And-Ones: NBAGL Trades, Extension Candidates, Woj’s Replacement, More
Toronto’s G League affiliate – the Raptors 905 – has made a pair of trades in recent days, including a four-team deal that sent Kennedy Chandler‘s returning rights to the 905, according to Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link). As we noted recently when the NBA’s Raptors signed and waived Chandler, their G League team still needed to acquire the guard’s rights in order to get him on the 905’s roster this fall.
That four-team trade also saw the Long Island Nets acquire Au’Diese Toney‘s returning rights and a 2025 first-round pick, the Birmingham Squadron (Pelicans) acquire Trhae Mitchell‘s returning rights, and the Rio Grande Valley Vipers (Rockets) land the rights to Devin Cannady and Markquis Nowell along with a 2024 first-round pick.
In the 905’s other trade, the Raptors’ affiliate sent Koby McEwen‘s returning rights to the Windy City Bulls in exchange for Evan Gilyard‘s rights, tweets Murphy.
- Fred Katz of The Athletic identifies five of the most interesting extension-eligible veterans to keep an eye on this fall, singling out Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon, Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr., and Mavericks center Daniel Gafford, among others.
- Who are the candidates to replace Adrian Wojnarowski as ESPN’s top NBA insider? According to reporting from Andrew Marchand of The Athletic and Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports, while big-name NBA reporters like Shams Charania and Chris Haynes are possibilities, it’s also not out of the question that one of ESPN’s other top news-breakers, such as Jeff Passan or Adam Schefter, could end up in the role. Marchand says Passan is a candidate to switch from MLB to the NBA, while McCarthy suggests it’s not out of the question for Schefter to take on a dual role covering the NFL and NBA.
- In an in-depth Insider-only article for ESPN, Bobby Marks takes a look at all 30 teams’ training camp rosters and examines the key dates and deadlines coming up for each of those clubs.
- Taking into account their projected regular season win totals, John Hollinger of The Athletic picks five teams he expects to exceed expectations in 2024/25, including the Cavaliers, Suns, and Pistons.
Grizzlies Notes: Morant, Rose, Jackson, Bane, Spencer, Konchar
Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant is healthy and ready to go this fall after missing 85 of the team’s last 102 regular season games due to a pair of suspensions and a season-ending shoulder injury. While the last season-and-a-half have been pretty forgettable for fans in Memphis, Morant told reporters on Monday that he wants to remember “pretty much everything” he’s experienced during that time.
“Everything I’ve been through, I wanna remember that feeling I felt each time, no matter what situation it was,” he said, per Jason Munz of The Memphis Commerical Appeal. “I feel like it helped me a lot, it helped me grow more into a better Ja. Right now, you know, I’m probably the happiest I feel like I’ve been in a while. You know just having my family, my AAU team and the little things I was doing to keep me going and that makes me happy being able to do it this offseason – catching up with a lot of my family has been good.
“… I feel like a happy Ja is a scary Ja for a lot of people. So, long as I stay happy and healthy, it’ll be a great season.”
Morant wasn’t the only Grizzlies player to be affected by health problems last season. Nearly every one of the team’s rotation players missed time due to various injuries, but Morant and fellow cornerstones Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane are healthy this fall and the star point guard is bullish about the potential of the 2024/25 squad.
“I honestly feel like this is one of the best rosters we’ve had, you know, on paper, depth-wise,” Morant said. “And now being able to see the guys go out and when we’re playing and stuff, it gives me even more confidence. I feel like we’re pretty much loaded at every position. It’s gonna be interesting to see how it all pans out.”
Here’s more on the Grizzlies:
- Derrick Rose‘s retirement wasn’t something the Grizzlies had expected this fall, but they were happy to accommodate him when he asked to be let out of his contract in order to call it a career, head of basketball operations Zach Kleiman said on Monday, according to Munz. “First, congrats to Derrick Rose on his retirement. Really glad that Derrick was with us for a season,” Kleiman said. “We got a call – it was classic Derrick fashion. Completely respect Derrick, the person he is and the decision he decided to make. But, got a call out of left field from his agent last weekend. ‘He’s ready to ride off into the sunset.'”
- Kleiman made it clear during his media session on Monday that Morant, Jackson, and Bane are the three players the Grizzlies are building around now and going forward, as Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal relays. “I think that’s one of, if not the best three-man cores in the NBA,” Kleiman said. “I firmly believe that. We’ve spent years trying to think about what are the type of players that fit best around them, and I think every year we have trended more and more in that direction.”
- Already without Vince Williams (leg) and GG Jackson (foot) for training camp, the Grizzlies are also missing two-way player Cam Spencer for now as he deals with an ankle sprain Kleiman described as “moderate,” according to Cole. “A little bit shorter-handed than we’d like to be,” Kleiman said. “… It’s next man up. Down to the two-ways. We feel strongly about each of the three two-ways on the roster. They’re guys who can potentially contribute.”
- The Grizzlies are carrying just 13 players on standard contracts for now and could wait as late as two weeks into the regular season to add a 14th man if they so choose. Kleiman didn’t offer any real hints on Monday about who might fill that spot, as Cole notes. “I think realistically, you’ll see someone in the 14th spot before we start the regular season,” Kleiman said. “Don’t hold me to that. Not promising it. Over the course of training camp and preseason, we’ll evaluate.”
- Reserve wing John Konchar said his goal in 2024/25 is to make at least 38% of his three-pointers, tweets Cole. Konchar was a 40.6% three-point shooter in his first three NBA seasons, but knocked down just 33.0% in the past two seasons.
Southwest Notes: Eason, Jackson, Pelicans, Extension Candidates
The leg injury that sidelined Tari Eason for most of the 2023/24 season has made him the most overlooked of the Rockets‘ young core players, but he remains highly regarded by the team’s decision-makers, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required).
Eason’s role for the Rockets in 2024/25 may ultimately be impacted by how some of his teammates perform and what sort of needs are created as a result. However, Feigen points out that Houston outscored opponents by 9.4 points per 100 possessions with Eason on the court last season and that the forward also had the best net rating among rotation players in 2022/23. In other words, the club will find minutes for him.
Eason is unlikely to crack the starting lineup, but assuming he’s fully healthy, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him deployed as the primary backup at both forward sports, says Feigen.
Here’s more from around the Southwest:
- Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. just celebrated his 25th birthday on Sunday, but as Memphis’ longest-tenured player who is entering his seventh NBA season, he’s embracing his role as a veteran leader for the team, as Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal details. “I definitely feel like a veteran somewhat,” Jackson said. “Especially being here in one place for so long and seeing everybody roll in here in and out. You see a lot of different things with staff, players. It’s crazy when you think about it.”
- The Pelicans have formally announced their new media rights deal with Gray Media, which will allow them to locally televise games over-the-air for free. Christian Clark of NOLA.com provides some more details on the agreement, including outlining which markets it will reach and explaining why the Pelicans decided to part with Bally Sports and go this route.
- In a story for Bleacher Report, Eric Pincus takes a closer look at what “fair market” deals would look like for several of the top remaining rookie scale extension candidates, including several notable players from out of the Southwest. Alperen Sengun (Rockets), Jalen Green (Rockets), and Trey Murphy (Pelicans) are some of the fourth-year players who will reach restricted free agency in 2025 if they don’t sign new deals by October 21.
Southwest Notes: Duke, Ingram, Marshall, Jackson Jr.
The Spurs re-signed David Duke Jr. on a two-way contract and his goal is to be a defensive stalwart, he told Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News.
“That’s number one for me, my priority,” Duke said. “It’s what is going to get me on the floor, keep me on the floor, utilizing the defensive gifts I have, and then from there, expanding other parts of my game.”
Duke is heartened that San Antonio’s front office has faith in him. “They value me, they want me back,” Duke said. “It’s a good feeling to be wanted by a team, especially at this level. I just take it as an opportunity to grow … and show them more parts of my game that maybe they haven’t seen.”
We have more from the Southwest Division:
- Spurs second-round selection Harrison Ingram, who also signed a two-way deal, is expected to see plenty of time with the G League’s Austin Spurs, according to Orsborn. “Whatever it takes, whether it’s the G League to stay with the main team, I’m ready to do it to achieve my dreams,” Ingram said. The rookie forward averaged 10.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 28.6 minutes during the Las Vegas Summer League. In three games at the Sacramento California Classic, he averaged 10.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists.
- The Mavericks signed former Pelicans wing Naji Marshall to a three-year deal in free agency. Marshall told Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com that defense will remain his calling card. “They (the Pelicans) gave me that kind of role and I just ran with it,” he said. “I know my game. And the people we have on this team, they’re going to make me better. And I know I can make them better. So I’m just excited to get this going.”
- Could the NBA’s new broadcasting deals, which will lead to significant salary cap growth, facilitate the Grizzlies’ efforts to retain Jaren Jackson Jr. in the long-term? Jackson is extension-eligible next offseason when the new TV deal kicks in, Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal notes. The 2023 Defensive Player of the Year could become eligible for a five-year, $318MM super-max extension if he’s named Defensive Player of the Year once again or earns an All-NBA spot in 2025. Of course, Memphis wouldn’t be obligated to put a full super-max offer on the table for Jackson if he meets the performance criteria.
Morant Showing Good Progress From Shoulder Surgery
Ja Morant appears to be ahead of schedule in his recovery from shoulder surgery, Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal reports.
According to Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins, Morant and several other players who suffered significant injuries are making good progress. Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr., Ziaire Williams, Vince Williams and Marcus Smart were among the other Grizzlies players who missed chunks of time due to injury this season.
“Everything is going well,” Jenkins said on Tuesday. “Ja is the only one when June rolls around, he’s going to be pretty close to full go on the court. Everything that everyone was dealing with towards the end of the season is in a good place right now.”
Morant’s season was essentially a washout. He missed the first 25 games of the season due to an NBA suspension, then averaged 25.1 points, 8.1 assists and 5.6 rebounds in nine games after the suspension, including a game-winning shot against New Orleans on Dec. 19 in his return to action.
Morant was then diagnosed with a labral tear in his right shoulder after a training session. At the time of his January surgery, the recovery process was outlined as a six-month process.
Grizzlies head of basketball operations Zach Kleiman said in April that there wasn’t a timeline on Morant’s full availability, but that he was “expected to be fully cleared for basketball activities maybe halfway through the offseason.”
Morant will be entering the second year of his five-year, max contract.
Southwest Notes: Ingram, Thompson, Lively, Jackson Jr.
Brandon Ingram‘s outing against the Lakers in Tuesday’s play-in loss was just his second since returning from a bone bruise that forced him to miss 12 games. Ingram was pulled from that loss with 7:38 to go in the fourth quarter and didn’t return, finishing with 25 minutes of game time.
“I just liked the group that was on the floor at the time,” head coach Willie Green said. “B.I. is still getting back. Still getting his rhythm. So I didn’t want to force the issue. I liked the group that was going.”
However, as NOLA.com’s Christian Clark observes, the Pelicans are going to need to rely on Ingram more in Friday’s play-in outing against the Kings. Zion Williamson, who scored 40 points in the loss, was ruled out with a hamstring injury he suffered near the end of Tuesday’s game.
The Pelicans saw most of their success on Tuesday with a bench-heavy lineup centered around Williamson. Meanwhile, Ingram finished with 12 points while CJ McCollum had just nine. As Clark writes, if Williamson didn’t get hurt, Green may have finished the game without either Ingram or McCollum on the floor. The Pelicans were outscored by 3.2 points per 100 possessions with Williamson, Ingram and McCollum sharing the floor this season.
We have more from the Southwest Division:
- The Magic have previously been mentioned as a potential suitor for unrestricted free agent Klay Thompson. According to The Athletic’s Sam Amick, the Mavericks are another team worth monitoring as a landing spot for Warriors‘ the five-time All-Star. Thompson had his worst shooting night of the season in the play-in against the Kings, missing all 10 of his shots. However, as Amick writes, he’d been playing better toward the end of the season, averaging 21.8 points on 41.6% shooting from deep in the 10 games after getting his starting job back.
- Dereck Lively II‘s status for Game 1 against the Clippers on Sunday is still in the air, but he went through practice on Tuesday and appeared to be moving well, Mavs.com’s Eddie Sefko reports. Lively, who has been out since March 31 after averaging 8.8 points and 6.9 rebounds per game in his rookie season, pairs with Daniel Gafford to provide a one-two punch for the Mavericks at the center position.
- The Grizzlies are looking to add more size to their rotation next season after shipping Steven Adams and Xavier Tillman out in separate deals this season. However, as Grind City Media’s Michael Wallace writes, they’re not yet committed to playing Jaren Jackson Jr. to strictly one position. “I like seeing Jaren out there at [power forward] more, with another big man, and then me coming off the bench,” teammate Brandon Clarke said. “That was kind of how it was the past four years. But we just really got to get healthy first. And we’re going to get a good pick in the draft. So, I trust the front office with what they choose. But sounds like we need somebody big and somebody strong down there for us.“
Grizzlies Notes: Morant, Rose, Draft Pick, Kennard, More
Although the Grizzlies dealt with a ton of injuries this season, particularly down the stretch, there aren’t many long-term concerns among that group of injured players, according to head of basketball operations Zach Kleiman, who told reporters today that Ja Morant (right shoulder surgery) is the only one expected to have more than a month of recovery time, per Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal.
“I would say he is expected to be fully cleared for basketball activities maybe halfway through the offseason,” Kleiman said of Morant, who is expected to be in Memphis rehabbing for most of the summer. “… He’s been very diligent with his work. He’s been around the team pouring into that everyday.”
Another Grizzlies point guard who missed much of the 2023/24 season for health reasons, Derrick Rose said on Monday that he has no plans to retire and expects to be back in Memphis next season, according to Cole. Rose is under contract for a guaranteed salary worth approximately $3.4MM.
“Yes, I’m coming back,” Rose said. “I talked to Zach, I talked to coach (Taylor Jenkins). … This summer, it’s all about attacking my rehabs, my workouts and continuing to be disciplined.”
The Grizzlies signed Rose and traded for Marcus Smart last summer, envisioning the veteran guards serving as mentors and veteran leaders for Morant during and following his 25-game suspension. However, Rose appeared in just 24 games, Smart played in 20, and Morant suited up for only nine.
Here’s more out of Memphis:
- While the Grizzlies used Jaren Jackson Jr. at the five frequently this season and will likely continue to do so, Kleiman wasn’t coy about the fact that Memphis intends to add at least one center to its roster this offseason, according to Cole. “I envision we’ll add at least one big,” he said. “Whether that’s a starting big or a rotation big, I think we have some work to do on the roster there. … We’re not trying to hide the ball on that.” The Grizzlies traded away centers Steven Adams and Xavier Tillman at February’s deadline.
- Memphis projects to have a top-10 pick in this year’s draft, but hasn’t decided yet whether it will keep or trade that first-rounder, Cole writes. “I think we’re going to be open-minded on what we can do with that pick,” Kleiman said. Obviously, no decisions will be made until sometime after May’s lottery, since the team’s plans for a No. 1 or No. 8 overall pick could look very different.
- Kleiman was noncommittal on the Grizzlies’ plans for Luke Kennard, whose contract includes a 2024/25 team option worth about $14.8MM. “Luke is someone we continue to feel strongly about,” Kleiman said. “Someone who is important for this team and this NBA. We have decisions that we have to make on him coming up.”
- As Cole relays, Kleiman lauded second-year shooting guard Vince Williams for what he provided the Grizzlies this season and said Williams will be an important part of the club’s plans going forward: “He is someone that we have confidence in to play a significant role. He can play different kinds of roles, but it will be significant next season.”
Zion, Holiday, Jackson Meet 65-Game Criteria For Award Eligibility
Pelicans forward Zion Williamson met the criteria for end-of-season award eligibility on Wednesday by appearing in his 65th game of the season, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
It’s a career high for Williamson, who appeared in 61 games in his second NBA season in 2020/21 but had otherwise never played more than 29 times in a season. The former No. 1 overall pick has built a legitimate case for All-NBA consideration this season, averaging 22.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 5.0 assists in 31.3 minutes per contest, with a .581 FG%.
The bad news for Williamson and the Pelicans is that he didn’t play the final seven-plus minutes of Wednesday’s loss to Orlando due to a finger injury on his left hand. As Andrew Lopez of ESPN details, Zion had his left middle finger taped up after the game, but declined to speculate on the severity of the injury when he spoke to reporters.
“I don’t want to say anything that’s not right, to be honest,” he said. “But yeah, I tweaked it a little bit. I’ll have more information on it [Thursday] morning and I’m going to get it looked at and go from there.”
Appearing in 65+ games and potentially earning an All-NBA spot this season wouldn’t have any real impact on Williamson’s contract situation, though as Marks outlines in a YouTube video, the 23-year-old is on a unique deal and his games played in future seasons will help determine how much of his salary is guaranteed or non-guaranteed going forward.
Williamson was one of three notable players to reach the 65-game threshold for award consideration on Wednesday, according to Marks, who points out (via Twitter) that Celtics guard Jrue Holiday and Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. also got there. It was technically Jackson’s 66th outing of the season, but he played fewer than 15 minutes in one of those contests, so it didn’t count toward the 65-game minimum.
Neither Holiday nor Jackson is a legitimate candidate for an All-NBA spot or for any other major award except for All-Defense. Holiday has made the All-Defensive First Team three times, including last season, and has also earned a pair of Second Team nods, while Jackson is the league’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year and has made the First Team in each of the past two seasons.
There’s essentially no chance that Jackson will repeat as Defensive Player of the Year for the lottery-bound Grizzlies, but it’s worth noting that if he did – or if he wins the DPOY award next season – he would become eligible for a super-max extension in July 2025.
Southwest Notes: Champagnie, Wesley, Thompson, Mavs, Jackson Jr.
Julian Champagnie knows that defense and rebounding must be his calling card to remain a rotation player in the league for years to come. The Spurs forward has started 35 of 50 games this season despite modest averages of 5.9 points and 4.8 shot attempts in 16.7 minutes per game.
“Whether I have five (points) or 15 or 20 or six, I think it’s just make sure I’m not a negative defender on the court,” he told Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News.
Point guard Blake Wesley, a 2022 first-round selection, has received steady playing time the last two months and wants to keep it that way. He’s cut his turnovers dramatically in his second season, committing only 29 in 36 games.
“I want to stay consistent and build on each and every game,” Wesley said. “Play hard and stay in the rotation. That’s my main goal.”
We have more from the Southwest Division:
- Amen Thompson, the fourth pick of last year’s draft, has seen his role expand this month, including crunch-time minutes, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle notes. Thompson is averaging 13.8 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.4 steals in 30.6 minutes per game across nine February outings. He played 20 second-half minutes in a four-point win over Phoenix on Friday. “He’s growing on a nightly basis,” Rockets coach Ime Udoka said. “He gives us some versatility.”
- The Mavericks began a tough four-game road trip on Sunday but coach Jason Kidd has plenty of depth now, due to the addition of big man Daniel Gafford and the imminent return of Dante Exum from injury. Kidd said his rotation could include 10 or 11 players for the time being. “We’ve got to be playing our best basketball going into April,” Kidd told Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News. “That’s the goal.”
- Jaren Jackson Jr.‘s offensive role has grown due to the heavy toll injuries have taken on his Grizzlies teammates. He’s also had to adjust to playing center often, rather than power forward. “JJ’s handled all these recent growth opportunities beautifully,” coach Taylor Jenkins told Kelly Iko of The Athletic. “We’ve thrown a lot of things at him purposely, the nature of where the roster is at.” Jackson is averaging 25.4 points and 20.7 shot attempts, along with 3.6 assists, per game this month.
Grizzlies Notes: Adams, Bane, V. Williams, Gasol, Rose
Addressing the trade of veteran center Steven Adams, who was sent to Houston for Victor Oladipo and three second-round picks, Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins cited “flexibility” as a key reason for making the deal, writes Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal.
“Big-time thanks to (Adams),” Jenkins said. “Opportunities come throughout the league. We got to make some decisions. Obviously we’re excited about the flexibility it creates for us. … The impact (Adams) made was a big one for us. Obviously we’re going to miss him. Hopefully he gets healthy. He’s been working really hard in his rehab. He had a huge impact not just on the floor, but also in the locker room.”
As Jenkins alluded to, Adams is out for the season after undergoing knee surgery, though he’s expected to make a full recovery prior to 2024/25.
It will be difficult to find a long-term replacement for Adams’ unique skill set (bruising screener, elite offensive rebounder, solid passer). According to Cole, Jenkins said playing Jaren Jackson Jr. more at center is one option for Memphis going forward, but the team will look at “different avenues” as well.
Here’s more on the Grizzlies:
- Fourth-year guard Desmond Bane has been out about three weeks with a severe left ankle sprain and is expected to miss at least three more. On Thursday, Jenkins said Bane has been doing individual on-court work and movement shooting. “He’s hungry to get back and beat the timeline,” Jenkins said, per Cole (Twitter link).
- While the Grizzlies have had a “wild, wayward” season thus far, one bright spot has been the play of second-year wing Vince Williams, according to Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian (subscriber link). A 2022 second-round pick (47th overall) who was on a two-way deal with Memphis before being promoted to a standard contract, Williams has been an “unlikely revelation” in 2023/24, Herrington writes. The 23-year-old only played 105 minutes in 15 games last season, but has been thrust into a major role due to the team’s lengthy injury list. In 12 January games (32.7 MPG), he played exceptionally well, averaging 14.8 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 3.3 APG and 1.3 SPG on .509/.469/.780 shooting.
- Memphis announced in a press release that it will retire Marc Gasol‘s No. 33 jersey on April 6, following a game vs. Philadelphia. Gasol, a three-time All-Star for the Grizzlies and the 2012/13 Defensive Player of the Year, recently retired as a player. He spent more than 10 seasons with Memphis and holds numerous team records. Gasol’s former teammate, Zach Randolph, is the only other player to have his jersey retired by the Grizzlies.
- Veteran point guard Derrick Rose returned to action on Friday after missing the past month with a left hamstring strain, Cole tweets. Rose finished with 12 points and four assists in 16 minutes in Friday’s loss to Golden State.