Memphis Grizzlies, Utah Jazz and Brooklyn Nets Off-Season Preview

Next in the off-season preview series are the Grizzlies, Jazz and Nets. Included in this preview are team’s contracts, options, free agents, draft picks, and cap space. I will dive into each team’s top priorities and biggest needs as well as best draft and free agent fits.
 
So far, I have previewed the Pistons, Wizards, Hornets, Trail Blazers, Spurs, and Raptors. You can check out those teams in the links below:
 
 

Memphis Grizzlies

Under Contract:

  • Ja Morant: 4 Years Left – $163.23M (5 Years – $197.23M)
  • Desmond Bane: 5 Years – $197.23M
  • Jaren Jackson Jr.: 2 Years Left – $48.67M (4 Years – $104.72M), Extension Eligible
  • Marcus Smart: 2 Years Left – $41.8M (4 Years – $76.49M), Extension Eligible
  • Brandon Clarke: 3 Years Left – $37.5M (4 Years – $50M)
  • John Konchar: 3 Years – $18.5M
  • Ziaire Williams: 1 Year Left – $6.13M (4 Years – $19.91M), Extension Eligible
  • Santi Aldama: 1 Year Left – $3.96M (4 Years – $10.24M, Rookie Contract), Extension Eligible
  • Derrick Rose: 1 Year Left – $3.36M (2 Years – $6.55M)
  • Jake LaRavia: 2 Years Left – $8.52M (4 Years – $14.76M, Rookie Contract), Last Year is Team Option
  • Vincent Williams Jr.: 3 Years Left – $6.91M (4 Years – $9.14M, Rookie Contract), Last Year is Team Option
  • G.G. Jackson: 3 Years Left – $6.51M (4 Years – $8.51M, Rookie Contract), Last Year is Team Option

Options:

  • Luke Kennard: Team Option – $14.76M, Extension Eligible
  • Yuta Watanabe: Player Option – $2.65M

Free Agents:

  • Lamar Stevens (UFA)

Draft Picks:

  • 9th Pick
  • 39th Pick (From BKN)
  • 57th Pick (From OKC)

Cap Space:

  • Projected Maximum Cap Space: $20.5M+ over the cap

Top Priorities/Team Needs:

  • Find an answer at center: Steven Adams played a critical role for the Grizzlies, but they traded Adams last season to dump off his large contract. The center position is the biggest priority heading into the off-season. They could add a player through the draft like Donovan Clingan, or by trading for a center like Jarrett Allen, but they don’t have the cap space to go after a player in free agency.
  • Trade for a star player?: Over the past couple years, the Grizzlies have been linked to numerous rumors trying to trade for another star player but have been unsuccessful. I think they will attempt to trade for a star player, but actually making a trade remains to be seen.
  • What to do at the starting wing position?: The starting players on this roster are Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr., and whoever they add at center will likely start as well. The final starting spot is the wing/small forward position. There are a number of routes they could go with this. If they trade for a center, they could add a player like Ron Holland or Dalton Knecht in the draft who would fit in well with this team. If they add a center through the draft like Clingan, they could trade a few of their young players and future draft picks for a wing to fill in that spot.
  • Keep or trade Luke Kennard?: Luke Kennard has a team option for next season worth $14.76M. The Grizzlies need shooting, but he could be a valuable trade option. Do they pick up his option and extend him, or do they pick up his option and trade him?
  • Stay healthy: The Grizzlies were ravaged by injuries this season, playing a record number of 33 players throughout the year. They still won a surprising 27 games even with the amount of turnover they had. The silver lining to this year was the development of young players like Vince Williams Jr. and G.G. Jackson. Going forward, they need to prioritize health over the summer to make a playoff run next year.

Draft Fits:

  • 9th Pick:
    • Donovan Clingan
    • Devin Carter
    • Ron Holland
    • Dalton Knecht
  • 39th Pick:
    • Keshad Johnson
    • Jonathan Mogbo
    • Harrison Ingram
  • 57th Pick:
    • Pelle Larsson
    • Tristan Newton
    • Quinten Post

Free Agent Fits:

  • There is no cap space available to sign free agents this off-season.

Utah Jazz

Under Contract:

  • John Collins: 2 Years Left – $53.16M (5 Years – $125M), Extension Eligible, Last Year is Player Option
  • Collin Sexton: 2 Years Left – $37.13M (4 Years – $70.95M), Extension Eligible
  • Lauri Markkanen: 1 Year Left – $18.04M (4 Years – $67.47M), $6M Guaranteed, Extension Eligible
  • Jordan Clarkson: 2 Years Left – $28.38M (4 Years – $51.52M)
  • Taylor Hendricks: 3 Years Left – $19.78M (4 Years – $25.35M, Rookie Contract), Last 2 Years are Team Options
  • Keyonte George: 3 Years Left – $14.93M (4 Years – $18.82M, Rookie Contract), Last 2 Years are Team Options
  • Walker Kessler: 2 Years Left – $7.84M (4 Years – $13.37M, Rookie Contract), Last Year is Team Option
  • Omer Yurtseven: 1 Year Left – $2.66M (2 Years – $5.46M), Non-Guaranteed
  • Brice Sensabaugh: 3 Years Left – $10.13M (4 Years – $12.58M, Rookie Contract), Last 2 Years are Team Options
  • Darius Bazley: 2 Years Left – $5.24M (3 Years – $5.74M), Non-Guaranteed
  • Kenneth Lofton Jr.: 2 Years Left – $4.42M (3 Years – $4.92M), Non-Guaranteed

Options:

  • None

Free Agents:

  • Kira Lewis Jr. (RFA)
  • Talen Horton-Tucker (UFA)
  • Kris Dunn (UFA)
  • Luka Samanic (UFA)

Draft Picks:

  • 10th Pick
  • 29th Pick (From OKC)
  • 32nd Pick (WAS)

Cap Space:

  • Projected Maximum Cap Space: $46.9M

Top Priorities/Team Needs:

  • Extend Lauri Markkanen: Markkanen exploded into a star once he was traded to the Jazz. He is their best player moving forward and should be a centerpiece on this team for the next 6-8 years. Extending Markkanen is their top priority heading into the off-season. The Jazz could surprise everyone and look more towards the future by extending and trading him since he is already 27 years old, but I would be shocked if the Jazz went that direction.
  • Point Guard/Playmaking: The Jazz don’t have a true starting-level point guard or playmaker on this roster. Jordan Clarkson led the team with 5.0 assists per game last year as the 6th man. It would be ideal to add a couple of players that can be playmakers and good decision-makers for this team, including one that can be a long-term point guard.
  • Athleticism/Defense: The Jazz were ranked as the worst defense in the league this season. They don’t have anyone that can stay in front of their man and be an on-ball defender. They need to add athletic, perimeter defenders that can be aggressive and disruptive. They should look to the draft and free agency to add help on this end.
  • What to do with the cap space?: With almost $47M in cap space this summer, the Jazz have a lot of room to work with. Some of this cap space will be used up with the non-guaranteed salaries currently on the roster. They have enough cap space to add a few players in free agency to address the needs listed above. Players like Markelle Fultz and De’Anthony Melton could address some of the playmaking and defensive needs, while Isaac Okoro would be a valuable addition on defense with shooting upside.
  • Figure out a long-term plan: The Jazz have a team mixed with veterans and young, developing players. They don’t really know what they have in guys like Taylor Hendricks, Keyonte George, or Walker Kessler just yet. With another year of playing time and development under their belts, we may have a better idea of who those players are, giving the Jazz a better idea of the moves they need to make moving forward. They don’t have time to wait multiple years if Lauri Markkanen is the guy they want to build around though since he’s 27 years old.

Draft Fits:

  • 10th Pick:
    • Jared McCain
    • Cody Williams
    • Rob Dillingham
  • 29th Pick:
    • Johnny Furphy
    • Bobi Klintman
    • Zach Edey
  • 32nd Pick:
    • Cameron Christie
    • Justin Edwards
    • Ajay Mitchell

Free Agent Fits:

  • Markelle Fultz
  • De’Anthony Melton
  • Isaac Okoro

Brooklyn Nets

Under Contract:

  • Ben Simmons: 1 Year Left – $40.34M (5 Years – $177.24M), Extension Eligible
  • Cameron Johnson: 3 Years Left – $68.82M (4 Years – $94.5M)
  • Mikal Bridges: 2 Years Left – $48.2M (4 Years – $90.9M), Extension Eligible
  • Dorian Finney-Smith: 2 Years Left – $30.3M (4 Years – $55.56M), Last Year is Player Option
  • Dennis Schroder: 1 Year Left – $13.03M (2 Years – $25.43M)
  • Cameron Thomas: 1 Year Left – $4.04M (4 Years – $10.46M, Rookie Contract), Extension Eligible
  • Day’Ron Sharpe: 1 Year Left – $3.99M (4 Years – $10.32M, Rookie Contract), Extension Eligible
  • Noah Clowney: 3 Years Left – $12.06M (4 Years – $15.15M, Rookie Contract), Last 2 Years are Team Options
  • Dariq Whitehead: 3 Years Left – $11.74M (4 Years – $14.71M, Rookie Contract), Last 2 Years are Team Options
  • Jalen Wilson: 2 Years Left – $4.11M (3 Years – $4.96M), $75K Guaranteed, Last Year is Team Option

Options:

  • Keita Bates-Diop: Team Option – $2.65M

Free Agents:

  • Nic Claxton (UFA)
  • Dennis Smith Jr. (UFA)
  • Lonnie Walker IV (UFA)
  • Trendon Watford (RFA)

Draft Picks:

  • None

Cap Space:

  • Projected Maximum Cap Space: $7.8M

Top Priorities/Team Needs:

  • Start a rebuild or shoot for a star?:
    • Reasons to start a rebuild: Mikal is better served as the 3rd option on a good team, so ideally, the Nets would need to find two star players to become a legitimate threat in the Eastern Conference. There are a lot of obstacles they will need to overcome to make this team a playoff contender, like financial limitations, roster construction and the trade market. The Nets have Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith for multiple years on very valuable contracts, and many teams would be interested in trading for these players. The Nets could get a lot of assets in return if they decide to start a rebuild.
    • Reasons to go after a star or two: The Nets don’t own their own first round picks until 2028, and it’s more difficult to rebuild a team without owning your own draft picks since there is no control over the situation you’ll be in. The maximum possible cap space in 2025 is projected to be $95.8M, which will give them a lot of flexibility next summer to add talent to this roster. It seems like the Nets will opt to go this route and try to pair a star with Mikal Bridges.
  • Is Ben Simmons’ contract now tradeable?: Simmons is on an expiring deal now, which makes his contract easier to trade. There is a possibility they move him to free up roster space for a star player, but it may be difficult to find a trade partner to take on his $40M cap hit.
  • Re-sign Nic Claxton?: Claxton will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, so the Nets don’t have any control over what happens with him. There are a couple options the Nets should try to explore instead of letting him go for nothing. They could sign him to a team-friendly deal, creating flexibility for roster construction or a future trade; Or sign-and-trade Claxton to get assets in return.
  • What to do if they miss out on a star?: The Nets can’t afford to bring back the same roster next season, or they will lose another year of Mikal Bridges in his prime years. If they miss out on adding a star player or two, the have to seriously consider starting a full rebuild.

Draft Fits:

  • No draft picks this year.

Free Agent Fits:

  • Nic Claxton
  • Kelly Oubre
  • Derrick Jones Jr.

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