Trade Targets Mailbag: Who should the Grizzlies go for at the trade deadline? (Part 1)

Jan 31, 2023 - 4:20 PM

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The NBA trade deadline is 10 days away, and there is a lot of angst around Grizzlies Twitter about the Memphis Grizzlies needing to make a trade. Content is king, so I asked everyone to provide realistic trade targets for me, and I’d write why or why not it should or could happen.

Thank you for the 63 trade targets. No seriously, look at the replies to this tweet.

I tier up these responses likewise:

• LOL
• Not going absolutely anywhere at all
• Too rich for the Grizzlies’ taste
• Young player they’re probably not getting
• A reunion that won’t happen
• Torn
• Don’t see the fit
• Call me this summer
• Not moved — not in a way where they won't get trade, but in that I’m not moved by them
• Intrigued

Let’s get rolling

LOL: Jeremy Lin, LeBron James, Kenneth Faried, Bismack Biyombo, De’Anthony Melton, Kyle Anderson, Grayson Allen, James Wiseman

A lot of these will be dismissed for obvious reasons. The Grizzlies are not going to bring back Melton, Anderson, or Allen — nor will the Philadelphia 76ers and Minnesota Timberwolves be interested in doing so.

I add James Wiseman here, because he’s an insanely expensive 5th big man, and the Warriors will have an asking price that’s too high. Nonetheless, you can start dreaming of a Wiseman and Grizzlies match whenever he hits free agency.

Not going absolutely anywhere at all: Josh Giddey, Domantas Sabonis, Lauri Markkanen, Karl-Anthony Towns

None of these players are going anywhere. The Thunder won’t sell on Giddey, especially since they’re good now. The Domantas Sabonis trade might have revitalized the Kings’ franchise. The Jazz consider Lauri Markkanen as a part of their core, and Danny Ainge will probably ask for a gaudy trade package if he entertained such a deal. The Timberwolves didn’t sell the farm for Rudy Gobert to ship Karl-Anthony Towns off.

I’m sorry.

Photo by KeShawn Ennis/NBAE via Getty Images

Too rich for Grizzlies’ taste: Buddy Hield, Keldon Johnson, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Kuzma

Buddy Hield is a fun trade target, and slotting him next to Desmond Bane would open up the floor like the Red Sea for Ja Morant. With his salary ($21.1M), it’d like take Danny Green and Dillon Brooks. They could do some 3-for-1 deal with one of those two players, Ziaire Williams, and Jake LaRavia. 3-for-1 deals for role players, even elite shooters, do not make sense. Adding a 1st round pick there too would be too rich for the Grizzlies.

Keldon Johnson is a sneaky good trade target, but the Spurs likely view him as a focal point of the rebuild. With his 4-year, $72M extension kicking in next season, they’ll likely hold on to Johnson as they see who comes through the draft.

Zach LaVine used to be a favorite trade target for the Grizzlies, but the arrival of Desmond Bane gave the Grizzlies an undeniable answer at the 2-guard. His knee history with his 5-year deal brings apprehension to paying a star price for.

LaVine’s teammate DeMar DeRozan became a looming trade target if the Bulls decided to blow it up. The Grizzlies could potentially get there with some sort of combination here:

• Danny Green
• Dillon Brooks
• Tyus Jones
• Rookie contract guys
• Picks

Would the Grizzlies want to pay this price for an elite wing scorer who’s a his best with the ball in his hands, especially with his free agency underway?

Kyle Kuzma would be in my “favorites,” if the Wizards showed inclination to move him. They want to re-sign him long-term. Making a deal for Kuzma would probably include Green, a rookie contract player, and 1 of the 2024 1st-round picks. Giving up Brooks for Kuzma wouldn’t be smart, since there is a flight risk this offseason — and it’d be tough to essentially lose both Brooks and Kuzma by opening night of next season.

Young player they’re probably not getting: Grant Williams, Lu Dort, Gary Payton II, Jonathan Isaac, Quentin Grimes, Patrick Williams, Isaiah Joe

Like I said with Giddey, the Thunder are getting better now. I don’t see them trading Dort or Joe. The league missed their chance with Joe after Philadelphia waived him, and any trade will likely be a fleece.

Grant Williams is a restricted free agent and a critical piece to the Celtics’ frontcourt rotation.

The Blazers think they’re making the playoffs, so they’re going to keep Payton.

Jonathan Isaac just returned from 2-and-a-half year knee injury. His trade prospects could increase a year from now, but they likely want to see how he fits next to Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero.

Patrick Williams has disappointed, but the Bulls probably won’t just sell him off.

If Quentin Grimes wasn’t getting in Donovan Mitchell trade talks, I doubt the Grizzlies have a satisfying offer for the Knicks.

A reunion that won’t happen: Mike Conley, Rudy Gay

Rudy Gay would be cool, but he wouldn’t play ahead of Santi Aldama or Brandon Clarke. At his age, I doubt he can play the 3 anymore.

Mike Conley doesn’t make sense with Ja Morant and Tyus Jones on the roster. Let’s see if he ring-chases to Memphis when he hits free agency in 2024.

Torn: Cam Reddish, Will Barton

These are two players I’m torn on. For the right price, I can get there. The Grizzlies need some perimeter juice off the bench, and these two guys supply it.

I doubt the price will be right though.

Reddish is an enigmatic prospect with a lot of fans and a lot of critics. I don’t see the Grizzlies wanting to shell out assets for him and deal with his restricted free agency. However, he’s a young talented wing that may just need the right situation and minutes. Is that in Memphis though?

Barton is not in the rotation with a mediocre (yet streaking) Washington Wizards team. There’s noise about him being a buyout guy, so should the Grizzlies be coughing up assets for a guy that could be available at the veteran’s minimum? Barton may have some pop left with him, but The Grizzlies would never be a buyout team.

Don’t see the fit: Nerlens Noel, Kelly Olynyk, Naz Reid, Andre Drummond, Jakob Poetl, Thomas Bryant, Jarred Vanderbilt, Isaiah Hartenstein,Mo Bamba, Duncan Robinson, Doug McDermott

The big men here are in a special group of “I’d rather the Grizzlies stick with their frontcourt.” Sure, if they wanted to send over Tillman and a second rounder for Drummond or Noel, they could do so to upgrade the “emergency big man” spot. However, it’s evident they like Tillman and value his fit in the culture and his ability to be the “next man up.” These players are good, but I’d rather stick with the Jackson/Adams/Clarke/Aldama frontcourt — and I’m sure the Grizzlies front office would too.

To the next two in this group, pour one out for my “Duncan Robinson to Memphis” agenda. I don’t see the Grizzlies giving up assets — particularly Danny Green and stuff — for shooters that’ll likely get played off the floor in the playoffs because of defense.

Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images

Call me this summer: Luke Kennard, Norman Powell, Pascal Siakam

The Clippers need a point guard, and they’re actively seeking upgrades through trade targets like Kyle Lowry, Mike Conley, and Fred VanVleet. If they don’t address them in the offseason, I wouldn’t rule them out as a suitor for Tyus Jones — though in LA fashion, they’ll go for someone flashier even if it’s not the better fit. If the Clippers make a considerable offer, and if the Grizzlies are ready to give the keys to the bench to Kennedy Chandler, Kennard and Powell could be possible trade targets to give them a pure perimeter bucket-getter this summer.

The Toronto Raptors are making the right call on the trade possibilities with their guys. They can make some slight tweaks, but keeping their core of Siakam/Barnes/Anunoby and getting luck in the lottery with Victor Wembanyama or Scoot Henderson make this team dangerous. However, the NBA is unpredictable, and Toronto could very well decide to strip it down this summer when there’s more trade flexibility.

A Pascal Siakam trade would rule, but there are different dynamics with it. They either have to trade Steven Adams or move him to the bench. Which one would it be? From there, a trade package would need to start with him and/or Brandon Clarke. Throw in whichever prospects you want too. Do the development-focused Grizzlies want to shell out the draft capital it’d take to execute a trade for an All-NBA talent like Siakam? It’s a giant “wait and see,” but my oh my... a Morant/Bane/Siakam/Jackson core would be terrifyingly good.

Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images

Not moved: Caris LeVert, Bones Hyland, Tim Hardaway Jr., Eric Gordon, Kenrich Williams, Gary Harris, Jae Crowder, Terrence Ross, Nic Batum

I’m not entirely sold on LeVert, as I question his fit when it’s his consecutive season in trade rumors.

Hyland is so much fun and could breakout in the right situation. However, the Nuggets are already looking to trade him because of his defensive fit with an eye for the postseason. That draws a pause, as he’s an undersized shooting guard with worrisome defense. Nonetheless, he’s an incredible scorer.

The Grizzlies would need Green and Brooks, or either of those two with 2 prospects, to make the money work for Hardaway or Gordon. Again, 3-for-1 deals for role players don’t make sense.

The Magic have an interesting duo of veterans in Gary Harris and Terrence Ross, but the idea of Danny Green is more reliable than either of those players in a playoff setting.

Neither side between the Grizzlies and Thunder would go for a deal around Kenrich Williams. A deal with Batum doesn’t make sense with Aldama in the mix.

Now on Jae Crowder, we talk about the veteran presence he would bring to this team, especially with his prior experience here. However, what sort of presence does he provide when he’s sat out all season because he wasn’t going to start? He’s surely not starting in Memphis.

Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images

Intrigued: Alec Burks, Josh Richardson, Alex Caruso, Chris Duarte, Jalen McDaniels, Saddiq Bey

Burks and Richardson are two veterans where if the Grizzlies decided to flip Green for them, I wouldn’t be pumped but I wouldn’t be upset either. Burks is shooting an exceptional 45% on 5 attempts per game from 3, while Richardson is at 36.2% on 4.9 three’s per game. They possess good size on the wing and would be an answer for them as the backup 2-guard. It’d likely take Green and a 2nd for either of them, though the Pistons think 2 seconds isn’t enough with Burks (I wouldn’t do more than that).

Because of his stellar defense and connective playmaking, Caruso would be an awesome target for them in that “Green and draft capital” framework, and the “2 firsts” as an asking price seems like cap to insinuate they prefer to keep him. The shooting veers him away from some “favorites.” I don’t know if it’s deferring to more scoring-dominant players in LaVine or DeRozan, but he’s shooting 3.2 three’s per 36 minutes — for context, the shooting-adverse Konchar is at 4.7. For a team starved for wing shooting, Caruso is not a deadline answer.

The next players here are definitely fliers on rookie deals. Duarte’s shooting numbers this year (36.1 from the field, 30% from 3), but his shooting mechanics and his stop-and-pop game in the mid-range are at least intriguing at the end of the rotation, or as an emergency guy. McDaniels is a fascinating prospect — averaging 10.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2 assists as a 6’9” forward — but he’s a lackluster shooter (32.6% from 3). Bey has fallen down the depth chart as the Pistons acquired more talent. He’s scoring the ball at a nice rate still (14.4 points), but he’s relatively inefficient (40.4% from the field and 33.9% from 3).

These 3 guys are interesting, because they are acquirable without Green, as it could take Konchar, Tillman, or a rookie with draft capital. However, I don’t see this front office making this sort of a move for a player that might be in or out of a playoff rotation — and that they’d have to pay soon.

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I’ll elaborate more in a part 2 of this mailbag, where I look at the favorites of the trade target suggestions made and provide more on what it’d take to acquire them, as well as how realistic it could be.

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