Memphis Grizzlies

The Memphis Grizzlies have selected Ja Morant with the No. 2 pick in the 2019 NBA draft. 

The explosive point guard flew below the radar as a freshman at Murray State, but he made himself impossible to miss this past season. As a sophomore, Morant became the only NCAA player in at least 25 years to average at least 20 points and 10 assists. As eye-opening as his stats were, Morant's flashes of athleticism and ball skills led Memphis to rank him as the draft's best prospect behind Zion Williamson.

      

Quick hitters

Size: 6'3"

Weight: 175 pounds

Wingspan: 

Reach: 

Pro player comparison: De'Aaron Fox

      

Offensive strengths

Morant led the country in both assists and transition points, which is a tribute to his vision and speed with the ball. He's shifty off the dribble, is an explosive two-foot leaper in the paint and is a high-level passer using either hand. He projects as an elite setup man, although he also averaged 24.5 points mostly by creating open-floor scoring chances and driving to the basket. Morant did make progress this year with his jump shot, doubling his three-point total to 57 makes in 33 games, but shooting remains a key swing skill he'll need to keep improving.

      

Offensive weaknesses

Morant's 1.9 threes per 40 minutes and 32.1 percent mark on pull-ups suggest he still has room to develop his jumper. He doesn't generate much elevation, and his release is on the low side. He made two mid-range jump shots all season. Morant also averaged 5.2 turnovers per game, as he was unable to resist the urge to make high-risk plays. He became careless with his dribble and decisions at times, too. 

      

Defensive outlook

Morant's quickness and athleticism translated to exciting defensive playmaking. He averaged 1.9 steals per 40 minutes and blocked 27 shots, an impressive number for a point guard. But at 175 pounds, he was easy to eliminate with ball screens. His effort died too easily when he fought through picks, and he wasn't always focused defending away from the ball.

      

Rookie-year projection

If the Grizzlies give Morant the keys to their offense early, he'll be a threat to challenge for the top five in assists as a rookie. His special ability to break down defenses and find the open man should carry right over in the NBA, particularly with better teammates compared to Murray State. However, he won't be able to slice to the rim as easily, and his scoring efficiency is bound to take a hit without a reliable jump shot. 

      

Projected role: Quality NBA starter/All-Star potential

Morant moves like De'Aaron Fox and distributes like Trae Young and Rajon Rondo. Whether he reaches All-Star status will come down to his shooting development, which will affect his scoring upside. At worst, he'll settle into the league as a middle-tier starter among point guards, valued for the pressure he puts on defenses and his signature playmaking. At best, he'll follow in Russell Westbrook's footsteps, becoming dangerous around the perimeter and emerging as one of the game's most dynamic offensive players.

      

Stats courtesy of Synergy Sports and Sports Reference.

Veteran sharpshooter Kyle Korver intends to play the 2019-20 NBA season and could continue through 2021, according to the New York Times' Marc Stein.

Korver is under contract for one more season, with $3.4 million of his $7.5 million salary fully guaranteed. Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported the 38-year-old is part of the Utah Jazz's trade package to land Memphis Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley.

The Grizzlies traded Marc Gasol to the Toronto Raptors in February, so Conley's departure definitively brings the end of an era to Memphis. With the team clearly in rebuilding mode, Korver has limited value as a member of the roster.

The 38-year-old could potentially be a veteran mentor to the Grizzlies' younger players, but Memphis will presumably cash in on him as a trade asset or waive him outright to save money.

In his last three seasons with the Jazz and Cleveland Cavaliers, Korver averaged 8.6 points and shot 39.7 percent from beyond the arc. His ability to stretch the floor will make him an attractive addition to any team with playoff aspirations in the upcoming season.

The 6'7" wing player will be particularly enticing for teams with limited salary-cap space, with the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers as two obvious options.

The Rockets are $16.2 million over the cap, with the Houston Chronicle's Brian T. Smith reporting the team is expected to chase Jimmy Butler in free agency. Even if they fall short in landing Butler, the Rockets will have to make every dollar count as they strengthen their roster this summer.

Likewise, ESPN.com's Adrian Wojnarowski and Bobby Marks reported the Lakers are doing everything they can to create enough space to accommodate a max contract after agreeing to a trade for Anthony Davis. Los Angeles will little money left over to add depth if it succeeds in finding a third star.

Whatever Korver's future holds, it seems likely he'll start the 2019-20 season on a team that isn't Memphis.

The Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers and Utah Jazz are among the teams interested in Memphis Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley, according to The Athletic's Jordan Brenner.

Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported Monday that the Grizzlies are "intensifying talks" on Conley, with the Jazz viewed as a "front-runner."

Woj on what a potential Mike Conley to Utah deal may look like: “It would’ve been easier when Ricky Rubio was under contract during the season. I’m not sure it’s a player. I think picks would be key in a deal there. Utah’s got options. One of them is bringing Ricky Rubio back.”

— 929ESPN (@929espn) June 17, 2019

Conley drew interest before the Feb. 7 trade deadline earlier this year. However, with Utah firmly in the mix at the time, ESPN's Brian Windhorst and the New York Times' Marc Stein reported that the veteran was not interested in playing in Salt Lake City:

Have heard the same as Windy: There is reluctance on Conley's part to go to Utah. That said ... this is not the first time that the Jazz have heard that. Conley is owed $66 million over the next two seasons. If Utah and Memphis came to terms, Conley would have to go ... https://t.co/g4OVNcRkQ1

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 6, 2019

That came after Conley said in January that he wants to retire with the Grizzlies, per David Cobb of the Memphis Commercial Appeal:

"When I signed back a couple years ago, that's a thought that goes through your head that, 'man, I could play in the same place for 14 or 15 years. That'd be awesome, and hopefully retire one day as a Grizzly. You also understand that in three, four years a lot can happen and a lot can change. Memphis is all I know. This is my home. I love everybody here and my teammates and the organization. I don't know any better. This is new grounds for me, so we'll just see how it plays out."

That said, the 31-year-old understands trades are in the NBA's nature.

"It's where we're at, I guess," he added, per Cobb. "It's part of the business."

After a heel injury limited Conley to 12 games in 2017-18, he responded with one of his best performances. The 12-year veteran established a new career high in scoring (21.1 ppg) while adding 6.4 assists and 1.3 steals per game. He shot 36.4 percent from beyond the arc this past season and is a career 37.5-percent shooter from distance.

Conley is the Grizzlies' all-time leading scorer with 11,733 career points.

He is owed $32.5 million next season and has a $34.5 million option for 2020-21.

Jonas Valanciunas will become an unrestricted free agent after he decided to opt out of the final year of his contract, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Thursday.  

The decision does not mean the big man's time in Memphis is over, though. Wojnarowski noted Valanciunas' "primary intention" will be to negotiate a new deal to return to the Grizzlies.

But until he signs on the dotted line, he will now be free to explore his market.

Valanciunas' decision is a bit of a surprise, as he would've earned roughly $17.6 million in 2019-20. Matching that salary will be difficult on the open market, although he can earn more long-term security.

Valanciunas ended this past season with the Memphis Grizzlies, who acquired him at the trade deadline in a package from the Toronto Raptors for Marc Gasol.

Between his time with the Raptors and Grizzlies, he appeared in only 49 games, as he missed time because of a thumb surgery and a sprained right ankle. He averaged 15.6 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in only 22.3 minutes per game.

For his career, he's averaging 17.3 points, 12.2 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per 36 minutes, according to Basketball Reference. He's a consistent scorer and rebounder inside, and the general perception of his game would've been far different 10 or 20 years ago when traditional centers were more in vogue.

Valanciunas has obvious limitations. He can be a liability on defense when opponents switch him onto more athletic guards and forwards, and he has yet to develop a consistent long-range jumper. Over the past two seasons, the seven-year veteran shot 44-of-122 (36.1 percent) on three-pointers.

Any team looking to add Valanciunas will be well aware of his flaws and thus have a good idea how to mask them when he's on the floor.

The question is what kind of market will materialize when free agency officially opens.

By opting out, Valanciunas is joining a number of experienced centers who are hitting free agency as well. Nikola Vucevic, DeMarcus Cousins, DeAndre Jordan, Brook Lopez and Enes Kanter are all unrestricted free agents, while Marc Gasol and Al Horford have player options. Willie Cauley-Stein is a restricted free agent, so the Sacramento Kings can match any offer sheet he receives.

Of that group, Valanciunas is definitively better than Kanter, but that's about it. Once the top centers are signed, teams may not be willing to break the bank to get the 27-year-old Lithuanian.

Any Memphis Grizzlies fans who had Ja Morant jerseys printed after the NBA draft lottery may need to make some adjustments to their apparel. 

Per Sports Illustrated's Jeremy Woo, sources around the league say Grizzlies decision-makers haven't "come to a firm decision" with the No. 2 pick and that RJ Barrett remains a "candidate" for them. 

As soon as the Grizzlies were awarded the second pick in the draft lottery, conventional wisdom pointed to them taking Morant on June 20. 

ESPN.com's Jonathan Givony reported last month that Memphis' front office and ownership seemed to "have locked in" on the Murray State point guard and were telling other teams of their plan during the draft combine in Chicago. 

The Grizzlies' reported interest in Barrett comes after ESPN.com's Adrian Wojnarowski noted at the beginning of the month that Morant had to undergo minor arthroscopic knee surgery that is expected to keep him sidelined for three to four weeks. 

Marc Berman of the New York Post reported Barrett has already worked out for the New York Knicks, who own the No. 3 pick. 

Barrett didn't shy away from explaining he hopes to play for New York after finishing his workout with the team:

R.J. Barrett won't be meeting with any other teams, and says that he wants to be a Knick:

"This is the place I want to be, I hope they draft me" pic.twitter.com/E1i11C1C17

— SNY (@SNYtv) June 10, 2019

B/R's Jonathan Wasserman still has Morant going to Memphis in his most recent mock draft, followed by Barrett at third overall to the Knicks. 

Morant would seem like the most logical fit for the Grizzlies, especially if they end up dealing Mike Conley, 31, this summer. He can be an offensive facilitator in the backcourt with Jaren Jackson Jr. able to handle multiple roles heading into his second season. 

The Memphis Grizzlies are hiring Milwaukee Bucks assistant Taylor Jenkins to be the franchise's next head coach, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Terms of the deal were not immediately disclosed.

Jenkins has spent the last six seasons coaching under Mike Budenholzer, spending five years with the Atlanta Hawks (2013-18) and one with the Milwaukee Bucks (2018-19).

Jenkins is third NBA head coach to come directly off of Mike Budenholzer’s coaching staff, including Utah’s Quin Snyder and Brooklyn’s Kenny Atkinson. https://t.co/gMKqRMqKt8

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 11, 2019

Milwaukee finished with an NBA-best 60 wins this past season and came within two victories of the NBA Finals.

Memphis fired J.B. Bickerstaff in April while demoting former general manager Chris Wallace to scout following a second consecutive season without a playoff appearance. Bickerstaff went 48-97 after taking over for David Fizdale early in the 2017-18 campaign.

Jenkins will be expected to help right the ship.

Prior to the last two seasons, the Grizzlies had made seven consecutive postseason appearances as Mike Conley and Marc Gasol led the way. Gasol was dealt to the Toronto Raptors prior to the trade deadline this past season, while Conley remains, though Memphis did reportedly shop him at the deadline.

Conley's future in Memphis remains uncertain, especially considering the team owns the second overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft. ESPN's Jonathan Givony reported in mid-May that the Grizzlies have made it known they will draft Murray State point guard Ja Morant.

Regardless of Conley's status, bringing in a top prospect like Morant will give Jenkins a potential franchise cornerstone to work with from the start.

Murray State star Ja Morant is meeting with representatives of the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday, according to Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic.

The Grizzlies have the No. 2 pick in the 2019 NBA draft, and ESPN.com's Jonathan Givony reported in May they "appear to have locked in" on Morant as their primary target.

Zion Williamson is the consensus No. 1 overall player in the 2019 draft class and widely expected to be the first pick. A similar level of agreement has coalesced around Morant as the next player off the board. Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman projected him as the No. 2 pick in his most recent mock draft.

Morant averaged 24.5 points and 10.0 assists in his sophomore year at Murray State. He also shot 49.9 percent from the field and 36.3 percent from beyond the arc.

Fans who didn't catch the Racers during the regular season got a taste of Morant's skill set when he finished with 17 points, 16 assists and 11 rebounds in a first-round win over Marquette.

Mike Conley is signed for one more year and has a player option for 2020-21, but that won't stop the Grizzlies from positioning Morant as their point guard of the future. If anything, his arrival might hasten Conley's departure.

Memphis already traded one of its franchise cornerstones, Marc Gasol, and dealing Conley would help the team's rebuilding plan.

The Miami Herald's Barry Jackson reported the Miami Heat could look at acquiring Conley, and The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor said the same of the Utah Jazz. Especially once Kyrie Irving, Kemba Walker and D'Angelo Russell sort out their futures, Conley will be the best point guard available for playoff contenders.

While seeing Conley go would be a tough emotional blow for the fanbase, the pair of Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. would represent an encouraging future.

NBA draft prospect RJ Barrett reportedly declined the opportunity to work out with the Memphis Grizzlies leading up to the 2019 NBA draft at Barclays Center on June 20.

According to Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz of ESPN.com, Memphis' front office requested a private workout with the Duke product even though the team's ownership group "is still telling people around the league the team is locked in on [Ja] Morant."

Givony and Schmitz noted Barrett has thus far declined to work out with the Grizzlies but could change his mind. He will work out with the New York Knicks on June 10.

Barrett figures to be the No. 3 pick—the spot where the Knicks are drafting—after Zion Williamson and Ja Morant, respectively. While that would put him in New York, the ESPN report suggested the Knicks have explored trading back in an effort to land more pieces to put around potential free-agent signings Kevin Durant or Kyrie Irving.

Even if the Grizzlies are locked in on Morant, it makes sense to explore the possibility of selecting Barrett.

The former Blue Devil was a consensus All-American and first-team All-ACC despite playing alongside Williamson, and he averaged 22.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists a night. He can handle the ball, work in pick-and-rolls and play off the rock if needed as a secondary scorer.

He is someone who could work alongside Jaren Jackson Jr., with the pair the building blocks of the Grizzlies for years to come. Morant could slide in to such a role as well.     

The Memphis Grizzlies reportedly interviewed Milwaukee Bucks assistant coach Taylor Jenkins to fill their head coaching vacancy.

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN passed along the update Friday. The Grizz are looking to replace J.B. Bickerstaff, who was fired last month after the team finished the regular season with a 33-49 record.

Jenkins joined the Bucks' staff last June after spending the previous five years as an assistant with the Atlanta Hawks. He followed head coach Mike Budenholzer from Atlanta to Milwaukee.

He became a viral sensation during the Bucks' first-round playoff series against the Detroit Pistons when he jumped out of his seat to stop nobody in particular from rushing on the court:

Nobody:

Coach: HOLD 'EM BACK pic.twitter.com/wq5CksH9RJ

— ESPN (@espn) April 21, 2019

Jenkins, who started his NBA career as an intern for the San Antonio Spurs in 2007, took his first coaching position as an assistant with the then-Austin Toros, the Spurs' G League affiliate, in 2008. He was promoted to head coach in 2012.

If hired, the Grizzlies would become his first head coaching job at the NBA level.

Memphis' other reported candidates include Jarron Collins, Adrian Griffin, Sarunas Jasikevicius, Alex Jensen, Igor Kokoskov and Nate Tibbetts.

The team has provided no timetable for a final decision.

The Memphis Grizzlies hit the lottery jackpot by landing the No. 2 pick in the 2019 NBA draft, and all signs point to Murray State point guard Ja Morant. 

Per Marc Stein of the New York Times, the Grizz "are widely expected to use the No. 2 pick on Murray State’s Ja Morant and trade the ever-reliable Mike Conley."

On May 16, Jonathan Givony of ESPN reported the Grizzlies "told interested parties" at the NBA Scouting Combine in Chicago they intend to take Morant if Duke forward Zion Williamson goes No. 1 to the New Orleans Pelicans.

The Racers floor general who averaged 24.5 points and 10.0 assists led his team to a 28-5 record and a second-round appearance in the NCAA men's basketball tournament.

Conley, 31, averaged a career-high 21.1 points last season and has two years and $67 million remaining on his contract, assuming he picks up a $34.5 million early termination option for 2020-21.

He's been one of the faces of the franchise for the past decade and co-led the team to seven straight postseason appearances. Notably, the eighth-seeded Grizzlies upset the No. 1 San Antonio Spurs in the 2011 playoffs before making the 2013 Western Conference Finals two years later. Memphis also won 50 or more games every season from 2012-13 through 2014-15.

Conley ran point during that entire stretch after he entered the league in 2007. He's one of the league's most underrated players and, if a trade occurs, should find further success wherever he goes.

As for the Grizzlies' future, Stein referenced the Grizzlies' desire to move forward with their No. 2 pick—forward Jaren Jackson Jr., who Memphis took fourth overall in 2018. The 6'11" 19-year-old showcased his potential with 13.8 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 26.1 minutes per game. He also knocked down 35.9 percent of his threes as a rookie.

A duo of Jackson and Morant is an excellent start, although the team still needs a head coach after it fired J.B. Bickerstaff. Per Stein, ex-Phoenix Suns head coach Igor Kokoskov, Zalgiris head coach Sarunas Jasikevicius and a quartet of assistants (Jarron Collins of the Golden State Warriors, Alex Jensen of the Utah Jazz, Nate Tibbets of the Portland Trail Blazers and Adrian Griffin of the Toronto Raptors) are all candidates.