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What do you do when your young core feels stuck between promise and production? If you’re the Memphis Grizzlies, you shake the snow globe. The 2025 offseason marked a dramatic shift in philosophy for a team once defined by its ascending youth. After two frustrating seasons marked by injuries and stagnation, the Grizzlies hit the reset button – not by blowing it all up, but by selectively recalibrating. Desmond Bane is gone. In his place: future draft capital and a bet on positional flexibility. The front office doubled down on Jaren Jackson Jr. with a max veteran extension, re-signed Santi Aldama, brought in veterans like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Ty Jerome, and took a swing on draft night with high-upside rookie Cedric Coward. The result? A different team – possibly better, but certainly riskier. Let’s grade each major move from Memphis’s frenetic free agency and evaluate what it means for their short- and long-term future.
Grizzlies' 2025 NBA free agency grade for every signing
Santi Aldama (RFA) – 3 years, $53 million
Aldama’s re-signing is a bet on continuity and stretch-big depth. At just under $18 million annually, the Grizzlies retain a versatile forward who can shoot, rebound, and occasionally handle. He has developed nicely into a solid rotation player and flashed starting potential when injuries piled up. Aldama (6-11, 224) appeared in 65 games (16 starts) and set career highs by averaging 12.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.9 assists in 25.5 minutes while shooting 48.3 percent from the field and 36.8 percent from 3-point range with the Grizzlies last season.
Still, the price is slightly high for someone who hasn’t consistently produced as a starter. This contract could look better if Aldama continues to expand his offensive repertoire and improve his defensive play. For now, it’s a fair deal, but not without some risk.
Grade: B
Ty Jerome (UFA) – 3 years, $28 million
Ty Jerome is a useful combo guard who brings playmaking and outside shooting. However, at $9+ million per year, this is a mild overpay for a player who may never crack the starting lineup on a healthy Grizzlies roster.
The Grizzlies needed backcourt insurance given Ja Morant’s recent injury history and Marcus Smart leaving for the Lakers, so the logic checks out. But Jerome is more of a floor-raiser than a difference-maker. Ideally, he’s your third guard. Paying him like a sixth man might limit future flexibility.
Grade: C+
Jock Landale (UFA) – 2 years, $12 million
After trading Jay Huff to the Indiana Pacers on Saturday, the Grizzlies scooped up free-agent center Jock Landale, via Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. Jock Landale is solid depth behind Jackson Jr. and Aldama, especially with Steven Adams no longer in the picture. He’s a physical rebounder and interior scorer who can hold his own defensively in spurts.
That said, this signing feels purely functional. Landale isn’t going to swing games or meaningfully develop into a long-term piece. It’s a back-of-the-rotation move that provides emergency center minutes but little else.
Grade: C
Cam Spencer (RFA) – 4 years, $10.5 million
Cam Spencer is one of the more intriguing low-cost additions. The former UConn standout is a lights-out shooter with underrated IQ and toughness. For a team that just lost one of its best shooters in Bane, taking a flier on Spencer as a cheap floor-spacer makes a lot of sense. Just before free agency this offseason, the Grizzlies and Spencer agreed to a two-year contract worth $4.5 million, but he has now gotten a raise. On Monday, Spencer got a renegotiated contract worth $10.5 million over four years, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.
At this price, there’s minimal risk. If he becomes a rotation player, it’s a steal. If he doesn’t crack the lineup, the financial impact is negligible.
Grade: B+
Jaren Jackson Jr. Extension – 5 years, $240 million
The Memphis Grizzlies started NBA Free Agency off with a bang as they finalised a massive contract extension for Jaren Jackson Jr. He was selected in the first round of the 2018 NBA Draft, and JJJ has spent his entire career with the Grizzlies. He isn't going anywhere, as this max extension is worth $240 million over five years. Jackson Jr. is staying put.
Official ✍️🐻@jarenjacksonjr has signed a contract extension and is staying ho〽️e pic.twitter.com/CLH6Z26FLo
— Memphis Grizzlies (@memgrizz) July 13, 2025
This is the easiest decision Memphis made. Extending the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year at $48 million annually, below supermax territory, without All-NBA escalators is strong value. Jaren Jackson Jr. remains the defensive anchor and a stretch big who can slot alongside a variety of frontcourt partners.
While his offensive limitations were exposed without Ja Morant and Desmond Bane healthy, JJJ remains a legitimate two-way centerpiece. Keeping him off the open market was crucial, even if the Grizzlies now have to build a competent offense around him.
Trading Desmond Bane
This was the most shocking move of the offseason – and rightfully so. The Grizzlies sent Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic in return for Cole Anthony, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, four unprotected first-round picks, and one pick swap. Bane was the Grizzlies’ most reliable perimeter scorer, and his three-level scoring ability helped elevate Ja Morant’s game. Trading him removes the team’s only consistent shot creator outside of Morant and signals a philosophical pivot toward a more defense- and depth-oriented roster.
Thank you @DBane0625 for five great years 💙🐻 pic.twitter.com/T5DCblfSwm
— Memphis Grizzlies (@memgrizz) June 15, 2025
The return, focused on draft capital, isn’t terrible in a vacuum. But unless Memphis uses those assets quickly to add immediate talent, it risks wasting JJJ’s prime and pushing Morant closer to discontent. This move increases long-term flexibility but does damage to the short-term ceiling.
Trading for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope brings instant credibility, perimeter defense, and championship experience. With Bane gone, the Grizzlies needed a veteran 3-and-D wing who could fill a similar role in terms of spacing and on-ball defense – KCP is that, albeit with lower offensive upside.
At 32, he’s not a long-term solution, but in the short term, he’s a glue guy who raises the team’s floor. The fit makes sense, especially alongside Ja and JJJ. The only ding here is age and cost – the Grizzlies still need to develop long-term replacements on the wing.
Final verdict: What’s the plan here?
The Memphis Grizzlies didn’t rebuild this offseason – they retooled. But the tools they selected raise eyebrows. Trading away your second-best player for picks, only to reallocate cap space on mid-tier role players, is an odd way to maximize a core that includes a maxed-out Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr.
On paper, the defense should be better. But offensively, there are real questions. Can KCP and Aldama fill Bane’s scoring void? Can Ty Jerome become a trusted backup if Ja misses more time? Is Cam Spencer ready to contribute? These are all bets Memphis has made, none guaranteed.
Ultimately, this offseason reflects a front office trying to stay competitive without fully committing to a timeline. The result is a team in limbo: deep, gritty, and intriguing, but not quite convincing.
