Grizzlies
Thanks to the Grizzlies, the Warriors have a decision to make.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, restricted free agent center Quinten Post has agreed to sign a three-year, $30 million offer sheet with Memphis. Golden State has until Tuesday night to decide whether to match and keep him.
Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron reported that Memphis is using its non-taxpayer mid-level exception on the offer sheet, adding that the Grizzlies would need another route to acquire Isaiah Stewart if the Warriors decline to match.
Meanwhile, Gozlan believes Golden State is unlikely to keep Post because it wants to preserve financial flexibility for other moves — including its continued pursuit of LeBron James.
Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reported the Warriors have been expecting an offer sheet for several days, while ESPN’s Anthony Slater noted the organization values Post as a backup center but may ultimately decide his new price tag is simply too high.
Now the ball is in Golden State’s court.
Lakers
The Lakers didn’t just add a center. They found the type of player they believe fits perfectly alongside Luka Doncic.
That’s the conclusion from Sam Vecenie of The Athletic, who wrote that newly acquired Walker Kessler gives Los Angeles exactly the kind of defensive anchor it has been searching for.
Vecenie praised Kessler’s rim protection, help defense and improving versatility, predicting he’ll earn at least one All-Defensive Team selection during his time with the Lakers. While he doesn’t project Kessler to reach Rudy Gobert‘s level, Vecenie believes his ceiling is higher than players such as Jarrett Allen and Isaiah Hartenstein.
Offensively, Kessler isn’t expected to carry much of the scoring load. Instead, his value comes as a screener, lob threat and one of the NBA’s better offensive rebounders — all traits that should mesh well with Doncic and Austin Reaves.
The biggest question, Vecenie wrote, isn’t Kessler himself.
It’s the price the Lakers paid.
Los Angeles surrendered significant draft capital to complete the sign-and-trade, making this a move that almost has to work if the franchise hopes to maximize the Doncic era.
Bucks
The Bucks officially have another building block under contract.
Milwaukee announced that No. 10 overall pick Brayden Burries has signed his rookie-scale deal, as relayed by Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors.
Burries starred during his lone season at Arizona, averaging 16.1 points while earning First Team All-Big 12 honors. Many draft projections had him coming off the board one pick earlier to Dallas before the Mavericks surprised observers by selecting Morez Johnson Jr., allowing Milwaukee to grab Burries at No. 10.
He becomes one of the first major additions of the Bucks’ post-Giannis Antetokounmpo era.
According to Adams, Burries will make approximately $6.4 million as a rookie under a four-year contract worth roughly $29.2 million. Fellow first-round pick Nate Ament is expected to sign once Milwaukee’s blockbuster trade involving Antetokounmpo becomes official.
MORE HOOPS | NBA free agents by position
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