NBA Free Agency: Jeff Green Opts In To Contract With Memphis Grizzlies
USA Today
The start of NBA free agency is only a few weeks away and players with player options on their contracts are starting to make their decisions about their immediate futures.
One of those players is Jeff Green of the Memphis Grizzlies. Apparently, Green is content with his role with the Grizzlies and will not enter free agency this summer, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports:
Memphis Grizzlies forward Jeff Green has picked up his $9.2M player option for 2015-'16, passing on free agency, league sources tell Yahoo.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) June 18, 2015
The biggest concern for the Grizzlies this summer is retaining star center Marc Gasol for the long-term. Gasol will become an unrestricted free agent in July with an uncertain future ahead. Although all signs point to Gasol simply re-signing with the Grizzlies on a long-term deal, the perennial All-Star returning isn’t set in stone with plenty of teams around the league looking to make offers to luring him away from Memphis.
Although the Grizzlies organization is focused on keeping Gasol, Green returning for at least one more season is a step in the right direction. Memphis acquired Green in a trade with the Boston Celtics during this past season making Memphis roster that much more talented and promising.
In 45 games with the Grizzlies last season, Green averaged 13.1 points per game to go along with 4.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists. Green shot 42.7 percent from the floor and 36.2 from beyond the arc. The veteran forward was a solid contributor and should be the vital piece to the puzzle for the Grizzlies next season as they attempt to bounce back after getting knocked out of the playoffs in the second round by the eventual NBA champion Golden State Warriors.
