Around the NBA in 15 trades: Day 3, Grizzlies and Lakers
In the lead up to the Feb. 8 trade deadline, we’re taking all 30 teams and finding mutually beneficial partners. Every day will offer up a new deal with two new consorts. It’s kinda like the 12 days of Christmas, but instead of hens-a-laying and pear trees and useless nonsense from your true love, you’re getting fake trades from me for a much higher holy day: the NBA trade deadline. Strap in tight, it’s trading season!
Day 3 focuses on a pair in the bottom third of the Western Conference. It’s safe to say both the Grizzlies and Lakers aren’t having the seasons they were hoping for. It might be time for these squads to shake up their snow globes and do something drastic.
The Trade:
Why the Grizzlies do it:
Grit ‘N Grind is over. Look, I’m not happy about it, and I know you’re not either. But it’s time to face facts and move on. Memphis, luckily, has their own first-rounder, so their swift decay is fortunately juxtaposed.
Marc Gasol and Mike Conley combine to make over $51 million per year. That’s way too much for a small market team to shell out just to be mediocre. Gasol is 32 with two years left after this one and Conley is 30 with three more. It’s more likely that their contracts become albatrosses than them living up to the astronomical dollar figures.
Parting with your long time stars is never easy, but this deal gives Memphis financial flexibility and nice young players to restock with. Brandon Ingram represents a high-
upside talent to potentially build around, with Jordan Clarkson and Julius Randle as secondary guys. I never understood the anti-Randle camp. The main gripe is with his inconsistency, but I think it stems from being in an inconsistent situation and having his minutes perpetually yanked around. I feel like Memphis would accept him for the player he is and embrace him as the next Zach Randolph.
Why the Lakers do it:
The Lakers haven’t felt the warmth of the limelight for quite some time and their rebuild isn’t going as smoothly as planned. Are any of their recent high draft picks no-doubt cornerstone pieces? I’d argue things would be going better in Lakerland if they definitely were.
There’s been a lot of tea leaf reading around the speculation of LeBron James signing in Los Angeles next season. Obviously, the Lakers want to reel in The King. But James isn’t coming to tinsel town if he’s joining a rebuilding situation. However, joining two complimentary savvy veterans along with the remaining young guns of Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma, and Larry Nance Jr. would be an enticing scenario.
Next: Around the NBA in 15 trades: Day 2, 76ers and Trail Blazers
Creating an inviting landing spot for superstar free agents would be the kind of glitzy splash the Lakers and their new management team are looking to make. Putting Gasol and Conley in gold and purple would bring them one step closer to Showtime.