Grizzlies could pursue trade involving $215 million All-Star

Despite their lackluster start to 2023-24, the Memphis Grizzlies are still a team looking to make some noise this season, especially during their final 57 games with Ja Morant back from suspension.

Of course, their 2-8 record is an indication that perhaps the front office may want to make some adjustments to the team’s makeup at some point between now and game No. 82, and one way of doing so may be by thrusting themselves into a potential Zach LaVine blockbuster.

Grizzlies could serve as a third party in a Zach LaVine blockbuster trade

Tuesday afternoon, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that there is “increased openness” between the Chicago Bulls and the All-Star guard to explore a trade, citing the franchise’s continued failures and hardships dating back to last season.

Soon after this report surfaced, numerous teams were tabbed by pundits as being possible landing spots for the 27-year-old’s services. Unsurprisingly, the Grizzlies were not regularly mentioned as a plausible destination.

So how could they get involved in a trade involving LaVine?

While the simplest transactions are easy one-up, two-team deals, when it comes to the type of money the stud guard is attached to ($48.9 million owed of his $215 million deal this year) there’s a rather realistic chance that multiple teams could wind up being involved as third-parties to help with the finances and, in theory, make packages more appealing.

In all likelihood, LaVine will not be sent to Memphis any time soon. That said, considering their specific financial flexibilities coupled with their need for some added firepower to the roster, perhaps there’s a way Zach Kleiman and company could still benefit from such an exchange.

The way: Thurst the club into a multi-team exchange.

From bringing on future capital attached to undesired contracts by utilizing their roughly $7 million in TPE space or going for an even bigger swing by targeting other commodities such as those that could fill a few rotational needs — the Philadelphia 76ers are viewed as a possible destination and the regular trade rumor-bound Tobias Harris could be a nice wing addition to the team — there are many scenarios in which the Grizzlies could stand to profit from this particular situation.

They’ve already shown that they’re willing to serve in such a role what with the Danny Green acquisition back in 2022. Perhaps Memphis will now look to get involved in the LaVine sweepstakes as well.

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