NBA Free Agency 2019: 6 biggest player option decisions
6. Jonas Valanciunas, Memphis Grizzlies
2019-20 option: $17.6 million
There’s been surprisingly little word as to whether Jonas Valanciunas plans to exercise his $17.6 million player option for 2019-20. That may be because he’s waiting to see which direction the Memphis Grizzlies go this summer, as he told Lithuanian journalist Donatas Urbonas in mid-May:
Valanciunas on his player option: "Firstly, I want to see who'll coach Memphis. It will have a big impact on my decision, because I want to know, how we gonna look in 82 games. I don't want to be a tourist. I want to win."
— Donatas Urbonas (@Urbodo) May 15, 2019
Jonas Valanciunas added Mike Conley's future with Grizzlies is also an important factor for his decision to continue or not with Memphis: "He is a high level player who knows how to run the team. I need him."
— Donatas Urbonas (@Urbodo) May 15, 2019
The Grizzlies have yet to hire a new head coach to replace J.B. Bickerstaff, and Mike Conley’s future with the franchise remains up in the air. In mid-April, he told Peter Edmiston of The Athletic: “I honestly think my ultimate goal of winning a championship, I don’t know if it’s going to happen in my next two years here.”
By virtue of winning the No. 2 pick during the draft lottery, the Grizzlies can snag Conley’s heir apparent, Murray State point guard Ja Morant, and flip Conley to a desperate team that strikes out in free agency this summer. Although Memphis could bring him back as a veteran mentor for Morant, the 31-year-old will lose trade value as he approaches his 2020 early-termination option.
Valanciunas turned 27 in early May, so he may not feel the same urgency as Conley to join a ready-made contender. In Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr. and whoever they get for Conley, the Grizzlies have the foundation of a promising young core, which could entice the big man to stick around for one more year.
Valanciunas fared well during his limited time in Memphis, putting up 19.9 points on 54.5 percent shooting, 10.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.6 blocks in only 27.7 minutes across 19 games. He’s expanded his shooting range in recent years, but he hit just 14 triples this past season, so he isn’t a high-volume 3-point shooter by any means.
If Valanciunas opts out, he could be one of the more enticing centers on the free-agent market. However, he may prefer to see whether some of his big men brethren decline their player options before he makes his own decision.