Only five players remain from the Memphis Grizzlies roster that won 56 games and made the second round of the Western Conference playoffs in the 2021-22 season. Since their most successful season in the Ja Morant era (drafted in 2019), the team has made moves in hopes of taking the next step toward becoming championship contenders, to no avail.
While it is easy to focus on their blunders (i.e. trading for Marcus Smart, drafting Ziaire Williams, etc.), they have moved off players with good timing as well. A couple of these players were fan favorites, but the organization made a wise decision to move forward before their value to the team depleted with time.
1. Tyus Jones
The actual trade that Jones was included in didn't work out for the team, as it yielded Marcus Smart in a three-team deal. However, Tyus Jones was traded to get an opportunity to start at point guard, which he did for most of his two seasons with the Washington Wizards and Phoenix Suns.
His value as a starter wasn't a success, as his numbers mirrored those of his last season as a backup for the Grizzlies. He will return to a backup role this season with the Orlando Magic, and the Grizzlies have adequately replaced him with Scotty Pippen Jr.
2. Xavier Tillman
The Grizzlies moved off Tillman to get value from a player who was about to enter free agency in February 2024. He was a depth big man who was ready whenever his number was called, and has remained in that role for the Boston Celtics. The Grizzlies needed him to develop more and received two second-round picks as compensation for a player who has reached his ceiling.
3. David Roddy
De'Anthony Melton was one of the Grizzlies' top reserves off the bench, but they traded him for a first-round pick that became David Roddy and Danny Green on the 2022 NBA Draft night. Roddy played rotational minutes in his rookie season, but didn't show improvement during his sophomore season, which led to him being traded at the 2024 NBA trade deadline. He has since been traded two more times, signed two separate two-way contracts, and is currently on an Exhibit-10 deal with the Toronto Raptors.
Honorable Mention: Desmond Bane
It is too early to tell if the Grizzlies made the right move by trading their third star, but the compensation was too good to pass up. Receiving four first-round picks for a non-All-Star max-level player whose value was likely to decline as his contract increased was a no-brainer for an organization that deemed itself not to be a championship contender. How the Grizzlies utilize those assets will determine if this move was perfectly timed.