As January winds down, the Memphis Grizzlies find themselves included in the NBA trade rumor mill with the trade deadline nearing on February 6th. Their name being thrown around with the biggest star that is currently on the trade market shows that the team feels like they can contend for their first-ever NBA Championship this season.
While no move has been made, the team has less than two weeks to strike a deal they feel could put them over the top for contention in the Western Conference. The last trade the Grizzlies made in January was in 2019 when they acquired Justin Holiday from the Chicago Bulls for MarShon Brooks, Wayne Selden, and two second-round draft picks.
While that deal was a last-ditch effort for the .500 Grizzlies team to make one last playoff run with franchise staples Marc Gasol and Mike Conley Jr., the team lost 17 out of 19 games to go from 18-16 to 20-33. They traded away Marc Gasol at the trade deadline in February of that season to signal the official end of the 'Grit N Grind' era.
Let's revisit some of the biggest trades the Memphis Grizzlies franchise has made over their tenure: (Paul Gasol (2008) and Steven Adams (2024) trades missed the cut as they were traded on February 1st)
January 12, 2015 - Grizzlies acquired Jeff Green from the Boston Celtics
In the Grizzlies' search for a dynamic wing to replace previously traded Rudy Gay (see further down), Jeff Green became available. The Grizzlies traded Quincy Pondexter, Tayshaun Prince, and a first-round draft pick in a three-team deal with the New Orleans Pelicans and Boston Celtics to acquire the current Houston Rockets forward and others.
They took a swing and missed as Jeff Green was disappointing as the missing piece for the contending Memphis Grizzlies. He averaged 12.6 points on 42.9% shooting in 98 games (68 starts) with the Grizzlies before he was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers at the February 2016 trade deadline.
The Grizzlies didn't relinquish their first-round pick to the Celtics until the 2020 NBA Draft when they acquired current starting guard Desmond Bane from the Boston Celtics for two second-round draft picks.
January 7, 2014 - Grizzlies acquired Courtney Lee from the Boston Celtics
The Memphis Grizzlies and Boston Celtics have consistently been trade partners throughout the years. As part of a three-team deal with the Boston Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder, the Grizzlies traded Jerryd Bayless and two second-round picks for Courtney Lee and others.
Originally not expected to be a starter for the team, Courtney Lee had a productive three years with the team starting 158 of 177 games played. He averaged 10.3 points on 37.7% shooting from three as the primary 3-and-D wing on the contending Grizzlies.
January 30, 2013 - Grizzlies trade Rudy Gay for Tayshaun Prince
Outside of trading Pau Gasol, this trade was the biggest in the Memphis Grizzlies' history. As part of another three-team deal with the Detroit Pistons and Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies traded star forward Rudy Gay and others for current Memphis Grizzlies Vice President of Basketball Affairs Tayshaun Prince and others.
The Grizzlies decided that Rudy Gay's style didn't fit the core four of Mike Conley Jr., Tony Allen, Zach Randolph, and Marc Gasol. Tayshaun Prince entered the lineup and helped the Grizzlies clinch their first and only Western Conference Finals appearance that season.
That trade provided immediate value in the short term but hurt the Grizzlies in the long term as they have searched for a wing of the caliber of Rudy Gay since that trade. The team is hopeful that GG Jackson can be the scoring wing they have missed since Rudy Gay's departure.
Rudy Gay averaged 17.9 points in seven seasons as the Grizzlies starting small forward. Tayshaun Prince averaged 7.0 points on 35% shooting from three in three seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies.