Celtics urged to poach versatile Grizzlies guard this summer

The Memphis Grizzlies endured a bevy of injuries and witnessed a record-setting number of talents suit up for the franchise during the 2023-24 campaign.

As a result of these health-related issues, Taylor Jenkins' club went on to finish with a lackluster record of 27-55 and missed out on playoff contention for the first time in four seasons.

Of course, even amid these hardships, there still proved to be a few notable bright spots that came about, one of which being the ample opportunities presented to young and inexperienced talents that, in normal circumstances, would not have been available.

From GG Jackson and Vince Williams Jr. to Scotty Pippen Jr., there were several players who managed to benefit from this increase in on-court chances and who established themselves as intriguing pieces to have plugged into active rotations moving forward.

One of these players, in particular, has seemingly caught the eye of Hardwood Houdini's Michael Ivanoskos, as he has gone as far as to suggest that the reigning Champion Boston Celtics could use a guy of Jordan Goodwin's services.

Celtics urged to consider pursuing Grizzlies guard Jordan Goodwin

Citing his strong versatility in both his game and positional fit (measures in at 6-foot-4 but slotted in at the one down to the three with Memphis in 2023-24), Ivanoskos is of the belief that a player of Goodwin's ilk could be a great addition to Boston's depth, especially within their backcourt where they could use for a long and lengthy option behind the less physically-equipped Payton Pritchard.

Initially signing on to a 10-day with the franchise back in mid-February, Goodwin quickly played beyond his pay grade with the Grizzlies and, in turn, agreed to terms on a two-way deal once the contract expired.

With his impressive defensive chops, rebounding instincts, and distribution skills, the 25-year-old quickly endeared himself to the Grind City faithful, and went on to post solid per-game averages of 10.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.5 steals though 17 total outings and 12 starts.

However, it was his during the last few weeks of the campaign that seemed to have caught the eye of Ivanoskos, especially during his final eight-game stretch where he dropped 12.9 points, 11.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.4 steals per night while seeing an uptick in his long-range shooting efficiency, as he converted on 36.7 percent from deep over this span.

A restricted free agent, the Grizzlies would have the upper hand in any kind of pursuit this summer, though, considering the depth they have within their backcourt when fully healthy (Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Marcus Smart) along with the highly complimentary skill set and enviable upside a guy like Scotty Pippen Jr. possesses, it appears more than likely that Goodwin could be heading outbound this offseason.

Should this end up being the case, landing on the defending champion's roster wouldn't be the worst of scenarios for the talented, albeit raw, youngster.