3 realistic trade targets to make Grizzlies championship favorites

The Memphis Grizzlies find themselves gearing up for the 2023-24 campaign with cornerstone Ja Morant slated to be sidelined for their initial 25-game stretch due to suspension. Despite this hardship, however, they are seemingly still a club striving for greatness.

With GM Zach Kleiman’s savvy offseason decisions headlined by the Marcus Smart blockbuster, not only is it evident that Taylor Jenkins’ team is looking to remain a threat in the West but, in the eyes of ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, the Grizzlies appear to have the best shot at dethroning the reigning champion Denver Nuggets.

While this is certainly high praise and a confidence boost for both Memphis fans and team personnel alike, should they find an opportunity to better their already solid odds of contention this summer by all means they must take it.

With virtually all of the available high-impact players already snatched up in free agency, perhaps the best way for the front office to acquire another quality contributor may be to scour the trade market.

Looking around the league’s landscape, there are a plethora of names rumored to be potentially available that could feasibly boost the Grizzlies up from contenders to legitimate title favorites.

Today, we at BSB discuss three realistic trade targets Memphis should be monitoring:

Grizzlies trade target No. 3) Alec Burks

Not all impact players require star pedigrees. While Alec Burks may not have that illustrious moniker attached to his name, he is without a doubt someone who could help shore up some of the Grizzlies’ glaring weaknesses if acquired.

A 12-year journeyman, the 31-year-old has created a lengthy career for himself thanks to his abilities as a trusty three-and-D contributor.

Since 2019-20, Burks finds himself sporting impressive per-game averages of 13.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.6 assists while shooting 40.3 percent from distance and boasting a solid defensive rating of 111 throughout his league tenure.

With the offseason departure of Dillon Brooks, the Grizzlies could use some extra talents to log minutes at the wing and serve as a reliable off-ball shooting option and trustworthy defender.

For a realistic cost of a couple of second-rounders, Alec Burks may be an ideal buy-low player for Memphis to pursue.

Grizzlies trade target No. 2) Bojan Bogdanovic

Though he may not be much of a defensive contributor like his fellow Pistons teammate Alec Burks, Bojan Bogdanovic is easily the superior offensive talent which, despite having guys like Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr., is something the Grizzlies could certainly use more of, especially within their second unit rotation.

Surprisingly, the 11-ranked Memphis offense rolled out a bench squad that ranked a middling 15 in both offensive rating (56.3) and points per game (34.8), with their top scoring option of the bunch being Luke Kennard (11.3 points per night).

Adding a proven commodity like Bojan Bogdanovic to their arsenal could prove to do wonders for their collective production on the more glamorous side of the ball.

Over the last five seasons, the 34-year-old has averaged 18.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists while shooting an incredibly respectable 46.6 percent from the field and 40.4 percent from deep.

Last season proved to arguably be the best of his nine-year NBA career, as he finished off the campaign with a whopping 21.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.6 assists while shooting 48.8 percent from the field and 41.1 percent from distance.

A crafty scoring threat who can play both on and off ball, Bogdanovic’s services would be best suited for a legitimate contender rather than on the youth-movement Pistons.

For the right price, he could prove to be the perfect sixth man for this hungry Grizzlies team.

Grizzlies trade target No. 1) OG Anunoby

Should the Memphis Grizzlies be fully invested in finding a long-term replacement for Dillon Brooks, there may not be a better fit for this core than OG Anunoby.

Rumored to be available on the trade block for some time now, the price it would take to acquire him would undoubtedly be higher than what it would take to land either one of the aforementioned players on this list.

That said, the potential impact he would bring to this ball club would be far superior as well.

Already a player Memphis made a “hard run” at around the 2023 trade deadline, it’s evident that they, too, see him as a potentially tremendous fit within their starting lineup and there’s no wonder as to why.

Anunoby is a lanky (6-foot-7 with a 7-foot-2 wingspan) and highly versatile defender who has the ability to consistently guard anyone from the one down to the four.

However, he’s far more than just a defensive disruptor, as the 25-year-old has only managed to improve upon his overall game with every passing season throughout his soon-to-be seven-year career.

Over the past two seasons, OG Anunoby has gone on to post stellar two-way averages of 16.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.7 steals, and just shy of a block while shooting 46.1 percent from the floor and 37.6 percent from deep.

Though Toronto’s asking price is reported to be rather steep, the concept of adding on the budding star to formulate a menacing defensive wall alongside the two most recent Defensive Player of the Year winners, Marcus Smart and Jaren Jackson Jr., and to create an even more lethal offensive unit alongside Ja Morant and Desmond Bane could prove to be well worth the cost.

Grizzlies legend tabbed as viable trade target for top title contender

Legendary Memphis Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley has been tabbed as someone who could "do wonders" for this particular eastern conference contender.