Trade idea sends former All-Star, 4x rebounding champion to Grizzlies

Before the season even officially started, the Memphis Grizzlies found themselves going up against an uphill battle as it was ruled early on that several key players would be sidelined for part of and/ or all of the entirety of 2023-24.

While there are those such as Ja Morant (suspension) who are expected to make their return to action relatively soon, others are still a ways away from getting back onto the hardwood.

Since their October 25 regular season tip-off, the club has been working tirelessly to find ways to make up for the bevy of absences, and, though there have been some promising flashes as a result of their experimentation, to this point they've yet to find any semblance of a reliable replacement for any of their current rotational vacancies.

However, despite their lack of success in this area, the Grizzlies must continue to look for alternative options for all of their notable absentee players, and, just recently, the folks at Bleacher Report proposed a trade idea that theoretically could help them in their search for a Steven Adams substitute.

Since it was reported that their franchise center would be undergoing season-ending knee surgery this past October, coach Taylor Jenkins has tried out several players to find a short-term successor.

Unfortunately, none have truly stood out, which is why writer Dan Favale believes Memphis must look to the trade route for a new pivot option, and suggested they should pursue a deal with the Chicago Bulls for veteran big, Andre Drummond.

Trade idea sends veteran pivot Andre Drummond to Grizzlies

Citing their depleted interior presence with the 6-foot-11 hole left behind by Adams, coupled with their struggles in the rebounding department (rank 22 in total rebounds, 18 in offensive rebounds), Favale believes that adding Drummond to the mix could help shore up many of their current frontcourt problems all at a rather inexpensive cost.

"He brings more size and heft, much to the delight of Jaren Jackson Jr.'s defensive workload, and is an offensive-rebounding dynamo. Drummond is boarding over 20 percent of Chicago's misses at the moment—a career high. The Grizzlies will have to stomach more freelancing in the post and hair-pulling decisions from him than they do with Adams or any other big on the roster, but he's worth the trouble relative to current alternatives."

- Dan Favale on Andre Drummond

Though perhaps no longer the two-time All-Star he once was in his heyday, now in year 12 Drummond still provides menacing size in the paint with his 6-foot-11, 280-pound frame and is showing flashes of his four-time rebounding champion self.

Used as a mere 13 minute per game role player in Chicago, the 30-year-old is still quite effective on the hardwood as he sports stellar averages of 22.1 points and 24.6 rebounds per 100 possessions while boasting a tremendous offensive rebounding percentage of 20.7.

While many have been suggesting the Grizzlies should strongly consider pursuing the veteran's own Bulls teammate in Nikola Vucevic in the event that they search for an outsourced center upgrade, a trade for Drummond would not only mean fewer assets need to be coughed up but his expiring $6.5 million contract makes him more desirable considering they'll almost certainly shift back to Adams at the five once he fully recovers.

Perhaps not the sexiest of hypothetical transactions, at a rather low cost this proposed trade could be a low-risk, high-reward move for Taylor Jenkins and co. to make.