The Memphis Grizzlies did it again. When I say it, I’m referring to a trade that has come completely out of nowhere for the second time this offseason.
All Grizzlies fans expected Eric Bledsoe to be traded. That said, with the size of his contract and the state of the guard’s career, it seemed unlikely that much value would be salvaged from him. Well, the Grizz got some value.
On Sunday night, this trade was announced, sending Eric Bledsoe to the Los Angeles Clippers.
This trade saves the Memphis Grizzlies from a bad contract without locking them into any long-term debt
The primary concern associated with newly-acquired point guard Eric Bledsoe was in regards to his contract, which was no on the friendly side. There was no room for an aging point guard on the Grizzlies roster, so what did they do? Trade him for two more aging point guards.
While this may seem like a strange trade on the surface — it’s simple. The Grizzlies picked up two proven point guards with NBA Playoff experience in exchange for Bledsoe, who is well beyond the prime of his career and is at his lowest value thus far.
With Patrick Beverley, the Grizzlies are getting a defensive pest who can mentor a relatively young Dillon Brooks, who seems to be filling similar shoes. Even though his contract is worth $14 million next season, he’ll be off the books after the conclusion of the 2021-22 season. This clears the Grizzlies cap for the future.
The same applies to Rondo, who is only being paid $8 million next season with an expiring contract after the 2021-22 year. Oturu, on the other hand, is an inexperienced center who will fill a reserve role. Even though it would be great to get some production out of him down the road. In short, he’s an afterthought in this trade and likely a last-second addition that the Grizz requested to even out the value of the deal.
Even though this might not seem like a great move for Memphis, it completely clears their books after the upcoming season. Yes, Bledsoe would have only been owed $4 million, the Grizzlies now owe $0. This will help them put together contracts for the future.
Memphis may also look to extend Beverley or Rondo for cheap following the season, as they recently listed Tyus Jones as a potential trade candidate. They may look for a veteran presence behind Morant instead of a 25-year old backup with a contract year coming up.
This trade is strange, weird, and unexpected, but right now, we have to trust the process.