3 Grizzlies who could be playing their final season in Memphis

The Memphis Grizzlies made some small yet impactful changes to their talent pool at this year's trade deadline, as the front office opted to part ways with fan-favorite talents Steven Adams, Xavier Tillman, and David Roddy for cap flexibility, added draft assets, and extra roster space.

Though admittedly tough decisions, GM Zach Kleiman acknowledged during his post-deadline presser that the moves made were ones that, in his eyes, helped improve the team's chances of success in the future, and even hinted that there could be more shakeups to come after the 2023-24 campaign comes to an end.

Grizzlies who could be playing their final season in Memphis

While there are still roughly two more months of action to go until Memphis' season concludes, of the 15 or so players who have regularly found themselves on the team's roster there are bound to be at least a few who will be headed outbound this coming summer.

3. Derrick Rose

Outside of the storyline regarding the return to his old collegiate stomping grounds (attended Memphis University for his one-and-done season back in 2007-08), Derrick Rose's tenure with the Grizzlies has essentially seen the same turnout as each of his previous two seasons, as it has been highlighted by inefficient play and consistent injuries.

Though the popularized talking point of bringing him on to serve as a mentor for Ja Morant is something that some may believe could be worth the club holding onto beyond this season, as the veteran put it back during the preseason, he's "not here to babysit" or "to be a plant in the locker room," emphasizing that he wants to show he still has "a lot left in the tank."

The problem with this is that come next season, coach Taylor Jenkins will presumably have Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Marcus Smart all back at full strength and, thus, will be taking up the vast majority of minutes within the backcourt rotation.

Add this to the fact that Vince Williams Jr. is also destined for ample playing time at either the two or three spot and there seems to be no more room left over for Rose to contribute in an on-court manner like he wishes to.

Be it in a move to clear out a roster spot or, simply, to respect his desire to see consistent minutes within a team's rotation, it seems very likely that the Grizzlies will look to move on from the beloved veteran come year's end.

2. Ziaire Williams

Ziaire Williams was a player some believed could be a realistic outbound trade candidate at this year's deadline.

Though the February 8 cutoff came and went with him remaining in tow, this coming offseason presents a fresh new opportunity for the Grizzlies to part ways with their underwhelming youngster.

Since being selected 10 overall back in the 2021 NBA Draft, the wing has failed to live up to the lofty expectations that come with being a lottery-selected talent and now, in year three, has found himself falling behind guys like GG Jackson and Vince Williams Jr. within coach Jenkins' rotation.

Despite his shortcomings in Memphis, however, a rebuilding team could still very much be interested in the allure of his sporadic on-court flashes and the concept of his untapped potential.

Measuring in at 6-foot-9 with a 6-foot-10 wingspan and coupled with an impressive brand of athleticism, Williams has the makings of becoming a quality defensive contributor in the association.

Though his 30.3 percent long-range shooting clip is certainly nothing to write home about, the wing boasts a smooth shooting form and an 80 percent free throw shooting clip that suggests he could develop into a reliable 3-and-D talent if given the proper attention, guidance, and playing time that generally comes with a rebuilding team rather than on a title-hopeful like the Grizzlies when healthy.

Expect Memphis to try and sell high(ish) on his status of being a recent lottery pick still under the age of 23 this offseason.

1. Luke Kennard

The team's decision to cut ties with Steven Adams seemed to have served as an indicator that the Grizzlies are interested in cutting down on their salary commitments ahead of the 2024 offseason.

Should this be the case, considering his $14.7 million salary for 2024-25 ranks as the fourth-highest on the team's payroll, trading Luke Kennard could prove to be the next financially-driven move this front office could make and, considering his impressive skill set, it likely wouldn't be all that hard to find a suitor for his services come the summer months.

One of the game's best perimeter shooters, since 2018-19 the 27-year-old boasts impressive averages of 10.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.1 assists while cashing in on 45.6 percent of his shots from the floor and 44.1 percent of his attempts from distance.

Leading up to the deadline, Kennard was revealed to be "a player rival teams are keeping an eye on" in a report by HoopsHypes Michael Scotto.

Though, ultimately, he stayed put in the 38103, as is generally the case the offseason is when most trades tend to happen and, as a result, these aforementioned rival teams just might find themselves dialing up Zach Kleiman and company yet again to inquire about his availability.