Grizzlies expressed 'interest' in trading for $55.5 million two-way wing

Though lackluster backcourt depth has been an area of concern for the Memphis Grizzlies throughout their first month of the season, it has been their questionable wing rotation that has been a strong topic of conversation dating as far back as the summer.

With the departure of Dillon Brooks, who was sign-and-traded to the Houston Rockets in early July, the club's starting three spot has been a complete question mark and, despite ample experimentation with internal personnel by coach Taylor Jenkins, 16 games in it's more than apparent that they've yet to find an answer to this rotational quagmire.

To many, the best course of action for the ball club is believed to be for them to scour the trade market for an outsourced talent to help bolster the wing slot and, in turn, find some much-needed stability.

While there hasn't been much of an indication that GM Zach Kleiman and company are currently looking to make such a move, per HoopsHype's Michael Scotto just a few months back the Grizzlies were one of several teams who expressed interest in pursuing a deal for Brooklyn Nets tweener forward, Dorian Finney-Smith.

Grizzlies one of several teams to show 'interest' in Dorian Finney-Smith

"NBA executives across the league are also monitoring Brooklyn’s wings, including Dorian Finney-Smith and Royce O’Neale.

Finney-Smith has previously drawn interest from several playoff-caliber teams, including the Dallas Mavericks, Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, and Memphis Grizzlies (before several injuries changed their trajectory this season), among other teams, league sources told HoopsHype."

- Michael Scotto on Dorian Finney-Smith

An eight-year veteran in the association, Finney-Smith is someone who we at BSB have previously tabbed as a possible sound fit for this Grizzlies team, and Scotto only confirmed that the franchise may feel this way as well.

A trusty 3-and-D contributor, the 30-year-old finds himself putting forth yet another impressive campaign now in his second season with the Nets. Through 17 games played, he's posting solid averages of 10.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and just over half a block while shooting 45.4 percent from the floor and 44.1 percent from deep on 6.0 attempts per outing, both career highs.

Aside from his offensive efforts, Finney-Smith is perhaps best known as being a hustle-and-bustle brand of player on both ends of the floor, as he displays an astounding array of strength, agility, and overall toughness that, in many ways, would be an ideal fit out in Grind City.

Of course, in Scotto's piece he went on to note that considering the forward is signed to his $55.5 million deal through 2024-25 and holds a $15.38 million player option for the 2025-26 season, "rival executives expect the Nets to continue to have a high asking price worth the equivalent of two first-round picks if they trade him," indicating that executing a deal may be a bit challenging.

That said, he would add that, ultimately, the hope is "the asking price will drop closer to the trade deadline," so, though the odds of a trade happening any time soon aren't great, should the Grizzlies still have an interest in his services leading into February 8, his name could very well be found frequently circulating within the team's trade rumor mill over the next several months.