To consolidate or hold what you got? This is the question that will be on Memphis Grizzlies General Manager Zach Kleiman's mind as the NBA trade lines heat up as the trade deadline approaches for the NBA. The Grizzlies have arguably the deepest team in the league, with six players averaging double-digit points, and nine players averaging at least 9.0 points per game.
The Grizzlies as a team ranks high in nearly all offensive and defensive metrics through the midseason point and have yet to play a game with their full roster intact. Also, at full health, they have a team that can adjust to nearly any matchup.
Health has been the biggest obstacle in the Grizzlies' way, and as the deadline approaches, the time is ticking for them to get a good sample size of their current core. The question of whether the team will be fully healthy makes the Grizzlies' trade deadline strategy an easy one.
The Grizzlies should be buyers at the deadline
The reason the Grizzlies should be buyers as the deadline coincides with them being sellers in a certain sense. They have three expiring contracts who are productive players in Luke Kennard, Santi Aldama, and Jake LaRavia but thanks to the NBA's new hard cap rules, losing players for nothing isn't as prevalent as years past.
Memphis might very well have a championship team for this season as currently constructed. However, the missing data of having everyone available makes it sketchy to hold what they have. They also have a plethora of trade assets that if presented with an opportunity to make a splash move to put them over the top, they should strike while the iron is hot.
Marcus Smart has been a name that has been swirling around the trade market since last summer, and he has only been available for 45 of a possible 125 games since he joined the team in 2023. While his veteran experience can be key in a playoff scenario, his availability has to be a major concern at this point.
Add in the previously mentioned expiring contracts and the team having all of their future first-round draft picks, making a deal to consolidate the roster with a player that can be a difference-maker in the playoffs should remain a high priority. A midseason trade is risky, especially for a team as closely connected as the Grizzlies.
However, taking a risk is part of the game, and making a significant move to capitalize on their chances at winning a championship this season has to be considered. The team has its core in place with young surrounding pieces and just needs that final veteran battle-tested piece to put them over the top.