The Memphis Grizzlies have had a wild offseason thus far. Though they didn’t snag any big-name free agents, their free agency period was far from a failure.
Free Agency Recap for the Memphis Grizzlies
Free Agency Moves
After having one of the best draft nights of any team, the Memphis Grizzlies had little work to do in free agency to improve their young team. Yet they still managed to come out on top, despite not landing a top-notch free agent.
The only real free agency moves the team made were re-signing Jonas Valanciunas to a new, discounted deal, worth $45 million over three years, and stealing Tyus Jones from the Minnesota Timberwolves on a three-year, $29 million deal. Retaining Valanciunas was a top priority, and adding Jones to the point guard rotation was a solid move late in the game.
Most of the moves the Grizzlies made were via trade. Such moves include moving the horrendous contract of Chandler Parsons while picking up veteran trade pieces such as Dwight Howard and Andre Iguodala. They also snagged Josh Jackson from the Phoenix Suns along the way, a welcome addition to their young core.
A Bright Future for the Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis is diving head-first into their complete rebuild, as demonstrated by trades that sent out franchise legends Mike Conley and Marc Gasol in recent months. They’ve acquired phenomenal young talent through the draft in Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. while pairing the duo with the likes of Brandon Clarke, Dillon Brooks, and many other young standouts.
Pursuing a big-name free agent made little sense for the Memphis front office. Memphis has never been an attractive landing spot for a major free agent, and adding a major talent would hinder the development of the young core alongside each other. The best move was to stand their ground, and they did just that.
Though the moves made by the Grizzlies may look minor on paper, they have quietly had perhaps the best offseason in franchise history. They’ve cleared cap space and gotten rid of unwanted pieces and added solid, young talent via trade and the draft. Most of all, they’ve established a very bright future.
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