Casspi to play 10th NBA season, signing 1-year deal with Grizzlies

The Israeli athlete is said to join the Memphis Grizzlies.

By JERUSALEM POST SPORTS STAFF
AFTER BEING released by the Golden State Warriors last season, Israel’s Omri Casspi is set to sign with the Memphis Grizzlies. (photo credit: REUTERS)
AFTER BEING released by the Golden State Warriors last season, Israel’s Omri Casspi is set to sign with the Memphis Grizzlies.
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Omri Casspi, the first and still only Israeli to play in the National Basketball Association, has agreed to a one-year contract with the Memphis Grizzlies.
Reports of the deal emerged Sunday, with the start of the week-long free agency period. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN first reported the deal.
Casspi, 30, can sign the deal on July 6, and it is expected to be a veteran’s minimum contract worth just under $2.2 million.
He was waived in April by the Golden State Warriors, where he was under a one-year contract, after suffering an ankle injury. He is still likely to receive a championship ring from the team, where he played 53 games last season.
Casspi is set to start his 10th season in the NBA during which time he will have played for eight teams. In addition to the Warriors, Casspi played for: the Sacramento Kings, Cleveland Cavaliers, Houston Rockets, New Orleans Pelicans, and Minnesota Timberwolves in his career. The 6-foot-9 forward was a member of Maccabi Tel Aviv team before making himself available for the NBA draft.
Casspi has appeared in just 89 total games over the last two seasons, and his role with Golden State in 2017/18 was ultimately less significant than most anticipated. Casspi averaged only 14.0 minutes per game, which he translated to averages of 5.7 points and 3.8 rebounds. However, he hit 58 percent of his field goal attempts and converted 10-of-22 of his three-point looks. The veteran should be in line for increased minutes on a Grizzlies team that locks depth and high-end talent on the wing.