Memphis Grizzlies: Could Grayson Allen be at risk of being traded?

Among other parts of their game, the Memphis Grizzlies have an excess of talent at the shooting guard position. It wasn’t always this way though.

Before the 2020-21 season, the two-guard spot was actually one of the more concerning areas for this Grizzlies team. Highlighting the position was a toss-up between Grayson Allen and De’Anthony Melton, both of whom were solid players who hadn’t proven themselves to be starters quite yet.

But they filled in well during Jaren Jackson Jr.’s absence.

With JJJ back, Dillon Brooks had slid down to the shooting guard position, but in JJJ’s absence, this team’s guards took huge strides in the right direction. Allen had an up-and-down year but proved that he could start on an NBA team. That said, he wasn’t the only player who had a career year.

Melton stepped up as arguably this team’s best shooter. While he was also incapable of bringing consistency to the floor, Mr. Do Something heated up when the Grizzlies needed him to. He provided a much-needed spark off of the bench all year long.

But neither of these guys surprised anybody.

Memphis Grizzlies rookie SG Desmond Bane could push Grayson Allen out of his job

The real surprise in 2020-21 was the Grizzlies’ first-round pick from last year’s draft in Desmond Bane. At the 30th overall pick, expectations were low for a team with a crowded room of 2-guards. Regardless, Bane would quickly establish himself as a key player for this team.

Of each of the shooting guards on this team, Bane was surprisingly the most consistent. He had a few bad games but remained even-keeled for most of the year, averaging nearly 10 points per game by the end of the season.

This, among other things, does not bode well for Grayson Allen.

Allen was everything but consistent in 2020-21. The former Duke Basketball star looked like the best player on the court one day and looked like he was hiding under a cloak the next.

As the oldest member of the full-time Grizzlies’ shooting guard club, Allen’s name will likely be the first to consider for a trade. Memphis is a young team, and while stockpiling talent will help, they’ll need to bring in another big piece to become competitive in the NBA Playoffs in the future.

At some point, too many role players will work against them, which is why Grayson Allen could be a player at risk of being traded. If anything, the 2021 NBA Playoffs proved that, as the Grizz seemed like they were one piece away from really contending.

At the end of the day, don’t count on it, but don’t be surprised if Allen ends up being spoken of in trade rumors.