The Memphis Grizzlies kick-started the NBA offseason by trading Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic last Sunday. One week later, the Phoenix Suns traded Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the #10 pick of this week's draft, and five second-round draft picks.
Kevin Durant was almost a near-guarantee to be traded this offseason after the Suns flirted with trading him at the NBA trade deadline in February. Desmond Bane's trade came as a bit of a surprise, but after another first-round exit, all bets were off for the Grizzlies' offseason strategy. Now that the Kevin Durant trade saga has been completed, the Grizzlies' acquisition in the Bane trade looks even better.
Pick swap for next year goes up in value
The most valuable asset the Grizzlies received in their trade for Bane was a first-round pick swap next season with either the Washington Wizards or Phoenix Suns (whichever is the worse of the two picks). The Grizzlies acquired various assets in their trade last week that can be used to upgrade their roster around their all-star duo of Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr.
Now, the Phoenix Suns have traded Durant for another shooting guard to pair with their other scoring shooting guards that overlap in positional value. With the Western Conference landscape getting tougher by the year, they appear to be trending in the wrong direction, thus leading next year's pick to be more valuable.
The odds of next season's pick swap being a lottery pick in what many believe to be a stacked draft give the Grizzlies more ammo in a potential deal to propel them into championship contention. Draft picks are valuable, as evidenced by the Desmond Bane trade, and now the Grizzlies will look to use their new influx of picks to execute another blockbuster deal in their favor of a win-now move.
The offseason is still young, as the NBA season hasn't officially ended yet, as Game 7 of the NBA Finals is tonight. The NBA draft this week presents another avenue where teams execute deals as all teams look to make the requisite moves for where their teams are in their development process.
Acquiring four draft picks has the Grizzlies in a prime position to make the necessary moves needed to rank among the NBA's elite. The most premier of those picks was just made sweeter for them to utilize in what is already a crazy NBA offseason.