Grizzlies agree to a three-year deal with key big man

Even with a limited number of teams able to open up enough cap space to make a competitive offer beyond the $14.1M non-taxpayer mid-level exception, Aldama was expected to attract interest on the market. The Pistons, in particular, were heavily linked to the Spanish big man. He’ll now stick around in Memphis after a breakout season.

While the full terms of the agreement haven’t been reported yet, it’s quite possible the contract will be heavily frontloaded, cap expert Yossi Gozlan tweets. The Grizzlies could start it as high as $19M since they have so much luxury tax flexibility.

Aldama became an RFA when the Grizzlies extended a qualifying offer to him on Sunday. In 2024-25, he averaged 12.5 points, 6.4 points and 2.9 assists per game while shooting 36.8% from three, all career-high numbers. He also averaged 13.0 PPG and 6.0 RPG while shooting 41.7% from three in the Grizzlies’ four playoff games this spring.

Jackson, Aldama and 2024 lottery pick Zach Edey — currently recuperating from ankle surgery — now figure to be the key big man in Memphis for years to come.