Santi Aldama Reportedly Signs $52M Grizzlies Contract, New Salary Cap After JJJ Deal

The start of the NBA's free agency period on Monday night was a bit quiet, but the Memphis Grizzlies were busy keeping their own players for the long haul.

The team re-signed restricted free agent Santi Aldama to a three-year, $52.5 million deal, per ESPN's Shams Charania, along with agreeing to a five-year, $240 million "maximum renegotiation-and-extension" with big man Jaren Jackson Jr.

So, assuming Jackson will now be making $33 million this season and Aldama $16.2 million, the Grizzlies were looking at an active roster payroll of about $159 million, which would push them above the $154.6 salary cap.

However, with some clever bookkeeping and maneuvering, the Grizzlies could stay below the cap and access their room midlevel exception, which would then allow them to add another quality free agent even if it took them back over the cap, as ESPN's Bobby Marks outlined:

To help accomplish this, the team is reportedly discussing a resolution with the reps of Cole Anthony.

The Grizzlies didn't wait long to utilize the newfound cap space that moving on from Anthony would create, reportedly signing guard Ty Jerome:

As for Aldama, the 24-year-old averaged 12.5 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 65 games last season, shooting 48.3 percent from the field and 36.8 percent from three.

While the Grizzlies are now built around the duo of Ja Morant and Jackson following the trade of Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic this offseason, the team has very solid supporting pieces in players like Brandon Clarke, Jaylen Wells, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Zach Edey and Aldama. They also have incoming rookie wing Cedric Coward and the cap space to make another addition to bolster the rotation.

That probably isn't enough to challenge the Oklahoma City Thunders of the world atop the Western Conference, but the Grizzlies should once again be in the playoff mix, even if the loss of Bane hurt. The Grizzlies were aggressive on Monday, and it's hard to argue with any of the moves they made.