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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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Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies have entered a rebuild (Photo by Justin Ford/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Let’s Rebuild

When the Memphis Grizzlies pulled the trigger on the infamous Marc Gasol deal, this signified the beginning of their rebuilding effort. It became official. The Grizzlies were no longer looking to exhaust their Gasol-Conley tandem. The organization acknowledged they must retool their roster, even if it meant dealing a player that meant so much to both the team and the city.

The reset button has not been pressed in all the way as Mike Conley remains on the roster, but the end is in sight. Thankfully for the Grizzlies, everything is not being reset all at once, meaning Conley was not dealt at the exact same time as Gasol. This has allowed young guys such as Jaren Jackson Jr., Dillon Brooks, and Jevon Carter to learn from long-time NBA veterans in a 2018-19 season where the NBA Playoffs were out of reach. It came down to learning while having fun in games — expectations aside.

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It definitely is not easy for an NBA team to pull the plug on such a successful era, but this will only bring them brighter days. It was bound to happen as some point, and as previously stated, the Memphis Grizzlies exhausted the days of Marc Gasol and Mike Conley playing alongside one another. Now the focus transitions into one of the league’s most promising players — Jaren Jackson Jr. — and Memphis’ impending No. 2 overall pick, who will be announced on Thursday, June 20th.

With the Marc Gasol trade, it was tough to see the three-time Grizzlies NBA All-Star leave the 901, but a mid-season deal allowed Grizz Nation’s pain to pass quickly. Approximately half of the season’s schedule remained, and the focus had to be placed on the troops that were available.

Had the transaction taken place a few months sooner in the offseason, it would have been more of a distraction and the direction of the team would not have been as clear. It could have potentially created more issues, too. The NBA Trade Deadline was the perfect time to tear the roster apart in order to kick off the rebuild.

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Now, here we are with the Memphis Grizzlies. Jaren Jackson Jr. is the primary focus, and the No. 2 overall pick is shockingly in hand. While zero members of the popular “Core Four” remain on today’s Grizzly roster, the franchise is oozing with positivity heading into the offseason. Things are looking up for the Memphis Grizzlies, and it is a direct correlation of being winner in February’s trade  — almost the same as the Toronto Raptors.

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