1. Jarrett Allen
Now he's where things get a bit more spicy.
As mentioned in the previous slide, the Grizzlies could use for a talent upgrade at the center position. Should the front office wish to play things safe and simply focus on this year's team, then without question a guy like Andre Drummond would be the best option on the trade market.
However, if they are willing to cash in a few of their draft assets (can trade up to four first-round picks) and a few of their higher-cost contracts to make a significant splash, pursuing a player like Jarrett Allen could be an ideal route for them to take.
A player who Yahoo Sports' Jake Fischer reports has drawn "plenty of interest from playoff contenders" thus far into the season, Allen's skillset would be a seamless fit alongside Memphis' core of Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr. as the season churns on and, with two years remaining on his deal along with his coveted young age of just 25, would be a solid foundational piece to have in tow for the many years to come.
Frohio with the clean up! 🧼@_bigjayy_ | #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/lV8ZQ5kIxs
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) January 2, 2024
Since establishing himself as a legitimate frontcourt staple and an NBA All-Star back during the 2021-22 campaign, the center has posted impressive averages of 15.0 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks while shooting 66.1 percent from the field.
Of course, as alluded to already, trading for Allen would be a far more costly move than pursuing any of the other players mentioned here today but at 10-22 the Grizzlies are in need of some serious aid assuming their goal is to claw their way back into the playoff picture with 50 games remaining on the docket.
The Cavs star could be exactly what this team needs to accomplish such a goal and might just be the pivot of the future they didn't even know they needed.