John Konchar has two years remaining on the three-year, nearly $18.5 million contract extension he signed with the Grizzlies in July 2022. While he has been a useful player whenever his number has been called to play meaningful minutes, his value on the open market hasn't been what the Grizzlies had hoped for from the veteran wing.
He was rumored to have been part of a trade package to obtain then-Brooklyn Nets forward Dorian Finney-Smith in December last year before the Nets chose to trade him to the Los Angeles Lakers instead. Konchar's role on the team remains the same as last season as the 15th man who will play when needed, but the team would likely want to get rid of the seventh-highest-paid player on the team with that role.
John Konchar is likely to finish his contract with the Grizzlies
The NBA landscape shifted when the CBA changed the salary cap rules to make it harder for teams to stack rosters with "superteams." Unfortunately for the Grizzlies, those rules came into effect in 2023, one year after they extended Konchar, whose extension kicked in during the 2024-25 season.
Konchar's production as a do-it-all role player would've likely yielded the Grizzlies at least some draft picks on the open market in the previous salary cap era, but now his $6 million contract is a deterrent. He was a part of the Grizzlies' regular playing rotation when he signed his deal, but more talented players have surpassed him since.
Now entering his seventh season with the team, Konchar has been relegated to a veteran bench player who is only 29 years old. Due to this, the Grizzlies' opportunity to trade will continue to decrease without sending significant value out with him.
The good news is the Grizzlies have a good standing within the salary cap and apron rules, so his contract isn't a complete detriment. His reliability as a player who can plug-and-play at multiple positions will allow him to be effective for a team that can afford a player of that caliber on its roster.