Memphis Grizzlies

The Memphis Grizzlies will be celebrating their 25th anniversary in style during the 2019-20 season.

Memphis used Throwback Thursday to announce that it will be commemorating the occasion by bringing back the popular Vancouver Grizzlies uniform and using the iconic logo for the court as well:

🔥🔥🔥 The #ThrowbackThursday you’ve been waiting for 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/xK0QMwNosQ

— Memphis Grizzlies (@memgrizz) August 1, 2019

2 Eras. 1 Court.🐻🏀 pic.twitter.com/uJ743SzAhX

— Memphis Grizzlies (@memgrizz) August 1, 2019

Vintage Drip 💧🐻

👕: https://t.co/os5qgELJo2 pic.twitter.com/5tWiYLoi8g

— Memphis Grizzlies (@memgrizz) August 2, 2019

Grizzlies team president Jason Wexler said of the decision:

"The opportunity to connect the history of our franchise over two consecutive seasons deserved a special approach. It was an easy decision to bring back the iconic teal uniforms for the upcoming 25th Season of the Franchise and give our fans the classic look from the Vancouver era that they love. Looking ahead to next season, we get to celebrate the 20th Season of the Grizzlies in Memphis with the Memphis Classic uniform, worn when the team first moved to Grind City.

"However, we wanted to go even further to enhance the in-game experience for our fans with an alternate court that celebrates and connects the best of both eras. From the black base and two-toned hardwood to the asymmetry that gives nods to our current design, this floor includes elements from every Grizzlies floor featured in both the Vancouver and early Memphis eras while bridging the past with the present.”

The teal-based uniforms were part of the Grizzlies' inaugural season in 1995 and were worn until 2000. The black-based uniforms initially featured "Vancouver" across the chest in 2000-01, but the team tweaked the wordmark to display "Memphis" when the team moved to Tennessee in 2001. The threads were last part of the regular rotation in 2004.

The black uniforms will be worn during the 2020-21 campaign, which will mark the franchise's 20th season in Memphis.

Memphis will use the specially designed court throughout both commemorative seasons.

Memphis Grizzlies forward Josh Jackson reached a plea deal with prosecutors in his resisting arrest case, which will result in all charges being dropped. 

The Miami State Attorney's Office told TMZ Sports Jackson will enter into a pre-trial diversion program in exchange for dropping the misdemeanor charge, which stemmed from him fleeing police at the Rolling Loud Music Festival in Miami in May. 

The state attorney previously dropped a felony charge of escape. 

Jackson allegedly attempted to enter the VIP area without credentials on multiple occasions and refused to leave the area, leading to him being arrested. He then attempted to flee officers at the event before being subdued. 

The 2017 first-round pick later posted $10,000 bond and was released.

The Phoenix Suns traded Jackson to Memphis earlier this summer after two disappointing seasons. Jackson averaged 11.5 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.3 assists on 41.3 percent shooting in 2018-19. ESPN's RPM ranked him as the 479th-best player in basketball last season.

Jackson has not commented on the incident. He was previously arrested in 2017 at Kansas on vandalism charges and entered a diversion program there as well. 

Brandon Clarke cleaned up in Las Vegas, earning the NBA Summer League championship game MVP following the Memphis Grizzlies' 95-92 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday.  

Clarke finished with 15 points, 16 rebounds, four assists and three blocks in the win. He shot 4-of-9 from the floor and 6-of-7 from the charity stripe while connecting on his only three-point attempt.

Brandon Clarke balled out yet again as the @memgrizz claimed the #NBASummer League crown! 🐻

📊: 15 PTS | 16 REB | 4 AST pic.twitter.com/YSeBpxYBIs

— NBA TV (@NBATV) July 16, 2019

Grizzlies fans didn't get to see No. 2 overall pick Ja Morant suit up in the summer league after he underwent an arthroscopic procedure on his knee in June.

In Morant's absence, Clarke stepped up and was by far the best player in Vegas. In addition to being honored for his performance in the title game, the former Gonzaga star was named MVP for the event as a whole earlier in the day:

🏆 @NBASummerLeague MVP
🏆 @memgrizz champs
🏆 Championship Game MVP

What an #NBASummer for @brandonclarke23! pic.twitter.com/rQauYoW8Ue

— NBA (@NBA) July 16, 2019

There's always the danger of reading too much into summer league. A lot of the players involved won't go on to have lengthy NBA careers (if they get to the Association at all), so the level of competition isn't very high. Compounding matters, Morant was one of many notable rookies who saw limited action or didn't play at all for injury concerns or load management.

In Clarke's case, it's too early to make him the 2020 Rookie of the Year favorite, but he showed why he can become an immediate contributor for Memphis. He exited Monday averaging 14.7 points and 9.8 rebounds in the team's six games:

Congrats to your Bright Future Grizzlies, @ChrisVernonShow! What a core with Jaren Jackson, Ja Morant, and the steal of the 2019 NBA draft: Brandon Clarke.

— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) July 16, 2019

Following a seven-year stretch in which they were a playoff team, the Grizzlies won a combined 55 games over the past two seasons. They traded Marc Gasol to the Toronto Raptors in February and sent Mike Conley to the Utah Jazz in June.

The franchise is staring at a lengthy rebuild as it looks to return to the heights of the Grit-and-Grind era. In Clarke, the fanbase now has one reason to think there's a light at the end of the tunnel.

Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke has been named the Most Valuable Player of the 2019 Las Vegas Summer League, the NBA announced Monday. 

Clarke has appeared in five games, averaging 14.6 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, including his 23 points and 14 rebounds in Sunday's overtime win over the New Orleans Pelicans.

https://twitter.com/memgrizz/status/1150877629802635264

The Grizzlies are 5-1 so far in Vegas and will take on the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Summer League final Monday night.

This run is even more impressive considering second overall pick Ja Morant wasn't on the roster.

Clarke, the No. 21 overall pick in the 2019 draft, enters the league with high expectations after a breakout 2018-19 season with Gonzaga. He will join Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr. and others in a promising young core for Memphis.

Meanwhile, the Grizzlies also have other previous Summer League MVPs on the roster, including Kyle Anderson (2015) and Jonas Valanciunas (2013).

This award has been somewhat of a mixed bag in recent years between future stars and flash-in-the-pan prospects.

John Wall (2010) and Blake Griffin (2009) were both named MVP of the Summer League, while Damian Lillard was named co-MVP in 2012. On the other hand, Josh Selby was the other co-MVP that season, while Glen Rice Jr. (2014) also had a forgettable NBA career.

The Los Angeles Lakers had back-to-back winners the past two years in Josh Hart and Lonzo Ball, but now both are with the New Orleans Pelicans.

Memphis will hope Clarke can continue the type of production he showed over the past couple of weeks.

The No. 3 Minnesota Timberwolves will go head-to-head with the No. 8 Memphis Grizzlies for the NBA Summer League title crown in Las Vegas. The matchup will feature at least one player we can expect to see on the court in the upcoming regular season.

Grizzlies guard Ja Morant didn't suit up for summer-league action, but Memphis saw another rookie first-rounder shine in Vegas.

Brandon Clarke picked up where he left off with Gonzaga, displaying an appetite for physical play and his defensive prowess. The former Bulldog has recorded double-doubles with a game-winning basket over the last two contests. 

Memphis won't be able to pinpoint the Timberwolves' scoring leader with several contributors in the rotation. Josh Okogie, who's more of defensive presence, remains questionable for the championship matchup with a shin injury.

In the big picture, the upstart talent on both teams will have one more opportunity to show their respective coaching staffs why they deserve a spot or more minutes with the main roster for the 2019-20 season.

Take a look at the viewing information for Monday's contest to catch the tipoff and the rise of a new summer-league champion.

        

Viewing Information 

Date: Monday, July 15  

Time: 9 p.m. ET 

TV: ESPN2

             

Predictions

Four Timberwolves Finish with Double-Digit Scoring Totals

We should see widespread scoring contributions from Minnesota's deep rotation whether Okogie suits up or not. Naz Reid has been a solid playmaker in Vegas, but this squad doesn't feature a short list of players. The Timberwolves' group effort has put them in this position.

Going into Monday's contest, six Timberwolves are averaging at least 10 points per contest. Reid will have a tough battle on the interior with Clarke, but he can step behind the three-point line to knock down shots. 

Mitchell Creek has scored at least 10 points in four consecutive games. Kelan Martin shot 50 percent from the field through six outings. If Okogie sits out, he'll likely play enough minutes to make a significant impact. Jordan McLaughlin, Minnesota's lead distributor with 5.3 assists per game, will have enough opportunities to create his own shot.

The Timberwolves will play to their strength, moving the ball around for open looks at the basket to rebound from a poor shooting night (33.3 percent) against the Brooklyn Nets. As a result, at least four of their players should easily reach the 10-point mark.

        

Brandon Clarke Shines, Logs Game-High 25 Points 

Clarke's summer-league showing probably helped him cement a spot in the regular-season rotation for the upcoming campaign.

He provides a strong presence on the boards and challenges penetrators at the rim. The 22-year-old averaged 14.6 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks while converting on 57 percent of his shot attempts through five games. 

With Tyler Harvey on the outside, Clarke will make his contributions in the paint, and the Timberwolves must account for his physicality. He's going to finish his summer with a third consecutive double-double performance. 

As a scorer, Clarke's teammates can dump the ball to him on the inside or find the athletic 6'8", 215-pounder rolling to the hoop for an easy bucket. The latter method worked to seal an overtime victory Sunday against the New Orleans Pelicans: 

Brandon Clarke's (23p/14r) DOUBLE PUMP DUNK gives the @memgrizz the lead for good in OT! #NBASummer pic.twitter.com/oDujSrsRTS

— NBA (@NBA) July 14, 2019

The Grizzlies may have two rookie first-round gems in Morant (No. 2 overall) and Clarke (No. 21 overall) who can crack the lineup for significant minutes in the 2019-20 season.

             

Minnesota Timberwolves Win 2019 Summer League Championship 

Offensively, the Timberwolves will give the Grizzlies more than they can handle Monday. Minnesota can spread the floor and pick apart a defense—six of their players knocked down a three-pointer Sunday.

When going to the basket, Minnesota can take advantage of extra scoring opportunities. The club has shot 41-of-47 from the free-throw line over the last two outings. 

The Grizzlies would need a stellar shooting night from Harvey to compete with the Timberwolves' firepower. Although he saved Memphis with a long three Sunday against the Pelicans, the 25-year-old is only converting on 42 percent of his field-goal attempts. 

Bruno Caboclo has gone cold from long distance over the last two games, shooting just 2-of-13 from three-point land—his recent slump firing beyond the arc causes some concern for the supporting cast around Harvey and Clarke.

The Grizzlies can't expect Clarke to put the team on his back in the title game with two-pointers. The Timberwolves will become 2019 Summer League champions.

     

Prediction: Timberwolves 94, Grizzlies 83

The 2019 NBA Summer League championship game will feature the No. 3 Minnesota Timberwolves and No. 8 Memphis Grizzlies—two squads that reached this point without their top-five draft picks.

Following what was deemed a "minor" knee surgery to remove a loose body, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Memphis opted to sit No. 2 overall pick Ja Morant in Las Vegas. Minnesota chose to leave Jarrett Culver off the summer league lineup. 

Nonetheless, both teams have watched upstart players leave strong impressions in tournament play and over the last week. 

The Grizzlies went through a couple of tough battles in the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds, needing overtime to beat the New Orleans Pelicans Sunday. The Timberwolves dominated their last two opponents with double-digit victories in each contest.

Two players have emerged as an inside-outside duo in Memphis, leading the charge for the club in recent outings. They'll face a Minnesota squad that's deep with multiple contributors chipping into their latest victories. 

Check out the viewing information below to tune into the action Monday. We'll also break down the contenders for the 2019 summer league title.

       

Viewing Information

Date: Monday, July 15 

Time: 9 p.m. ET 

TV: ESPN2

       

Championship Preview 

Brandon Clarke and Tyler Harvey have played major roles in the Grizzlies' path to the summer-league championship game. They were the team's lead scorers in the first two rounds.

Clarke slammed the game-winning bucket on an assist from Keenan Evans, but Harvey kept the Grizzlies alive with a deep three-pointer late in regulation to tie the game at 81:

🚨 TYLER HARVEY SENDS IT TO OT 🚨@EWUMBB ↗️ @MemphisHustle ➡️ @memgrizz #GLeagueAlum @YoungTRaaw pic.twitter.com/2fYopWbO0u

— NBA G League (@nbagleague) July 14, 2019

Harvey shot 3-of-8 from beyond the arc against the Pelicans Sunday and essentially closed the door on their championship bid. He's displayed his range while in Vegas. The Nets must run him off the three-point line Monday, forcing the Grizzlies' summer sharpshooter to pass or work for his buckets.

We saw Clarke dominate games from the interior at San Jose State and Gonzaga through his collegiate years, and he's provided much of the same with Grizzlies. The No. 21 overall pick in this year's draft logged consecutive double-doubles and led Memphis in scoring (23 points) Sunday. 

Clarke also takes pride in his defensive effort; he's swatted four shots over the last two outings. The 22-year-old will bring more grit to Memphis in the coming seasons. 

Minnesota sat Josh Okogie for Sunday's contest because of a shin contusion—it's unclear if he'll suit up for the championship game. Based on the Timberwolves' performance against the Brooklyn Nets, they won't need his defensive presence.

Naz Reid went undrafted out of LSU, but he signed a two-way contract with the Timberwolves and flashed his best in Vegas. The 6'10", 250-pound big man led Minnesota in scoring Sunday, logging 20 points, six rebounds and three blocks.

Reid stood out, but he had some help from Mitchell Creek and Jordan McLaughlin who combined for 5-of-10 shooting from three-point range. 

The Grizzlies cannot focus on just a couple of players in the upcoming contest. Kelan Martin had a strong 23-point outing vs. the Dallas Mavericks Saturday with Barry Brown Jr. and Jordan Murphy combining for 26 points. 

Offensively, Minnesota's group will attack from all angles with multiple shooters and slashers to the basket. If Okogie suits up, Harvey may have a difficult time finding open looks. Perhaps Evans provides a lift in scoring to go along with his ball distribution for a dynamic performance.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Grayson Allen was ejected from Thursday night's NBA Las Vegas Summer League contest against the Boston Celtics after committing a pair of flagrant fouls during a seven-second span.  

Late in the second quarter, Allen was given a technical foul for setting a hard offensive screen against Boston guard Max Strus. That would not be the last of his, um, physical play on this night, though.

At the 9:19 mark in the fourth quarter, Allen got called for a flagrant foul after delivering a shove to the upper body of Celtics forward Grant Williams. And when play resumed after the free throw, Allen took a hard swipe at a driving Williams, leading to an early exit:

Grayson Allen was ejected after a flagrant foul for taking a swipe at Grant Williams. Allen was also called for a technical foul earlier in the game.#NBASummer pic.twitter.com/H87mCHAyzk

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 12, 2019

Of course, given Allen's controversial tenure at Duke, the second-year guard's actions created an all-too-familiar feeling:

Grayson Allen just got tossed for picking up his second flagrant. Crowd singing "nah nah nah nah say goodbye."

— Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) July 12, 2019

And Grayson Allen picks up his second flagrant. He’s ejected. Just the full Grayson Allen experience.

— Tom Westerholm (@Tom_NBA) July 12, 2019

Grayson Allen was just ejected after a flagrant foul. Why does that sound familiar?#NBASummer

— Mark Anderson (@markanderson65) July 12, 2019

https://twitter.com/peteredmiston/status/1149528049022431233

Allen finished with three points on 1-of-8 shooting, including 1-of-6 from three-point range. He recorded a minus-28 plus-minus in 19 minutes of action.

The Minnesota Timberwolves will reportedly not match the Memphis Grizzlies' three-year, $28 million offer sheet for restricted free agent point guard Tyus Jones, cementing the 23-year-old's move to Tennessee.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the news on Jones, who averaged 6.9 points, 4.8 assists and 1.2 steals in 22.9 minutes per game last season. He also finished 17th among 99 qualified point guards in defensive real plus-minus, according to ESPN.

The ex-Duke Blue Devil played 68 games in 2018-19, starting 23.

Jones clearly fared well in a Minnesota uniform, and the team doesn't have a long-term solution at point guard with 31-year-old Jeff Teague entering the final year of his contract.

However, Wojnarowski provided a reason for why the Timberwolves decided to move on:

Among reasons for not matching on Jones: Minnesota is pursuing max cap space in 2020 free agency. Without space this summer, Wolves were a finalist for D’Angelo Russell. They’ll work to get back into market with real flexibility next year. https://t.co/5bh2fSn5Sz

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 10, 2019

As for the Grizzlies and their new addition, Synergy Basketball offered high praise for the guard's offensive work, most notably his assist-to-turnover ratio:

Tyus Jones ranked in the 99th percentile in offense efficiency this season after adjusting for the value of his passing. His 6.7 assist-to-turnover ratio in the half court and 8.0 in transition ranked 1st and 2nd in the NBA respectively.

— Synergy Basketball (@SynergySST) July 8, 2019

He should get more opportunities to showcase that efficiency in Memphis alongside No. 2 overall pick Ja Morant, per NBA writer Sean Deveney:

Sources tell me Tyus Jones is "excited" about moving on from Timberwolves to Grizzlies, who envision him playing with Ja Morant, not strictly as a backup. Minn has 3 days to match 3 yr, $29 mil deal that puts them near tax. Jones wants to help establish winning culture in Memphis

— Sean Deveney (@SeanDeveney) July 8, 2019

Peter Edmiston of The Athletic also did a deep dive:

"His sterling [assist-to-turnover ratio] somehow improved as a starter, with Jones totaling 176 assists and just 24 turnovers (7.3-1) in his 23 games playing a starting role for the Wolves. Over the team’s final seven games, Jones dished out 57 assists while committing just three turnovers (19-1). Avoiding turnovers and passing accurately are extraordinarily crucial for a team that will play at tempo and with inexperienced young players. Jones serves that purpose with aplomb and with a tidiness that belies his tender age. It would serve as a nice counter-balance to Morant, who had a tendency to commit turnovers by the bunch in college."

Overall, Edmiston seems bullish on Jones' place in the Memphis lineup:

https://twitter.com/peteredmiston/status/1148810191875575808

The move to Jones indicates a parting of ways with combo guard Delon Wright, formerly of the Toronto Raptors prior to a 2018-19 midseason trade.

Grizzlies basically decided they’d rather have Tyus Jones and two second-round picks than Delon Wright. https://t.co/R2tnDMF8DU

— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) July 8, 2019

However, David Cobb of the Commercial Appeal mentioned that the Grizz need Jones to play off-ball like Wright, or else the team is simply investing in a backup point guard:

Can Tyus Jones play off the ball in the same way Delon Wright did? Or can Ja Morant play off the ball if Jones is at point?

We might find out. Otherwise, the Grizzlies are making a significant investment in a backup PG.https://t.co/stSo8Ibvq1

— David Cobb (@DavidWCobb) July 10, 2019

On the more pessimistic side, Jones is a career 41.9 percent shooter, including just 33.3 percent from three-point range. His scoring ability is a legitimate concern after four seasons in the league.

However, that's not why Jones is on the roster. Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. figure to carry the scoring burden for the immediate future, with Jones asked to continue his largely mistake-free offensive game and stellar defensive work.

Plus, Memphis is playing with house money next year as the team looks to develop its young talent and work toward a brighter future after missing the playoffs the last two seasons. Overall, Jones looks like a smart addition at first glance.

As he prepares to likely open his fifth straight NBA season with a different team, Dwight Howard is prepared to drastically alter his game.

In an interview with Stadium and The Athletic's Shams Charania, Howard explained how he was inspired by Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green:

"I want to be whatever a team needs me to be. I've played in every situation so far. I used to really hate how Draymond plays, but what I noticed watching him during these playoffs was that he does everything for the team.

"He's everywhere. He'll get a tech, he'll take a charge, he'll be everywhere on defense. He's talking. He does everything. It doesn't show up in the stat sheet, but it shows up in the mind of everyone watching. I want to be that person."

Howard also said his ego is "dead" and that "it had to die for me to be who I am."

It would be easier to get behind a redemption narrative around the eight-time All-Star (last selected in 2014) if hadn't already unsuccessfully tried to turn his career around.

The 33-year-old spoke at length with Sports Illustrated's Lee Jenkins in September 2017 after his trade to the Charlotte Hornets, owning up to his immaturity and the mistakes he made with the Orlando Magic, with whom he played his first eight seasons.

The Washington Post's Candace Buckner wrote last August how his trainers were trying to enable him to play into his 40s by "building a more modern, intellectually and structurally sound version of him—Dwight 2.0." One of Howard's trainers added he hoped to become a version of Anthony Davis or Kevin Durant.

NBA fans know how this has all played out.

The Hornets traded Howard to the Brooklyn Nets following the 2017-18 season, and he subsequently signed with the Washington Wizards as a free agent. He spent one year in the nation's capital before the Wizards traded him to the Memphis Grizzlies.

Identifying the need to adapt is all well and good. Howard's rapid decline correlates directly with the NBA's shift away from traditional centers.

The problem is he seems incapable of making the necessary changes to his game. At a time when Brook Lopez, Marc Gasol and DeMarcus Cousins are attempting to stretch the floor, Howard isn't doing that.

The Atlanta native has nine three-point attempts over the past three seasons, and a little over 64 percent of his shots came within three feet of the rim during that time, per Basketball Reference.

Howard turns 34 in December and has spent 15 years in the NBA after being the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2004. Chances are that he's too far gone to be a demonstrably different player than he has been for the entirety of his career.

The Memphis Grizzlies "aren't planning to keep" Dwight Howard after acquiring the eight-time All-Star from the Washington Wizards last week, according to Omari Sankofa II of The Athletic.

Sankofa noted the trade was purely a "money-saving maneuver." According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Memphis saved $3.1 million by swapping CJ Miles for Howard, who is expected to be either traded or waived.

Howard exercised his $5.6 million player option for 2019-20.

The 33-year-old is coming off a season in which he appeared in only nine games for Washington due to injury, missing the first seven games of the season as well as the final 66. He underwent spinal surgery to relieve pain in his glutes in November 2018. 

He averaged 12.8 points and 9.2 rebounds in his limited time on the court for the Wizards.

After spending the first eight seasons of his career with the Orlando Magic, Howard has spent the latter part of his career changing uniforms with great frequency. He has suited up for a different team in each of the past four seasons, with the Grizzlies being his fifth organization since 2016.

While Howard may not be at the same level he was at during his prime, he has proved to still be productive when healthy in recent years. He averaged 16.6 points, 12.5 rebounds and 1.6 blocks for the Charlotte Hornets in 2017-18, appearing in 81 games that season.