The Grizzlies trade with the Timberwolves could be highway robbery

The Memphis Grizzlies are continuing to be the most active NBA team in this year’s trade market. Just two days after they made yet another big trade, which brought Patrick Beverley, Rajon Rondo, and Daniel Oturu to Memphis, the Grizzlies are involved in another deal.

This time around, they would ship off Patrick Beverley, a player who, as mentioned, they had acquired just a couple of days prior. This came as somewhat of a surprise, as Beverley seemed like a strong fit for the Grizzlies’ “Grit and Grind” playstyle. Still, business is business.

This time around, the deal involved the Minnesota Timberwolves, bringing former 6th-overall pick Jarrett Culver and Juancho Hernangomez in exchange for Beverley. Here’s a graphic to keep it simple.

The Memphis Grizzlies may have just pulled off highway robbery on the Timberwolves

As of right now, Jarrett Culver would likely be considered an early NBA Draft bust candidate. After two seasons in the NBA as the 6th-overall pick, the shooting guard is averaging 7.6 points per game with terrible shooting splits. This is, at least, when he has been playing.

The former Texas Tech Red Raider basketball player has only played in 97 NBA games thus far. In short, it’s way too early to call him a bust, which is likely what the Memphis Grizzlies front office is seeing in him. They’re not looking at the guy who has been on the NBA court the past couple of seasons on one of the worst teams in the league — they’re looking at the lottery prospect from a few years ago.

Still, the prospect of having Culver at this stage of his career may not be as exciting as having the pesty Patrick Beverley on the roster. Even so, however, the Grizzlies should benefit from this one in the long run, as Culver is still only 22 years old. He hasn’t even come close to his ceiling and with the way the Grizzlies develop talent, he should drastically improve on Beale Street.

In terms of Juancho Hernangomez’s status on this team — it’s generally unclear. With a Grizzlies roster that keeps on growing, he could very easily be cut from the team before the start of the season. He has had a solid NBA career, averaging 7.2 points per game last season, he just doesn’t have a spot on this team.

This trade, even though it may be hard to dissect right now, was essentially highway robbery by the Grizzlies. Somehow, they’ve found a way to pull in increased value in each trade that they’ve made thus far. They flipped Jonas Valanciunas for Steven Adams, a 10th-overall pick, and a former 6th-overall pick in Culver. Ultimately, time will tell, but this looks like a deal that could pay off down the road for Memphis.

Grizzlies fans, you’ll have to be patient with this one. Culver may not look the part right now, but his potential is still there. In fact, with the way he has played, Memphis should be able to bring him back for cheap upon the expiration of his contract, which could bode well for the future.

The Grizzlies may not be done making trades, as this seems like a half-done squad as we approach the 2021-22 season.