With the recent trade that saw beloved franchise pivot Steven Adams be shipped out to the Houston Rockets, the Memphis Grizzlies now find themselves with a glaring vacancy at the five spot that, both for the short term and beyond, needs to be filled.
While some may believe that Thursday's trade deadline could be an ideal time for the front office to find a successor to the center position, per recent rumblings it seems as if they have more of an interest in bolstering the exact opposite position at point guard, with HoopsHype's Michael Scotto reporting that Memphis is one of several teams that could be open to pursuing recent lottery pick, Killian Hayes.
Memphis Grizzlies 'have expressed trade interest' in Killian Hayes
"Following a Detroit Free Press report that former No. 7 overall pick Killian Hayes and his representation would prefer a change of scenery, the Memphis Grizzlies are among the teams that have expressed trade interest in Hayes, league sources told HoopsHype.Michael Scotto
With Ja Morant out for the rest of the season, the Grizzlies could give Hayes a chance to play significant minutes and showcase himself for a new contract as he enters free agency this summer."
Since coming into the association as a highly regarded, top-10 selection, Hayes has struggled to carve out a prominent role within the Piston's rotation and has even seen the franchise draft three other first-round backcourt talents since 2020.
However, despite his struggles, throughout his tenure with Detroit, he has managed to show flashes of becoming a serviceable rotational contributor what with his passing skills and sound defensive instincts that could be of great service within Memphis' backcourt for the remainder of this season and, presumably, for the many others to come.
"Where's Killian Hayes going with this ball?" 🤔
— NBA (@NBA) January 9, 2022
The no-look dime to Isaiah Stewart extends the @DetroitPistons lead on NBA League Pass: https://t.co/L8Rrlv9ZoR pic.twitter.com/opOiBYKAFL
Through four season played, Hayes boasts career averages of 8.1 points, 5.2 assists, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game.
While there are certainly a plethora of areas this Grizzlies team might want to try and address over their point guard depth, the idea of buying low on a 22-year-old recent lottery pick is, at the very least, entertaining.
On an expiring contract with a 2023-24 salary of $7.4 million, he'd be able to be absorbed into their recently acquired $12.4 million DPE, meaning that Memphis could realistically attain his services for a few second-round picks and literally without having to give up anyone in the process.