New trade idea sends O.G. Anunoby to Grizzlies

A main talking point from this offseason has been that the Memphis Grizzlies should be interested in bolstering their wing position prior to the start of the upcoming campaign, though recent reports suggest that this has been the mindset of GM Zach Kleiman and company for far longer than many may realize.

Per ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, the franchise “had high, high interest” in attaining budding star O.G. Anunoby from the Toronto Raptors last year, and acknowledged during a recent episode of The Hoop Collective podcast that the front office had shown a willingness to offer up a pretty penny for an upgrade at the position.

At this point in time, there appears to be no clear-cut option for head coach Taylor Jenkins to slide into the team’s recently vacated starting small forward slot. While there seem to be several potential options for him to choose from, all appear to have far more minuses than pluses attached to their names.

With this in mind, it could be argued that this title-hopeful Grizzlies team should strongly consider scouring the trade market once again to attain an outsourced wing talent to secure the starting three spot within the rotation and, considering their already established interest, they may wish to once again pursue the Raptor’s 26-year-old stud.

Trade proposal would send Toronto Raptors wing O.G. Anunoby to Grizzlies

In the hypothetical event that they enter trade negotiations with Toronto, one package, in particular, should be strongly considered.

In the event that the Raptors actually did ship out O.G. Anunoby, it would likely suggest that they would then subsequently set their sights on a franchise rebuild. For teams in such situations, there are two assets that always are highly coveted: young, promising talents and draft capital.

In this exchange, we see the Grizzlies coughing up both.

Of course, the players Toronto would be receiving in Brandon Clarke and Ziaire Williams have some baggage attached to them, as the former is slated to sit out for the vast majority, if not all of this coming season as he rehabilitates from a torn Achilles tendon while the latter has struggled to put forth consistent production throughout his two-year stint in the association.

However, along with the aforementioned minuses are major pluses, for a healthy Clarke has proven to be an incredibly efficient two-way big man who boats career averages of 10.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and just shy of a block on 60.4 percent shooting from the field while playing just 21.3 minutes per game while Williams still possesses the pedigree of a recent lottery pick (taken 10 overall back in 2021) and has also received high praise from The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor as being someone who has “go-to-scorer potential,” a “dynamic handle,” and “playmaking upside.”

As for the Grizzlies, the biggest draw is the fact that they bring on a player they clearly desire and could seriously use within their lineup.

Someone we’ve previously described as being the ideal target for the Grizzlies, Anunoby is a two-way commodity who, with his enviable size (6-foot-7, 232 pounds with a 7-foot-2 wingspan) coupled with his specific skill set, can realistically slot in anywhere from the two down to a small-ball four, thus providing Jenkins with yet another highly versatile contributor.

Possessing a strong inside-out game on both sides of the ball, every passing season since being selected 23 overall back in the 2017 draft has seen the 26-year-old continuously improve upon his overall game.

Since 2020-21, Anunoby has managed to establish himself as a legitimate rising star, boasting stellar averages of 16.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.7 steals, and just shy of a block while shooting 46.6 percent from the field and 38.2 percent from deep.

With his age along with his promising level of production, acquiring the wing would not only set Memphis up for a possibly tremendous 2023-24, but for the many seasons that are to follow.

A starting five consisting of Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Anunoby, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Steven Adams would rival any other team’s lead lineup while having recently acquired Marcus Smart serving as their go-to sixth man could easily wind up making them one of the most ferocious two-way units in the game today.

If the Grizzlies are still as interested in attaining the wing’s services as they were near the trade deadline last season, this proposal may be the ideal way of making their wish become a reality.

3 biggest issues Grizzlies must address during training camp

Heading into this year's training camp, there are three particular issues Taylor Jenkins and the Memphis Grizzlies must sort out