Grizzlies To Offer Five-Year Max To Mike Conley
As they attempt to re-sign veteran point guard Mike Conley, the Grizzlies are prepared to put a full five-year, maximum-salary contract offer on the table, reports Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com. It’s not clear whether that fifth year would be fully guaranteed, but even a partial guarantee would make Memphis’ offer to Conley much more lucrative than what any other team could give him. Multiple sources expect the Grizzlies and Conley to have an agreement in place by Saturday morning, tweets ESPN’s Marc Stein.
A Thursday report indicated that Conley’s decision would likely come down to the Grizzlies and the Mavericks, who got an opportunity to meet with the 28-year-old earlier today. Sam Amick of USA Today wrote that the threat Dallas poised to Memphis may be “nominal,” and the Grizzlies likely increased their chances of retaining Conley by reaching a long-term agreement with Chandler Parsons.
Multiple reports in recent weeks had suggested that Conley wanted to see signs from the Grizzlies that they were willing to be aggressive when it came to upgrading and fortifying their roster. He and Parsons have also reportedly spoken to one another about teaming up in Memphis. With Parsons expected to sign with the Grizzlies, and a five-year offer on the table for Conley, it’s hard to imagine the point guard leaving.
The Mavericks, meanwhile, headed into free agency having identified Conley and Hassan Whiteside as their top priorities. With Whiteside returning to Miami, and Conley appearing increasingly likely to re-sign with the Grizzlies, Dallas may soon have to move on to secondary targets.
Interest High In Solomon Hill
Several teams have contacted Pacers free agent small forward Solomon Hill, tweets David Aldridge of TNT. The Jazz, Grizzlies and Bulls are all interested, with Utah needing a replacement in case Gordon Hayward leaves in free agency next summer.
The Mavericks are also expected to aggressively pursue Hill (Twitter link). Dallas small forward Chandler Parsons seems likely to sign elsewhere, and the Mavericks’ top target to replace him, Nicolas Batum, re-signed with the Hornets this morning.
The 6’7″ Hill is a three-year veteran out of Arizona who has spent his entire career in Indiana. He averaged just 4.2 points and 2.8 rebounds, with a .324 3PT%, in 59 games this season, but increased those averages to 7.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, and a .579 3PT% in the playoffs, when he was relied on more heavily.
Parsons May Team With Conley In Memphis
Free agents Mike Conley and Chandler Parsons have talked several times about teaming up in Memphis, posts Tim MacMahon on ESPN Now. Parsons, who already has a maximum offer on the table from the Blazers, will meet with Grizzlies officials later today in Los Angeles. Conley has a meeting scheduled with the Mavericks, but MacMahon says Conley and Parsons haven’t talked about becoming teammates in Dallas.
Blazers Offer Max Deal To Chandler Parsons
FRIDAY, 2:06am: Parsons was “really impressed” with the Blazers’ presentation, which focused on the team’s long-term vision for him, a source tells Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com. Parsons will continue his free agent tour, meeting with the Grizzlies on Friday, but he’s “intrigued” by the idea of joining Portland, a playoff team with a young core, MacMahon writes.
THURSDAY, 11:55pm: The Trail Blazers got a meeting with Chandler Parsons during the first hour of free agency, and the team didn’t waste any time in putting a four-year, maximum-salary contract offer on the table, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical (Twitter link).
Parsons had been seeking a max deal, making a reunion with the Mavericks unlikely. It remains to be seen whether Parsons’ other suitors, such as the Lakers and Grizzlies, will be willing to make a similar offer, but the veteran forward has a meeting lined up with Memphis, according to ESPN’s Marc Stein (via Twitter).
While a max salary for Parsons will obviously be expensive, the fact that he only has five years of NBA experience means it won’t be as pricey as it would be for some other free agents. Parsons’ maximum salary for the coming season will fall in the $22MM range.
FA Rumors: Turner, Batum, Gasol, Lin, Kings
The Knicks, Bulls, Pelicans, Mavericks, Lakers, and Grizzlies are in the mix for Evan Turner, a source tells Sean Deveney of The Sporting News. No meetings have been finalized yet for Turner, but it sounds like he’ll meet with at least a few of those suitors. According to Deveney, there’s also still a possibility that the Celtics will re-enter the picture for Turner.
Here are more free agent updates from around the NBA:
- Unsurprisingly, Nicolas Batum, who has generated interest from Dallas, New York, Charlotte, and a few other teams, is seeking a max contract, tweets Deveney.
- According to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com, Trail Blazers and the Timberwolves are expected to be among the suitors for Pau Gasol, who has also been linked to Golden State, New York, and San Antonio.
- Jeremy Lin‘s price tag is expected to be in the neighborhood of $12-14MM per year, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical (via Twitter).
- The Kings have expressed interest in Dion Waiters and Allen Crabbe, per Wojnarowski (link via RealGM.com). Sacramento has also reached out to Courtney Lee, tweets Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com.
- Jazz free agent Trevor Booker is drawing interest from multiple teams and is expected to have a starting salary around $10MM, sources tell Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune (Twitter link).
Latest Free Agency News
With Chandler Parsons reportedly seeking a max contract and the Mavs unwilling to pony up that amount, there is virtually “no chance” that the forward will return to Dallas next season, Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com relays. Parsons has added meetings with the Lakers and the Grizzlies to his agenda, the scribe writes. A max contract for Parsons with the Mavs, who own his early Bird rights, would be worth $98.8MM over four years. Other teams can offer him a maximum of $94.8MM over the same span, MacMahon notes.
Latest On Mike Conley
Mike Conley will have up to five outside suitors willing to offer him a maximum-salary contract when free agency opens late tonight, according to Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal, who identifies the Mavericks, Rockets, Pelicans, Nets, and Lakers as the key challengers for the Grizzlies.
However, according to Sam Amick of USA Today (via Twitter), even though the veteran point guard is scheduled to meet with the Mavs on Friday, the Grizzlies remain in “very good position” in the Conley sweepstakes. Amick reports (via Twitter) that Dallas appears to pose the most significant threat to Memphis for Conley, but even that threat may prove to be “a nominal one.” The Rockets, meanwhile, aren’t expected to get a meeting with Conley at all, a source tells Calvin Watkins of ESPN.com.
If the Grizzlies do indeed remain comfortably in the driver’s seat, despite the fact that the Mavericks and other teams are willing to put max offers on the table for Conley, it may be an indication that Memphis is willing to add a fifth year to its offer. Since the Grizzlies hold Conley’s Bird Rights, they’re the only club with the ability to offer a five-year deal, and that fifth year would be worth well over $30MM in the point guard’s age-33 season.
There have also been reports suggesting that Conley wanted assurances from the Grizzlies that they would be aggressive in fortifying the roster around him, in order to remain a contender for the foreseeable future. If he ends up agreeing to re-sign with the team, he likely will have received such assurances.
Assuming Conley and the Grizzlies can work out a deal, the two sides likely won’t finalize anything right away. The team can make better use of its cap room by keeping Conley’s $14MM cap hold on the books, using all its cap space, then going over the cap to lock up Conley.
Lakers Have Interest In Chandler Parsons
Add the Lakers to the list of teams interested in Chandler Parsons, reports Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com (via Twitter). According to MacMahon, Parsons is on Los Angeles’ list of free agent targets.
Parsons, 27, opted out of his contract with the Mavericks earlier this month, and while Dallas has interest in bringing him back, the team doesn’t intend to offer Parsons the maximum-salary deal he’s seeking. It remains to be seen whether the Lakers or Parsons’ other suitors will be willing to do a max contract.
One of those other teams in the mix will be the Grizzlies, according to ESPN’s Marc Stein, who reported earlier today that Memphis might explore signing Parsons. Stein has since scratched the “might,” tweeting that Memphis is a “confirmed suitor” for the veteran forward. The Magic, meanwhile, haven’t formally set up a meeting with Parsons yet, but are expected to call him late tonight, tweets Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders.
Parsons will reportedly be “all ears” when potential suitors come calling in free agency, and looks forward to exploring his options, as MacMahon recently reported. Despite undergoing multiple surgical procedures on his knee, Parsons has received clearance to resume basketball activities and multiple orthopedic specialists have expressed optimism that his knee trouble won’t derail or jeopardize his career.
Grizzlies Eyeing Kent Bazemore, Eric Gordon
- In a Wednesday piece, Zach Lowe of ESPN.com identified the Bucks, Grizzlies, and Nets as probable suitors for Kent Bazemore. Michael Scotto of The Associated Press adds a few more teams to that list of suitors, tweeting that the Pelicans, Rockets, and Magic will also be eyeing Bazemore. The Hawks also want to re-sign the free agent wing, and we heard on Wednesday that the Knicks will also have strong interest in him too.
- The Rockets, Grizzlies, Knicks, and Pelicans are interested in free agent guard Eric Gordon, sources tell Chris Broussard of ESPN.com (Twitter link). A report earlier in the year suggested that New Orleans likely won’t go to great lengths to bring back Gordon, after he spent five injury-plagued seasons with the team.
Mavs Meeting With Conley, Whiteside On July 1
The Mavericks have July 1st meetings lined up with their top two free agent targets, Mike Conley and Hassan Whiteside, according to reports. ESPN’s Chris Broussard writes that the Mavs will get a Friday meeting with Conley, while ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said in a radio interview that Dallas will be getting the first meeting with Whiteside (hat tip to HeatNation.com).
Within that same interview, MacMahon suggests that the Mavericks will “absolutely” put a maximum-salary offer on the table for Whiteside. The Heat have the space to make such an offer as well, but reports have indicated that not all members of Miami’s front office are sold on the idea of a max deal for Whiteside.
Meanwhile, the Grizzlies believe they will hold off all challengers for Conley and re-sign their starting point guard, according to Marc Stein of ESPN (Twitter link). However, Broussard writes that it’s not a foregone conclusion that Conley will return to Memphis. If the Grizzlies are reluctant to go beyond four years in their offer, it could open the door for rival suitors, per Broussard.
In addition to the Mavericks, the teams expected to pursue Conley include the Rockets, Pelicans, Nets, and Lakers, but those teams have yet to formally set up meetings, sources tell Broussard. Assuming Conley does meet with some or all of those clubs, he will likely meet with the Grizzlies last, giving them the opportunity to make the final pitch before he makes his decision.
As the Mavericks pursue Memphis’ starting point guard, the Grizzlies have their eye on a pending free agent from Dallas, according to Stein, who tweets that Memphis may try to sign Chandler Parsons. Parsons is reportedly seeking a max contract as well, so the Grizzlies would have to accommodate huge deals for both Conley and Parsons if they intend to sign both players, but it seems to be an option they’re considering.