3 realistic targets for the Memphis Grizzlies at the trade deadline
Could the Memphis Grizzlies trade for Jerami Grant at the deadline?
The Memphis Grizzlies could be in the market for a lanky, versatile scorer they can bring off the bench. Someone that fits that mold would be Detroit’s Jerami Grant.
The 6’8″ Grant is having a really good season— not as great as last season, but still a good season. He’s averaging 19.1 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 1.0 spg, 1.0 bpg and is shooting 33% from beyond the arc this season.
Detroit is thought to be sellers at the deadline, still in the early stages of a rebuild. Grant may be attainable for some expiring contracts and some first round picks.
A trade centered around Kyle Anderson and his expiring contract may be enough to get a conversation started. Dangling young prospects like Jarrett Culver and Xavier Tillman might be enough to get it done, but Detroit likely desires draft picks.
The Grizzlies are expected to have their own first round pick plus a first rounder from Utah and the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2022 NBA draft. The team should dangle those picks to help get a deal done.
Jerami Grant would be a great player to add to this Memphis Grizzlies squad. Grant has competed in 35 playoff games (with OKC and Denver) in his seven-year NBA career, giving him a ton of experience that many players just simply don’t have on this year’s team.
Grant is capable of knocking down threes, can be a lethal scoring option off the bench. There could be some scenarios in which Jaren Jackson Jr. slides over to the center position and Grant could play the power forward.
The team could find a new home for Xavier Tillman, who has not been able to crack the rotation as of late. He’d be closer to his alma mater of Michigan State and be an upgrade over Luka Garza. Garza could come to Memphis to be developed and serve as an insurance policy as a deep reserve.
The Grizzlies could feature five players capable of knocking down threes to open up driving lines for Ja Morant at any given point in the game. A line-up of Morant, Bane, Brooks, Grant and Jackson would be a tough line-up in the playoffs.