Memphis Grizzlies refuse to pay 12 kilos to the family of Brandon Clarke after his death from heroin and cocaine overdose
The fact that he died from drugs causes the franchise to refuse to pay his last year of contract
The Memphis Grizzlies will not pay Brandon Clarke's family the $12.5 million corresponding to the last year of his contract after the player's death last May at the age of 29. Furthermore, this amount will not count against the NBA salary cap.
Clarke was found dead in a residence in Los Angeles, in the San Fernando Valley. His death was a rare case in the NBA, as the death of an active player is uncommon. Prior to the former Grizzlies player, the last case was in 2016 when New Orleans Pelicans' player Bryce Dejean-Jones passed away.
The forward still had one year left on his contract with Memphis for the 2026-27 season, valued at $12.5 million. Clarke had signed a four-year, $50 million extension in October 2022.
However, his contract was officially terminated on July 3rd, approximately seven weeks after his passing. According to several sources cited by Front Office Sports, Clarke was fully paid the $12.5 million for the 2025-26 season, but the last year was not protected in case of death, so that amount will not be paid to his estate.
The player did have a life insurance policy, although it is unknown if the circumstances of his death could affect the payment of that policy.
Final Salary to be Paid in October
Although the $12.5 million for the 2026-27 season will not be paid, Clarke's family will continue to receive payments for the previous season. The bi-weekly payments of his 2025-26 salary will continue to be made according to the schedule set in his contract and will reach up to October 16th.
After that date, the payments will cease.
This situation once again raises the issue of the lack of a unified criterion in American professional sports when it comes to protecting players' contracts in case of death. Other athletes, such as Kansas City Royals pitcher Yordano Ventura or Liverpool's soccer player Diogo Jota, left contracts that were paid out to their families after their respective deaths.
In the NBA, there is no universal rule that compels teams to pay the remaining money from a deceased player's contract to the player's family.
Clarke's Cause of Death
On August 7th, the Los Angeles County coroner's office officially confirmed the cause of Clarke's death. According to the report, he died from the effects of heroin and cocaine, and the death was ruled as accidental.
The agency also cited the combined effects of several prescription drugs as a significant contributing factor to the death, although it did not specify which medications. The full report will be released later.
Seven Seasons in Memphis
Clarke was drafted by the Grizzlies in the 21st position in the 2019 Draft, from Gonzaga, and spent his entire NBA career in Memphis.
In his seven seasons, he played 309 games with averages of 10.2 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. Injuries particularly affected his later years, and during the 2025-26 season, he could only participate in two games due to leg issues.
The handling of his contract after his death also reflects a lesser-known aspect of how NBA franchises operate. Each team decides its own strategy when it comes to securing players' contracts in the event of a potential demise.
According to sources cited by Front Office Sports, these kinds of insurances are usually not a primary negotiation point between franchises and agents during contract signings. When a team ensures a contract for death, the insurance company may refund the remaining guaranteed money to the franchise, which is then paid to the player's estate.
When the contract is not insured for such circumstances, agents often resort to individual life insurances to try to ensure the player's family's economic protection.
In Brandon Clarke's case, his contract with Memphis did not include that protection for the last year, so the $12.5 million for the 2026-27 season is void and will not impact the Grizzlies' salary cap.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Memphis Grizzlies se niega a pagar 12 kilos a la familia de Brandon Clarke tras su muerte por sobredosis de heroína y cocaína
