Good morning. It’s later than usual. Never you mind. Let’s basketball.
Mike Conley is now the highest-paid player in the NBA
Good morning. We have that and more in Saturday’s NBA newsletter.
BEAR MARKET: The Grizzlies are not remotely cheap, as they maxed out Chandler Parsons (4 years, $94 million) and Mike Conley (5 years, $153 million, the richest contract in NBA history). Memphis still has $8 million in cap space and is reportedly looking to add Eric Gordon or Courtney Lee, which would almost assuredly involve trading a player under contract to free up space. On the one hand, the Grizzlies are retooling on the fly and getting younger and more athletic with Parsons. On the other hand, Conley, Parsons and Marc Gasol are due $340 million and played a combined 23 games after the All-Star Break last season, and a combined ZERO games in the playoffs. Adding the oft-injured Gordon to that core could be trouble.
The best part of the signing binge? Grizz franchisee Robert Pera tweeting a GIF of a child throwing cash out of a window.
D-HOME: Dwight Howard is going home! A 3-year, $70 million deal brought D12 to the Atlanta Hawks, who appears ready to say goodbye to Al Horford. The Hawks also committed $70 million over four years to Kent Bazemore. There are murmurs that Atlanta is talking to Phoenix about a trade centered around Paul Millsap, too ...
MORE MAD MONEY: Shout out to Evan Turner for busting a 4-year, $70 million deal in Portland. And to Jeff Green for getting $15 million for one year in Orlando. (I mean, what?) Hey, Evan Fournier is staying in Orlando for $85 million over five years. Don’t forget Jeremy Lin taking $36 million over three years with the Nets. Or Luol Deng getting $72 million over four years from the Lakers. Shout out to Joe Johnson for signing in Utah (!) for $22 million over two years. And Al Jefferson for marching up to Indiana for $30 million over three years. Hey Pelicans! How ya doin? Word to $48 million for Solomon Hill and $34 million for E’Twaun Moore. $38 million for Matthew Dellavedova in Milwaukee? Alright! Jared Dudley: you get $30 million from the Suns. Mirza Teletovic: you get $30 million from the Bucks. D.J. Augustin: you get $29 million from the Magic. (Better luck next time.) Ish Smith to Detroit for $18 million over three years. The Sixers signed Jerryd Bayless! Darrell Arthur is staying in Denver!
Whew.
WADING INTO THE WATER: Dwyane Wade is apparently mad at the Heat for a lowball offer and is looking to meet with outside suitors (including the Bulls) next week.
DEATH TO LAKERS EXCEPTIONALISM: I wrote about how the Lakers front office has finally accepted what a terrible team they have.
OOF: The Mavericks struck out on Mike Conley and Hassan Whiteside. So here’s a brief history of Dallas’ major free agent airballs. And here’s Kirk Henderson getting through the five stages of Mavericks free agency grief.
SUMMER BALL: Orlando Summer League begins on Saturday. Here’s a primer on all the summer ball coming your way this month.
Happy Saturday. If things happen, we’ll be back on Sunday. Be excellent to each other.
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