Grizzlies To Sit Tyreke Evans
7:36pm: Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer is reporting that multiple teams have already put a first-round pick on the table for Evans.
5:59pm: As trade discussions involving Grizzlies guard Tyreke Evans intensify, the team will sit him out until a deal is completed, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Evans will not play this evening in Indiana, as confirmed by Michael Wallace of Grind City Media, who reports that he witnessed the veteran guard leaving Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Wallace adds that Evans believes any potential deal would send him to a playoff team.
As we detailed earlier today, the Bulls are doing the same thing with trade candidate Nikola Mirotic, holding him out of games while pursuing potential trades. Bobby Marks of ESPN suggests both teams’ decisions, while unprecedented, are the right moves given that both the Grizzlies and Bulls have little chance of making the playoffs.
Marks also tweets that teams interested in trading for Evans are being cautious due in part to Evans not having either Bird or Early Bird Rights this offseason, meaning a team over the apron (i.e. the Cavaliers, who are reported to have interest) would be limited to offering Evans a starting salary in the range of about $5.4MM, the projected value of the taxpayer mid-level exception.
Earlier reports linked the Sixers, Celtics, Cavaliers, Pelicans, Thunder, Heat, and Rockets to Evans.
2017/18 NBA Disabled Player Exceptions
Last month, we published an updated glossary entry outlining how the NBA’s disabled player exception functions. As we explain in that article, the disabled player exception can be granted when a team has a player go down with an injury deemed to be season-ending. The exception gives the club some additional spending flexibility, functioning almost as a cross between a traded player exception and a mid-level exception.
We go into more detail on how exactly disabled player exceptions work in the glossary entry linked above, and in a piece from earlier in the season on the Celtics’ DPE. Essentially, a DPE gives a team the opportunity to add an injury replacement by either signing a player to a one-year contract or trading for a player in the final year of his contract.
Because the rules related to disable player exceptions are somewhat restrictive, and the exceptions themselves often aren’t worth a lot, they often simply expire (this year’s deadline is March 12). According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, only about one in four teams granted DPEs since 2007 have used them.
However, the Celtics are one team well positioned to take advantage of their DPE this season — it’s worth the maximum allowable amount ($8.4MM), the Celtics aren’t close to the tax line, they have an open roster spot, and they have a collection of extra draft picks that could be used to accommodate a trade.
While Boston may be the team most likely to use its DPE this season, there are several other clubs that have those exceptions available. Here’s a breakdown:
(Note: List updated on 2-9-18)
Teams that have been granted disabled player exceptions:
- Boston Celtics: $8,406,000 (Gordon Hayward) (Update: Used on Greg Monroe)
- Brooklyn Nets: $6,000,000 (Jeremy Lin) (Update: Used on Dante Cunningham)
- Miami Heat: $5,500,000 (Dion Waiters)
- Detroit Pistons: $5,248,660 (Jon Leuer) (Update: Used on James Ennis)
- Los Angeles Clippers: $2,756,757 (Patrick Beverley)
- Utah Jazz: $2,625,000 (Thabo Sefolosha)
- New Orleans Pelicans: $2,480,899 (Alexis Ajinca)
As noted above, the Celtics are the best bet to use their disabled player exception, and not just because it’s worth the most (and can therefore accommodate a wider range of potential trade targets). Even if teams like the Clippers or Pelicans identify a modestly-paid player worth acquiring, they’re unlikely to use their DPEs because of how close they are to the luxury tax line and hard cap, respectively.
Teams ineligible for disabled player exceptions:
- Phoenix Suns (Brandon Knight)
- Memphis Grizzlies (Mike Conley)
- New Orleans Pelicans (DeMarcus Cousins)
- Oklahoma City Thunder (Andre Roberson)
The Grizzlies, Pelicans, and Thunder had the misfortune of having their key players ruled out for the season after the January 15 application deadline. Since they can no longer apply for a DPE, they’ll have to make do with any remaining exceptions they have. As for the Suns, a DPE to replace Knight would have been worth about $6.8MM, but Phoenix remains nearly $9MM below the cap, rendering that exception unnecessary.
Sixers, Others Express Interest In Tyreke Evans
11:08am: While the Sixers have expressed interest in Evans, they’re hardly alone. The Celtics, Cavaliers, Pelicans, Thunder, Heat, and Rockets have all inquired on the veteran guard too, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, who tweets that it will come down to which team is willing to meet the Grizzlies’ asking price.
10:48am: The Sixers have expressed trade interest in Grizzlies guard Tyreke Evans, league sources tell Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link), However, according to Stein, Memphis continues to seek a first-round pick in exchange for Evans, and Philadelphia is reluctant to surrender one.
Evans, 28, has been enjoying one of the best years of his NBA career in Memphis this season, averaging 19.5 PPG, 5.0 APG, and 5.0 RPG with a .458/.392/.799 shooting line so far. Based on his terrific production, the Grizzlies are said to be looking for a first-rounder in any deal.
However, while Evans’ expiring contract and modest salary ($3.29MM) make him an intriguing trade piece, they also reduce his value to some extent — he would likely be a rental for any team acquiring him, since he’ll be an unrestricted free agent this summer. Evans is on track to get much more expensive, and whichever team has him at season’s end won’t have his Bird rights, limiting that club’s ability to re-sign him.
Still, the Sixers represent an interesting potential trade partner for the Grizzlies, particularly since they could end up with multiple first-round picks this spring. Chris Herrington of The Commercial Appeal speculates (via Twitter) that perhaps Memphis could pry the 76ers’ own first-round pick away from Philadelphia if the Grizzlies are willing to take on Jerryd Bayless‘ contract, which has a guaranteed $8.58MM cap hit for 2018/19.
Although salary-matching rules would prevent Memphis from trading Evans straight up for Bayless, attaching a player like Ben McLemore or Brandan Wright to Evans would make it cap-legal, Herrington notes (via Twitter). James Ennis‘ contract would also work, but Ennis is a more valuable trade chip than McLemore or Wright, so the Grizzlies likely wouldn’t want to just throw him in for salary purposes.
Tyreke Evans To Boston A Possibility? Chandler Parsons Retirement Rumor
A Grizzlies beat writer says that he wouldn’t be surprised if Tyreke Evans is moved to the Celtics. Bear in mind that Ronald Tillery of The Memphis Commercial Appeal says himself that the rumblings aren’t confirmed but it’s not the first time that Evans’ name has come up in trade speculation this season.
Evans has thrived for the Grizzlies this season after inking a one-year, prove it deal following an injury plagued tenure with the Pelicans. The 28-year-old has averaged 19.4 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.0 assists in 45 games for Memphis, making him one of the most appealing assets readily available to contenders ahead of the deadline.
It’s unclear what the Grizzlies could get back in exchange for the versatile wing but the Celtics are in possession of Memphis’ 2019 first-round pick.
- In an equally unconfirmed but intriguing tweet, Ronald Tillery of The Memphis Commercial Appeal notes that he’s heard the Grizzlies have approached Chandler Parsons‘ people about injury retirement. The 29-year-old forward quickly denied the notion and his agent issued a more formal rejection shortly thereafter.
Conley Had Been Considering Surgery For A Long Time
- Grizzlies point Mike Conley, who will have season-ending heel surgery, had been considering the procedure for a long time before he and the team decided it was necessary about a week ago, relays Ronald Tillery of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. “He always knew he could have done this. He wanted to avoid it,” said his father and agent, Mike Conley Sr. “It wasn’t like he saw somebody and they said he needed to do it. He didn’t want to be out four or five months this season if he could avoid it. But he’ll be back at top shape in five months.”
Mike Conley To Miss The Rest Of The Season
According to an official team press release, Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley will undergo surgery to smooth a small bone protrusion in his left heel that continues to cause pain and soreness, leaving him unavailable for the remainder of the 2017-18 season. Conley is expected to make a full recovery prior to next season’s training camp.
In addition to the official release from the team, General Manager Chris Wallace sent an email to Memphis season-ticket holders earlier today, stating “Mike has been extremely diligent as we pursued multiple different approaches to alleviate the pain before deciding surgery was the best solution.”
Conley was able to participate in three-on-three scrimmages earlier this month, but the injury did not improve. Conley has appeared in just 12 games this season, last playing in mid-November. He averaged 17.1 points and 4.1 assists per game.
Grizzlies Deserve Credit For Dillon Brooks, Wayne Selden
- The Grizzlies don’t have a great track record of identifying young talent but they’ve had success with Dillon Brooks and Wayne Selden this season. Chris Herrington of The Memphis Commercial Appeal suggests that it might be time to cut the organization some slack.
Grizzlies Looking Toward The Future
The Mavericks remain willing to take on salary in any deal as long as they get draft picks for their troubles, writes Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. Dallas has about $13MM in available cap room, and the quality of the picks they ask for will rise according to how much salary they absorb. The Mavs were rumored to be a potential third team to help complete a George Hill trade to Cleveland, with a Sacramento second-rounder coming to Dallas, but Sefko dismisses that as unlikely.
He identifies Harrison Barnes, Dennis Smith Jr. and Dirk Nowitzki as the only untouchables on the Mavericks’ roster, but adds that it would take an extraordinary offer to get J.J. Barea, Devin Harris or Wesley Matthews. Sefko notes that Dallas feels a sense of loyalty to its veteran players and speculates that another organization might have waived Harris before his contract became fully guaranteed earlier this month.
The Mavs, who rank fourth in our Reverse Standings, are counting on a high lottery pick to add another building block for the future. They would like to acquire a second pick and are hoping to find a center in the draft.
Sefko adds that Josh McRoberts, who has a $6MM expiring contract, is being made available in trades, but Dallas plans to let him play out the season if no deal is reached. The team is hoping to re-sign Seth Curry, Salah Mejri and Yogi Ferrell when they all hit free agency this summer.
There’s more tonight from the Southwest Division:
- The tension between Kawhi Leonard and the Spurs over his injury is “legit,” a source tells Ken Berger of Bleacher Report. GM R.C. Buford has denied any rift with Leonard, but both sides are frustrated over his long recovery time from right quadriceps tendinopathy. The same source says the Spurs have a history of being reluctant to get second opinions from doctors outside the organization. Despite the hard feelings, a rival GM says San Antonio hasn’t given any consideration to trading Leonard.
- The Rockets‘ return to full health has cost Gerald Green his spot in the rotation, notes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Green, who signed with the team in late December, averaged 15.6 points in 10 games while some key players were sidelined with injuries. “I can’t upset five guys to appease one,” coach Mike D’Antoni said. “I’d rather have one guy kind of out of it and four happy. I’ve got to keep a core that knows about their minutes. Now, whenever I can, I’ll play him. I won’t hesitate to play him. If somebody’s hurt or sick, he’ll play. Or if I can find time, I will.”
- The Grizzlies are already making moves with next season in mind, writes Chris Herrington of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Memphis is giving more minutes to younger players and letting veterans rest longer after injuries. The team plans to explore the trade market for Tyreke Evans and other players on expiring contracts before the February 8 deadline.
Tyreke Evans A Possibility For Celtics?
The Celtics are hoping to find additional scoring punch to make up for the loss of Gordon Hayward, who suffered a devastating ankle injury on opening night. With Williams out of the picture, Blakely suggests the Grizzlies’ Tyreke Evans might be able to provide short-term help in Boston.
Chandler Parsons Misses Game With Abdominal Pain
- After missing nine games with soreness in his right knee, Grizzlies forward Chandler Parsons missed a tenth game for a different reason. Ronald Tillery of The Memphis Commercial Appeal writes that, while his knee is still injured, Parsons was sidelined Friday after experiencing abdominal pain.