Memphis Grizzlies: Will the New York Knicks trade for Gorgui Dieng?

As the Memphis Grizzlies approach the NBA Trade Deadline, trade talks are starting to heat up. The Grizzlies don’t have a ton of big target players, but do have one guy who is a top available NBA center.

That man is Gorgui Dieng.

Dieng came to the Grizzlies in a three-team trade that also brought Justise Winslow to Memphis. While Winslow has been thriving, even expressing how happy he was with the deal, Dieng has been rotting away on the bench.

It’s nobody’s fault, just the collateral of a necessary trade to get Justise Winslow onto this team’s roster. But that doesn’t mean that Gorgui Dieng holds no value for this Grizzlies franchise.

In fact, as we approach the deadline, it’s quite the opposite. Despite the fact that Dieng has an expiring $17 million contract, he’s a great option for teams that have injuries at the center position and enough cap space to take him on.

The Memphis Grizzlies could work out a deal with the New York Knicks

It just so happens that the New York Knicks are one of very few teams who meet this criteria. They’re looking to make a playoff push, but have some nagging injuries holding them back.

Most notably, Knicks center Mitchell Robinson is still out with a hand injury. Just over a month ago, he had surgery to repair his hand, but there still isn’t a distinct timetable for when he’ll be back out on the court.

Often times, a fracture in the hand can only keep a player out for as little as 3-6 weeks, but with surgery, Robinson could be out for a while longer.

The Knicks also have $15 million in cap space, enough to find a deal that gets Dieng on their roster to patch the hole that they currently have. They also have some draft picks that they could send to Memphis along with a few decent players that could be of value to the Grizz.

The Knicks likely won’t find a center who can stretch the floor with his 3-point shot and play strong defense like Dieng, so this has to be an attractive target in New York.