Three trades that the Memphis Grizzlies could make before the deadline
2. Derrick Favors and Josh Hart
Jonas Valanciunas is having an amazing campaign so far and Grizzlies fans may be reluctant to let the Lithuanian walk away. In all fairness, his contributions on both ends of the floor has helped propel the Grizzlies into the playoff race, which makes dealing him somewhat risky. That being said, the Grizzlies also have per-minute monster Brandon Clarke on their roster, who could be viewed as the steal of last year’s draft, especially given how this rookie class has struggled thus far. Clarke a better fit into the fast-paces Grizzlies offense and a great complimentary piece next to JJJ and Morant. He is a beast from an efficiency standpoint, a plus defender and has developed a reliable jumper. Clarke is the future and gives Memphis the assurance it needs to trade Valanciunas so long as the return improves the roster.
From the Pelicans perspective, this trade would alleviate concerns that their starting five will not have enough shooters the space the floor once Zion Williamson makes his debut. One of the reasons why the Pelicans rebounded after an abysmal start was Derrick Favours‘ return from an extended absence. He stabilizes the roster, anchors the defense and provides rim protection. What Favours is not, however, is a reliable 3-point shooter. His stint with Utah, where he played alongside another non-shooting center in Rudy Gobert, proved that Favours cannot be relied on to space the floor efficiently and consistently. This is where Valanciunas, who is shooting %43.1 from beyond the arc this season, may begin to appear as an attractive player.
On the other hand, Favours’ rim protection would keep Memphis in the playoff race while allowing them to play Clarke with their young stars for longer minutes. Josh Hart has flashed his potential when Jrue Holiday and Lonzo Ball were unavailable due to injuries but is likely to lose minutes when the Pelicans are fully healthy. He would give the Grizzlies another 3-and-D player to space the floor and get stops on the defensive end.