Memphis Grizzlies

Dillon Brooks and Ja Morant have taken exception to Andre Iguodala's insistence that he won't play for the Memphis Grizzlies if a trade can't be worked out before Thursday's deadline. 

Brooks made his thoughts on Iguodala quite clear to reporters on Monday night:

"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 shared Brooks' sentiment with the use of a shouting emoji on Twitter:

In addition to the emoji, Morant liked an explicit Twitter comment about Iguodala (WARNING: CONTAINS NSFW LANGUAGE):

For Brooks, the Iguodala situation represented the potential for some unwanted distractions.

"I feel like a distraction would be a cancer in the locker room," Brooks added, per The Athletic's Peter Edmiston. "In the past two years, we've had those. The Iguodala stuff, we knew from the jump he didn't want to be with this team."

Brooks' comments come in the wake of The Athletic's David Aldridge reporting Iguodala is prepared to sit out the entire season if the Grizzlies don't work out a trade "with one of the agreed-upon teams he designated" to them. 

While it's unclear which teams Iguodala has listed as his preferred destinations, the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers have frequently been mentioned as possible landing spots. 

Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported in July that the Clippers and Houston Rockets were "strongly pursuing" Iguodala.

Per Marc Stein of the New York Times, the Grizzlies remain adamant they won't buy Iguodala out if a trade doesn't materialize. 

Iguodala hasn't played for the Grizzlies since being acquired in an offseason trade with the Golden State Warriors. Memphis agreed to let him work out on his own as the front office explored potential deals for the 2015 NBA Finals MVP.

If Iguodala is intent on playing for a team with championship aspirations, there would seem to be no shortage of suitors for a proven wing defender. He was also a solid shooter for the Warriors last season, making 50 percent of his field-goal attempts. 

The Grizzlies have been a pleasant surprise in the Western Conference. Their 25-25 record has them seeded eighth in the playoff race. 

Andre Iguodala wants out. 

According to The Athletic's David Aldridge, Iguodala wants to be traded and is "prepared" to sit out the entire season if the Memphis Grizzlies don't accommodate that request: 

It's unclear what sort of trade market exists for Iguodala, though the Dallas Mavericks reportedly are hesitant to pursue him while the Houston Rockets may be interested:

It remains a fascinating stand-off from the perspective of both Iguodala and the Grizzlies. 

On the one hand, it's probably gamesmanship from Iguodala to discourage teams he's not interested in from pursuing him. By limiting the teams chasing him, he can better ensure he gets traded to a destination he wants.

The Grizzlies, meanwhile, have plenty of vested interest in saying they won't buy him out. If teams believe they can simply sign him rather than sacrificing assets to acquire him in a trade, they'll wait out these proceedings. 

But no matter how it works out, it seems unlikely Iguodala will ever suit up for the Grizzlies.

The 36-year-old veteran remains a solid option off the bench with plenty of championship pedigree. He averaged 5.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game last season, shooting 50.0 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from three. 

Wing players who can defend are always valuable for title contenders, and Iguodala still fits that bill. Whether he actually ends up on a contender, however, remains to be seen. 

The Memphis Grizzlies haven't gotten anything from Andre Iguodala, but they aren't going to give him away for nothing.

According to Zach Lowe of ESPN, "Memphis has continued to insist in talks that they will trade Iguodala, sources say, and not buy him out."

The veteran was traded to the Grizzlies from the Golden State Warriors in July but has sat out the season to this point.

While the Grizzlies were expected to be rebuilding in 2019-20, they have surprised with a 24-25 record entering Monday, placing them in the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

However, Iguodala is looking to play for a title contender after winning three championships with Golden State.

"I feel like I still have a lot to give," he said on ESPN's First Take on Jan. 24 (h/t Luke Adams of Yardbarker). "So hopefully the right situation comes about for myself and the Memphis Grizzlies as well."

The Grizzlies could buy out the remainder of the $17.2 million owed to him this season, but it seems they would prefer to get something of value in a trade.

Tim MacMahon of ESPN previously reported the team's "fallback option" would be a deal with the Dallas Mavericks for Courtney Lee and the rights to the Warriors' 2020 second-round pick. Lowe said the Los Angeles Clippers could provide a package led by Maurice Harkless and a first-rounder.

A bidding war could drive the price up in the final days before Thursday's deadline, but the Grizzlies' desperation to make a deal might limit any potential upside in a return.

With just over one week to go before the NBA trade deadline, the Memphis Grizzlies have a big decision to make about Andre Iguodala.

Per ESPN's Tim MacMahon, some executives around the league believe the Dallas Mavericks are a "fallback option" for Iguodala because they could offer Courtney Lee and the 2020 second-round draft pick they previously acquired from the Golden State Warriors. 

MacMahon noted the Mavericks sources are doing their best to refute the offer of Lee and the second-round pick.

Iguodala has yet to play for the Grizzlies this season after being acquired from the Warriors in July. 

Rather than simply buy out Iguodala, Memphis agreed to let the 2015 NBA Finals MVP train on his own while the team explores trade options with a "mutual understanding ... that the situation may not reach a resolution until well into the season," Chris Herrington of the Daily Memphian reported in September.

In October, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported on The Lowe Post (h/t NBC Sports Bay Area's Drew Shiller) that Iguodala wanted to join the Los Angeles Lakers or Los Angeles Clippers if Memphis bought him out. 

The Mavs are in the market for help on the wing behind Dorian Finney-Smith. Justin Jackson has been an option off the bench for head coach Rick Carlisle, but he's only shooting 39.9 percent from the field. 

Iguodala shot 50 percent last season with Golden State. The 36-year-old only averaged 5.7 points per game, but his primary value comes on the defensive end where he can match up with the best scorer on opposing teams. 

The Mavericks hold the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference with a 29-18 record. 

The Memphis Grizzlies announced Monday that guard Grayson Allen will be sidelined indefinitely after he suffered a hip injury during Friday's game against the Detroit Pistons.  

The injury will require offloading to heal, but the team believes he will make a full recovery.

Allen landing awkwardly on his left leg during the game against the Pistons, leaving after only six minutes of action. He didn't play Sunday against the Phoenix Suns.

This marks the latest injury for the 6'4", 198-pound guard in recent years. He underwent surgery on his left ankle in 2017, and he missed time as a rookie because of a right ankle sprain. He wound up making 38 appearances for the Utah Jazz last season as he split time between the NBA and the G League.

He left a Dec. 9 contest this season with a right ankle injury.

Utah used the No. 21 overall pick on Allen in 2018. He averaged only 5.6 points per game in his first year while shooting 37.6 percent from the floor and 32.3 percent from three-point range.

The Jazz traded Allen to the Grizzlies in July in the Mike Conley Jr. deal.

The 24-year-old is averaging 7.4 points on 44.9 percent shooting, including 36.3 percent from three-point range, in 30 games in his first season with the Grizzlies.

Allen's absence gives rookie point guard Ja Morant one less perimeter threat to work with, and Memphis struggled from beyond the arc a season ago. Dillon Brooks led all returning Grizzlies players in three-point shooting last season at 37.5 percent.

We already know the NBA Slam Dunk Contest won't have Zion Williamson, as he's spent the entire season sidelined with a knee injury. The event reportedly will be without Rookie of the Year favorite Ja Morant as well.

Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reported Morant has declined an invitation to participate in Feb. 15's dunk contest, citing a desire to stay healthy for the remainder of the season. He has dealt with occasional back spasms since being injured while colliding with a baseline camera operator in November.

Morant told Haynes earlier this month he was "thinking about" doing the contest but had not yet made a decision. One of the most exciting young dunkers in basketball, Morant would have joined an event that already includes Dwight Howard and Derrick Jones Jr. It's unclear who the NBA will target in the weeks leading up to the contest.

Morant's decision is likely a major disappointment to both the NBA and fans, who envisioned a potential February showdown between the draft's top two picks when the season began. Williamson and Morant are two of the most electric dunkers in recent memory; the clamoring for Williamson to join the dunk contest rivals the outcry for LeBron James, who never participated.

Once a star-making vehicle for some of the game's biggest names, the dunk contest has at times struggled to attract star power. There has not been an iconic dunk contest since Zach LaVine and Aaron Gordon went head-to-head in 2016. Last year, Hamidou Diallo had one of the worst scores for a winner in dunk contest history (88).

Had Morant participated, it's possible he could have pulled off a dunk that single-handedly catapulted his endorsement career a la Blake Griffin in 2011. As it stands, Morant is prioritizing the Grizzlies' surprising run into postseason contention. 

While the rest of the league holds its breath for Zion Williamson's impending debut, former superstar Tracy McGrady has eyes for a different rookie: Ja Morant. 

After Morant recorded 26 points, eight assists, five rebounds, a steal and a block—along with a few theatrics—in the Memphis Grizzlies' 121-110 win over the Houston Rockets on Tuesday, McGrady went on ESPN Wednesday and called the second overall pick in the 2019 draft a future MVP.

"He's gonna be a MVP in this league and he's gonna be arguably the best player in the game," McGrady said. "I'm on the record saying it."

Morant is averaging 18.0 points, 6.9 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game through 35 contests for a Memphis team that's crept into the playoff race at 19-22 on the year. Whether or not the postseason becomes a reality for the Grizzlies, Morant's ascent in the league is worth a watch.

We already know McGrady will be tuned in. 

Ja Morant has already validated the Memphis Grizzlies' decision to select him second overall in the 2019 NBA draft just 35 games into his career. 

The 20-year-old point guard has also reportedly made an anonymous NBA general manager question why Zion Williamson was drafted first overall by the New Orleans Pelicans instead of Morant.

"I wouldn't have taken [Williamson] No. 1 even back then," a Western Conference general manager told Yahoo Sports' Vincent Goodwill ahead of Williamson's Jan. 22 regular-season debut. "I would've taken Ja or traded back to pick up as many picks as I could."

Williamson has been out since undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery to repair a torn right lateral meniscus on Oct. 21. 

However, two anonymous Eastern Conference executives told Goodwill they would still take Williamson with the top overall pick. 

Tee Morant, Ja's father, beat the anonymous Western Conference GM to the punch while talking to Bleacher Report's Master Tesfatsion at the 2019 NCAA tournament:

Morant went on to post a triple-double in Murray State's 83-64 win over Marquette in their opening-round matchup, becoming the first player to do so since 2012.

Morant has translated that success to the pro level so far by averaging 18.0 points, 6.9 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.0 steals across 35 games (all starts) for the 19-22 Grizzlies this season. He is Memphis' lead distributor and is tied with second-year forward Jaren Jackson Jr. as the team's leading scorers.

Morant and Jackson combined for a play Tuesday night that showed exactly what the Grizzlies had hoped for when drafting Morant to pair with the 2018 fourth overall pick:

NBA Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady foresees Morant to be "a MVP in this league" regardless of where he was picked:

However, while Morant and Williamson could be tied together by comparisons throughout their NBA careers, it's entirely too early for anything definitive until Williamson is able to play. If they want to contend for a playoff spot this season, the 15-26 Pelicans need Williamson to produce as he did for Duke as the AP, Naismith and Wooden Player of the Year.

Andre Iguodala has yet to suit up for the Memphis Grizzlies, but the team is confident it will find him a new home before the trade deadline.

ESPN's Brian Windhorst and Tim MacMahon reported the squad's intentions on The Hoop Collective.

"The word on the street is that they really do believe that they're going to find a trade for Iguodala," Windhorst said (via RealGM). 

"They're adamant about that," MacMahon said. "Well, they've been adamant about it for months, but now that we're in the zone where they're actually having real talks. Again, what I feel in talking to people out there is that they do think that's going to happen."

Iguodala was traded to the Grizzlies this offseason after spending the previous six years with the Golden State Warriors, helping the team win three NBA titles. While he was a key part of the team's success, the squad needed to clear his $17.2 million salary for 2019-20.

Though there was speculation Memphis would then either flip him in another trade or buy out his contract, the organization held on to him with the hope he could be a mentor.

"Grizzlies are hoping that Iguodala can help their young players that need to learn how to win," David Aldridge of The Athletic reported in June.

Iguodala never reported, however, essentially forcing the team to trade him or get nothing out of him. 

Shams Charania of The Athletic reported the Denver Nuggets, Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers have all engaged in talks for Iguodala, but just about every contender could use an experienced player of his skill set.

Memphis Grizzlies rookie guard Ja Morant has been invited to compete in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest next month during NBA All-Star Weekend in Chicago.

According to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, Morant said he is mulling the offer: "It's something I'm thinking about. I haven't made a decision yet."

The Slam Dunk Contest has lacked major star power in recent years, but Morant is one of the best young talents the NBA has to offer. His participation would undoubtedly put a bigger spotlight on one of the marquee events of All-Star Weekend.

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Per Haynes, Morant has been "cautious in his recovery from back spasms," which first occurred in November, and his health will be the main consideration when deciding whether he should partake in the competition.

The 20-year-old Morant went second overall in the 2019 NBA draft out of Murray State, and he has lived up to the hype. In 31 games, he is averaging 17.6 points, 6.6 assists and 3.2 rebounds while shooting an impressive 47.7 percent from the floor and 40.3 percent from beyond the arc.

Dating back to his time in college, Morant has been one of the most explosive athletes in basketball, and the fact that he packs so much athleticism and leaping ability into his 6'3", 174-pound frame makes his dunks an impressive sight.

Almost one year ago, Morant posterized UT-Martin's Quintin Dove with a dunk that was arguably among the best of the decade in college basketball:

That dunk alone generated interest in Morant eventually partaking in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest, and he has continued to leave fans in awe since making the leap to the professional level.

The past few Slam Dunk Contests have left something to be desired since there haven't been many big-name players aside from Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell and Indiana Pacers guard Victor Oladipo.

Zach LaVine's back-to-back wins in 2015-16 seemed to put the contest back on the map, especially since rising Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo was part of the event in 2015.

Giannis has since won the NBA MVP award. Morant has that type of potential, and he can help raise his profile even more if he shows off his unique skill set in the 2020 Slam Dunk Contest on Feb. 15.