ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Memphis Grizzlies have agreed with Luke Kennard to a one-year, $11 million contract in one of their few moves this offseason.
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Luke Kennard became a free agent after the Memphis Grizzlies didn’t trigger his $14.8 million team option for the 2024-25 campaign, although there were no indications that he’d leave the team. Instead, Memphis got Kennard to sign for a more team-friendly deal.
The former Duke Blue Devils star joined the Memphis Grizzlies in last year’s February trade deadline in a three-team trade involving the Los Angeles Clippers and the Houston Rockets. Since then, Kennard has played 63 regular season games (25 starts) for the Memphis Grizzlies, averaging 11.1 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game on 48/48/91 shooting splits.
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He was limited to just 39 regular season games in 2023-24 for health reasons, as he injured his thigh and knee and was ill at different parts of the season.
Before signing Luke Kennard, the Memphis Grizzlies have 13 players on standard NBA contracts, with a combined team salary of roughly $160 million. If Kennard’s new contract is added, the Memphis Grizzlies will be about $1 million above the luxury tax line.
Why the Memphis Grizzlies brought back Luke Kennard
Re-signing Luke Kennard on a discount is a no-brainer because of his ability to space the floor. He is one of the league’s best three-point shooters, as he has made at least 44.6 percent of his three-point attempts in the past four seasons, including 45 percent in 2023-24.
With Ja Morant returning and Zach Edey debuting soon, the Memphis Grizzlies must maximize their spacing since he’s one of the best drivers in the NBA. Besides Luke Kennard, the team has Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr., Jake LaRavia, GG Jackson II, Marcus Smart, and John Konchar who could also knock down threes regularly.
Memphis missed the playoffs in 2023-24 primarily due to injuries, and the hope is that they’ll be healthier this time to contend in the Western Conference.
