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3 Reasons the Memphis Grizzlies Did Not Lose February’s Trade with the Toronto Raptors

By Christian Dudley

OAKLAND, CA - JUNE 13: The Toronto Raptors celebrate after winning the 2019 NBA Championship against the Golden State Warriors after Game Six of the NBA Finals on June 13, 2019 at ORACLE Arena in Oakland, California. 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 Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA - JUNE 13: The Toronto Raptors celebrate after winning the 2019 NBA Championship against the Golden State Warriors after Game Six of the NBA Finals on June 13, 2019 at ORACLE Arena in Oakland, California. 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 Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Jonas Valanciunas and Delon Wright were traded to the Memphis Grizzliesin February (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Future Pieces to the Puzzle

The biggest “get” for the Memphis Grizzlies was not focused on one particular piece in the February transaction. Of the four total pieces — three players and one future NBA Draft pick — the theme was youth.

Yes, C.J. Miles is the wise veteran among the bunch that was shipped to Memphis, Tennessee, but the other three components are young. Some may say that 27-year-old Jonas Valanciunas may not qualify for the “youth” classification, but he is just now entering his prime years in the NBA. He is still a suitable player to build around if the Grizzlies’ restructured Front Office would wish to implement him as a part of their future core. That is, if Valanciunas negotiates a new deal with the Grizzlies.

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A major bright spot in the last few weeks of the 2018-19 season for the Grizzlies was point guard Delon Wright. He had shown flashes of promise as a member of the Toronto Raptors, but he could not dig himself off the bench due to being placed behind five-time NBA All-Star Kyle Lowry and others.

The Memphis Grizzlies had a hunch that Wright’s potential was awaiting the right opportunity, no pun intended. In that, they were correct. Delon has a great set of eyes when the ball is in his hands, finding open teammates while driving through traffic. He is not afraid to take it to the rim, and he also demonstrated a bit of an outside shot. He is a do-it-all guard when unleashed, as evident in the three triple-doubles he logged with the Grizzlies within their final four games of the season.

As Delon Wright nears the end of his rookie contract, the Memphis Grizzlies must soon extend a qualifying offer to the former Raptors point guard if they want to maintain leverage on the idea of re-signing him for future years.

Regardless of what happens with Mike Conley and the latest NBA trade rumors and/or the direction the Grizzlies take with their No. 2 pick in next week’s NBA Draft, Delon Wright could fit almost anywhere on the team. He is a suitable starting point guard when called upon, plus he is a valuable member of the second unit in the meantime. On top of it all, there is some untapped potential remaining on the table, as the Grizzlies witnessed for themselves in the month of April.

Furthermore, the Memphis Grizzlies also landed a second-round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft as part of the trade with the Toronto Raptors. While that is five years away, it is never a bad idea to stash future picks. That could wind up being a low-risk, high-reward selection of a player for the Grizzlies, or it could become the sweetener to a future trade. Nonetheless, this boosts the Grizzlies organization from a long-term standpoint.

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