Ranking recently listed Grizzlies trade targets from worst to first
By Mark Nilon
If there’s one thing the Memphis Grizzlies have proven this summer, it’s that they’re willing to shake things up in an effort to better their odds of title contention in the near future.
From the re-signing of Desmond Bane for the long haul to the blockbuster acquisition of veteran guard Marcus Smart, it’s evident that GM Zach Kleiman is not afraid to make splashes so long as they help inch the club closer to achieving their ultimate goals.
However, though the front office has certainly done a fine job of tinkering with Taylor Jenkins’ talent pool this offseason, it’s a fair assessment that there are still some holes within its arsenal that could use some filling.
Recently, Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley penned a piece where he discussed three players across the association who are believed to be Memphis’ top trade target, all of whom are capable of playing the currently vacant wing position within a lineup.
Of the bunch, there seems to be a clear hierarchy when it comes to hypothetical fit if acquired by the Grizzlies and today we rank each player’s suitability from worst to first.
Ranking recent Memphis Grizzlies trade targets from worst to first
3. Jerami Grant
Jerami Grant is certainly a talented player who, since 2020-21, has found himself sporting impressive per-game averages of 20.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.0 blocks on 37.2 percent shooting from deep.
That said, considering his natural fit within an NBA rotation seems to be the four, and the fact that the Grizzlies already have that spot covered with All-Star Jaren Jackson Jr., he easily finds himself coming in last in today’s rankings.
Despite his lofty counting stats, Grant also has seen a questionably low impact on team success whilst serving as a top option, as his respective teams have accumulated an overall record of 76-160 throughout the last three years and have come across zero postseason berths.
His $160 million payday coupled with the assets it would take to acquire him in a trade would insinuate that the forward would be utilized as an integral part of Jenkins’ rotation alongside Ja Morant, Bane, Jackson, and Marcus Smart, though his at-best questionable impact on team success makes such a plan a relative risk for this team that’s ready to contend.