Memphis Grizzlies

Point guard Tyus Jones could be headed to the Memphis Grizzlies.   

According to Malika Andrews of ESPN, agent Kevin Bradbury said the Duke product will sign a three-year, $28 million offer sheet with Memphis after he couldn't "find common ground on what his agent considered to be a fair deal."

Andrews noted the Minnesota Timberwolves now have two days to match the offer sheet.

This comes after Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported Memphis agreed to a sign-and-trade that sent Delon Wright to the Dallas Mavericks for two second-round picks. He pointed out the move helped set the course for its pursuit of Jones:

Memphis created ability to sign G Tyus Jones to offer sheet with flexibility created in sign-and-trade that allowed G Delon Wright to take similar Dallas deal. https://t.co/XDxpKUVodM

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 8, 2019

Wojnarowski and Zach Lowe reported for ESPN that Wright will join Dallas on a three-year, $29 million contract after the sign-and-trade, meaning the Grizzlies are without another capable ball-handler after agreeing to trade Mike Conley to the Utah Jazz. 

Ja Morant is the point guard of the future on Beale Street after they selected him with the No. 2 overall pick of the 2019 NBA draft, but he will need some help in the backcourt. Jones would represent just that after playing his first four seasons in Minnesota.

Jones has yet to put up sparkling numbers at the NBA level but is just 23 years old and can help Morant transition into the league if the Timberwolves decide not to match the offer. The former Blue Devils playmaker averaged 6.9 points and 4.8 assists while shooting 31.7 percent from three-point range in 2018-19.

Going after a first-round pick (Jones was selected at No. 24 overall in the 2015 draft) who is still young and has yet to consistently prove himself makes sense from Memphis' perspective, as it has shifted to a rebuild after moving on from Conley and Marc Gasol. Jones would join a young core alongside Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr.

His fate now lies in the Timberwolves' hands.

Avery Bradley has been waived by the Memphis Grizzlies following the team's acquisition of Dwight Howard on Friday, according to The Athletic's David Aldridge.

"His 2019-20 salary ($12.9M) would have been guaranteed last Thursday," Aldridge added of the Bradley move. "Memphis will have to pay Bradley his $2M guaranteed for next year. Grizz continue to get further below the cap line for more moves."

The Grizzlies traded C.J. Miles to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Howard, which saved Memphis $3.1 million, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported. Wojnarowski added, "Grizzlies will waive or trade Howard, per source."

Bradley only appeared in 14 games, all starts, for the Grizzlies after the Los Angeles Clippers traded him to Memphis in February.

Bradley is expected to have a healthy market as a free agent, as the New York Times' Marc Stein replied to Aldridge's report by saying the 28-year-old "will attract immediate interest. 

Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix underlined the guard's desirable strengths as "solid scorer, a terrific on-ball defender who will shoot mid-to-high 30 percent from three." Back on June 28, NBA reporter Michael Kaskey-Blomain identified the Philadelphia 76ers as a potential suitor, reporting the team "could look to sign Bradley if he's waived by the Grizzlies."

Bradley spent the bulk of his career with the Boston Celtics after the franchise selected him in the first round (No. 19) of the 2010 NBA draft out of Texas. His most statistically productive season came in 2016-17—his last full season in Boston—when he averaged 16.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.2 steals on 46.3 percent shooting from the field and 39 percent from three.

Last season, across 63 starts for both the Clippers and Grizzlies, Bradley averaged 16.1 points, 4.0 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 1.0 steals on 40.8 percent shooting from the field and 35.1 percent shooting from three.

Seeing as Bradley was clearly a cap casualty for the rebuilding Grizzlies, his skill set would provide value to a contending team.

The Washington Wizards have traded veteran center Dwight Howard to the Memphis Grizzlies, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.    

David Aldridge of The Athletic reported that the Grizzlies were sending C.J. Miles to the Wizards in the deal. Charania added the Grizzlies intend to waive Howard.

The 33-year-old made just nine appearances for the Wizards in 2018-19, averaging 12.8 points, 9.2 rebounds and 0.4 blocks. A lower-body injury prevented him from making his debut for the team until early November. Less than a month later, Howard underwent surgery on his back and didn't play again for the rest of the year.

Not surprisingly, he triggered his player option for 2019-20, which will pay him a little over $5.6 million.

Howard's departure from the nation's capital still felt inevitable, and the only question was whether the Wizards would buy him out of the final year of his deal or find a trade partner. 

At the time of Howard's signing last July, ownership and the front office were trying to do anything they could—with limited salary-cap space—to improve the team's playoff odds.

Fast forward to the present, and the Wizards are coming off an 11th-place finish in the Eastern Conference. John Wall could miss all of 2019-20 after undergoing Achilles surgery in February.

As much as team owner Ted Leonsis might be against the strategy, tanking is arguably Washington's best team-building approach until it's clear what kind of player Wall will be following his Achilles injury. Because of that, the Wizards had little use for an aging center on an expiring deal who's a shadow of his old self.

Unlike other experienced centers, Howard hasn't adapted his game to fit the NBA's emphasis on spacing the floor. His seven three-point attempts in 2017-18 tied a career high.

That makes his back surgery even more concerning since he spends so much of his time on the court close to the basket.

Back trouble has been an issue for Howard for a number of years and is one reason his performance slipped so quickly following his departure from the Orlando Magic in 2012.

One also balances Howard's impact on the court with his reputation inside NBA locker rooms.

Most fans remember his infamous interview with reporters in which he denied speaking to Magic ownership about getting then-head coach Stan Van Gundy fired—moments after Van Gundy told those same reporters Howard wanted him gone.

ESPN.com's Zach Lowe reported on his podcast in September 2017 some of Howard's former teammates were "screaming with jubilation" when the team traded him to the Charlotte Hornets. According to NBA TV's Brendan Haywood, the Hornets players had a similar opinion of Howard.

Just one year after trading for Dwight Howard the #Hornets are shipping him out and @bwood_33 says it has nothing to do with his ability on the court. pic.twitter.com/aQ8GYqqNsy

— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) June 20, 2018

As for Miles, he appeared in just 13 games for Memphis last season, averaging 9.3 points. He also played in 40 contests for the Toronto Raptors before heading to the Grizzlies at the trade deadline, offering just 5.5 points per night. 

The Memphis Grizzlies do not plan to buy out Andre Iguodala's contract and are instead exploring the ex-Golden State Warriors forward's trade market, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN. 

MacMahon noted the Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks are among the teams with interest in the 35-year-old veteran.

Following the departure of two-time Finals MVP Kevin Durant, Golden State agreed to trade Iguodala to Memphis on Sunday in order to create cap space and complete the sign-and-trade for All-Star guard D'Angelo Russell. Iguodala has one year and $17.2 million remaining on his contract, per Spotrac.

ESPN's Stephen A. Smith reported Monday (h/t NBC Sports Bay Area's Drew Shiller) that Iguodala was expected to pursue a buyout from the Grizzlies and planned on joining LeBron James and Anthony Davis on the Los Angeles Lakers.

Ramona Shelburne of ESPN pointed out Iguodala has a connection to the Lakers organization:

Iguodala is a former Rob Pelinka client. If his stay in Memphis is short, don’t be surprised to see Lakers get involved https://t.co/fEsUTla1xg

— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) July 1, 2019

Iguodala, of course, played a key role in the rise of the Warriors.

After signing with the team in 2013, the 2012 All-Star was a starter in his first season in the Bay but wound up accepting a reserve role—aka the "Bench Boss"—when Steve Kerr took over as head coach in 2014. That would help jumpstart a historic five-year run.

Iguodala played a key role in Golden State reaching five consecutive NBA Finals from 2015 to 2019 and winning three championships in the process. He was named Finals MVP during the first title run thanks to his defense on then-Cleveland Cavaliers superstar James.

He most recently was a member of the Warriors' iconic "Hamptons Five" small-ball lineup.

Although he has been bothered by injuries in recent years, Iguodala remained effective through the end of his Golden State tenure. He is coming off a regular season in which he averaged 5.7 points on 50.0 percent shooting, and he contributed 9.8 points per game on 49.4 percent shooting during the postseason.

Iguodala came through clutch both on offense and defense throughout the playoffs:

Andre Iguodala Game 2 dagger 🤫

Series tied at 1-1 https://t.co/b3sfvOPA1A

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 3, 2019

As the Grizzlies explore Iguodala's market, it's worth noting Houston nearly signed the veteran as a free agent back in 2017.

The Memphis Grizzlies and point guard Ja Morant, the second overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft, reached an agreement Tuesday on a rookie contract.

“We are thrilled to formally welcome Ja Morant to our organization,” Grizzlies Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Zachary Z. Kleiman said in the team release. “He is a high character individual and a unique talent. We look forward to building with Ja as we establish a dynamic team in Memphis for years to come.”

Morant emerged as a top prospect with a tremendous sophomore season at Murray State, and the Grizzlies tipped their hand about the No. 2 selection when they traded starting point guard Mike Conley to the Utah Jazz a couple days before the draft.

"Obviously, I know I have some big shoes to fill with Mike Conley, but I'm just excited," Morant told reporters. "It just makes me happy to see that Memphis has trust in me and believes in me."

The 19-year-old South Carolina native averaged 24.5 points, 10 assists, 5.7 rebounds and 1.8 steals while shooting 49.9 percent from the field, including 36.3 percent from beyond the arc, across 33 appearances for the Racers in 2018-19.

It represented a massive across-the-board increase in production from his freshman season, but the consensus first-team All-American and Division I assists leader isn't content.

"I feel like I still have room to improve on every aspect of my game," Morant said. "I'm never satisfied with anything."

Morant is immediately going to take on a spotlight role for a Grizzlies squad that otherwise lacks high-end talent during its rebuilding process.

Memphis selected Jaren Jackson Jr. with the fourth overall pick in 2018. He showed promise as a rookie by putting up 13.8 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game, but a right quad injury limited him to 58 appearances and halted his development for awhile.

The Grizzlies will hope the combination of Morant and Jackson can form the foundation for long-term success, giving the front office a chance to retool other areas of the roster.

Veteran center Jonas Valanciunas reportedly will re-sign with the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday when free agency officially begins, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.  

Per Wojnarowski, the deal is for three years and $45 million.

Valanciunas declined the $17.6 million option on his contract this offseason, though Wojnarowski reported in June that the veteran center's "primary intention" was returning to Memphis on a long-term contract.

Valanciunas played well for the Grizzlies after being dealt to the team ahead of the trade deadline in the move that sent Marc Gasol to the Toronto Raptors, averaging 19.9 points, 10.7 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in 19 games. The 27-year-old center also shot 54.5 percent from the field for the Grizzlies and 27.8 percent from three.

His ability and willingness to do the dirty work in the paint on both ends of the court should free up young big man Jaren Jackson Jr. and rookie point guard Ja Morant—the team's two future building blocks—to flourish. 

And his return solidifies a key position for the team, giving Valanciunas a home for his prime years. Memphis is probably a few seasons away from returning to postseason status, especially after moving on from veteran point guard Mike Conley Jr., but keeping a solid veteran presence like Valanciunas will help keep the team competitive. 

The Memphis Grizzlies strengthened their frontcourt depth Thursday with the addition of Gonzaga star Brandon Clarke in the 2019 NBA draft.   

Grizzlies (via Thunder) select Brandon Clarke with the No. 21 pick pic.twitter.com/E7SEzWtZ3O

— Bleacher Report NBA (@BR_NBA) June 21, 2019

The Thunder select Brandon Clarke with the No. 21 pick in the 2019 #NBADraft!

He will reportedly be headed to the @memgrizz via trade. pic.twitter.com/VJFghGh5vT

— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 21, 2019

The Oklahoma City Thunder selected Clarke with the 21st overall pick. According to ESPN.com's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Thunder traded the pick to Memphis for the No. 23 overall selection and a 2024 second-rounder.

Here's a look at where the swingman fits into Memphis' squad.

Check out B/R NBA draft expert Jonathan Wasserman’s scouting profile on Clarke. 

          

Grizzlies Active Roster and Average Salary (Expiration Year)

Avery Bradley, SG: $12.5M (2020)

Brandon Clarke, PF: $2.0M (2023)

Bruno Caboclo, SF: $1.2M (2020)

C.J. Miles, SF: $8.3M (2020)

Chandler Parsons, SF: $23.6M (2020)

Dillon Brooks, SF: $1.3M (2020)

Grayson Allen, SG: $2.3M (2022)

Ivan Rabb, PF: $1.3M (2020)

Ja Morant, PG: $7.2M (2023)

Jae Crowder, SF: $7M (2020)

Jaren Jackson Jr., PF: $6.4M (2022)

Jevon Carter, PG: $1.1M (2020)

Jonas Valanciunas, C: $16M (2020)

Julian Washburn, SG: $77K (2020)

Kyle Anderson, SF: $9.3M (2022)

Kyle Korver, SG: $7.4M (2020)

Yuta Watanabe, F: $77K (2020)

      

Free Agents

Delon Wright, PG: RFA

Joakim Noah, C: UFA

Jonas Valanciunas, C: Player

Justin Holiday, SG: UFA

Tyler Dorsey, SG: RFA

Tyler Zeller, C: UFA

    

Clarke only spent one season at Gonzaga after transferring from San Jose State. He made an immediate impact for the Zags and helped them go 30-3 before advancing to the Elite Eight of the 2019 NCAA tournament.

In 37 games, Clarke averaged 16.9 points and 8.6 rebounds while shooting 68.7 percent from the field.

His standout performance came in Gonzaga's second-round win over Baylor. He shot 15-of-18 from the field en route to scoring 36 points and finished with eight rebounds, three assists, two steals and five blocks.

Clarke's inability to stretch the floor is somewhat concerning. He was a 26.7 percent three-point shooter with Gonzaga, attempting just 15 shots from the perimeter.

Perhaps Clarke can refine his shooting game. Kawhi Leonard was famously a 25 percent shooter from three-point range in two years at San Diego State but has grown into a consistent deep threat in the NBA.

In his final big board ahead of the draft, Wasserman ranked Clarke as the 11th-best prospect and wrote the questions about his shooting shouldn't hinder his ability to carve out a role in the NBA:

"Clarke's agility, bounce and instincts translated to a 68.7 field-goal percentage, 4.5 blocks per 40 minutes and the nation's second-highest player efficiency rating behind Zion Williamson. Whether his ball skills or shooting develop or not, Clarke projects as an impact energizer just by running, jumping and reacting. However, he'll have to do so with the body of a wing: Clarke measured just 207.2 pounds and 6'8¼" with a matching wingspan."

The 2019 draft was widely viewed as top-heavy. Zion Williamson is the consensus No. 1 player by some distance, and Ja Morant is at No. 2. Then there's the rest of the class, with Clarke thrown in among that group.

Even if Clarke doesn't reach an All-Star level in the NBA, there's a lot to like about his game. He defends multiple positions, which is important with how teams are building their lineups now. He can score inside despite what is less-than-ideal size for a post player. And he's willing to crash the boards.

Perhaps Clarke's lack of shooting puts a clear ceiling on his potential. Should that prove to be the case, he'll still be a productive rotation player for years to come.

That's particularly valuable for the Grizzlies, who have Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. as their biggest building blocks and need the necessary depth to surround those two young stars.

The Memphis Grizzlies have selected Brandon Clarke with the 21st pick in the 2019 NBA draft. Memphis acquired the selection Thursday from Oklahoma City in exchange for this year's 23rd pick and a 2024 second-round selection.

From San Jose State to Gonzaga to the first round of the NBA draft, Clarke's rise was unexpected. But it was well-deserved, considering his transformation into one of college basketball's most disruptive defenders and efficient producers, having finished second in the nation in player efficiency rating behind Zion Williamson. 

           

Quick hitters

Size: 6'8"

Weight: 208.7 lbs

Wingspan: 6'8¼"

Reach: 8'6"

Pro comparison: Larry Nance Jr.

       

Offensive strengths

A quick-twitch athlete with bounce, Clarke averaged 24.1 points per 40 minutes and shot 68.7 percent from the field. He's an easy-basket weapon in transition (90th percentile), off cuts (82nd percentile), on putbacks (98th percentile) and as the roll man (78th percentile). Clarke also showed some driving ability from the wing, having converted 9-of-13 takes to the rim out of spot-ups. He isn't a high-skill player, but Clarke has touch in the post, where he shot 60.9 percent.

      

Offensive weaknesses

At 208.7 pounds and 6'8" with a matching wingspan, Clarke measures more like a wing than the power forward or center he projects as. Lacking size, muscle and length, Clarke also lacks shooting ability, having shot 4-of-15 from three and 69.4 percent from the free-throw line as a 22-year-old. Though efficient playing to his athletic strengths, he isn't a high-level shot-creator, either. Coaches won't be running plays through him.

              

Defensive outlook

Clarke's nose for the ball, explosion and fearlessness translated to 4.5 blocks per 40 minutes. He's an active playmaker, both at the rim and in passing lanes (1.7 steals per 40). Clarke also moves well enough to switch and guard small forwards.  There is a decent chance he holds more value on defense than offense.

           

Rookie-year projection

Clarke should emerge as an impact rookie, capable of making things happen just by tapping into his athleticism, instincts and effort. He'll be used to come off the bench and give the lineup a shot of defensive activity. Offensively, he'll take what opponents give him and play to his strength as a finisher. 

           

Projected role: Elite energizer 

The best-case projection for Clarke shows him developing into one of the game's most valued energizers. Worst case, he's a defensive specialist. Either way, his role will continue to focus on making effort plays fueled by his wheels, leaping ability, reads and reaction working off the ball. Any face-up moves he can pull off or jump shots he winds up making would be a bonus.

            

Stats courtesy of Synergy Sports, Sports Reference.

Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant, who went second overall in the 2019 NBA draft on Thursday, told reporters that he will not participate in summer-league action.

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN wrote on June 1 that Morant was scheduled to have a "minor arthroscopic procedure" on his right knee on June 3. Recovery time was expected to be three to four weeks.

Morant confirmed on Twitter that the surgery was successful.

Summer-league action in Las Vegas, where all 30 teams will be represented, is slated to begin July 5.

Morant told reporters on Wednesday his knee didn't hurt and that he expected to play in Las Vegas, but plans have since changed.

Although Morant should be 100 percent by July 5 given Wojnarowski's estimated recovery timeline, there's no need for the Grizzlies to risk further injury for their new franchise player.

Morant should immediately start at point guard for Memphis, who traded 12-year veteran Mike Conley to the Utah Jazz. With the season beginning in October, Morant has plenty of time to get well before he takes the floor for meaningful games.

The former Murray State star posted 24.5 points on 49.9 percent shooting, 10.0 assists and 5.7 rebounds for the Racers during his sophomore season. He joins a rebuilding Grizzlies team whose future is based around an exciting core of Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., who averaged 13.8 points on 50.6 percent shooting last season after being drafted fourth overall in 2018.

The Memphis Grizzlies found their point guard of the future Thursday, selecting Murray State's Ja Morant with the second overall pick of the 2019 NBA draft.

The Ja Morant Show is headed to Memphis 😤

(➡️@marriottbonvoy) https://t.co/ndOsnZw9UO

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 20, 2019

The 19-year-old is the first player since Derrick Rose (2008) to not attend a Power Five conference school and go in the top two. 

Check out B/R NBA draft expert Jonathan Wasserman’s scouting profile on Morant. 

         

Grizzlies Active Roster and Average Salary (Expiration Year)

Avery Bradley, SG: $12.5M (2020)

Bruno Caboclo, SF: $1.2M (2020)

C.J. Miles, SF: $8.3M (2020)

Chandler Parsons, SF: $23.6M (2020)

Dillon Brooks, SF: $1.3M (2020)

Grayson Allen, SG: $2.3M (2022)

Ivan Rabb, PF: $1.3M (2020)

Jae Crowder, SF: $7M (2020)

Jaren Jackson Jr., PF: $6.4M (2022)

Jevon Carter, PG: $1.1M (2020)

Jonas Valanciunas, C: $16M (2020)

Julian Washburn, SG: $77K (2020)

Kyle Anderson, SF: $9.3M (2022)

Kyle Korver, SG: $7.4M (2020)

Yuta Watanabe, F: $77K (2020)

Ja Morant, PG: $7.6 million (2023)

        

Free Agents

Delon Wright, PG: RFA

Joakim Noah, C: UFA

Jonas Valanciunas, C: Player, reportedly opting out

Justin Holiday, SG: UFA

Tyler Dorsey, SG: RFA

Tyler Zeller, C: UFA

Yuta Watanabe, F: RFA

        

Although Rose and Morant share that fun fact, their two respective journeys are anything but similar.

Whereas Rose was one of the nation's top recruits when he chose to play for John Calipari at Memphis, Morant was almost completely unheralded. He did not have a star rating from any major recruiting service and was discovered by accident by a member of Murray State's coaching staff.

In an era when youth basketball is pored over obsessively, Morant is a true rarity: a diamond who slipped through all of the cracks.

He quickly blossomed at Murray State, earning first-team All-OVC honors as a freshman before ascending to superstardom last season. He became the first player in NCAA history to average 20 points and 10 assists in a season and was named a finalist for every major Player of the Year honor, losing out to Zion Williamson.

"I just play with this chip on my shoulder coming from being under the radar in high school and stuff. That's my mentality, just a killer mentality," Morant told Steve Serby of the New York Post.

Morant had a star-cementing performance during the 2019 NCAA tournament, posting 17 points, 16 assists and 11 rebounds in a first-round upset of Marquette. He is one of only eight players in NCAA tournament history to record a triple-double.

Morant will now take over a point guard spot in Memphis that Mike Conley occupied for the last 12 seasons.

Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic reported Wednesday that the Grizzlies are trading Conley to the Utah Jazz. Memphis is handing the keys to its offense over to Morant, who seemed ready to embrace any market after the draft lottery.

"I feel like Conley is a great player. We still know don't where I'll land until [Thursday] night," Morant said on SportsCenter upon hearing the Conley news. "But I will just continue to say that wherever I go, I'll be happy and try to come in and make an immediate impact."

      

Salary info via Spotrac.