Grizzlies cash in trade chips and 2 other ripple effects of Adams injury
By Mark Nilon
1. Grizzlies could now look to cash in on their trade chips
Over the last several years, the Memphis Grizzlies have cultivated a plethora of lucrative assets that range from promising young talents to future first and second-round draft capital.
Though the belief amongst fans and media pundits alike as of late has been to try and utilize these luxuries in an attempt to bolster their lackluster wing position, with the recent injury to Adams there’s now an argument to be made that GM Zach Kleiman and company may want to shift their focus on trying to bolster the depth down in the paint instead.
In a perfect world, coach Jenkins could simply slide All-Star and reigning Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. down to the five and then find a fill-in commodity (Aldama, perhaps) to slot in at the four.
Unfortunately, based on his recent showing serving as a primary pivot under the bright lights of the 2023 FIBA World Cup for Team USA, the championship-hungry Grizzlies may be a bit reluctant to try such a rotation shakeup and, in turn, should focus on keeping JJJ at his more natural power forward position.
With no other truly reliable center options currently on the roster, Memphis should strongly consider pursuing an outsourced option in an attempt to make up for the rebounding, paint-protecting, and overall nitty-gritty work that Adams has provided in his efforts to make the club a legitimate contender throughout his tenure.
The only question now is, who could be a realistic option?
