Beale Street Bears
Fansided

3 Grizzlies that could surprisingly be available in an expansion draft

By Mark Nilon

TORONTO, ON - DECEMBER 29: Ja Morant #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies talks with Steven Adams #4 and Santi Aldama #7 of the Memphis Grizzlies during the second half of their NBA game against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena on December 29, 2022 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - DECEMBER 29: Ja Morant #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies talks with Steven Adams #4 and Santi Aldama #7 of the Memphis Grizzlies during the second half of their NBA game against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena on December 29, 2022 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 4
Next
Brandon Clarke, Memphis Grizzlies
Brandon Clarke of the Memphis Grizzlies looks on against the Detroit Pistons (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images) /

1. Brandon Clarke

Now here’s where the real surprise comes into play…

Throughout his four seasons in the association, Brandon Clarke has endeared himself to the Grind City faithful with his astounding athleticism, enviable on-court efforts, and sound per-game production that has led him to carer averages of 10.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists on 60.4 percent shooting from the field.

Unfortunately, however, directly after signing his lucrative four-year, $52 million contract extension with the Grizzlies last offseason, the big man suffered an grueling Achillies tendon tear in his left leg in early March and is now expected to miss a large portion, if not all of the 2023-24 campaign as a result of his rehabilitation.

An injury such as the one Clarke sustained is considered by many to be the “most devastating” for NBA players, and there’s a long list of individuals who never fully recovered even after their rehabilitation process had ended.

The concept of making the big man available in a hypothetical expansion draft should be considered both a realistic as well as a potentially strategic move Memphis’ front office could make.

By doing so, one could argue that the club may be banking on fears stemming from his injury to stave off any significant interest from the incoming organizations, thus allowing the Grizzlies to safely hold onto another healthier and, thus, immediately more valuable commodity such as, say, Luke Kennard for example’s sake.

However, should this plan backfire, there’s still a point to be made that while losing the 26-year-old may be a tough pill to swallow, it could actually be beneficial from a fiscal standpoint, as it would save the club from committing four more years to a potentially damaged goods big man at an average cost of $12.5 million.

Though some may not like it, in the event that an expansion draft comes underway in the next year or so, making Clarke available could be a logical move for the franchise to make.

Home/Grizzlies Rumors