4. Grizzlies take advantage as Nets sell
Brooklyn has won just three of their last 14 games to fall to five games under .500. They are clinging to a spot in the Play-In Tournament, but the Nets are not contenders. Fans have heard the rumors, but the franchise has little incentive to tank without their own first-round picks. Brooklyn must shake things up, and the Grizzlies could offer that chance.
Memphis will want a 3-and-D wing and Nic Claxton. The Nets have shopped Dorian Finney-Smith and Royce O’Neale. The Grizzlies would prefer the long-term security of Finney-Smith but may go for O’Neale to keep the cost down. Claxton is a versatile big man with elite defensive potential. Would this be enough to make a deal?
Adams and Clarke are unlikely to play this season, but Brooklyn would have two quality big men for next year. The draft capital is the game-changer. The Nets want to build around Mikal Bridges and getting four draft picks could put them in the running for the next superstar who becomes available. Players want to team with Bridges, but Brooklyn needs assets to acquire a top-end talent.
The Nets add versatility and flexibility in this deal. They have Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Marcus Smart, and Jaren Jackson Jr. to put around Finney-Smith and Claxton. It allows them to go small or big. The Memphis Grizzlies would be a problem in the playoffs if they can get there.