5 Creative ways Grizzlies can get under roster limit
By Tyler Watts
2. Put young talent on the block for future picks
The Memphis Grizzlies have six first-round draft picks since 2020 on their current roster, so no shortage of young talent is waiting to develop. Memphis has so many options that they cannot play them all. Is now the time for the Grizzlies to try to turn some of them back into draft capital?
Instead of waiving a former first-round pick, they should put the player on the trade block. If it nets Memphis a second-round draft pick, that is better than losing the talent with zero return. The Grizzlies have enough young talents that teams will not know who Memphis plans to waive to get below the roster limit.
The Grizzlies are likely helped by their development system in these trades. Organizations know that Memphis takes them from talent prospects to key contributors. Teams may be eager to acquire them and give them additional playing time.
This is creative because the two players the Grizzlies would likely waive are not the two they will be able to trade. Memphis may have to part with a bit of talent, but it gives them future capital to use as Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr. reach their primes.