuilding Rockets may decide to expedite their rebuild and move on from their No. 4 pick in this year’s draft. Kelly Iko of The Athletic brainstorms some hypothetical deals that could benefit Houston. “The biggest thing is we now have certainty about the pick number,” general manager Rafael Stone told Iko. “This is a super busy month for us and the two times trades happen are around the trade deadline and the draft. We can start to evaluate various trade options, we can really think through free agency.” Iko considers deals for targets like Raptors swingman OG Anunoby and Hawks vets Dejounte Murray and John Collins, among others.

Western Notes: Landale, Grizzlies, Towns, Gobert

May 12th, 2023 at 7:54pm CST by Rory Maher

Backup center Jock Landale, who will be a restricted free agent if Phoenix gives him a qualifying offer, hopes to remain with the Suns long term.

“This is a city and a fanbase and an organization I’d love to be a part of for the rest of my career if I could,” Landale said (Twitter video link via PHNX Suns).

The 27-year-old Australian had relatively modest numbers in the regular season, averaging 6.6 PPG and 4.1 RPG in 69 games (14.2 MPG).

However, after making just one brief appearance in Phoenix’s five-game series against the Clippers, Landale made his mark against Denver, as Phoenix was plus-34 over his 106 minutes in the series, with a positive plus/minus in five of his six games despite the club losing four of those contests and ultimately getting eliminated.

Here’s more from the West:

Tyus Jones, Steven Adams, Brandon Clarke, Ziaire Williams, David Roddy and Jake LaRavia are among the players who could be on the move if the Grizzlies decide to go after a major upgrade at small forward, according to Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal, who notes that general manager Zach Kleiman said the team plans to be aggressive in looking for roster reinforcements.
In another story for The Memphis Commercial Appeal, Cole lists five small forwards the Grizzlies could target in free agency with their mid-level exception. Those five players are Caris LeVert, Kelly Oubre, Jae Crowder, Harrison Barnes and Bruce Brown.
On the Podcast P podcast with Paul George, Timberwolves big man Karl-Anthony Towns said he was taken aback by last summer’s Rudy Gobert trade. “It was definitely something I wasn’t ready for,” Towns said, per Michael Rand of The Star Tribune. “I remember being in London and getting that call. I didn’t actually have no idea that was happening. I was told by social media like everybody else, so that was something.” Towns added that he had already been preparing as though he was going to be playing center, so moving to power forward was “definitely an adjustment.”

Grizzlies Notes: Adams’ Absence, Jackson, Williams, Morant

April 9th, 2023 at 10:13am CST by Luke Adams

Now that they know they can’t count on having Steven Adams back for the playoffs, the Grizzlies must embrace the new identity they’ve been establishing without Adams – and his offensive rebounding and screen setting – available, writes Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal.

As Cole outlines, that means Jaren Jackson Jr. may face more challenging defensive assignments in the postseason and that everyone will have to help out on the glass, including guards Ja Morant and Desmond Bane.

Cole also suggests that the Grizzlies should look to take advantage of the added versatility of their Adams-less lineups, since having David Roddy, Xavier Tillman, or Santi Aldama on the court makes the team more switchable on defense.

Here’s more on the Grizzlies:

Jackson believes he should win this season’s Defensive Player of the Year award, telling Tim MacMahon of ESPN that he wants it “bad.” However, while Jackson’s ability to protect the rim and anchor the Grizzlies’ defense was his greatest asset during the regular season, his scoring on offense might ultimately determine how high the team’s ceiling is this spring, according to MacMahon, who notes that the big man averaged 22.7 points per game on 51.1% shooting in the nine games Morant missed in March.
Writing for the Commercial Appeal, Cole looks back at the Grizzlies’ decision to select Ziaire Williams at No. 10 in the 2021 draft. Williams spent much of the 2022/23 season playing in the G League and battling injuries. Meanwhile, Trey Murphy – whom the Pelicans selected with the No. 17 pick they received from Memphis in the trade that also included the No. 10 pick, Adams, and Jonas Valanciunas – has enjoyed a breakout year in New Orleans, averaging 20.4 points per game on .506/.453/.903 shooting in his last 18 games.
In an exclusive report, Gus Garcia-Roberts and Molly Hensley-Clancy of The Washington Post provide more details on the off-court incidents that Morant was involved in during the past year and suggest that local police didn’t investigate those incidents as thoroughly as they could have. The Post’s duo identified and interviewed the teenager who was punched by the Grizzlies guard in a pickup game and spoke to a shoe salesman at a Memphis mall who said he was shaken up after allegedly being threatened by Morant.