Herrington: An updated Grizzlies trade-deadline preview
With the NBA trade deadline looming, what, if any, trades will the Grizzlies make? Memphis Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins (middle) during a timeout against the Orlando Magic on Saturday, October 26, 2024. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian file)
Chris Herrington
Chris Herrington has covered the Memphis Grizzlies, in one way or another, since the franchise’s second season in Memphis, while also writing about music, movies, food and civic life. As far as he knows, he’s the only member of the Professional Basketball Writers Association who is also a member of a film critics group and has also voted in national music critic polls for Rolling Stone and the Village Voice (RIP). He and his wife have two kids and, for reasons that sometimes elude him, three dogs.
The NBA trade deadline is a week away, and this feels like a pretty atypical one for the Grizzlies.
In the recent past, the deadline has approached with close to certainty that the franchise would do something but also with close to certainty that the something would not be major.
Those are the kinds of deadlines that yield small, semi-predictable moves: Trading away free-agents-to-be Steven Adams and Xavier Tillman Sr. amid a lost season. Adding role-player shooter Luke Kennard on the way to the playoffs.
This trade deadline feels like an inverse for the Grizzlies: The team’s name has been persistent in the NBA’s highest-profile public trade conversation, around disgruntled Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler. At the same time, it feels like the odds of the Grizzlies doing nothing at all are greater than in recent memory.
You never know when you’ll have your best team. The Grizzlies are good (again) this season. But they also start two rookies in Zach Edey and Jaylen Wells. Next season, stars Ja Morant, Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. will still be in their early primes, while Edey and Wells will be rookies no more. But certainty requires a crystal ball to see the future of health and development, and no one has that.
Even less certain is when the best opportunity will come, which doesn’t always match up with your best team. Maybe the best opportunity has already passed. Maybe it’s right now.
The Grizzlies are good, but far from perfect: They could use more size on the perimeter and more experience and physicality anywhere.
Topics
Subscriber Only Grizzlies basketball NBA trade deadlineAre you enjoying your subscription?
Your subscription gives you unlimited access to all of The Daily Memphian’s news, written by nearly 40 local journalists and more than 20 regular freelancers. We work around the clock to cover the issues that impact your life and our community.
You can help us reach more Memphians.
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, we provide free news access at K-12 schools, public libraries and many community organizations. We also reach tens of thousands of people through our podcasts, and through our radio and television partnerships – all completely free to everyone who cares about Memphis.
When you subscribe, you get full access to our news. But when you donate, you help us reach all Memphians.
Pay it forward. Make a fully tax-deductible donation to The Daily Memphian today.
Thank you for reading the local news. Thank you for investing in our community.
Chris Herrington on demand
Never miss an article. Sign up to receive Chris Herrington's stories as they’re published.
Enter your e-mail address
Related stories
Herrington: Five thoughts on the Grizzlies’ third straight Rockets loss
The Grizzlies will get a fourth and final (until the playoffs?) shot at the Houston Rockets in a couple of weeks. Chris Herrington has written five quick thoughts about the Houston-Memphis matchup.
Herrington: How Grizzlies’ pace may impact minutes, turnovers, length of game
Pace can color the game in a number of ways. Herrington breaks down three of the ways it impacts the Grizzlies.
Herrington: Amid flowering rivalries, Grizzlies-Wolves holds special place
The Grizzlies will face the Minnesota Timberwolves in their first nationally televised home game of the season, which is also their MLK Day game.
Want to comment on our stories or respond to others? Join the conversation by subscribing now. Only paid subscribers can add their thoughts or upvote/downvote comments. Our commenting policy can be viewed here.