The Grizzlies reportedly told Jarell Martin before training camp that they planned to cut him to clear a regular-season roster spot, but if he wanted to attend camp anyway, he could.
He did, and not only did he earn his way onto the regular-season roster (Memphis waiving 2016 first-rounder Wade Baldwin and Rade Zagorac, who signed this year with multiple guaranteed seasons, instead)… not only is he starting for the first-place team in the Western Conference while JaMychal Green is injured… Martin is having his $2,416,222 salary for next season guaranteed.
Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders:
Memphis Grizzlies will pick up the fourth year team option on forward Jarell Martin, league sources told @BBallInsiders.
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) October 31, 2017
The No. 25 pick in 2015, Martin alternated between showing promise and getting hurt as a rookie. Last year, he massively underperformed. It seemed as if Memphis had moved on.
But the resolve he has shown to get to this point shows why he’s such a good fit on this still-grinding team.
