2019 NBA Free Agency Southwest Primer: Analytics, upstarts and perennial contenders

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2019 NBA Draft Ja Morant. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) /

Memphis Grizzlies

Situation Entering Offseason:

After years of stubbornly sticking to the Grit and Grind mold which made Memphis a perennial tough out the Grizzlies have elected to move on to a new era.

It began with the trade of Marc Gasol which resulted in him winning his first title in Toronto and finished with Mike Conley being traded to the Jazz.

Now the Grizzlies will look to forge a new version of Grit and Grind focusing on the uber talented Jaren Jackson Jr., an exciting rookie point guard in Ja Morant and a bevy of previous Raptors who know what it takes to build culture and chemistry.

Salary:

Cap Space: $ (32,892,241.00)
Floor Space: $ (5,149,400.00)
Max Space: $ 34,902,753.00
Projected Space: $ (21,932,241.00)

*as per Keith Smith of Real GM

Key free agents to re-sign:

How ironic is it the longest serving Grizzly is Chandler Parsons? Reflecting back the Grizzlies came close to pushing through when they had a young Rudy Gay on the wing, but once he exited Memphis never found that one wing player who could push them over the top. In three seasons Parsons has played in just 95 games and enters the final season (worth $25+M) of his four year $94M contract this coming year.

Memphis extended the qualifying offer tender to guard Delon Wright, who will now be a restricted free agent, league sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium. Wright had a strong finish for the Grizzlies last season.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 26, 2019

Memphis enters the offseason needed to add depth at virtually every position although the combination of Delon Wright (who the team extended a qualifying offer) and Ja Morant could be interesting. The addition of Grayson Allen and the never aging Kyle Korver could offer the perimeter shooting the team desires, especially if C.J. Miles can rediscover his range. That said, expect this season to be more about feeling out the young pieces they have and who offers the best fit moving forward.