Yahoo Sports Grizzlies offseason preview: Dillon Brooks free agency, Desmond Bane extension, more
The Memphis Grizzlies postseason run was cut early after falling to the Los Angeles Lakers. The young team was once again the second seed in the West and won 50 games despite significant absences from all their top players. Unfortunately, they couldn’t overcome major injuries, and perhaps the public scrutiny they received all year got to them.
On the bright side, Memphis has one of the best young cores and a deep roster well-equipped to sustain long-term success. Their books are clean and organized which will allow them to navigate some of the upcoming CBA changes. Other than taking care of some of their key players, the Grizzlies could have a relatively quiet offseason.
Here is a preview of the 2023 offseason for the Memphis Grizzlies.
State of the roster
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The Grizzlies are heading into the offseason with a full 15-man roster. This includes their first-round pick but not Dillon Brooks, who is their lone free agent this summer. Assuming re-signing him is a priority, Memphis could look to make a small consolidation trade to open up a roster spot for him. Every player rostered has too much value to simply be cut and they may want to avoid that problem again after needing to waive Kennedy Chandler to make room for Kenneth Lofton Jr.
Memphis is expected to be roughly $20 million below the projected $162 million luxury tax line. This is provided that Ja Morant doesn’t earn All-NBA honors for this season and thus doesn’t meet the criteria for a higher maximum contract. The difference in total salaries is $40 million, and it would give Morant a $33.5 million starting salary for 2023-24 instead of $40.2 million. The savings should give the Grizzlies much more flexibility toward re-signing Brooks and potentially using the mid-level exception.
In the long run, this could be the last year the Grizzlies are able to avoid the luxury tax. That’s because new contracts for Brooks and Desmond Bane, along with recent extensions for Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., Steven Adams, and Brandon Clarke, could total $140 million for just the six of them. As long as they stick to this general group and do not add any more significant salaries, they should be able to pay a modest tax payment while avoiding the second tax apron.
Free agency: Dillon Brooks
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Dillon Brooks is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. He’s been eligible to extend for up to four years, $65.2 million, and will remain eligible to sign it up until June 30. He appears set on bypassing that extension and trying to earn more than $16 million annually on the open market.
Brooks is one of the better perimeter defenders in the league and just had a season worthy of All-Defense consideration. His shooting is notoriously streaky and has cost the Grizzlies games in the past, but he’s significantly lowered his shot attempts and is settling into the team’s shot hierarchy. Unless they are in a position to acquire an upgrade at forward, such as one of their preferred targets, they can’t afford to let him walk.
Brooks could definitely earn more money in free agency than his current maximum extension amount but it might not be that much more. A four-year deal paying him $18-20 million annually would have him earning as much or more than defensive specialists like Lu Dort, Dorian Finney-Smith, and OG Anunoby. At just 27 years old, he could fit on many of the young cap space teams this summer that are ready to take the next step.
Extension candidate: Desmond Bane
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Desmond Bane will be eligible to sign a rookie-scale extension during the offseason. The new extension rules will increase the number of years he can sign for from 4 to 5. The former 30th overall selection has been one of the league’s biggest developmental surprises and would likely be selected within the top 5 if the 2020 draft was redone.
Bane had a career season averaging 21.5 points per game, 5 rebounds per game, 4.4 assists per game, and 2.3 three-pointers per game on 40.8 percent shooting. He’s a great shooter who could also create his own shot and is an underrated secondary playmaker. He’s a solid defender despite being undersized who doesn’t take away from the Grizzlies’ 3rd-ranked defense this past season. He was having a season worthy of All-Star consideration prior to a toe injury sidelining him for 17 games.
Bane has a case for commanding a maximum contract this offseason but might not be a “no-brainer” max player. A maximum extension for Bane is currently projected at five years, $204 million. Memphis might prefer a structure that is for slightly less than the max but for more than recent deals for guards like Jalen Brunson, Jordan Poole, Tyler Herro, and R.J. Barrett. Perhaps a five-year deal in the $175-185 million range with incentives to help him reach a max salary could make sense for both sides.
2023-24 SALARY SITUATION
Players rostered: 15
Two-way players: 2 (Jacob Gilyard and Vince Williams Jr.)
Guaranteed salaries: $138.5 million
Non-guaranteed salaries: $1.9 million
Total salary: $142.1 million
Luxury tax space: $19.8 million
First apron space: $24.3 million
Second apron space: $34.8 million
Spending power:
Non-taxpayer mid-level exception: $12,220,000
Bi-annual exception: $4,448,000
Ja Morant
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
2023-24 salary: $33,500,000
Remaining salary guaranteed: $194,300,000 through 2027-28
Additional notes:
Can earn 30 percent maximum contract worth five years, $233.2 million if he meets the criteria (All-NBA, MVP)
Jaren Jackson Jr.
(Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)
2023-24 salary: $27,102,202
Remaining salary guaranteed: $75,773,395 through 2025-26
Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
2023-24 salary: $15,267,272
Remaining salary guaranteed: $14,763,636
Additional notes:
2024-25 salary is a team option worth $15,267,272
$503,636 in likely annual incentives, $1,510,910 in unlikely annual incentives
Joe Rondone-USA TODAY Sports
2023-24 salary: $14,000,000
Remaining salary guaranteed: $14,000,000
Additional notes:
$479,167 in unlikely incentives
Steven Adams
Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
2023-24 salary: $12,600,000
Remaining salary guaranteed: $25,200,000 through 2024-25
Brandon Clarke
Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
2023-24 salary: $12,500,000
Remaining salary guaranteed: $50,000,000 through 2026-27
Additional notes:
$500,000 in unlikely annual incentives
Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
2023-24 salary: $4,810,200
Remaining salary guaranteed: $10,943,205 through 2024-25
Desmond Bane
Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
2023-24 salary: $3,845,083
Remaining salary guaranteed: $3,845,083
Additional notes:
Eligible to sign a rookie-scale extension during the offseason for up to five years
2023-24 salary: $3,199,920
Remaining salary guaranteed: $11,715,727 through 2025-26
Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
2023-24 salary: $2,718,240
Remaining salary guaranteed: $10,397,246 through 2025-26
Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
2023-24 salary: $2,400,000
Remaining salary guaranteed: $20,895,000 through 2026-27
Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
2023-24 salary: $2,194,200
Remaining salary guaranteed: $6,154,731 through 2024-25
Christine Tannous-USA TODAY Sports
2023-24 salary: $1,930,681 (team option)
Remaining salary guaranteed: $0
Additional notes:
Extension-eligible through June 30 and will remain extension-eligible throughout 2023-24 if the Grizzlies pick up his option
Kenneth Lofton Jr.
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2023-24 salary: $1,719,864
Remaining salary guaranteed: $1,719,864
Additional notes:
2023-24 and 2024-25 salaries are non-guaranteed
Dillon Brooks
Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Cap hold: $17,100,000
Type of free agent: Bird (unrestricted)
Additional notes:
Can avoid free agency and extend with the Grizzlies by June 30 for up to four years, $65.2 million
2023 Pick No. 25
2023-24 salary: $2,585,160
Remaining salary guaranteed: $13,265,028 through 2026-27
Additional notes: HoopsHype and ForTheWin’s draft expert Bryan Kalbrosky has Jalen Hood-Schifino as the 21st overall selection in his most recent mock draft.
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