Grizzlies spend to grab T-wolves’ PG Jones
LAS VEGAS — For the second year in a row, the Grizzlies have poached a restricted free agent using the NBA'S midlevel exception.
An 11 p.m. CT deadline passed Tuesday with the Minnesota Timberwolves declining to match the Grizzlies' threeyear, $28 million offer for point guard Tyus Jones.
That means Jones is heading to Memphis, where he is likely to fill the team's backup point guard role behind No. 2 overall pick Ja Morant.
It also means Memphis' biggest activity in the free agent market appears to be done.
Now, the franchise will be limited to using minimum contracts and the biannual exception if it wants to sign additional free agents.
Jones is a former Final Four MVP at Duke and is entering his fifth season in the NBA with a reputation as one of the league's most efficient distributors.
Jones, 23, averaged 4.8 assists and just 0.7 turnovers in 23 minutes per game last season with the Timberwolves.
His assist-to-turnover ratio set an NBA record among players with a minimum of 200 assists in a season.
Morant is poised to become the franchise's point guard of the future. But having a veteran point guard to lean on should help ease his growing pains.
Memphis also acquired second-year point guard De'anthony Melton from Phoenix in a recent trade.
Can he play with Ja Morant?
The Grizzlies executed a sign-andtrade with Dallas over the weekend that sent Delon Wright to the Mavericks.
Wright played backup point guard for the Grizzlies after being acquired in the Marc Gasol trade at the 2019 trade deadline and demonstrated he could play alongside Mike Conley in the backcourt.
Can Jones play off the ball in the same way Wright did? Or can Morant play off the ball if Jones is playing point guard?
The Grizzlies must think so. Other
wise, they are making a significant investment for a backup.
Jones and Morant, at 6-foot-2 and 6foot-3, respectively, would be an undersized backcourt featuring two players not known as great outside shooters.
But it could be one of the best playmaking duos in the NBA. Morant averaged 10 assists per game at Murray State last season and is regarded as an elite passer.
What now?
Picking up Jones will be the Grizzlies' biggest move in free agency. His threeyear contract – which could be worth as much as $28 million after likely incentives – will use up all of the team's $9.26 million mid-level exception for this season.
The mid-level exception allows teams that are over the salary cap but below the luxury tax line to use a predetermined amount of money on free agents.
The Grizzlies made an offer to Kyle Anderson using the mid-level last season when he was a restricted free agent with the Spurs. San Antonio declined to match the offer.
Memphis still could use the bi-annual exception ($3.29 million maximum) on Serbian wing Marko Guduric or another free agent.
The Grizzlies also will need to make roster moves before the beginning of the season to trim their roster to the league maximum of 15.
Reach Grizzlies beat writer David Cobb at david.cobb@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @Davidwcobb.