The Memphis Grizzlies’ low-risk 10-day contract offer to Bruno Caboclo is paying major dividends. They want him to stay awhile.
When it comes to taking low-risk chances via 10-day contracts, the Memphis Grizzlies are as good as you will find in the NBA. Even with signing young guys with zero prior NBA experience, Memphis typically knows what they are doing. The G-League‘s Bruno Caboclo is their latest success story.
Though the injury bug has been a major factor for the Grizzlies, it has taken just six games for Caboclo to earn a starting spot for Memphis — his second overall start in his five NBA seasons, too.
Bruno Caboclo has demonstrated pure confidence in his short time with the Memphis Grizzlies. He challenges shots on defense and he is not afraid to fire away on offense. It would be nice to see him pump-fake and drive past defenders more times when he catches the ball on the perimeter, but that may arrive as he becomes more familiar with the Grizzlies’ system.
Prior to receiving the first start of his Grizzly tenure, Caboclo signed a second 10-day contract. It was well deserved after playing his best basketball in an NBA uniform. Through his first five games with Memphis, Bruno has produced 6.0 points, 3.4 boards, 1.0 assists, and a massive 1.6 blocks in 23.0 minutes per game.
The @memgrizz have signed Bruno Caboclo to a second 10-day contract. Press release below. pic.twitter.com/VDI0r9WqcG
— Grizzlies PR (@GrizzliesPR) February 3, 2019
This move makes sense for multiple reasons. It actually makes more sense now than it did on January 21st, which is the date that news broke of the Memphis Grizzlies’ offer to Bruno Caboclo.
First off, Kyle Anderson is still inactive due to an injury and his return date is unknown at this time. Then there is Omri Casspi that is also sidelined indefinitely. Dillon Brooks? He is officially done for the season. Chandler Parsons? Away from the team and as good as gone. The Grizzlies’ small forward position is in flux.
Plus, Caboclo has been an impactful player through 11 days now, and he provides immediate help at small forward. He fits the defensive mold that this 2018-19 group was built upon, and you could say he is attempting to prove himself as an outside shooting option, though his accuracy is at just 21.7% with approximately seven tries per contest.
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Additionally, if a trade is made this week that lands Memphis multiple players, Bruno is a very cheap roster cut that could free open the last roster spot to make a deal feasible. The Grizzlies are essentially testing the talent pool in order to luck into another diamond in the rough (a la JaMychal Green).
For those curious, Bruno Caboclo can signed up to three 10-day contracts prior to the Memphis Grizzlies needing to make an ultimate decision on offering a guaranteed contract (which could be for as little as the remainder of the 2018-19 NBA season). As it currently stands, they could offer this opportunity to him right now if they were to do so.
Depending upon the Grizzlies’ activity ahead of this Thursday’s NBA Trade Deadline, Memphis could very well opt to offer a guaranteed deal to Bruno Caboclo by the conclusion of this second 10-day deal. That is, if he continues to demonstrate promise.