Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace says Chandler Parsons has chosen to continue rehabilitation in Los Angeles out of the options Memphis gave the 30-year-old forward.
“We will continue to monitor Chandler’s progress,” Wallace said in a statement Sunday night.
Wallace issued his statement just hours after ESPN.com reported that the Grizzlies and Parsons had agreed to a split, with Parsons leaving Memphis while his agent, James Dunleavy, and the team negotiate an end to his contract.
Sources with @ESPN_McMahon: Chandler Parsons will leave the Grizzles indefinitely as management and his agent James Dunleavy work to structure a resolution on Parsons’ future with franchise. Sides agreed on separation Sunday. Parsons has been medically cleared since Dec. 21.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 6, 2019
The Grizzlies GM says they met with Parsons and spoke with both the forward and his representation numerous times during the forward’s rehab on how to “integrate a healthy and effective Chandler” back on the court.
“In the last of these conversations, we presented Chandler clear options for him and his representatives to choose, which included a short three-home-game stint for the Memphis Hustle or rehab either in Memphis or in Los Angeles with the training team of his choice,” Wallace said. “Chandler subsequently chose to continue his rehab in Los Angeles.”
Parsons has played three games in the third season of the four-year, $94 million contract he signed in July 2016. Limited by injuries, he played a combined 70 games over the first two seasons of that contract, but Dunleavy told The Commercial Appeal on Dec. 28 that Parsons had been cleared and was ready to play.
Dunleavy did not immediately return messages from The Associated Press on Sunday night.
Parsons was the Grizzlies’ big free agent signee in July 2016, with Memphis believing it finally had the 3-point threat the team has lacked for years. Parsons has been nothing but a disappointment with injury after injury. Before signing with Memphis, Parsons had never played fewer than 61 games in a season in the NBA with stints in Houston and Dallas.
At media day in September, Parsons said he thought his knee issues were past him after playing with no limitations during the summer.
“Let’s face it, the last two years have gone horribly and not the way I planned, but the reasons why I came to Memphis are still all intact,” Parsons said then.
Parsons last played for Memphis on Oct. 22, going scoreless in just over six minutes in a win at Utah. Now the Grizzlies have lost five straight and are 2-8 over their last 10 games. They have dropped to 12th in the Western Conference after sitting atop the West at 12-5 in late November.
It’s been a busy few days for the Grizzlies.
Wallace apologized Thursday for an apparent altercation in the locker room between Garrett Temple and Omri Casspi after a loss to Detroit the night before. Hours later, the Grizzlies traded for guard Justin Holiday , sending guards MarShon Brooks and Wayne Selden Jr. along with second-round picks in 2019 and 2020 in the deal.
