2017 Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Memphis Grizzlies
With cornerstone pieces like Mike Conley and Marc Gasol locked up for the long term, the Grizzlies looked to add another player to their core last summer, and landed on Chandler Parsons, who signed a maximum salary contract with the team. Parsons’ first year in Memphis was derailed by injuries, which prevented the club from taking a step toward title contention. With Parsons’ pricey deal on the books for three more years, the Grizzlies will have to hope he’s able to contribute something going forward, since his contract – combined with Conley’s and Gasol’s – will make it very difficult for the team to add any other marquee players.
Here’s where things currently stand for the Grizzlies financially, as we continue our Offseason Salary Cap Digest series for 2017:
Guaranteed Salary
- Mike Conley ($28,530,608)
- Chandler Parsons ($23,112,004)
- Marc Gasol ($22,642,350)
- Brandan Wright ($5,955,760)
- Troy Daniels ($3,408,520)
- James Ennis ($3,028,410)
- Wade Baldwin ($1,874,400)
- Jarell Martin ($1,471,382)
- Deyonta Davis ($1,312,611)
- Andrew Harrison ($1,312,611)
- Jamaal Franklin ($163,296) — Waived via stretch provision
- Total: $92,811,952
Player Options
- None
Team Options
- Wayne Selden ($1,312,611)
- Total: $1,312,611
Non-Guaranteed Salary
- None
Restricted Free Agents
- JaMychal Green ($2,820,497 qualifying offer / $2,820,497 cap hold)
- Total: $2,820,497
Cap Holds
- Zach Randolph ($15,542,168)
- Tony Allen ($10,460,674)
- Vince Carter ($8,101,708)
- Wayne Selden ($1,312,611) — If team option is declined
- Total: $35,417,161
Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000
Maximum Cap Room: $6,556,818
- With no cap hold for a first-round draft pick to worry about, the Grizzlies would have $94,443,182 on their books if they only kept their players on guaranteed salaries, plus a pair of empty roster cap charges. In that scenario though, their projected cap room would be less than the mid-level exception, and it would mean renouncing free agents like Green, Randolph, Allen, and Carter. As such, Memphis is far more likely to stay over the cap and make an effort to re-sign at least a couple of those players.
Salary information from Basketball Insiders and The Vertical was used in the creation of this post.
Eastern Notes: Lowry, Rose, Magic
Kyle Lowry has seven days from the date of the Raptors’ final playoff game to make a decision on his player option for next season, Bobby Marks of The Vertical notes. Lowry is expected to test the free agent market and Toronto must figure out what kind of offer would make sense. In addition to Lowry, the team will also have to worry about retaining Serge Ibaka, P.J. Tucker, and Patrick Patterson.
The team has roughly $76MM in guaranteed contracts on the books for next season. Re-signing all their players may be difficult, but finding replacements on the market with only $25MM of cap space will be an even harder feat.
Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:
- Derrick Rose, who will be a free agent this summer, will likely need to take a short-term deal and prove he’s healthy, Marks adds in the same piece. The scribe adds that Rose may be best suited to play off the ball at this point in his career.
- The Magic are looking for a strong presence to lead the basketball operations side of the front office while CEO Alex Martins runs the business side, sources tell Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post. It was previously reported that Orlando may try to poach Larry Bird for that role, however, Bontemps believes that kind of move is unlikely for the former Celtics great.
- Terrence Ross, who was sent to the Magic mid-season, is embracing the challenge of helping Orlando get back to the NBA’s second season, Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe writes. “Everything counts when you’re trying to make it to the playoffs or chase the trophy,” Ross said. “It’s a whole bunch of things that goes into it. You’ve got to make sure you’re playing the game right with pure heart, understand what it takes to win. I think that’s what we’re trying to figure out here.”
The Latest On Andre Roberson
Andre Roberson will be a restricted free agent this summer and GM Sam Presti is optimistic that Roberson will return to the Thunder, as Brett Dawson of The Oklahoman relays.
“Every indication we’ve had from Dre and from his people, his agent, is that he loves playing here,” Presti said. “And I’ve always said this to everybody before: When the player shows an interest in being here, it really exponentially helps your opportunity to get a contract done if you would like to.”
Oklahoma City has the ability to match any offer sheet Roberson receives, but Presti cautioned that another team extending an offer “decreases the chances” that the 25-year-old will return.
The Thunder and Roberson’s camp discussed an extension last fall, but the two sides weren’t able to come to an agreement. Presti said the talks were “productive and collaborative,” and the team hopes that they can consummate a deal this time around.
“We need them to be fair with us,” Presti said. “We have to be fair with them and try to find a common ground.”
Details On Warriors’ Recruitment Of Kevin Durant
When Kevin Durant spurned the Thunder to come to the Warriors, many assumed it was in part, because he had formed a friendship with Stephen Curry during Team USA competition. However, that doesn’t appear to be the case, as Draymond Green was the catalyst for the 2013/14 MVP’s arrival, Ethan Sherwood Strauss writes in his last article for ESPN.
Owner Joe Lacob reportedly told friends and ex-colleagues about Green’s efforts during a speech at his old venture capital firm. “Draymond Green started off hard sell, and he was great,” Lacob said of Green’s pitch to Durant. “He gave the heavy pitch, which no one else there would have done, except for me, because I’m basically the Draymond Green of the business side.”
Strauss adds that Lacob is a huge advocate of Green and while the owner doesn’t regularly visit the locker room, if he does, chances are it’s to congratulate Green.
Sources tell Strauss that the Warriors had to approach Curry and ask him to join the recruitment efforts in free agency last summer. Curry obliged and he reportedly sent a text to Durant explaining how it didn’t matter who the face of the franchise was going to be and it certainly didn’t matter who sold more shoes. Curry has a deal with Under Armour, while Nike has Durant.
Curry’s been exceptionally adaptable during Durant’s first year with the squad. He didn’t take exception when Nike sent the entire team a pair of Durant’s kicks, which is why you’ll find more Golden State players wearing Nikes than UAs. Strauss notes that Curry doesn’t get recognition from ownership, citing Lacob’s previous “It’s not just Steph Curry” comment as well as Curry’s absence from the organization’s ground-breaking ceremony. Both the Warriors and Curry insist the point guard wasn’t there because of a scheduling conflict. However, it’s worth noting that Lacob thanked a list of people, including Kevin Durant, but left out Curry— who’s below market contract was paramount to the franchise’s ability to construct its super team.
Curry may not have quarterbacked the Durant pitch, but Strauss contends that his off the court actions were critical to team’s success over the past year. Green was the most aggressive in the recruitment efforts, but Curry’s acceptance of a marginalized role facilitated the making of a juggernaut.
Dwight Howard’s Trade Value At All-Time Low?
Dwight Howard returned home to Atlanta last offseason on a three-year deal worth $70MM and the partnership got off to a solid start. Howard was able to play 74 regular season games, in which he averaged a double-double per night. He looked somewhat rejuvenated on the defensive end, appearing to be over the back issues that plagued him over the past few seasons.
As the season progressed, his role was marginalized and he recently lashed about against the Hawks. “I want to play. I want to be out on the floor. I want to make a difference. I want to make an impact, and I can’t do that on the bench,” Howard told the media last week.
Howard doesn’t exactly fit into coach Mike Budenholzer‘s pace-and-space system and perhaps the team would be better off trading the former Defensive Player of the Year. However, that may not be a fruitful task.
ESPN’s Kevin Arnovitz (Twitter link) asked eight front office executives about what the Hawks could get in a theoretical Howard deal. The consensus was that a second-round pick and cap relief would be the best case scenario.
The big man has approximately $47.3MM left on his deal over the next two seasons, which is part of the reason why Atlanta could be looking at such paltry returns in a trade. The salary cap is expected to come in around $101MM for next season, so a team must be willing to allocate over 20% of its cap resources to Howard. That may not be ideal, though every year, we see a number of teams strike out on potential free agents.
The market for Howard’s services could increase after the initial wave of free agents sign, though that’s merely my speculation. The problem with the Hawks waiting until after the first wave of signings is that getting cap relief in return for Howard does no good if there’s no one to sign.
Howard can still contribute to the right system, though Budholzer’s may not be the ideal match. That begs the question: which team is the right fit for him?
Should the Hawks should deal the former No. 1 overall pick and if so, what could they realistically look to get in return? Also, if you were the GM of a rival team, what would you give up for Howard? Surely, at the right price, he’s worth a gamble. Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below. We look forward to what you have to say!
Thunder Notes: Kanter, Christon, Westbrook
The Thunder have approximately $110MM in guaranteed salaries on the books for the 2017/18 campaign and with an estimated $101MM salary cap, it’s unlikely the team makes a splash in free agency. Despite the lack of flexibility, GM Sam Presti will continue to function as an opportunist, as Berry Tramel of the Oklahoman relays.
“We’re not in a position where we’re going to be a cap space team, per se,” Presti said. “We’ll look at every opportunity that we can, but it’s not a matter of us necessarily extending offers to people. It’s basically people extending interest to us, you know what I’m saying, and then we can work from there.
“We’ll make every single phone call to every single team, and the players that everyone I think probably thinks about and fantasizes about. You know, if we can make those players be here, they would probably be here by now. Otherwise, we’re going to have to like kind of do our job and keep getting better and go from there.”
Here’s more from Oklahoma City:
- Enes Kanter is “absolutely on the trade block,” Tramel writes in the same piece. It’s unclear whether Tramel has inside sources or he’s just reading the tea leaves. The Thunder have a surplus of big men and after Kanter played well this past season, he may hold the most trade value out of their frontcourt players.
- Tramel adds that the Thunder are in the market for a backup point guard. Presti recently said that Semaj Christon did an “excellent job” behind Russell Westbrook.
- Presti believes the team’s young core can grow from this year’s experiences, as Clint Brunt of the Associated Press passes along. “[The team] knows what it’s like to go through a playoff series where, you know, you’re losing the series on the margins. They know what it’s like to play with one another and understand each other’s tendencies. And I think that’s going to bode well for us,” Presti said.
- Presti said the Thunder are hopeful Westbrook will sign a long-term extension this summer, as we passed along on Monday. The MVP Candidate is eligible for the Designated Player Extension, which could pay him an estimated $217MM over five seasons.
Sixers Notes: Korkmaz, Redick, George
Furkan Korkmaz, who was the No. 26 overall pick in the 2016 draft, continues to impress overseas, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes. The Sixers‘ draft-and-stash prospect was named the Best Young Player of the Basketball Champions League. Pompey notes that team president Bryan Colangelo was in Spain to watch Korkmaz compete in the BCL playoffs over the weekend.
Here’s more from Philadelphia:
- Korkmaz may be better served to wait one more season before coming stateside, Pompey argues in a separate piece. The scribe believes the 6’8″ shooting guard needs to add bulk to his 198 lb frame.
- The Sixers would be smart to pursue J.J. Redick in free agency, John Smallwood of the Philadelphia Daily News argues. The team lacks shooting from the outside and adding Redick would be a great way to solve that issue.
- Adding Paul George could be the defining moment for the Colangelo administration, Smallwood opines in the same piece. Indiana could move George this summer, though it appears the franchise is trying to work with the 4-time All-Star to build a winning squad.
Western Notes: Barnes, Onuaku, Noel
The Warriors will face the Jazz in the conference’s semifinals, though Golden State was rooting for the Clippers to beat Utah in the previous round, Chris Haynes of ESPN.com writes. Were the Warriors concerned about the opposition’s slow pace, Gordon Hayward‘s perimeter game, or Rudy Gobert‘s defensive presence? None of the above. They were worried about being bored.
“There’s no nightlife in Utah,” Matt Barnes said. “Obviously, as players, you want to be able to have a little bit of a nightlife, but the main focus is winning games. Me personally, I want to get out there because I want to beat the Clippers. That’s my former team, and my kids are out there. But as far as nightlife, there’s no comparison to nightlife in Utah and L.A.”
Barnes added that he’s not sure what he’ll do during his spare time in Utah. “I think there’s an Olive Garden out there and then a Benihana. So you’ll definitely be locked in [on the game] all the way,” He said.
The small forward hasn’t played yet in the postseason because of ankle and foot issues, though it appears he’s getting set to play in Game 1 against Utah, according to Golden State’s Twitter feed. Shaun Livingston, who has a hand injury, is considered questionable for the contest.
Here’s more from the Western Conference:
- Chinanu Onuaku has been suspended two games for pushing an official during a D-League Finals appearance, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle tweets. Onuaku was not available for the Rockets‘ tilt with the Spurs tonight and he’ll miss Game 2 as well.
- Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News believes the Lakers could be a threat to sign Nerlens Noel. GM Rob Pelinka recently said that the team is looking for a big man who fit’s in today’s NBA.
- The Clippers will face some tough decisions this offseason, Bill Oram of the Orange County Register writes. Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, and J.J. Redick will all be free agents, though it appears Los Angeles is committed to doing whatever it takes to bring Paul and Griffin back.
- Doug Haller of the Arizona Republic wonders if the Suns can find their point guard of the future in the upcoming draft and he examines some of the top options. Phoenix has a 19.9% at grabbing the No.1 pick and a 55.8% chance of landing in the top-3, as Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors recently detailed.
Clippers Notes: Paul, Griffin, Redick
The Clippers are hoping to re-sign Chris Paul to a max deal this summer, sources tell Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. The point guard can receive approximately $205MM over the next five years if he stays with the franchise. He could only sign a four-year contract, which would be worth roughly $152MM, if he goes elsewhere. Los Angeles could ostensibly attempt to bring Paul back at a figure below the max, but above what another team could offer, though it appears that option is unlikely.
Here’s more from Los Angeles
- Blake Griffin would like to sign a max deal with the Clippers this offseason, Turner adds in the same piece. The scribe hears that Los Angeles is angling for that outcome as well. Earlier today, we passed along five potential landing spots should he decide to leave the Clippers.
- Multiple NBA sources tell Turner (same piece) that they expect J.J. Redick to sign elsewhere. Turner estimates that the shooting guard will command $18-20MM per year, which could be too high of a price for the Clippers to pay.
- The Clippers announced that Griffin underwent surgery to repair an injury to his right toe, as Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders passes along (Twitter link). Los Angeles did not provide a recovery timetable for Griffin, who will be a free agent this offseason.
- Kevin Ding of Bleacher Report wonders if it’s time for the Clippers and Paul to go their separate ways. Ding examines Paul’s game and argues that while he hasn’t won a championship, his presence allows his teams to contend nearly every season.
Thunder Hope To Extend Russell Westbrook This Offseason
GM Sam Presti is “hopeful” that the Thunder can sign Russell Westbrook to a long-term extension this summer, Royce Young of ESPN.com reports.
“The rules are that you can’t have that conversation until July 1, and you know, when that time comes, we’ll sit down, we’ll have conversations with him about what that opportunity presents,” Presti said. “And you know, we’re obviously hopeful that he remains really excited about being a part of this organization for the remainder of his career.”
Westbrook will be eligible for a Designated Player Extension this summer. An agreement could yield him upwards of $217MM over five years, though those figures are not exact since it’s a product of next year’s salary cap which won’t be determined until July.
The point guard has a player option on the end of his current deal, meaning he could become a free agent during the 2018 offseason. Royce notes that should Westbrook not sign an extension this offseason, it may raise concerns that he is looking to leave OKC. If the Thunder enter next season without a long-term deal, they would justifiably have to at least listen to trade offers for the MVP Candidate. However, the front office isn’t playing out the doomsday scenario.
“Let’s not think so far ahead,” Presti said. “Let’s just see where the information takes us. I understand the question. I think the biggest thing is, we had that conversation with Russell last year, and you know, he was really clear, and it worked itself out. So before we get all the way down the road on what if, what if this happens, what if that happens: Again, that’s one of those things where we’re talking about a very complex question, a very complex situation with a lot of moving parts, and looking for, like, a simple answer to that.”
“So let’s just have the conversation, see where it goes,” Presti added. “I think everybody knows how we feel about him. He’s a transcendent player. I think he’s a futuristic player. I think he’s a tremendous competitor, and we’re fortunate to have him. We’ll have a conversation, and hopefully, it goes our way.”
Westbrook recently declared that Oklahoma City is where he wants to be. Young adds that the franchise feels like the extension Westbrook signed last offseason was just as much about committing to the organization as it was to financial security. The new Designated Player Exception will allow Westbrook to achieve both of those objectives in his next deal and Presti is thankful for the CBA’s new resource.
“I think it is a good thing for the league, right,” Presti said of the new extension. “I think it’s important for franchises, especially outside of a handful, to be able to have the opportunity to keep their best players.That’s probably healthy. If you’re serious about having like a competitive balance and serious about lauding sustainability and things of that nature, like then the rules need to kind of align with that. Unfortunately the last CBA, they didn’t, and this CBA, they did. You know, I think it’s positive that those things are in place for a lot of cities.”
The GM was asked about whether or not the team planned to add another star to pair with Westbrook and the league will certainly hear about his response. “The first thing I’m going to do is go back to the office and call Adam Silver and see if he can arrange one of those cap spikes,” Presti said. “I’m learning those things tend to come in handy.”
The salary cap increased so drastically over the last two seasons because of the league’s historic television deal.It resulted in teams gaining exorbitant amounts of cap space. That’s how the Warriors were able to sign Kevin Durant away from the Thunder, though it may have never occurred had the “smoothing” proposal gained enough support. The proposal, which had support from the Thunder organization, would have increased the cap at a much slower rate from year-to-year. It was shot down back in 2015.