Tag: Free Agency

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Deflections: Late Notes on Joerger, Allen Reaction, Free Agency Update

Dorell Wright: The new Beyond-the-Arc-approved top realistic free-agent target.

  • Dorell Wright: The new Beyond-the-Arc-approved top realistic free-agent target.

Updated Free Agent List: As I illustrated in the previous post, the Grizzlies now find themselves with one open roster spot left to get to the minimum 13 and just a few million to spend without heading into the luxury tax. Barring a trade, expect the team to pursue a three-point shooter who can play small forward and can be had for under $4 million. I outlined most of these candidates in my offseason preview on Sunday. One new name to add to the list: Luigi Datome, an Italian forward who popped up in reports earlier this week as a subject of interest of both the Grizzlies and Celtics. I don’t know much about Datome, He’s 25 years old. He’s 6’9”. He shot 39% from three in the Italian League last season. In theory, Datome seems to fit the parameters of what the Grizzlies are looking for. I asked someone — outside the Grizzlies organization — who does research and projections on European prospects about Datome and the response I got was that he projects as a “replacement level” player and seems to be something of “an Italian Austin Daye.” That doesn’t sound like much, but Daye will be on an NBA roster next season, so Datome sounds viable.

Yahoo’s Marc Spears reports today that the Grizzlies are among the teams interested in Dorrell Wright — the highest-rated player on my own free-agent board who is still unsigned. No surprise there. It’s also been reported that Matt Barnes — who hit a bushel of threes against the Grizzlies in his final NBA game last season — is now talking to teams other than the Clippers, and you can bet the Grizzlies are taking a look there. I still harbor some hope the Grizzlies will make a play for Kyle Korver, but that seems unlikely, both because doing so would likely put the team in the tax and there are suitors who can offer more than the full mid-level exception.

My own updated “small forward shooter” rankings based on what we now know:

1. Dorrell Wright
2. Matt Barnes
3. Carlos Delfino
4. Francisco Garcia
5. Omri Casspi (personal fave)
6. Luigi Datome (ranking theme song)
7. Austin Daye
8. Anthony Morrow

Marc Stein Interview: I guested and co-hosted on The Chris Vernon Show for a while today, with Verno and I interviewing ESPN.com’s Marc Stein about the free agency landscape. You can hear that interview here.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Griz, Tony Allen Agree to Four-Year, $20 Million Deal

CREDIT: LARRY KUZNIEWSKI

The Grindfather Returns

On a day when wing players around the NBA were signing bigger-than-expected deals — four years and $27 million for J.J. Redick, four years and $30 million for Kevin Martin, three years and $16 million for Chase Budinger, and four years and $22 million for Martell Webster — the market for Grizzlies guard Tony Allen seemed to be moving in divergent directions.

On the one hand, the asking price for starting-caliber but non-All-Star wing players was coming in higher than the Grizzlies may have hoped to go for Allen. On the other, some potential Allen suitors — notably the Clippers and Pacers — seemed to be filling up roster spots or salary space needed to entice Allen.

In the end, the negotiation between Allen and the Grizzlies seems to have come down to years — a guaranteed fourth year for the 31-year-old guard with a sometimes balky knee. And Allen got his fully guaranteed fourth year in a four-year, $20 million dollar deal that is, nevertheless, still less on a per-year basis than any other wing player signing on Tuesday. This for the only player in the group that has made three straight all-defensive teams, the only player in the group who just started on a conference finalist, and, certainly, the only player in the group to have significant, tangible box-office and marketing value beyond his on-court merits.

According to a source with knowledge of the negotiations, Allen’s contract is set up with escalating salaries. Based on 7.5% raises allotted in the league’s collective bargaining agreement, and my own algebra, Allen’s contract should look something like this year-by-year:

2013-2014: $4.5 million
2014-2015: $4.8 million
2015-2016: $5.2 million
2016-2017: $5.5 million

Categories
Beyond the Arc Sports

Free Agency: Griz Decline Qualifying Offers on Leuer/Daye, Meet with Tony Allen

CREDIT: LARRY KUZNIEWSKI

Austin Daye

A Grizzlies source confirmed today at the team has declined to extend qualifying offers to free agents Austin Daye and Jon Leuer, making both unrestricted free agents.

Daye’s qualifying offer was $4.1 million, well above his market value, so not extending to him was a foregone conclusion. Leuer’s qualifying offer was $1.1 million and his situation was more up in the air.

The Grizzlies lose matching rights to both Daye and Leuer in free agency but are not precluded from negotiating deals outside of the framework of each player’s prior contract. With Leuer, there’s a good chance the team may try to reach agreement on a multi-year deal with team options that would start a little below Leuer’s qualifying offer for next season, helping the team navigate beneath the league’s luxury tax line. As for Daye, the Grizzlies could still sign him to a lower salary if there’s roster and payroll space left after the smoke clears on higher-priority free agent targets.

With free agency negotiation beginning today, team CEO Jason Levien and head coach Dave Joerger met with incumbent free agent Tony Allen this morning. Other teams with reported interest in Allen include the Clippers, Bucks, Pacers, and Knicks.

It’s unclear at the moment which outside free agents the Grizzlies will target, but other outlets have reported interest in swingmen Chase Budinger and Kevin Martin and re-confirmed interest in center Greg Oden.