Friday Injury Could Halt Memphis Grizzlies’ Leading NBA Trade Rumors

One popular chip among the latest NBA trade rumors belonging to the Memphis Grizzlies may be facing a major setback, decreasing his trade value.

It is safe to say the Memphis Grizzlies are the most popular NBA franchise right now when considering NBA trade rumors prior to the February 7th trade deadline.

A handful of the Grizzlies’ key contributors are seeing their names pop up in these NBA trade rumors. A few of them have spoken directly to those rumblings in various media scrums over the past week.

Memphis has now lost eight consecutive games, earning just one victory thus far in 2019. Tanking intentionally or not, things are going to have to change in order to keep stability among the fan base. It should be a guarantee that some type of move will happen in the next two weeks, whether it involves player movement or a change of management personnel.

On Friday, the Memphis Grizzlies dropped the third meeting of a five-game home stand. Though it was a much stronger effort than Grizz Nation has witnessed much of this month from the Grizz, the end result was the same. It was a three-point loss to the Sacramento Kings.

The loss to Sacramento, which marks a 19-30 overall record for the Grizzlies, was not the worst aspect of the evening. With 37 seconds remaining in the first quarter, as guard/forward Garrett Temple rounded a screen set by teammate Joakim Noah, Temple took a hard blow to his left shoulder.

Temple went down immediately with a great deal of pain. He got up and attempted to play on, shooting and missing both bonus free-throws. He would stay on the court for the final two possessions to complete the quarter, but he would not return to action for the rest of the game.

The injury did not look good, and it appeared to be more than a stinger for Garrett. In those final two possessions, he could not lift his left arm and shoulder. He had to awkwardly hold it straight down.

As for the latest update regarding the injury, Grizzlies Head Coach J.B. Bickerstaff was asked about Garrett Temple’s injury in the postgame press conference. His response was as follows:

"“X-rays were negative. He’s going to get an MRI tomorrow, and we’ll see from there.”"

For now, the Memphis Grizzlies await the diagnosis. Still, they would have to expect to not have Garrett available for Saturday’s matchup versus the Indiana Pacers. Being as he was not able to lift his left arm and shoulder, Temple could be looking at weeks of missed time.

This is the worst possible opportunity for the Memphis Grizzlies, and not just because they are in dire need of a morale-boosting victory. The most recent NBA trade rumors around the league hint at multiple teams showing interest in acquiring Garrett Temple prior to the NBA Trade Deadline.

More from Beale Street Bears

• Dillon Brooks speaks out after beating former Grizzlies teammate in World Cup
• Jaren Jackson Jr. puts ex-Grizzlies teammate on notice
• 3 players Grizzlies would consider trading Ja Morant for
• Grizzlies star Jaren Jackson Jr. put on blast following FIBA elimination
• Ex-Grizzlies guard signs with title favorite, joins forces with 6-time All-Star

Temple is playing on an expiring contract, earning an even $8 million in the 2018-19 NBA season. His deal is manageable for a team taking on his salary, and ties can be severed in just a few months. On the court, Garrett is a two-way player that can play three positions, plus he is shooting a solid 35.2% from beyond the arc.

As the trade deadline approaches, expect more teams to show interest in Garrett Temple’s services. That is, if he is healthy, or at the very least, does not require much missed time. If there is news of required surgery, the chances of a deal being made with Temple as a component will become next to none.

This is just one appealing trade chip found within a Memphis Grizzlies fire sale, so for those that enjoy the trade deadline and player movement, do not fret. These NBA trade rumors surrounding the Grizzlies are just getting started. It will be a very interesting two-week period as teams look to improve their rosters, especially the title-contenders.

As Memphis looks to press the rebuild button, now is the best time to hit the fast track in entering the next phase of their life cycle. Stick with Beale Street Bears for analysis of the latest NBA trade rumors involving the Memphis Grizzlies.