Beale Street Bears
Fansided

6 Players the Memphis Grizzlies Should Target After December 15th

By Christian Dudley

SACRAMENTO, CA - OCTOBER 24: Yogi Ferrell #3 of the Sacramento Kings is guarded by Wayne Selden #7 of the Memphis Grizzlies at Golden 1 Center on October 24, 2018 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
SACRAMENTO, CA - OCTOBER 24: Yogi Ferrell #3 of the Sacramento Kings is guarded by Wayne Selden #7 of the Memphis Grizzlies at Golden 1 Center on October 24, 2018 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
6 of 8
Next
MIAMI, FL – NOVEMBER 30: Wayne Ellington #2 of the Miami Heat shoots the ball against the New Orleans Pelicans on November 30, 2018 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL – NOVEMBER 30: Wayne Ellington #2 of the Miami Heat shoots the ball against the New Orleans Pelicans on November 30, 2018 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Wayne Ellington

There are plenty of former Memphis Grizzlies that Grizz Nation would enjoy seeing back in town. Of course there are the obvious “candidates” in Zach Randolph, and even Tony Allen. Plus last year’s one-season wonder in Tyreke Evans. The list goes on.

However, those names are unrealistic, at least at this point. When thinking of ex-Grizzlies that are logging regular NBA minutes to this day, sharpshooter Wayne Ellington absolutely comes to mind.

The Miami Heat are in a tough situation. They are developing their youthful core, but still balancing things out via their veterans. Plus, they cannot keep Hassan Whiteside and Goran Dragic on the court at all, let alone simultaneously. They would not be hovering around the Eastern Conference’s final playoff spot if the East was as talented as the Western Conference.

Financially, Miami owns the seventh-highest payroll as it currently stands. They are $6,269,843 into the luxury tax, but if they would happen to shed Ellington’s salary, they would fall slightly below the line as Wayne is set to make $6,270,000 in the 2018-19 season. It makes perfect sense, right?!

Looking back to the 2012-13 season when the Memphis Grizzlies dealt Wayne Ellington in a multi-player trade, it was a tough pill to swallow. The Grizzlies made the move to quickly shed salary, but it cost them a lethal shooter and more.

Remember the game — funny enough, it was against the Miami Heat — where he torched the opposition with 100% shooting on seven three-point attempts? This is the type of shooting that the Grizzlies need right now.

Mike Conley, Shelvin Mack, Marc Gasol, and others will make the plays in order to create open shot attempts to shooters, but knock-down shooters are needed. Wayne Ellington fits the bill. This is definitely one inquiry Memphis consider as it is not every day that you come across a career 41% three-point bomber.

Home/Grizzlies News