Memphis Grizzlies: 5 Trades Involving Marc Gasol and the Boston Celtics

Nothing but Picks

Most fans will look at this trade and either love it or hate it. One side will say, “Alright! Picks!” The opposite end will say, “Why are we only getting picks? We’re trading away a top-3 center. We should get so much more.”

The grade of this trade, in essence, is dependent on your stance. If you love tanking, you’ll rejoice. However, if you want some immediate return, you’ll rank it as one of the worst in franchise history.

No matter how you look at this potential trade, these picks are valuable. For starters, getting the pick back is important. It was given to the Danny Ainge Asset Foundation in the Jeff Green trade. This pick places strong implications on this rebuild. Getting it back would only accelerate it back to normal speed.

Even though it’s lottery-protected, Clippers pick is valuable based on Blake Griffin’s health and the 2018 free agency. DeAndre Jordan and Austin Rivers could be free agents this summer, so they could potentially be out the door – but in reality, Austin Rivers could never leave his father. Then, if Blake can’t get healthy, the Clippers are in trouble. The Grizzlies would need them to tread mediocrity to obtain this pick.

The Lakers-Sacramento pick is intriguing. Boston received it in the Fultz-Tatum swap. If the Lakers flounder next season, they could land two high lottery picks in 2018. If not, the Kings will send an unprotected pick out the door in 2019.

Having three picks in 2019 could be huge for Memphis. They could package it together to move up in the draft or build a dangerous young core (Zion Williamson, anyone?)