a player expected to gradually grow into a productive role That was the moment where he first looked like a player who could be spending many more years in Memphis He is entering restricted free agency after his fourth and most effective season yet averaging 12.5 points and 6.4 rebounds in 65 games Aldama’s progression led to confidence internally about his future with the Grizzlies heading into restricted free agency “Me and the team have a great relationship,” he said on April 27 I don’t know how (free agency) will look like Hopefully we will have good conversations as soon as we can.” The restricted free agency processAldama’s situation is notable because of the timeline and Brandon Clarke all signed contract extensions before reaching restricted free agency The team could have signed Aldama before the 2024-25 season He also made the decision to switch agents last summer — odd considering the major career decisions on the horizon But the 24-year-old forward has a good idea of what he’s looking for this summer NEXT UP: Continuity wins for Memphis Grizzlies, new head coach Tuomas Iisalo, but is that wise move? just winning basketball,” he told The Commercial Appeal on April 26 Whatever fits that is really what I want.” CBA rules allow the Grizzlies to negotiate with their own free agents immediately following the NBA Finals They will have a head start on the rest of the league in the Aldama negotiations but a deal can’t be signed until the official start of NBA free agency NBA teams can begin contract negotiations on July 30 but agreements won't be finalized until July 6 If another team reaches a deal with Aldama before the Grizzlies do they will have the opportunity to match the offer sheet before letting him go The current NBA climate has not been friendly to restricted free agents Many teams are operating above the salary cap meaning there won’t be much money going around to pluck free agents from other teams EUROPEAN INFLUENCE: Intense prep, speed, 'murderball': What makes Memphis Grizzlies coach Tuomas Iisalo tick All current signs point to that being the case The Grizzlies tied a franchise record with 56 wins in Aldama's rookie season; the next season they won 51 games and made the playoffs as a No He has experienced a lot of winning in his short NBA career with all of the team's injuries and roster changes “It’s been a tough year in that sense,” he said I think we got to be thankful for just having the opportunity to do it with this group.” Clarke and Zach Edey are all under contract at the power forward and center spots They give the Grizzlies a formidable frontcourt with versatility to play big or small against different opponents Aldama isn’t the same level of defender as those three The next two months will determine just how much those skills are valued “I always love playing for the Grizzlies,” Aldama said Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at damichael.cole@commercialappeal.com. Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC. and Marvin Bagley III set to become unrestricted free agents Santi Aldama is set to become a restricted free agent along with two-way guards Cam Spencer and Yuki Kawamura Memphis has four players whose contracts are expiring this offseason Aldama is the most important name in that group as he was the team's best bench player this season the former first-round draft pick from Loyola University (Maryland) will be looking for a payday as a strong offensive threat the Grizzlies could be limited in what they could offer him if they deemed him worthy of being retained A potential suitor is one the Grizzlies are familiar with when it comes to making and discussing moves with Every scenario of the Grizzlies' offseason roster construction situation begins with Jaren Jackson Jr Trading Marcus Smart at the trade deadline has allowed Memphis to be below the salary cap but Jackson Jr.'s potential extension will take up their cap room Since Santi Aldama is a restricted free agent, the team can match any deal he receives from another team if they tender his $5.9 million one-year qualifying offer as expected has he shown enough to match a potential deal that could place the Grizzlies close to or over the second tax apron ESPN's Bobby Marks noted in his NBA Offseason Guide for the Memphis Grizzlies that he thinks a team with cap space like the Brooklyn Nets could target a player of Aldama's caliber which would equate to $20 Million per season While it feels like the Grizzlies have belief in Santi to be a real player for this team he doesn't fit the mold of a tough player that the city embodies Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman acknowledged the type of players the team needs and the city caters to in his exit interview media session Although Santi has a finesse style in nature as his production and age warrant keeping a player like him the Grizzlies can't lose Santi without a return in compensation if they decide he isn't worth a certain price point Memphis' offseason gets more intriguing by the day as their decision on multiple players will determine if this team can truly contend next season and beyond after a disappointing end this season © 2025 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Minute Media or its affiliates and related brands All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER ","https://fansided.com/",{"alt":"60","src":"61","url":"62"},{"type":"5z","value":"63"},"link","Minute Media","https://www.minutemedia.com/",{"text":"66","url":"67"},{"type":"65","value":"68"},"All Rights Reserved Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Minute Media or its affiliates and related brands He has previously written and hosted the Starting 5 podcast for SBNation’s Grizzly Bear Blues (2020-2023) which transitioned him to becoming the Memphis Hustle (Memphis Grizzlies G League affiliate) Beat Writer in 2023 he is the Memphis Grizzlies Beat Reporter (2023-Present) for Bluff City Media and the founder of Let’s Be Real Media (2017-Present) Aldama is the most important name in that group as he was the team's best bench player this season Since Santi Aldama is a restricted free agent, the team can match any deal he receives from another team if they tender his $5.9 million one-year qualifying offer as expected ESPN's Bobby Marks noted in his NBA Offseason Guide for the Memphis Grizzlies that he thinks a team with cap space like the Brooklyn Nets could target a player of Aldama's caliber Posted by | May 2, 2025 8:11 am | Powerhouse Pub in Historic Folsom is turning up the heat this weekend with a stacked lineup of live music that’s guaranteed to get the dance floor moving just in time for Cinco de Mayo the weekend promises nonstop entertainment with and headliners Superbad and Adam Aldama & The Aces topping the line up Friday and Saturday nights The party kicks off Friday evening with an early set by Southbound at 7:00 p.m. The six-piece band brings a classic Southern rock vibe to the stage with authentic sounds drawn from legends like Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Allman Brothers Perfect for fans of hearty guitar licks and bluesy vocals Southbound sets the tone for an evening of genre-spanning grooves the dance floor will ignite as Superbad takes over at 10:00 p.m. Known for their infectious energy and towering stage presence this four-piece outfit keeps Northern California venues buzzing with their mix of funk and throwback party anthems from the ‘70s through today Led by charismatic frontman Henry Lange—whose 6-foot-6 frame matches his larger-than-life performance style—Superbad is a guaranteed crowd pleaser With a dynamic rhythm section and cutting-edge sequencing that adds horns or orchestral flourishes on demand every show is a unique experience built to match the pulse of the room The celebration continues on Saturday afternoon with a special Cinco de Mayo Dance Party featuring Mere Mortals at 3:00 p.m. This versatile Sacramento band curates an expansive catalog of hits from the 60s to the 90s and old-school dance jams that keep the crowd moving from the first chord to the final beat The Saturday night spotlight belongs to Adam Aldama & The Aces who hit the stage at 10:00 p.m. Known for their thematic live sets—including tributes to Prince and early 2000s favorites—the Aces bring polished production and unstoppable momentum to every performance With Adam Aldama leading the charge alongside Veronica Ballejos this five-piece band delivers a genre-blending set designed to spark nostalgia and keep the party going into the early morning hours Cinco de Mayo weekend wraps up with a bluesy finale as Val Starr & The Blues Rocket bring their brand of California blues to Powerhouse’s legendary Sunday afternoon blues series and a tight band of top Sacramento blues musicians It’s a soulful close to a weekend of nonstop music Powerhouse Pub is a 21+ venue located in the heart of Historic Folsom and is known for hosting some of the region’s best live music events. Tickets for most performances can be purchased in advance online through powerhousepub.com or at the door if available as popular shows often sell out in advance No portion of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher About UsPrivacy PolicyTerms and ConditionsContact UsSubscribe for FREE! Advertise with UsBusiness DirectorySubmit a Press ReleaseBecome a ContributorJobs Nominate your favorite Businesses TODAY! Make sure you get those nominations in before voting begins Aldama Reportedly Argued over Effort Before Shove on Video.css-3hcdeq{margin:0;font-size:1.2rem;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:Proxima Nova,Proxima Nova Fallback Helvetica,Proxima Nova Fallback Arial;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;letter-spacing:0rem;line-height:1.44rem;color:var(--br--palette-foreground__tertiary-mainChannel);}Adam WellsMar 29 1) 0ms;transition:background-color 150ms cubic-bezier(0.4 1) 0ms;transition:fill 120ms cubic-bezier(0.4 1) 0ms;font-size:inherit;}.css-v4v4rs{-webkit-user-select:none;-moz-user-select:none;-ms-user-select:none;user-select:none;width:1em;height:1em;display:inline-block;fill:currentColor;-webkit-flex-shrink:0;-ms-flex-negative:0;flex-shrink:0;-webkit-transition:fill 120ms cubic-bezier(0.4 1) 0ms;font-size:inherit;}@media (min-width:0px){.css-v4v4rs{display:block;}}@media (min-width:1100px){.css-v4v4rs{display:none;}}.css-mps3fk{-webkit-user-select:none;-moz-user-select:none;-ms-user-select:none;user-select:none;width:1em;height:1em;display:inline-block;fill:currentColor;-webkit-flex-shrink:0;-ms-flex-negative:0;flex-shrink:0;-webkit-transition:fill 120ms cubic-bezier(0.4 "Are you gonna f--king guard anybody?" Bane yelled at Aldama in a rhetorical manner, to which Aldama replied "f--k you." The incident was captured on video and circulated online Bane appears to be yelling "get a f--king stop" at Aldama after shoving him with assistant Tuomas Iisalo serving as interim head coach for the remainder of the season The Grizzlies struggled early against the Jazz but they rode a huge second-half performance to get a 140-103 victory Since moving into the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference standings on Feb the Grizzlies have lost nine of their last 15 games They are currently tied with the Los Angeles Lakers for fourth in the conference Memphis hasn't defeated a team that currently has a winning record since Feb The Grizzlies are on the verge of securing a playoff spot for the fourth time in the past five seasons They have only advanced past the first round once in their last six playoff appearances dating back to the 2015-16 season MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Grizzlies star guard Ja Morant missed Friday's 139-126 win over the New Orleans Pelicans because of cold symptoms Forward Santi Aldama who left after playing only two quarters Wednesday in a win over Charlotte "We had an off day yesterday and they just reported some cold symptoms overnight," Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said before the game they're definitely going to be out tonight Multiple Grizzlies players and staff members have dealt with illnesses in recent days ranks second in scoring (21.2 points) for Memphis but has been in and out of the lineup all season because of injuries that have limited him to 26 games Aldama is averaging career highs in points (12.7) Very valuable player for the Tennessee franchise that we will see if ends up renewing NBA Market: Santi Aldama has established himself as an important pillar coming off the bench for the Memphis Grizzlies standing out as one of the current best offensive interior reserves in the NBA His growth has been particularly reflected in his outside shooting where he reached a 36.8% accuracy in three-pointers — the best mark of his career — shooting five times per game His ability to score from various areas of the court and his size (2.11 meters) make him a constant threat to opposing defenses doubts persist on the other end of the court or physical presence necessary to excel defensively by league standards he is often an easy target for opposing offenses his lack of defensive aggressiveness — rarely responding with tactical fouls — limits his overall impact on the game The challenge for Memphis is to find the right balance: continue to capitalize on Aldama's offensive production while working on improving his defensive shortcomings they must negotiate a contract that reflects his value as a 24-year-old capable of scoring in double digits every night and posing a significant threat from the perimeter acknowledging at the same time that his defensive evolution is still a work in progress provided he can turn his weaknesses into areas of growth he could become not only a solid rotation player but a key piece for the Grizzlies' project This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Mercado NBA: El futuro de Santi Aldama en Memphis Grizzlies (o no) Not yet having a long career as a basketball player in the NBA this player has taken an advantage of his player position to magnify wealth seems to have his incomes in check with this net worth flowing from multiple streams of income From signing a lucrative contract with a big team and collaborating with a great brand his net worth is one of mention as a beginner NBA player Only starting off in his basketball career the Grizzlies’ power forward is yet to grow Being inspired by the Los Angeles Lakers’ star Pau Gasol and the late Kobe Bryant Aldama grew interest in playing in the NBA I want to play in the NBA one day.’” Says Santi Aldama played for Loyola University before being drafted in Memphis Grizzlies in 2021 From Las Palmas to Loyola, Santi Aldama was the 30th pick in the Utah Jazz draft and was then traded off to the Memphis Grizzlies as 40th pick. While Aldana doesn’t make it to the headlines often his hard work was noticed by the Grizzlies during the Memphis’ G League affiliate which serves as a development team for drafted players to get experience before joining the NBA was named the TISSOT MVP at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in 2024 Aldama signed a 4-year contract worth $10,243,371 and an average yearly salary of $2,560,843 Then $2.19 million in 2023-24 with club option exercised and $3.96 million in 2024-25 Aldama earns $3,960,351 with a cap hit of $3,960,351 The contract was signed using a rookie scale exception with an inclusion of being a restricted free agent in 2025 meaning the Grizzlies have some control over player Santi Aldama This deal seemed to be eager on Memphis Grizzlies’ side with many questioning the team on why they are offering so much for a rookie the deal seems to be a gain for the Memphis Grizzlies This is the biggest paycheck the power forward has ever seen in his basketball career Signing a lucrative deal and potentially putting him in the spotlight Santi Aldama’s four-year basketball journey is soon to attract multiple big brands and a get him the opportunity to broaden his investments While there are no official figures on his net worth 2.2 assists and 1.2 steals across 28.8 minutes per game is said to be standing on around $2 million Aldama has collaborated with INDIBA by NFL star which is brand whose expertise are in tissue recover using radiofrequency therapy While there aren’t financials on this deal with the contracts allowing him to own a luxurious apartment in Memphis HC Taylor Jenkins says that Aldama has “he’s got a lot of potential going into his fourth year” Santi Aldama got set to inbound the ball for the Memphis Grizzlies with 5.4 seconds remaining in the play-in game against the Golden State Warriors Memphis trailed by three points and didn't have a timeout remaining Aldama waited for Desmond Bane to flare to the corner after a screen from Jaren Jackson Jr Jimmy Butler III took a quick step to the middle of the floor and Bane raised his arms as he headed toward the corner By the time he looked to pass the ball in to Ja Morant the official had blown the whistle and signaled a 5-second violation And just like that, any hopes of winning in front of a sellout crowd at Chase Center had been decimated. The Warriors made two free throws and Memphis lost 121-116. missed assignments and missed free throws that all resulted in the Grizzlies needing a 3-pointer in those last 5 seconds that inbounds play will be the one that's remembered "Desmond was the first option on that," Grizzlies interim coach Tuomas Iisalo said I think Jimmy Butler made a small defensive error but it's difficult because you can see Butler hesitating for a second there and that was the window to throw the pass they were in perfect position to take out the second options." Much of the time during the 5-second violation ticked off as Aldama waited for Bane to flare to the corner Morant was the closest Grizzlies player to the ball but he was tightly guarded by Gary Payton II before attempting to enter Aldama's line of vision flashing under the basket and toward the corner near the Grizzlies bench The play wasn't a new one for the Grizzlies They have run a similar variation of that play for Bane at the start of games and after timeouts throughout the season Now or neverThere isn't much time for the Grizzlies to dwell on that play Friday's game at FedExForum is a must-win if they want to keep their season alive "The season will be over if you don't," he said Tuesday was the latest in a series of frustrating results during the past two months the Grizzlies have battled but not been able to get over the hump against quality opponents They fell behind by 20 points in the first half before rallying and taking a brief lead in the fourth quarter Memphis has another chance on Friday to get over the proverbial hump "Tonight will definitely be tough," Bane said get some good vibes going and just flip the page." The Memphis Grizzlies are in near desperation mode after losing to the Sacramento Kings on March 17th. They enter tonight's matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers one game behind the Denver Nuggets and Houston Rockets for the two-seed. They are also tied with the Los Angeles Lakers for the fourth seed What hurts most about their loss to the Kings is it knocked them down to 0-7 in the state of California this season with a matchup at the Los Angeles Clippers on tap for March 21st It also doesn't help that Ja Morant will miss his third straight game with a hamstring injury He was listed out with shoulder soreness for their March 15th win over the Miami Heat before the hamstring soreness designation before the Kings game Reserve forward Santi Aldama has missed their last five games and seven of their last eight overall with a calf strain which was injury-related with wrist soreness against the Sacramento Kings Considering their disappointing outing in Sacramento the Grizzlies will look for reinforcements to take out the Portland Trail Blazers The Grizzlies bench has suffered without their top reserve, especially after sending second-year wing GG Jackson to the G League ahead of their five-game road trip Santi Aldama returns for a team that is seeking a spark from their second unit that they have been missing in the frontcourt Aldama is arguably the Grizzlies' fourth-best player as the team is 6-7 in games that he has missed including losing four of their last seven games His presence has been missed and will be a welcome site for a team that needs to get off the mat to ensure their playoff positioning in the top half of the Western Conference standings has been playing some of his best basketball of the season since seemingly falling out of the rotation when post-All-Star break basketball began Since a zero-point outing in only 12 minutes of play against the New York Knicks on February 28th has made a case to be in the playoff rotation with his play in March including 42.8% shooting from three in his nine games played in March will return for their battle against the Trail Blazers tonight in Portland He will likely retain his bench role behind Luke Kennard and Desmond Bane while Ja Morant remains out The Grizzlies bench has suffered without their top reserve, especially after sending second-year wing GG Jackson to the G League ahead of their five-game road trip The Memphis Grizzlies have had a lot going on the past few days Saturday also was the Grizzlies' first game back at home after a five-game road trip that included a viral moment when Desmond Bane shoved Santi Aldama during a timeout in Memphis' win over the Jazz on March 25 The Grizzlies were struggling in that game when Bane shoved Aldama into the bench during a timeout Aldama quickly stood back up and walked toward Bane before teammates separated them Both Aldama and Bane said after Saturday's loss to the Lakers that they had talked after that moment and buried the proverbial hatchet "We're scratching and clawing against a Utah team on the road We're trying to push each other to be better hugged it out in the locker room and everything's great." Not going to sit here and act like it's nothing It would be worse if we had a bunch of guys that just sat down twiddled their thumbs and just acted like they were just fine with the situation We just said what we said and then moved on." The Grizzlies have eight regular-season games left after Saturday's loss "Just got to find a way to win games now," Aldama said Reach sports writer Jonah Dylan at jonah.dylan@commercialappeal.com or on X @thejonahdylan The last few moments of Saturday's game between the Memphis Grizzlies and San Antonio Spurs are what most people will remember the most the Grizzlies players and coaches believe the biggest game-altering moments happened long before that Zach Edey's closeout 3-point foul on Spurs guard De'Aaron Fox wasn't what lost the Grizzlies the game at FedExForum It wasn't Luke Kennard's fourth-quarter ejection that took one of the team's most productive players off the floor That was when Memphis gave up 46 points, San Antonio shot 68% from the field and built a 19-point lead in what became the Grizzlies' 130-128 loss This was the second time since the All-Star break they had given up more than 45 points in the second quarter it was something multiple Grizzlies players made note of as frustration mounts over the defensive effort and intensity "Energy is not there," forward Santi Aldama said We're just letting teams punk us every single night and then we make up for it and we just hope the coin flips our way We're not that team that needs a little bit of luck We normally set the tone and we haven't been doing that." nothing is more frustrating than bad defense and rebounding Those are two areas in which this team prides itself "It's urgency," Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said "It's undiscipline in our transition habits And then the rebounding is a huge weakness This is all things we're fully capable of doing if we're committed to it I'm challenging the guys that this can't be the case." The Grizzlies (38-22) are 2-4 since the All-Star break Memphis is still producing offensively. With no Ja Morant or Desmond Bane available on Saturday the Grizzlies still shot 52.6% from the field But that's not a bigger priority than being a top defense "You want to play your best basketball when the time comes," Aldama said We've put ourselves in a situation where we are doing well Playing the long gameNot only was Memphis without Bane and Morant Williams and Bane were all dealing with different variations of soreness Jenkins said he trusts the Grizzlies' medical team and players weren't able to step on the floor because of certain limitations However, there aren't many games remaining, and Memphis just saw itself get passed in the standings by the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers but the Grizzlies are thinking about the bigger picture "These guys are going to be back hopefully on Monday if everything responds well to the soreness that they're navigating," Jenkins said Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at damichael.cole@commercialappeal.com. Follow Damichael on X SAN ANTONIO — Mission to find Santi Aldama was in effect Memphis Grizzlies players knew it was time to locate their red-hot teammate he knew the time was right after his first shot attempt That was Aldama’s only air ball in the game. The 7-footer scored a team-high 29 points in the Grizzlies’ 140-112 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Friday at Frost Bank Center. but it was a missed shot that signaled what was to come in the second half With a second left to go in the first half Aldama launched a shot from beyond the half-court line as time expired “I was kind of mad that it didn’t (go in),” Aldama said Aldama was a steady source of offense against the Spurs He scored at least seven points in each quarter His playing time in the second half increased after rookie Zach Edey left the game with a nose injury Seeing Aldama shoot like this is not unfamiliar for his teammates there’s not a bad shot for him,” Jaylen Wells said Even Aldama impressed himself with his ability to score at all three levels he was arguably the best Grizzlies defender against Spurs star Victor Wembanyama Aldama’s ability to slide his feet helped him stay in front of Wembanyama and contest shots The 7-3 center isn’t usually matched up against bigs who are as nimble as Aldama Wembanayama finished with 19 points while shooting 8-for-19 from the field “I think I’ve had a couple of great defensive games and for me (Wembanyama) is of the best players in the NBA so you always want to take on that matchup.” Aldama was the last Grizzlies players to run off the floor As he ran through the tunnel going towards the locker room where an applause from staff members awaited him "Sixth Man of the Year," teammate Desmond Bane said "He can do it in a variety of ways Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at damichael.cole@commercialappeal.com. Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC. Losing two straight at home during a five-game homestand definitely wasn't in the plans but back-to-back losses on the final possessions of the game have the Grizzlies searching for answers to get back on the winning side A two-game losing streak has the Memphis Grizzlies stumbling at the wrong time as they have fallen to the Western Conference's fourth seed After losing their first game against a sub-500 team for the first time since November the Grizzlies welcome the sub-500 Atlanta Hawks to town The Hawks are currently sitting in the ninth spot of the Eastern Conference standings with a 27-33 record in a conference whose current seventh- and eighth-seeded teams also have losing records While the Grizzlies haven't suffered a three-game losing streak this season and are 12-3 against Eastern Conference under 500 tonight presents a good opportunity for them to get back on the winning track they have a couple of injuries to key players that were listed as questionable ahead of tonight's game whose status has been determined The Grizzlies' star point guard will miss his second straight game with shoulder soreness after being a late addition to the injury report ahead of their loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday night Ja Morant missed the Grizzlies' first game against the Atlanta Hawks Morant has had the same right shoulder injury since taking a hard screen from Pelicans center Daniel Theis in their victory over New Orleans on December 27th He missed five consecutive games after that hit and later missed two games in late January/early February after reaggravating it during a practice After not participating in shooting drills during the Grizzlies' media viewing portion of their shootaround this morning, the writing was on the wall for Morant to be ruled out Judging by previous games missed by Morant with Desmond Bane available the Grizzlies will likely start Bane and Luke Kennard in the backcourt in his absence To keep with their theme of late additions Santi Aldama was ruled out for their battle against the Atlanta Hawks Aldama was added to the injury report following shootaround this morning with right calf soreness The Grizzlies added GG Jackson to the injury report late Friday before he was ruled out vs the Knicks and added Ja Morant to the injury report late on Saturday before he was ruled out vs the Spurs. Aldama has played 14 straight games and has been one of the best bench players in the NBA this season Look for the Grizzlies to play GG Jackson a little more while also giving some playing time to either Lamar Stevens (signed to second 10-day contract) or Marvin Bagley III in place of Aldama ","https://fansided.com/",{"alt":"61","src":"62","url":"63"},{"type":"60","value":"64"},"link","Minute Media","https://www.minutemedia.com/",{"text":"67","url":"68"},{"type":"66","value":"69"},"All Rights Reserved After losing their first game against a sub-500 team for the first time since November After not participating in shooting drills during the Grizzlies' media viewing portion of their shootaround this morning, the writing was on the wall for Morant to be ruled out The Grizzlies added GG Jackson to the injury report late Friday before he was ruled out vs the Knicks and added Ja Morant to the injury report late on Saturday before he was ruled out vs the Spurs. Aldama has played 14 straight games and has been one of the best bench players in the NBA this season .css-1xiyrl{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;aspect-ratio:unset;}After holding the No. 2 spot in the West last month, the Grizzlies have slipped to No. 4 in the conference after a recent three-game losing streak. and a half-game ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers at No 4 spot to the Lakers on Tuesday as the Grizzlies trailed the host Jazz for most of the first half Bane helped the Grizzlies outscore the home team 41-17 in the third quarter to spark the comeback He finished the game with a team-high 21 points on 8-for-16 shooting who was making his 15th start of the season contributed nine points and five rebounds to the win After missing six games with a calf strain Aldama had been promoted from the Grizzlies' reserves to start consecutive games in place of Zach Edey who was traded to the Grizzlies shortly after the Boston Celtics drafted him in 2020 who made a similar jump from the Utah Jazz to the Grizzlies in 2021 have spent their entire NBA careers with the Grizzlies The Grizzlies have a crucial stretch coming up featuring games against the Oklahoma City Thunder (Thursday), Los Angeles Lakers (Saturday), Boston Celtics (Monday) and Golden State Warriors (Tuesday). there is another player on the team who has entered another awards conversation Santi Aldama has been one of the most consistent players on the team this season While all the talk for the Memphis Grizzlies' potential All-Stars and and end-of-season awards recipients has centered around Ja Morant The 6'11 fourth-year combo forward from Loyola (Maryland) has made himself into a more versatile defender this season while excelling in the team's new offensive system that plays into his skillset of being a playmaker and shooter The time he has spent on the Spanish National Team the last two summers has helped groom his game as well to help him take the next step this season While Santi has started 11 of the team's 25 games this season due to different injuries in the lineup, his play off the bench has begun discussions for him to garner this award at the season's end After ranking 14th in rebounds per game last season, the Memphis Grizzlies returned to the top five, ranking at three so far this season. Santi Aldama has been a huge factor in their return to rebounding dominance as he leads the team with 7.5 rebounds per game this season He also led the team in rebounds last season but with a 5.8 average The combo forward is also shooting a career-high across the board in field goal percentage (52.5%) and free throw percentage (77.4%) while averaging a career-high in points (13.2) Aldama averaged 15 points for the NBA's highest-scoring bench unit at 48.6 points per game While the FanDuel Sportsbook odds favor Payton Pritchard, followed by De'Andre Hunter, Amen Thompson, Buddy Hield, and Tari Eason, ahead of Santi in the Sixth Man of the Year race, he is within range to catch up if he continues his level of play Aldama is right in line with Buddy Hield (+3000) and Tari (+3500) to make a jump into the top four of the award favorites Coach Taylor Jenkins has used Santi Aldama at many positions in the past as the flexibility was needed following the early season injuries to the wing rotation Santi is a key component of what the Grizzlies like to do and will continue to get the opportunities that are required for him to ultimately win the Sixth Man of the Year award at season's end ","https://fansided.com/",{"alt":"5v","src":"5w","url":"5x"},{"type":"5u","value":"5y"},"link","Minute Media","https://www.minutemedia.com/",{"text":"61","url":"62"},{"type":"60","value":"63"},"All Rights Reserved While Santi has started 11 of the team's 25 games this season due to different injuries in the lineup, his play off the bench has begun discussions for him to garner this award at the season's end After ranking 14th in rebounds per game last season, the Memphis Grizzlies returned to the top five, ranking at three so far this season. Santi Aldama has been a huge factor in their return to rebounding dominance as he leads the team with 7.5 rebounds per game this season While the FanDuel Sportsbook odds favor Payton Pritchard, followed by De'Andre Hunter, Amen Thompson, Buddy Hield, and Tari Eason, ahead of Santi in the Sixth Man of the Year race, he is within range to catch up if he continues his level of play Tensions ran surprisingly high for Memphis Grizzlies teammates Desmond Bane and Santi Aldama during a win over the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night Bane (drafted by the Grizzlies in 2020) and Aldama (selected my Memphis in 2021) had an intense interaction that involved some pushing and shoving After some contact by Bane while on the sidelines Aldama fell back into his chair on the team bench It is entirely unclear what led to this stressful moment between the two but it did not look pretty You can watch the video of what happened below: Bane and Aldama have shared the court for 660 minutes together so far this season and have outscored opponents by 111 points during these possessions, per NBA.com Aldama has received 245 passes from Bane this season, and that is more than he has received from any other teammate except Scotty Pippen Jr. He has recorded 305 passes to Bane which is also the most he has recorded to anyone on the team except for Pippen Jr They have logged over 2,000 minutes on the court at the same time during their career and have a positive net rating in those opportunities, via PBPStats this is actually not the first time that the two players have butted heads on Memphis A similar incident happened during the first half of last season as well Bane, however, also stood up for Aldama when the forward had a run-in with Draymond Green. He did the same when Aldama nearly had a problem with Anthony Davis as well Neither party has said anything about this most recent incident But it is at least worth noting that Aldama is set to enter restricted free agency this offseason Written by RotoWire Staff Aldama is in the starting five for Saturday's Game 4 against the Thunder. Aldama will enter the starting lineup Saturday due to Ja Morant (hip) being ruled out. Aldama has averaged 12.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 29.0 minutes across his 16 starting appearances this season. The Memphis Grizzlies find themselves on the edge as they take a three-game losing streak into their battle with the Oklahoma City Thunder tonight. They are the first team since the Seattle SuperSonics in the 2002 season to lose three straight games by two points or less on an opponent's game-winning shot in the last six seconds of the game but the late-game execution hasn't been the best by either the coach or the players they will need to figure things out quickly if they want to beat the best team in the West that has a seven-game winning streak against them that dates back to December 2022 they needed good news on the injury front of their superstar point guard and top reserve forward who figures to replace Jaren's production in the meantime After missing their last two games due to a deltoid contusion to his shooting shoulder Ja Morant will return to give the team some hope against the surging Oklahoma City Thunder His presence will be needed as the Grizzlies look to snap a three-game losing streak while simultaneously gaining a confidence boost by beating an opponent that feels unbeatable at times Morant was spotted making shot attempts during the Grizzlies' shootaround this morning setting the stage for an upgrade to his being available for tonight's matchup out it was a must that the Grizzlies had Ja Morant return to even have a puncher's chance at defeating the Thunder at home Santi Aldama was a late addition to the Grizzlies' injury report before their game against the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night The calf soreness he sustained has carried over tonight as he will miss his second consecutive game The loss of Aldama is a blow to the Grizzlies frontcourt that allowed 82 points in the paint to the Atlanta Hawks after Jaren Jackson Jr After being dominated on the boards in their last matchup against the Thunder one month ago the Grizzlies will likely look to a combination of GG Jackson and Lamar Stevens to close that gap Aldama ended Saturday's 117-115 loss to the Thunder in Game 4 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs with 23 points (9-13 FG nine rebounds and three assists across 40 minutes Getting his first start of the playoffs with Ja Morant (hip) sidelined Aldama topped 20 points for the first time in April but it wasn't enough to prevent the Grizzlies from getting swept The fourth-year big took a step forward with his level of play this season and assuming he returns to the club as a restricted free agent he should again have a key role in the Memphis frontcourt in 2025-26 alongside Jaren Jackson and Zach Edey Aldama ended with 14 points (6-14 FG, 2-8 3Pt), six rebounds, one assist and one block over 31 minutes during Thursday's 114-108 loss to the Thunder in Game 3 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. Aldama led the Grizzlies' second unit in points and rebounds Thursday, albeit in a losing effort. The 24-year-old forward has recorded 30-plus minutes and double-digit points during each of his last two appearances. He's averaging 9.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists across 27.0 minutes per game during the first round. Download NowMEMPHIS (USA) - It wasn't usual to see Spain struggle during their qualification for FIBA EuroBasket 2025 but they still booked a ticket for this summer's big show and will be there to defend their crown And the country's newest leader Santi Aldama is certain: they're in it to win it "It pushes us to be the new generation that keeps Spanish basketball at the top." Aldama will be playing his third major event with Spain - following the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 and the 2024 Olympics - and the 24-year-old said his country has only one goal Despite facing a more challenging path than usual they remain committed to upholding their gold-standard expectations "Spain never enter a EuroBasket thinking they can't win it. And we're going for it," he told the Spanish media outlet AS Sergio Scariolo's men suffered two losses to Latvia dropped a game against Belgium and needed a miracle buzzer-beater by Santi Yusta to eventually defeat Slovakia in double overtime Over the course of the six qualification games Scariolo brought into the Spanish player pool a number of star young talents including Izan Almansa While it remains unclear how many of those teenagers will make the team for this summer the writing on the Spanish wall is clear: Spain are shifting generations "We're going through a generational transition I'd say it pushes us to be the new generation that keeps Spanish basketball at the top," Aldama said Spain have won four EuroBasket crowns - all of them coming in the last six editions since 2009; they have reached the continental podium in the last seven tournaments and 10 of the last 11 competitions Spain have reached at least the top eight in 21 consecutive EuroBaskets Aldama has already shined at the World Cup and Olympics but the Memphis Grizzlies forward is excited about making his first appearance on the continental stage so I'm eager to debut and compete for the biggest prize," he said Aldama is the only Spanish player in the NBA and he also showed at the Olympics in Paris that he is ready to lead the team He averaged 17.7 points and 9.3 rebounds and claimed the TISSOT MVP honors of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2024 in Valencia last summer is experiencing this," he said about being considered the current face of Spanish basketball "Wearing Spain's jersey and hearing the anthem before every game is incredible." Aldama especially cherishes donning the Espana jersey in front of the home fans "When you play with the national team But from my experience in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament and similar games playing at home is something else entirely You feel the warmth of the fans and compete for something much bigger than yourself," he said Aldama is spending his fourth season in the NBA and is becoming more of a leader with Memphis to take the reins of the national team," said the Las Palmas native "I feel like I'm in a situation where I can contribute a lot just like they helped me when I was starting out." If Spain are to repeat as champions in 2025 rest assured Santi Aldama will be front and center He is the son of former Spanish basketball player Santigo Aldama who took part in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona Aldama played basketball for Canterbury Basketball Academy in Las Palmas and averaged 18.9 points 5.1 rebounds and 3.6 assists during the 2017 Spanish Under-16 Championship he played for the FC Barcelona under-18 team and was named MVP of the 2019 FIBA U18 European Championship Aldama committed to play college basketball at Loyola-Maryland in August of 2019 He was named to the Patriot League All-Rookie Team as a freshman averaging a double-double (21.2 points and 10.1 rebounds) Aldama declared for the NBA Draft in April of 2021 and was drafted by the Utah Jazz with the 30th overall pick The past two days have perfectly summed up the Memphis Grizzlies’ season since the All-Star break the Grizzlies were in a strong position to capture a top-two seed in the Western Conference for the third time in four years And then it all came crashing down in recent weeks with two games against Western Conference foes and a chance to earn a top-six seed Losing one of the two games was bearable; losing both unlocked the worst-case scenario 8 seed and open its postseason on the road in a play-in game on April 15 (TNT it definitely stings but at the end of the day I think it is stuff we can control," forward Santi Aldama said "I think we did a good job for the most part We have dug ourselves in the hole and now we are going to try to get out of it and we still got to find a way." How the lead got awayJa Morant knocked down a 3-pointer and did his new celebration as the Grizzlies took a 9-7 lead over the Nuggets Memphis didn’t trail for the remainder of the first It wasn’t until 2:46 was left in the fourth when the Grizzlies lost their lead Familiar offensive issues and late-game execution woes were on display The Grizzlies scored 14 points in the fourth quarter after getting at least 24 in each of the first three Morant made one of his six shots and Jaren Jackson Jr Memphis needed its frontcourt to play an A-game against the Nuggets The Grizzlies used Jackson and Aldama against reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic The result was Jokic finishing with 26 points Zach Edey played the roamer position that Jackson often occupies against Aaron Gordon Gordon used his quickness against Edey and his power against other Grizzlies players He finished with eight dunks and a game-high 33 points 8 seed and will wait on the wildness of the West to play out before learning where they will travel to open the postseason they will close their regular season against the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday (2:30 p.m they could choose to rest several of their key players Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors are all possible opponents "The season is definitely not over," Aldama said it doesn't really matter what happened before find a way to win that game and do good stuff "We have however many days we have before we play the play-in game or playoff game executive VP of basketball operations Zach Kleiman and his front office unilaterally decided to replace five of Jenkins’ assistants: Blake Ahearn Team and league sources tell The Athletic that Jenkins became emotional during his final exchanges with those outgoing coaches and while he had consulted with the front office on the new hires those last interactions with his former assistants set an “uneasy tone” for the 2024/25 season That coaching overhaul may have signaled a declining level of organizational support for Jenkins but the Grizzlies’ inconsistent play in the second half of this season and against playoff teams was the main reason he was let go according to The Athletic’s reporting Memphis has gone just 9-13 since starting the season 35-16 and has lost nine games in a row to teams at or above with an average margin of defeat of 12.8 points per game in those contests The defensive drop-off during the recent slump has been troubling and Vardon say — the Grizzlies have a defensive rating of 116.7 in their last 22 games after playing at a top-five level for much of the first half and league sources tell The Athletic that the organization “worried greatly about buy-in.” exchanging shoves after Bane called out Aldama’s defensive effort according to a source who spoke to The Athletic How much demand for Morant on the trade market how stupid is the Athletic writer to report that instead of pushing back He would bring a huge package of draft picks and players Those unnamed executives obviously are posturing So much drama – it’s a shame when team leadership contributes to instability 76ers and Suns coaches are overpaid by comparing to Jenkins Lebron is on line 1 for the services of Morant The natural ball movement on the Lakers seems to upset him sometimes Funny that the FO fired all his assistants probably demanded a new system and then didn’t like that he put back in some old plays that Ja liked Writing is def on the wall that they might move on from Ja sooner than later I seen this as Jenkins wasn’t on board with change before I read this Grizzlies are making moves this off season 100% Memphis seem happy just being a playoff team Log in Register Register New Orleans trailed by 23 points after the first quarter and 31 points at halftime as the home crowd loudly booed the poor effort It was the fifth loss of the season by at least 30 points Coach Willie Green called his players “soft” after the game and said they “looked like a team that forgot how to play basketball.” He also stressed the importance of continuing to compete even though the Pelicans have been eliminated from the playoff race “I think the start of the game with Trey going down it kinda rocked us from there,” Green said “We didn’t have a rhythm offensively and we kinda felt sorry for ourselves a bit especially with all we’ve been through this season.”  There’s more from the Southwest Division: I bet Coach Jenkins has fond memories of the days when Ja was healthy and not in trouble… 2-6 3Pt) and five rebounds over 31 minutes during Tuesday's 118-99 loss to the Thunder in Game 2 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs Aldama was a key player for Memphis during the regular season with 12.5 points 0.8 steals and 1.8 three-pointers across 65 appearances but he's been struggling in the postseason 1.5 assists and 1.5 three-pointers on a combined 6-of-17 shooting from the field so the Grizzlies could be looking to shake things up in Game 3 with the team staring at a 2-0 deficit The Grizzlies performed better defensively in Thursday’s win over Miami but a unit that had the NBA’s seventh-best defensive rating prior to the All-Star break has still ranked just 20th in the league since then Although Defensive Player of the Year candidate Jaren Jackson Jr. missed five games during that stretch due to an ankle sprain the team’s decline in effectiveness on that end of the court can’t be chalked up to being without its top rim protector for a little over a week Jackson has posted a 115.2 defensive rating during his time on the court since the All-Star break The league should try to leave players alone and maybe focus on helping them score more as it feels like this year scoring numbers are down Yeah OK…helping players score more has the current product they way it is Aldama Contract Extensions.css-3hcdeq{margin:0;font-size:1.2rem;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:Proxima Nova,Proxima Nova Fallback Helvetica,Proxima Nova Fallback Arial;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;letter-spacing:0rem;line-height:1.44rem;color:var(--br--palette-foreground__tertiary-mainChannel);}Doric SamApr 1 the Memphis Grizzlies are reportedly planning on retaining key members of their core this offseason "Memphis is committed to extending Jackson and Aldama this summer, sources said," Shelburne, MacMahon and Wright wrote. as general manager Zach Kleiman "publicly denied trade rumors and affirmed the commitment to Morant in February." who earned his second career All-Star selection this season is tied with Morant with a team-high 22.4 points per game while adding 5.7 rebounds Aldama has emerged as a key depth piece for Memphis while averaging career highs of 12.7 points The Grizzlies rank fifth in the Western Conference at 44-31 so it's not all doom-and-gloom in Memphis Retaining Jackson and Aldama this summer would solidify the team's frontcourt for years to come.