The Memphis Grizzlies’ season ended much sooner than any fans were expecting as the team fell in the first round of the NBA Playoffs to the Los Angeles Lakers. LeBron James and Anthony Davis took advantage of a good matchup against a banged-up Grizzlies team to send Ja Morant and co. home without a smile on their face.
This is a disheartening step backward after making it to round two last year and putting up a fight against the Golden State Warriors. Fans definitely expected a better run than this and as we head into the offseason it is clear that change could be on the horizon.
That includes saying goodbye to some familiar faces.
3 Grizzlies who likely just played their last game with the team:
1. Dillon Brooks
It is probably safe to say that no Grizzlies fan wants to see Dillon Brooks return in free agency this offseason. As valuable as Brooks can be in the regular season, his smack talk finally caught up to him and he was the one that looked the worse following this series loss.
It would be one thing if Brooks taunted LeBron and at least played well in this series but he didn’t. He was easily the worst player on the entire court for Memphis, likely playing himself out of a bigger payday this summer.
What Brooks brings to the team is replaceable and it is almost impossible to justify bringing him back after the disaster that was this playoff series. It would be legitimately shocking if he is suiting up for the team next season.
2. Brandon Clarke
Brandon Clarke didn’t technically just play his last game in Memphis as he did not play at all in the series against the Lakers but that’s beside the point. While Clarke is a talented player that a lot of Grizzlies fans like, there are signs there that he could be moved this offseason.
Clarke is the sixth-highest-paid player on the Grizzlies but he does not play a prominent role in the rotation. The former 21st overall pick has averaged fewer than 20 minutes per game over the last two years and quite frankly, the team was not really missing him that much during the series against LA.
Memphis is not going to outright give Clarke away for nothing but he is probably the no. 1 candidate to be traded this offseason if the Grizzlies do ultimately make a move. He has the perfect-sized contract at $12.5 million to be included in a trade for a role player that may better suit the team.
This could be a straight-up swap for an older role player with the other team in question wanting to pivot to a younger option like Clarke. It could be part of something bigger where Clarke’s contract is essentially thrown in just to make the money work.
Regardless, Clarke has to have the best odds to be traded this offseason by the Grizzlies, who desperately need to change something after falling short in the first round.
3. Tyus Jones
It sounds crazy, and it might even be a bit controversial, but there is a world in which Tyus Jones is not on this team on opening night next season. Jones is the best backup point guard in the entire NBA and he has been wonderful for this team in the regular season but there is an elephant in the room that is worth addressing.
Jones has stunk in the playoffs two years in a row for the Grizzlies and fans are starting to take notice. One bad postseason is one thing but another bad showing in which the Grizzlies were shocked in the first round is another.
It is safe to say that Jones’ stock has been much higher than it currently is with the fanbase. Nobody wants to see him go if the price is not right but this team might be better maximized if he is not on the roster next season.
As much as Jones struggled, he is still a very talented player and there are so many teams in the NBA that are going to sell themselves on Jones. The Grizzlies can get quite a lot for trading someone who is overqualified to be a backup.
His contract is even more tradeable than Clarke’s as well. Jones is making $14 million next season and is on an expiring contract, making him the perfect point guard for a contending team to sell itself on without there being long-term implications.
A lot still needs to develop this offseason but with the Grizzlies needing another wing, there is a lot of potential to flip Jones, an asset and/or Clarke for a talented player.
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