The NBA is two days away from its trade deadline.
In the wake of the Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis trade, things feel more unpredictable than ever before. It’s likely that “feeling” does not become reality. As more details emerge, it seems like the Doncic trade will probably be an isolated incident.
Still— in a world where “Luka Legend” now resides in Los Angeles with the Lakers, anything is possible.
An additional possibility is that the Memphis Grizzlies may be an NBA Finals contender. The team is the hottest in the Association, with a record of 9-1 over their last ten contests, beating seven of the nine by double digits. Among the victories are hard-fought contests with fellow playoff-tiered teams in the Minnesota Timberwolves, Houston Rockets, and Milwaukee Bucks.
The Grizzlies are beginning to beat the charge of only beating up on bad teams. They boast both a top-five offense and defense in terms of efficiency and are 4th in the NBA in efficiency differential. This all usually adds up to a resume of a championship challenger.
And yet…Memphis feels as if there’s still something missing. Therefore, when the Jimmy Butler trade rumors refuse to die, we should not be surprised.
The Grizzlies still sniffing around Cam Johnson with the Brooklyn Nets? A believable rumor. As Memphis’ stars Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr. enter their prime years, it could very well be time to go “all-in”.
But is this trade deadline that moment? Time to talk the pros and cons of a deal.
PRO: Memphis has near-maximum flexibility.
The Grizzlies have access to and control of every first-round pick that is currently available to them. That means a massive deal — like four firsts and three pick swaps — could be done if the Grizzlies wanted it to be.
But with Luka Doncic now dealt (still wild to type that) and the secrecy that shrouded that move, there likely is no target that both brings in that kind of talent and allows Memphis to keep their own “big three” mentioned above. The aforementioned Butler deal would limit that possibility, but there’s still a narrow window where Memphis could pull off such a deal. It’d be easier with the Johnson possibility— Cam Johnson for Marcus Smart, Santi Aldama and a first-round pick? Call it in. Replace Aldama with John Konchar and add another future first? Easy work.
Outside of the truly big money targets, the world is Memphis’ trade oyster if they want it to be.
CON: The team is FINALLY getting healthy.
Even with all their success this season, the Grizzlies are once again among the top teams in the NBA with regard to injury time lost.
Memphis has played 50 games this season. Ja Morant has only played in 29 of them. Marcus Smart has only played in 18. Eight for GG Jackson, three for Vince Williams Jr., and all four of these names, to varying degrees, were viewed as key contributors to the rotation entering the season.
Things have still worked out of course, thanks to the likes of Jaylen Wells, Scotty Pippen Jr., Jake LaRavia, and Santi Aldama having better-than-expected campaigns to this point. But as these players return to the bench, how much depth is too much depth? And as the postseason approaches, who is best positioned to actually get the team over the proverbial hump to the Western Conference Finals?
There will be little-to-no time to figure out that answer. Therefore, it will have to be based on educated guesses. Players like GG Jackson are near locks to stick around due to his age and raw talent that is developing quite nicely.
Smart vs. Aldama? Maybe both? That is where pulling a trade trigger gets a bit messier. But the injury issue makes things a little easier, in a way…
PRO: Addition, not true subtraction.
The hypothetical fit of Marcus Smart has been greater than reality.
He’s flashed the brilliance defensively and in terms of energy that made him a Boston Celtics legend. But they have been too few and far between. John Konchar played 12 minutes against the San Antonio Spurs Monday night but has only logged roughly 46 minutes total for Memphis since Jan. 15. Five game appearances across ten contests— and remember, the Grizzlies are 9-1 in those ten games.
So if the Grizzlies could get a player for a Smart/Konchar/two first-round pick package, they would be very wise to do so. Consolidation isn’t the worst thing— and in the case of Memphis, the missed minutes of Marcus Smart have led to the Grizzlies likely finding his replacement.
Smart’s value has surely taken a hit. But all it takes is one team remembering what he was in Boston. If they think a change of scenery could re-ignite that spark? It could benefit all those involved.
CON: If it ain’t broke…
Memphis runs the risk of disrupting the success the team is currently enjoying with any trade.
The team is largely the same as it was breaking training camp. The most recent Grizzlies signings are converts from past two-way contracts – Jay Huff and Scotty Pippen Jr. being the most recent. And friendly reminder— the Grizzlies are already among the very best teams in the NBA. Only three teams in the league — the Cavaliers, Thunder, and Celtics — currently have a better win percentage than Memphis.
And the oldest players that have played at least 500 minutes for these Grizzlies this season are Brandon Clarke and Luke Kennard— both 28 years old.
There is a lot to be said for internal improvement. It’s been the main focus of this Grizzlies front office, give or take a Tyus Jones here, a Marcus Smart or Luke Kennard there. The core of this team has been built through the draft.
It would be a major shift from that philosophy to trade for a player like Butler or Johnson in-season. But that doesn’t make it impossible to do…
Or wrong to do.
The verdict
If not now, when?
The Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets are going nowhere but up. The Lakers, the Nuggets, the Clippers, and the Mavericks all have All-Star veteran cogs that make them a threat both now and in the postseason. And this has always been about postseason growth for the Grizzlies. They’ve been the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference twice already in the Ja Morant era. That’s no longer good enough.
It’s time for more. Memphis must do what they haven’t done before for that to occur.
It’s time to push in some proverbial chips and bet on this core that they’re ready to contend.
Maybe that doesn’t look like Jimmy Butler and all the baggage that could bring. But if a bidding war for a shooter and scorer the caliber of Cam Johnson leads to an overpay with an eye to the future? So be it.
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