Memphis Grizzlies

Dion Waiters' stay in Memphis was even shorter than Andre Iguodala's.

A three-team trade just prior to Thursday's NBA trade deadline saw Iguodala, Jae Crowder and Solomon Hill sent by Memphis to the Miami Heat, who gave the Grizzlies Justise Winslow, Dion Waiters and James Johnson in exchange. Johnson was subsequently traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Grizzlies announced Sunday that Waiters has now been waived. Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported the 28-year-old guard will still be paid in full for this season and next season. Per Spotrac, Waiters is owed $12.1 million this season and $12.65 million for 2020-21. 

Iguodala was traded to Memphis last summer by the Golden State Warriors, but the three-time NBA champion never played for the Grizzlies. The reported icy relationship between Iguodala and the Grizzlies was well-documented. However, the end of Waiters' tenure in Miami was much rockier.

Waiters was suspended on three separate occasions this season for a total of 17 games. Per Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald, those absences cost him $1.4 million of this season's salary.

The first suspension caused Waiters to miss the Heat's Oct. 23 regular-season opener after a disagreement with head coach Erik Spoelstra in the preseason over being used off the bench.

On Nov. 10, Waiters was hit with a 10-game suspension for what the Heat cited as conduct detrimental to the team following what ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Brian Windhorst reported to be "a 'panic attack' on the team's charter flight [Nov. 7] after consuming a THC-infused edible."

The third suspension was for six games in mid-December. The Miami Herald's Barry Jackson reported that it stemmed from Waiters "posting Instagram pictures of himself on a boat during a period last week when he told the team he was unable to practice or play because of an illness."

"At the end of the day, I'm a grown man," Waiters told reporters on Jan. 26. "I don't point fingers. I could easily say this or that, but at the end of the day, it's me. I made certain decisions, so I take full responsibility for them."

The 2012 fourth overall pick added: "I didn't feel like I lost anything—besides my money—but it'll come back around. Going through that and being able to just stay myself, stay sane, it taught me a lot about myself. I knew I was mentally tough because of my upbringing. But that right there, it's going to try you and test you."

Waiters finally made his 2019-20 regular-season debut on Jan. 24. Prior to the Heat moving him, he averaged 9.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 14.0 minutes across three games.

The Memphis Grizzlies plan to release or buy out Dion Waiters after trading for the shooting guard in a deal with the Miami Heat that also landed them forward Justise Winslow, per Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. 

Waiters, Winslow and James Johnson went to Memphis in the trade, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Andre Iguodala, Solomon Hill and Jae Crowder landed in Miami.

The Grizzlies then dealt Johnson to the Minnesota Timberwolves for center Gorgui Dieng, per Wojnarowski.

Waiters has played just three games this season, averaging 9.3 points and 3.7 rebounds in 14.0 minutes per game.

The Heat have suspended Waiters three times this season for a total of 17 games, per Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. Those suspensions have been for "unprofessional conduct" (one game), "conduct detrimental to the team" (10 games) and a "failure to adhere to team policies, violation of team rules and continued insubordination" (six games). 

Waiters' exit from Miami seemed inevitable, and now the ex-Syracuse star is set to become a free agent, per Haynes.

The 28-year-old averaged 14.0 points on 41.4 percent shooting in his three previous seasons in Miami. He shot a career-best 39.5 percent from three-point range in 2016-17.

The Cleveland Cavaliers took Waiters with the fourth overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft. He spent two-plus seasons in Cleveland before being traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The 6'3" guard signed with the Heat as a free agent in 2016.

After reportedly getting traded to the Miami Heat on Wednesday, Andre Iguodala suggested that he has no hard feelings over some of the things Memphis Grizzlies players Ja Morant and Dillon Brooks recently said about him.

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Grizzlies agreed to send Iguodala to the Miami Heat for a package that includes forward Justise Winslow. Memphis acquired Iguodala from the Golden State Warriors during the offseason, but he has sat out the entire season thus far after the two sides decided that Iggy would not report to the team.

Morant and Brooks have been outspoken in their belief that Iguodala didn't handle things the right way, but the 36-year-old told Marc J. Spears of ESPN's The Undefeated that he has no issue with them:

"You got to take everything with a grain of salt. Rules shift from time to time across generations. There is a 10-15 year age difference. They don't move how we move and the same wasn't said about us when we were that age. 'What are young guys doing now? What is respectful now?' ... It's different.

"So, I don't look at it as personal. I don't know if it's from them. But the only thing I will tell them is that I love them. Those are my guys. [DeMar] DeRozan said Lou Williams. He said, 'Lou is my brother and he would give him his last dollar.' I feel the same way about every player in this league. I felt the same way about those two guys. Ja is going to be Rookie of the Year and he is playing amazing basketball. I've been watching him this year even though I knew we'd never be teammates. This guy is a talent."

In addition to joining one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference, Iguodala reportedly agreed to a two-year, $30 million contract extension with the Heat as well.

Brooks made headlines Monday when he told reporters that he was looking forward to the Grizzlies trading Iguodala and getting a chance to play against him:

"First time I seen him was on TV talking about us. It doesn't even matter. Andre Iguodala is a great player. I feel like he's doing the right thing for his career, but we don't really care.

"It's not a distraction at all. I laugh at that type of stuff. A guy that's on our team that doesn't want to be on our team, I can't wait till we find a way to trade him so we can play him and show him really what Memphis is about."

Morant then appeared to echo Brooks' sentiments with the following tweet:

🗣 https://t.co/3q56BwIxBa

— Ja Morant (@JaMorant) February 4, 2020

After news of the Iguodala trade broke Wednesday night, Brooks seemed to have a bit of a parting shot for Iggy as well:

“Now we have a player that we’re getting that actually wants to play with us and thinks we’re good.”

Dillon Brooks reacts to the Iggy trade 👀

(via @espn_macmahon)pic.twitter.com/y7ZtMCLJb0

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 6, 2020

Little was expected of Memphis entering the season, but at 26-25, the Grizzlies own the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference, and they have been one of the NBA's most pleasant surprises.

The play of Morant and Brooks, along with second-year forward Jaren Jackson Jr., has been a big reason for Memphis' turnaround.

As Iguodala said, Morant is the front-runner for NBA Rookie of the Year honors with averages of 17.4 points, 7.0 assists and 3.4 rebounds per game. Meanwhile, Brooks is having a career year with 16.1 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists per contest.

A deep playoff run may not be in the Grizzlies' future since they are currently lining up to face the top-seeded Los Angeles Lakers in the first round, but few teams have a brighter future.

Given the fact that he is a highly skilled defender and just 23 years old, Winslow seems like a better fit for Memphis than Iguodala moving forward anyway, as he'll be able to grow as part of the Grizzlies' young core.

Meanwhile, Iguodala has a chance to win now as part of a team that is led by All-Stars Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, as well as Goran Dragic, Kendrick Nunn and Tyler Herro.

The Heat may have a better chance than any other team to knock off the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference this season, and Iguodala's veteran presence should help in big games.

With Iggy playing for a contender and the Grizzlies landing another talented, young player, both parties seemingly got everything they wanted out of the situation.

Memphis Grizzlies swingman Dillon Brooks—who just agreed to a three-year, $35 million contract extension with the team, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski—provided his take on his team's reported deal to acquire Justise Winslow from the Miami Heat in exchange for Andre Iguodala.

He made the comments to ESPN's Tim MacMahon after his team's 121-107 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday:

“Now we have a player that we’re getting that actually wants to play with us and thinks we’re good.”

Dillon Brooks reacts to the Iggy trade 👀

(via @espn_macmahon)pic.twitter.com/y7ZtMCLJb0

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 6, 2020

Iguodala, who arrived in Memphis in the summer after an offseason trade sent him to the Grizz from the Golden State Warriors, did not report to Memphis.

A buyout or trade prior to the Thursday deadline seemed inevitable, and Brooks also provided these comments on Monday, per Mark Giannotto of the Commercial Appeal.

"I can't wait till we find a way to trade him so we can play him and show him really what Memphis is about," Brooks said.

That comment prompted teammate Ja Morant to tweet the following:

🗣 https://t.co/3q56BwIxBa

— Ja Morant (@JaMorant) February 4, 2020

Warriors point guard Stephen Curry, who won three NBA titles with Iguodala, then posted this on Instagram in response, per Drew Shiller of Warriors Outsiders:

It appears Steph Curry has a message for Ja Morant and Dillon Brooks... pic.twitter.com/GgPfGypmzT

— Drew Shiller (@DrewShiller) February 4, 2020

Morant responded as follows, per ESPN's Rachel Nichols, with a picture of ex-Warrior and current Brooklyn Net Kevin Durant:

🤷🏽‍♂️🤫 pic.twitter.com/lmhLZP1Pqn

— Ja Morant (@JaMorant) February 4, 2020

That seemingly implied the belief that Durant was the reason the team won its last two NBA titles.

The Grizz are 26-25 after their win over Dallas. They're in position to make the postseason for the first time in three years by virtue of holding down the last Western Conference playoff spot. Memphis is three games ahead of the next-closest team below in the Portland Trail Blazers.

Memphis is clearly a team on the rise with a core of players in their early-to-mid 20s that will now count Winslow as a member. Of note, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Ja Morant, who are top two on the team in scoring, are both 20 years old.

Iguodala has found himself in a good situation, though, with the Heat, who are fighting for the second spot in the Eastern Conference with four other teams.

Adding a versatile veteran piece in Iguodala should help, and Miami is also looking to acquire Oklahoma City Thunder forward Danilo Gallinari, per Wojnarowski. Gallinari is averaging 19.1 points per contest.

Miami and Memphis won't meet again this regular season, but both are likely headed to the playoffs after surprising years following postseason misses the year before. Either place is good to be right now as the teams enter the All-Star break.

The Memphis Grizzlies and swingman Dillon Brooks agreed to a three-year, $35 million extension on Wednesday, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Brooks, 24, was averaging 16.1 points on 42.4 percent shooting (39.9 percent from three-point range) and 3.4 rebounds heading into Wednesday. He is in his third NBA season.

As Justin Phan of The Action Network noted, the Grizzlies have a bright future ahead with their young core:

Grizzlies core:

Ja Morant, 20
Jaren Jackson Jr., 20
Brandon Clarke, 23
Justise Winslow, 23
Dillon Brooks, 24
De'Anthony Melton, 21
Tyus Jones, 23

Incredible job by the Grizzlies front office.

— Justin Phan (@jphanned) February 6, 2020

The 26-25 Grizz have won seven of their last 10 games after defeating the Dallas Mavericks 121-107 on Wednesday. They are currently holding onto the eighth and final Western Conference playoff spot. 

Brooks has played an integral part in the team's improvement from a 33-49 record last year, as he's third on the team in scoring behind Jaren Jackson Jr. and Ja Morant.

Brooks' loyalty to Memphis goes beyond his recent contract extension, as he made comments recently surrounding ex-Grizz forward Andre Iguodala, who did not report to Memphis after the Golden State Warriors traded him there last summer.

"I cant wait 'til we find a way to trade him so we can play him and show him really what Memphis is about," Brooks said Monday, per Mark Giannotto of the Commercial Appeal.

Brooks said the following, per ESPN's Tim MacMahon, after the Grizzlies shipped Iguodala to the Miami Heat in a deal that sent forward Justise Winslow back to Memphis.

Dillon Brooks on the deal that is expected to send Andre Iguodala to Miami and Justise Winslow to Memphis: “Now we have a player that we’re getting that actually wants to play with us and thinks we’re good.” pic.twitter.com/LGjKIYmqIm

— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) February 6, 2020

The Grizzlies and Heat won't play each other for the remainder of the regular season, but Memphis has bigger problems as it prepares to embark on a stretch of six road games in its next seven contests.

It's far from a make-or-break stretch for the Grizz, who enjoy a three-game lead over the ninth-place Portland Trail Blazers at the moment. However, it's still a tough test for the newly extended Brooks and the rest of the young Grizzlies, who are looking to make the playoffs for the first time in three years.

Still, Brooks and the Grizz have proven fearless and confident en route to toppling some of the league's best teams, including the Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers and Heat.

The Memphis Grizzlies' young and talented core reportedly added another piece Wednesday.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Justise Winslow was part of a package the Miami Heat sent to Memphis in exchange for veteran Andre Iguodala. Wojnarowski also reported Iguodala agreed to a two-year, $30 million contract extension with Miami after agreeing to the trade.

Considering Iguodala was not even playing for the Grizzlies this season as they searched for a trade partner, he is not a significant loss for the team. While he is a two-time All-Defensive selection with an NBA Finals MVP on his resume who can surely help Miami as it pursues a deep playoff run in the Eastern Conference, that Memphis got anything of legitimate value for him is a win.

Winslow has dealt with a back injury this season and appeared in just 11 games, but he is only 23 years old and should slide into Memphis' rotation when healthy.

The Duke product averaged 12.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.1 steals a night last season as a versatile playmaker who can handle the ball in a point guard role or play on the wing as a lengthy defender who can cut off penetration and contest perimeter jumpers.

Future looks bright for the Grizz:

Ja Morant- Age 20
Justise Winslow- Age 23
Dillon Brooks- Age 24
Jaren Jackson Jr.- Age 20
Brandon Clarke- Age 23
Tyus Jones- Age 23 pic.twitter.com/VA0eBCRQYA

— Bleacher Report NBA (@BR_NBA) February 6, 2020

One thing Winslow did at times in Miami he likely won't do much of in Memphis is serve as a primary point guard in the rotation. That is because Ja Morant, 20, is both the present and the future for the franchise at the position, while Tyus Jones, 23, is a viable backup.

Winslow figures to find his spot in the wing rotation that features Dillon Brooks, De'Anthony Melton, Josh Jackson and Kyle Anderson.

That is especially the case if Jae Crowder and Solomon Hill are on the way out in a trade, as Tim MacMahon of ESPN reported they were both "late scratches" for Wednesday's game against the Dallas Mavericks prior to Thursday's trade deadline.

Crowder is best known for his defense, and Winslow can help pick up the slack on that end. He held opponents to 2.4 percent worse shooting from the field and 8.3 percent worse shooting from three-point range than their normal averages as recently as the 2017-18 campaign, per NBA.com.

The frontcourt rotation of Jaren Jackson Jr., Brandon Clarke and Jonas Valanciunas figures to remain largely the same, as Winslow is not the type of player who will take away significant minutes from the bigs.

Memphis is in an ideal position at this point. It is a playoff contender this season at 25-25, which is good enough for the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference standings and 2.5 games ahead of the Portland Trail Blazers. It is also well-suited for the future with so many important youngsters playing significant roles in the rotation.

Winslow is yet another player who can help it compete both this season and in the years to come.

The Miami Heat agreed to acquire Andre Iguodala from the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night, with the veteran forward receiving a two-year, $30 million extension as part of the deal, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

A trade appeared to be close when Shams Charania of The Athletic reported earlier in the night that the Grizzlies were in "advanced discussions" with the Heat to send the small forward to South Beach. Iguodala has yet to play a game this season since being traded to Memphis by the Golden State Warriors last offseason:

Miami and Memphis are in advanced discussions for Andre Iguodala to land with the Heat, league sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 6, 2020

To add to what Shams reported just now ...

Two teams have told AP today that they believe Miami is the most likely landing spot for Andre Iguodala if - IF - he is moved.

(Also, in full disclosure, I don’t know if he wants to play here.)

— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) February 6, 2020

Iguodala never had any intention of suiting up for the Grizzlies and came to an agreement with management that allowed him to train on his own to stay fit for a potential trade away from the team. With the deadline on Thursday, interest reportedly has come from the Los Angeles Lakers, who Yahoo's Chris Haynes reported were interested in acquiring the 36-year-old before Miami got involved:

Yahoo Sources. The Los Angeles Lakers have ventured down all avenues — including a last Hail Mary attempt — to seek a path to Andre Iguodala, but it is becoming apparent that Miami has Memphis’ attention right now.

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) February 6, 2020

Iguodala's last showing in the NBA wasn't much to get excited over. He averaged a career-low 5.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 23.2 minutes per game in the regular season, though he remained a serviceable option in the playoffs as the Warriors made their way back to the Finals. 

In the playoffs he averaged 9.8 minutes, 4.3 rebounds and four assists with his role increasing as Klay Thompson tore his ACL and Kevin Durant ruptured his Achilles tendon as the postseason went on. 

The long-time veteran also provided Golden State's defense with a big boost in a failed title defense against the Toronto Raptors. 

That's the type of effort Miami is hoping to get out of Iguodala at this stage. The Heat have been mediocre on their own end of the court this year with a 108.1 defensive efficiency rating that ranks 14th in the league—the Heat are 18th overall in their last 15 games in the same category. 

     

 

Though some are upset Andre Iguodala hasn't reported to the Memphis Grizzlies since his offseason trade, the veteran sees it as a good business decision, via Kevin Arnovitz of ESPN:

"I think when the athlete takes control of his business, it's looked at differently than when a so-called businessman is running his business. A businessman says, 'I want to make this play, because this is what I'm trying to do,' and the response is, 'Oh, that is a very smart business transaction,' But when an athlete says, 'This is what I prefer to do,' the reaction is different."

The Grizzlies have been seeking a trade before Thursday's 3 p.m. ET deadline, but Iguodala will reportedly sit out the entire year if he's not dealt, per David Aldridge of The Athletic.

The 36-year-old's would-be teammates unsurprisingly have taken offense to his actions.

"A guy that's on our team doesn't want to be on our team," Dillon Brooks said on Monday, via ESPN. "I can't wait until we find a way to trade him so we can play him, and I can show him what really Memphis is about."

Star rookie Ja Morant seemingly agreed with the sentiment:

🗣 https://t.co/3q56BwIxBa

— Ja Morant (@JaMorant) February 4, 2020

While the Grizzlies had low expectations entering the year after going 33-49 last season, the young team has impressed with a 25-25 record entering Wednesday, good enough for the eighth and last playoff spot in the Western Conference at the moment.

However, Iguodala doesn't see his actions as a snub against his current team.

The 15-year veteran spent his past six years with the Golden State Warriors, winning three titles and reaching the NBA Finals five times. The 2015 Finals MVP averaged career lows in points (5.7) and minutes per game (23.2) last season. He signed a three-year deal in 2017 to remain with the squad before surprisingly being dealt in a salary dump after Kevin Durant left in free agency.

The 6'6" forward hopes to work out an amicable deal with the Grizzlies.

"It's never been, 'I don't want to be there,'" Iguodala said. "It's, 'let's have the conversations in terms of what it looks like going forward. How can I be a value to you? How can you be a value to me? And then how can we make that happen?'"

The pressure is now on Memphis to make a deal to get any value out of him this season.

Ja Morant is only a rookie, but he clearly isn't one to back down.    

After David Aldridge of The Athletic reported the Memphis Grizzlies and Andre Iguodala "mutually agreed" the swingman wouldn't play this season while the team searched for a trade partner, Morant and Dillon Brooks suggested the team is just fine without the veteran:

🗣 https://t.co/3q56BwIxBa

— Ja Morant (@JaMorant) February 4, 2020

Brooks and Morant's comments came after Monday's win over the Detroit Pistons, but Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, who was teammates with Iguodala in the Bay Area, had more than just regular-season victories on his mind.

Curry posted a picture of Iguodala holding a championship trophy, to which Morant responded with an image of Kevin Durant.

AND NOW STEPH CHIMING IN: pic.twitter.com/fhxnREa48u

— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) February 4, 2020

🤷🏽‍♂️🤫 pic.twitter.com/lmhLZP1Pqn

— Ja Morant (@JaMorant) February 4, 2020

Morant later responded to some of the reaction to his tweet:

didn’t say they wasn’t killers. didn’t say i wasn’t a fan of their game either .. but i’m a killer too 💯

— Ja Morant (@JaMorant) February 4, 2020

lol delete it for what? if you scroll down my twitter you’ll see me talking about curry a lot . probably some other players too . i was a fan & still a fan but iann scared of him 😂😂

— Ja Morant (@JaMorant) February 4, 2020

Morant's original response is perhaps suggesting Curry and Iguodala wouldn't have racked up the championship trophies as a dynasty if Durant didn't leave the Oklahoma City Thunder to join them.

The Grizzlies and Warriors do not play again this season, but their 2020-21 matchups are quickly becoming appointment viewing.

As we inch closer to the NBA trade deadline, more potential targets and destinations have begun to pop up across the league.

Some are legitimate, and some are almost assuredly posturing by teams or players and agents to send a message. What that message is can vary. For teams, it often can be used to light a fire beneath an underperforming player or signal to their agent the player isn't quite as invaluable to the franchise as they thought. 

For players and their agents, it can be much of the same—just at the opposite end of the spectrum. For players seeking a potential contract extension, it can be a nice bargaining chip. Or, less subtly, it can be a message to take care of an unhappy or undervalued asset. 

And then, there's the case of Andre Iguodala. The former finals MVP was traded—somewhat unceremoniously—from Golden State to Memphis during the offseason, a destination he had no interest in going to.

However, the Grizzlies, intent on getting something out of the deal, have refused to trade the 36-year-old to any of his preferred destinations or likely title contenders and have instead chosen to sit him for the entire first half of the season.

According to The Athletic's David Aldridge, neither side is willing to budge, with sources saying Iguodala is prepared to sit out the entire season if Memphis is unwilling to deal him. He's remained on the team's 15-man roster and will receive his entire $17 million salary if the team doesn't choose to buy him out or find a suitable trade partner.

Both Los Angeles teams have shown interest in trading for the forward at different points this season, but neither has significant cap space to take on his contract or assets that Memphis has liked enough to pursue a deal seriously. 

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the Association...

         

Spurs interested in shedding Rudy Gay's contract

According to CNBC's Jabari Young, who formerly covered the Spurs for The Athletic, San Antonio would be willing to part with Rudy Gay for the right price.

That exact price for the 33-year-old is still unknown, but at least one team executive thinks it might be too high.

"If they get a nice asset back, I think they would do something with Rudy Gay, but I think their asking price is too high," the executive said.

Gay re-signed with the team last summer and is averaging 10.1 points and 5.6 rebounds this season.

                 

Rockets desperately looking to clear luxury tax, move Capela

Houston has reportedly made it known it is shopping Clint Capela, but part of that stems from team owner Tilman Fertitta seeking to eliminate salaries to avoid paying the luxury tax, according to Young.

Both Atlanta and Boston have engaged with the Rockets regarding the 25-year-old, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Monday, but finding comparable assets for the center who would come in significantly below the $14.8 million they're paying him this year might be a stretch. 

Boston could be an interesting destination, though, as they hold three first-round picks in this year's draft, which Houston could theoretically flip for a wing like Wolves 3-and-D man Robert Covington.

However, the Celtics would need to shed about $10 million to get Capela in, meaning a third team might be necessary to facilitate this one. 

           

Follow Keegan on Twitter @ByKeeganPope.