The aftermath of the Desmond Bane trade remains relevant as the NBA Finals near completion. The Memphis Grizzlies acquired an influx of assets for their starting shooting guard of the last four seasons, and have several different directions they can go. One name that has not been mentioned for a while as a Grizzlies' target is on the trade block.
NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer reported that Sacramento Kings forward DeMar DeRozan could emerge as a target for the teams that miss out on acquiring Kevin Durant. The Kings are undergoing a transition after trading De'Aaron Fox and missing the playoffs last season, and DeRozan has a team-friendly contract and is still productive at age 35 years old.
While it was reported that the Grizzlies are not pursuing Kevin Durant this time around, inquiring about DeRozan at his value could check off two boxes of what the team needs after trading Desmond Bane.
DeRozan can fill their starting small forward position in the short term
Marc Stein and Jake Fischer also reported that the Kings privately expressed that they could obtain a first-round pick (currently don't have one) as high as the early 20s in the NBA draft. The Memphis Grizzlies hold the 16th pick and are looking to add win-now players to a team that is building around Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr.
Unfortunately, DeRozan wouldn't check off all boxes for the team as he is a career 30% three-point shooter and hasn't been known as the greatest defender. However, what he can provide is veteran leadership in the locker room, a known mid-range bucket getter, and a half-court scorer in the closing stretches of the game when the Grizzlies have struggled the most.
Also, with Jaylen Wells expected to be slotted at the shooting guard position, the team has a glaring hole at the small forward position, with only GG Jackson II under contract at that position for the moment. Developing GG Jackson was a priority going into last season, but his underwhelming season after returning from a broken foot injury soured that projection for a team ready to contend now.
DeRozan would obviously hurt the spacing that Desmond Bane provided as one of the better three-point shooters in the league, but he possesses the ability to score in the half-court, which has been another weakness of this team for quite some time. Also, acquiring DeRozan would likely not require a lot. Therefore, it would lead the team to address additional concerns with their treasure trove of assets acquired from the Desmond Bane trade.