The Memphis Grizzlies pulled out of a trade over the weekend, and the entire series of events was unfathomable. Still, the franchise has had worse luck in the past with NBA transactions.
Over the weekend, fans of the Memphis Grizzlies did not know whether to laugh or to cry for a multitude of reasons.
The Grizzlies lost two consecutive games, one of which they definitely should have won given the Miami Heat‘s list of absences. Sandwiched in-between the losses was the notorious failed trade attempt, in which Memphis was acting as a third party to make the deal feasible.
By now, you have heard the running jokes surrounding Dillon Brooks and MarShon Brooks. Plus, the Washington Wizards‘ head coach, Scott Brooks. This last name has never been so popular, and it is largely in part of the Memphis Grizzlies joining the Wizards and Phoenix Suns in the late hours of Friday evening.
It is difficult to fathom how there could be such miscommunication amongst millionaire members of NBA front offices. It would be hard to make up such a story. Still, it happened. Phoenix thought they were getting Dillon Brooks. Memphis was intending to send MarShon Brooks. End of deal.
This looks extremely bad for all three teams involved, especially since nobody is wanting to own up for the mistake and miscommunication. Yet, there has been one worse moment leading up to a potential NBA trade that has been cringe-worthy for the Memphis Grizzlies.
Looking back at the NBA Trade Deadline of February 2011, Memphis was ready to end the O.J. Mayo experiment sooner than what they finally did. The Grizzlies were prepared to ship Mayo to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for Josh McRoberts.
Michael Heisley was the Memphis Grizzlies’ General Manager at the time, and in 2011, just like Chris Wallace this past weekend, he did not want to take the blame for the failed transaction. Fingers were pointed in the opposite direction.
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The trade call came just a minute or two after the deadline, therefore the deal was dead. The NBA would not allow it, and the league had that right.
Both teams had months and months to complete the transaction, and though some of the trade scenarios leading up to the annual NBA Trade Deadline are generated within the final 24 hours, both teams drastically blew an opportunity to alter their rosters.
Both the Grizzlies and the Pacers turned out alright afterward. It was not an earth-shattering deal by any means. If anything, the clubs would have perhaps won or lost a few extra games. It was not superstars being dealt, after all. Both clubs would go on to achieve the best marks of the decade in the following seasons.
In the 2011 deal, it was not so much miscommunication. It was about timing. The Grizzlies and Pacers failed to place a call on time after the details were finalized by both parties. That is worse than this past Friday’s three-team dealings, though not by much.
The one constant is of course the involvement of the Memphis Grizzlies. Different day, different General Manager, but still a total flop when it came to ironing out the final leg of the trade.
Fans of the NBA typically list trades as a major reason as to why they follow the association. Given that tidbit, Grizz fans have every right to feel some type of way toward the Front Office. Even then, Grizz Nation cannot be too upset because Memphis currently stands in playoff contention 29 games through the 2018-19 season schedule.