BREAKING: Memphis Grizzlies trade James Ennis to Detroit
The Memphis Grizzlies kicked off their trade deadline with a minor move, shipping James Ennis to the Pistons for Brice Johnson and a second-round pick.
The first Grizzly-related Woj bomb of the day was kind of small. The Memphis Grizzlies traded swingman James Ennis for Brice Johnson and a second-round pick.
Memphis has traded James Ennis to Detroit for Brice Johnson and a second-round pick, league sources tells ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 8, 2018
No one knows when the second-round pick will transfer over, but this trade was the right move for the Grizzlies. They were clearly more invested in Wayne Selden and Dillon Brooks than they were in Ennis. He’s also on an expiring deal, meaning he could’ve walked away this summer with nothing in return.
During his time at Memphis, James Ennis was undervalued. He was a long, athletic wing who could space the floor, play multiple positions and defend the opposing team’s best perimeter player. Over the past two seasons, he’s averaged 6.8 points on 36.7 percent from deep in 23.4 minutes per game.
In Detroit, he’ll serve as a 3&D compliment in their revamped, Griffin-led system. After the Blake Griffin trade, they were wing-deprived. Ennis doesn’t necessarily move the needle, but he’s a nice pickup nonetheless.
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What the Grizzlies get in return
Brice Johnson is another big man prospect. Just exactly what the Grizzlies needed, right? Johnson, though, offers similar upside to the other young big men. Because of his athleticism, he could play either the 4 or the 5. He’s an extremely bouncy center, which could make him a lob threat and a decent rim protector.
With Martin, Rabb, Davis and Green still on the roster — for now — it’ll be interesting to see where Johnson could find playing time. At least until the season ends, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him with the Memphis Hustle.
No one knows when the second-round pick conveys, but if it does this year, it’ll likely fall in the 40’s range. They could find themselves with a “college veteran” like they did last year with Dillon Brooks.
The Grizzlies are entering a rebuilding period sooner or later, and flipping expiring contracts for young assets is always good for the future.