Kosta Koufos' future with the Grizzlies is unclear as he heads into unrestricted free agency this offseason, ESPN's Marc Stein reports.

Koufos' future with the Grizzlies is unclear as he heads into unrestricted free agency this offseason, ESPN's Marc Stein reports.

Analysis:

Koufos has played primarily a bench role in two seasons with Memphis after coming over from Denver prior to the 2013-14 season. He's thrived behind Marc Gasol, posting modest numbers but establishing himself as an excellent rim-protector and serviceable scorer around the rim. While he's yet to tip his hand as to his free agency plans, the general belief is that Koufos will seek a destination where he can step in as a starter. The Ohio State product has started 139 games in his career, including all 81 games in which he played during the 2012-13 season. After a strong postseason performance, Koufos is expected to garner considerable interest on the open market. That puts the Grizzlies in a difficult spot, as their primary focus will be re-signing Marc Gasol. As such, there is a chance they may not truly know how much money they could devote to Koufos until it's too late.