The month of July looks to be busy for the Memphis Grizzlies, from NBA Free Agency to summer league action and more.
June is complete and so is the 2017-18 season in its entirety. Though professional basketball will not be publicly played in Memphis in July, the Grizzlies will return to action via two NBA summer leagues. One of which will include some local flavor and should excite the city in a major way.
July for the Memphis Grizzlies will place a great focus on rookies Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jevon Carter. It will also be a measuring stick opportunity for other young Grizz guys, such as Ivan Rabb, Kobi Simmons, and Deyonta Davis.
In speaking of Jackson Jr. and Carter, they will play in summer league action assuming there are no hiccups in inking their rookie contracts. Grizz Nation has seen past blunders (Ivan Rabb in 2017) that have kept rookies from participating in summer league games. The good news is there no anticipated delays with the Grizzlies’ pair of 2018 Draft picks in signing on the dotted line. In fact, it sounds like Memphis is writing the final terms right now.
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Off the hardwood, NBA Free Agency looms large. The Memphis Grizzlies got involved very quickly once the clock struck midnight. As dominoes continue to fall, expect rumors with mention of the Grizz to increase. Their Mid-Level Exception must be spent wisely, and there are plenty of quality names to pursue with the MLE. Most Grizzlies fans are hoping Tyreke Evans continues his tenure in Memphis, but if he does not, it will not be a devastating blow.
Key Dates
July 1st: NBA Free Agency period opens
July 1st: Draft picks become eligible to officially sign their contracts (includes contract classifications of: rookie-scale, minimum-salary, and two-way)
July 2nd: Beginning of the Utah Summer League; Memphis Grizzlies vs. Atlanta Hawks (3:00 PM CT)
July 3rd: Utah Summer League; Memphis Grizzlies vs. Utah Jazz (5:00 PM CT)
July 4th: Memphis Grizzlies guard Kobi Simmons turns 21
July 5th: Utah Summer League; Memphis Grizzlies vs. San Antonio Spurs (3:00 PM CT)
July 6th: NBA moratorium period ends and free-agents can officially sign new contracts
July 7th: Beginning of the Vegas Summer League; Detroit Pistons vs. Memphis Grizzlies (6:00 PM CT on NBATV)
July 8th: Vegas Summer League; Memphis Grizzlies vs. Orlando Magic (6:30 PM CT on ESPN2)
July 10th: Vegas Summer League; Sacramento Kings vs. Memphis Grizzlies (3:30 PM CT on ESPN2)
July 11th: Vegas Summer League; details to be determined
July 15th: Deadline for NBA teams to sign Draft picks to contracts; unsigned names become free-agents
Additional Dates
At any given moment, the Memphis Grizzlies could pop into news headlines. It is NBA Free Agency, after all. There will likely be some bits of breaking news over the course of the next two weeks. However, if it runs similar to last year, the Grizzlies could string things along throughout the offseason. Deals can be completed beyond the July timeframe.
Next: 5 Grizzlies that Memphis Should Trade Now
From a summer league perspective, you can expect the Grizzlies to participate in games through July 11th at the very least. Once tournament-style play begins, additional games will be played assuming the Memphis’ youngsters snag the necessary victories to do so. Early on, this is an excellent time for JJJ and Jevon to make a name for themselves. That is exactly how it happened for Utah’s Donovan Mitchell in 2017, where he would go on to finish second in Rookie of the Year voting after being drafted No. 13 overall. A stellar summer league showing is crucial to a rookie’s first-year success.
Continue to follow Beale Street Bears for the latest insight behind all NBA Free Agency rumors involving your Memphis Grizzlies!
Go Grizz!