What are Kenneth Lofton Jr.'s contract details with Memphis Grizzlies? Salary, duration, and more
NBA G League Rookie of the Year Kenneth Lofton Jr has signed a new four-year deal with the Memphis Grizzlies. The deal, which makes Lofton eligible to play for the Grizzlies in the playoffs, will see him paid $7 million over four years.
Adrian Wojnarowski broke the news, which referenced a season-ending knee injury to Steven Adams as one of the contributing factors to Lofton's signing. For the undrafted G League standout, with Adams injured, he could make his playoff debut quite soon.
Story includes Kenneth Lofton Jr., landing a new four-year deal with Grizzlies, per his agents Corey Barker and Mike George.
As the Grizzlies sit in second place in the Western Conference, the team finds themselves finishing the season just behind the Denver Nuggets. This week, the Nuggets clinched the No. 1 seed in the West for the first time in the franchise's history.
Despite that, Michael Malone admitted that if the team continued to underperform, they wouldn't make it far in the Playoffs. For the Memphis Grizzlies, the crack in the armor could be exactly what they need, even if Adams is out.
Looking at Kenneth Lofton Jr and the Memphis Grizzlies' potential first-round matchups
The Western Conference Playoff race is coming down to the wire. The Golden State Warriors in fifth place and the New Orleans Pelicans in eighth place, are currently separated by just one game. In sixth place, the LA Clippers sit with two games left on their schedule, just half a game ahead of the seventh-place Lakers.
With that, it's hard to predict how the seeding could go for the Play-In tournament. The seventh and eighth-place teams meet in round one, with the loser facing the winner between the ninth and tenth-place teams. As a result, the Grizzlies will be keeping a close eye on that first-round Play-In matchup between the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds.
Whoever wins that game, will claim the No. 7 seed in the playoffs, and punch their ticket to a first-round matchup with the Grizzlies.
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Looking at Steven Adams' injury
Back in January, Steven Adams sprained his PCL (Posterior Cruciate Ligament) while diving for a loose ball in the closing moments of a game. After it was originally reported that he would miss 3-5 weeks, he was reportedly making progress during the All-Star break.
Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins stated that Adams was working through his rehab, and would hopefully be back with the team soon. At the time, Ja Morant spoke to media members about the impact Adams brings to the floor, saying:
"You see it day in and day out even when he's on the floor and now seeing him off the floor how big a piece he is to us," Ja Morant said. "I've been saying it's a lot of stuff he does for us that he doesn't get the credit for and respect for. He's definitely a centerpiece to this team."
Unfortunately for the team, Adams then found himself declared out for the remainder of the season in early March after undergoing a stem cell procedure.Now, with the playoffs approaching, it may be time for Kenneth Lofton Jr. to shine.