[Smith] “Yuta Watanabe has a $2.6M player option for next season, but announced on IG Live that he’s planning to play in Japan next year. That will free up a roster spot for the Memphis Grizzlies, who are under somewhat of a roster crunch heading into the offseason.”
Yuta Watanabe has a $2.6M player option for next season, but announced on IG Live that he's planning to play in Japan next year.
That will free up a roster spot for the Memphis Grizzlies, who are under somewhat of a roster crunch heading into the offseason.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) April 20, 2024
5 comments
Damn, Bros leaving 2.6 mill on the table. Must be really homesick, because I don’t think he’ll get nearly that much in Japan
Remember all the people losing their mind that we let Yuta walk?
Translation of his Instagram live announcement by someone in the comments-
Here’s the translation/synopsis. 1. He’s declining his player option and going back to Japan to play. 2. He made a deal w himself to overcome any struggle to stay in the nba during his 20s. 3. He just turned 30 and he wants to have fun playing basketball again. 4. His time in America was a struggle. The stress of non guaranteed contracts was a daily battle. 5. He finally succeeded in getting a guaranteed contract and was excited to play for suns and win a championship. 6. Trade to Memphis was a shock. But he was excited to play still. 7. Getting benched in Memphis was a huge mental blow. He cried uncontrollably and he doesn’t ven understand why. 8. Even when he got some playing time back his entire body would lose control of his muscles during pre game. Some sort of mental breakdown which was caused by all the stress he held in during his 20s. Now that he turned 30 his body released it all. Now he just wants to enjoy playing basketball again. 9. He is ready for Paris and representing Japan in Olympics.
Yeah, Yuta’s biggest issue has always been the mental side of the game. Athletically, he’s got a lot to offer. But you’d see just a few plays hang on his mind for the entirety of the match.
He’s a vet now. The money he made isn’t something miniscule. And he’s pretty much a national hero in Japan. He could play till he’s 40 there, and if he ever made his way back to TO for a visit I’d stand and give him a cheer. He’s one of those all-heart guys that this fan base was built on.
The mental aspect of the game is so important. I am a huge fan of Yuta and his effort that he put on the court. It’s unfortunate that he had to battle through those stress but he held on and fought through it until he couldn’t which is ok. Hopefully he can look back on his NBA career and how much it meant for everyone who supported him. Going back home will be amazing for him and I wish him the best.