Jake

Tsakalidis

The Cavaliers are using part of their $4.9 millio midlevel exception to bring in Tsakalidis. The Grizzlies have two weeks to match the offer.

It doesn’t sound like he’ll be an option while Stromile Swift and Pau Gasol are on the mend.

He doesn’t have any fantasy value, but should be able to help the Griz in March if Pau Gasol and Stromile Swift are still out.

Tsakalidis has practiced twice and is encouraged by the results, although he’s had some stiffness in his legs and hips. It’s a good sign that he’s been able to bang bodies down low in practice without feeling pain in his surgically-repaired back. His status for Sunday’s game is unknown.

The Grizzlies don’t have much interest in keeping Tsakalidis, but he is a restricted free agent and they still could do something with him in a sign-and-trade. Another possibility for Cleveland is trading for Scot Pollard.

The Grizzlies have showed little interest in keeping Tsakalidis. They’ll probably allow him to because Zydrunas Ilgauskas’ backup in Cleveland.

That didn’t take long. Tsakalidis was only part of the Grizzlies’ rotation for about half of last season. Maybe the team has bigger plans for the 7-foot-2 center this season. Or maybe they just think he’ll have trade value at some point.

He’s day-to-day.

Bet you didn’t even know he was gone. He’s day-to-day with the injury.