2 realistic landing spots for top Grizzlies trade candidates
By Mark Nilon
John Konchar
Luke Kennard may take the bulk of attention when it comes to the Grizzlies' top shooters out on the wing, but fifth-year pro John Konchar is by no means a slouch in this department.
Since coming into the league as an undrafted free agent back in 2019, the 27-year-old has worked his way toward becoming a consistent contributor within coach Jenkins' rotation and a rather trusty spot starter thanks to his shooting abilities and underrated defensive prowess.
John Konchar denies AD at the rim 😳 pic.twitter.com/948yov8K42
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) April 20, 2023
Sporting career averages of 4.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and just shy of a steal per game on 47.6 percent shooting from the field and 37.1 percent from deep all while holding a positive +1.8 defensive box plus-minus it's no wonder that Konchar has drawn interest from rival teams, with Scott reporting that the Celtics, Warriors, and Lakers have all "kept tabs" on his situation.
However, of this bunch only one seems to be a realistic trade partner for his services.
Realistic landing spot: Boston Celtics
Unlike Kennard, when it comes to the teams who could be interested in Konchar those with limited cap space are likely to be the ones heavily linked, as he's on an expiring contract with a salary of just $2.4 million.
With this, it's no surprise that the three aforementioned organizations are keeping an eye on his availability, as all place within the top-10 when it comes to the league's highest payrolls.
However, the odds of the Grizzlies making any deal with either the Warriors or Lakers should be viewed as incredibly low considering both are active rivals of the franchise, thus suggesting if the forward were to be dealt, it would not be to either of them.
In turn, due to process of elimination, this leaves the Celtics as the most realistic destination in a hypothetical trade, and considering they're a title-favorite rolling out a top-heavy starting unit with somewhat lacking depth behind them, adding a low-cost, rotationally versatile, two-way talent like Konchar seems to make a ton of sense.
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